Notes:

Note 1./
On August 1, 1781, British Major Craig left Wilmington for New Bern to punish those who would not declare for the king. Major Craig had 250 regular British professional troops and 80 Tories. (These 80 Tories were the same guys that Col. Kenan had chased out of the county.) Early on August 2, Col. Kenan got notice of his approach and make such preparation for defense as he was able by hastily throwing up a slight breastwork, it was inadequate for the purpose intended.

At the very instant when Major Craig made the attach on our breastwork with his cannon, we were attached in the rear by Capt. Gordon with about 60 horsemen, 10 of which were British Dragoons and two companies of infantry. They had made a circuitous march through the woods and were close upon our rear before being discovered. Confusion and dismay was the immediate consequence. The Militia broke and quit their post before one half of them had discharged their guns. Col. Kenan and some of his officers made every exertion they could to rally the men again, but to no purpose. Our ammunition, baggage, provisions etc. fell into the enemy's hands. Eight or ten of our men were wounded and made prisoners, none were killed. The British had one man killed there.

Two days afterwards Craig marched up to the Grove (Now Kenansville) and encamped at Col. Routledge's house, lay there about three days, collected some cattle, destroyed some crops of corn, burned Capt. James Gillespie's and Lieu. Henry Houston's Houses, and destroyed such of their property, as they could not carry away. Then they marched on towards New Bern, committing depredations and enticing Negroes to desert their Masters and go with them. They were followed and harassed by some Militia from Duplin, Onslow, and Dobbs Counties. Capt. Gordon of the British Dragoons was killed on the way by some of the Onslow men. This happen the first week of August 1781.

Thus two British Armies marched through Duplin in the year 1781. After they were gone, their trace was scarcely perceivable, we on their approach retired out of the way and as soon as they had passed by, we returned to our houses, which we frequently found plundered and our stock driven off.

After this the Tories made frequent attempts to embody both in the western and eastern parts of the county, but by the execution of Col. Kenan, Col. Moore, Capt. Gillespie , and other offices, they were often dispersed with loss as they attempted to collect together.

About the latter end of September 1781, the Tories were collecting on the Cohera when Col. Moore with Captains Williams, David Dodd, and Stephen Miller went out in search of their camp, surprised and dispersed them without sustaining any loss in Col. Moore's party, four of the Tories were killed in that action. They never made any considerable head in Duplin afterwards.

The spirit of the Tories was now broke, they generally came in and surrendered them selves up to the Government and complied with the requisitions of the law by going into or finding a substitute for the Army of the United States. Middleton Mobley, their leader, being abandoned by all his deluded followers was obliged to leave the county, he was afterwards taken in Martin County and brought back to Wilmington, tried, condemned, and executed.

At the Battle of Eutaw Springs (Sept. 8, 1781) in South Carolina Capt. Joseph Thomas Rhodes from Duplin, took a company of about 40 raw recruits (raised in Duplin) that behaved with as much personal bravery and intrepidity as any that were in that engagement, they had joined the army but a few days previous to the action.

When the line was formed for action, Capt. Rhodes had his post assigned to him on the main road leading down Santee, towards the Springs: General Greene in person observed to Rhodes, that he expected the enemy would endeavor to force our lines at that place, and if he could maintain his ground he might depend on being reinforced in a very short time. According to the general's expectation, the battle became violent in that part of the line, but the promised reinforcements never came till a very late stage of the action. The men under Capt. Rhodes' Command, behaved with the utmost order and bravery and sustained considerable loss; the reinforcements when they came, took the ground of the left, where at that time, the enemy began to retreat. Rhodes then with what men he had left and with the remains of Captains Goodman and Porterfield's companies (Both Captains being killed) advanced near the brick house and attacked the British Artillery and took possession of several field pieces, one of which they kept. The others were retaken by British reinforcements of a superior strength in number. During the whole of this action, which is said to be the hottest and most bloody for the number of men engaged, that occurred during the Revolutionary War, the men under Capt. Rhodes's Command, manifested such undaunted bravery as is seldom surpassed by old disciplined Vitrons. During this Action, only Captain Rhodes and thirteen of his men, came out unhurt. The others being killed or wounded and of those that came out unhurt, only three of them had no marks of the ball or bayonet.

After the war terminated, in June of 1784, the County of Duplin was divided by a line running from the head of Rockfish Creek, where the road crossed Bull Tail Branch, nearly north, crossing Stewarts Creek at the bridge and Turkey near the old Court House, and Goshen at the Mouth of Young's Swamp. All west of said line was erected into a separate county named Sampson....

Note 2./
Duplin County and Sampson Countys were formerly a part of New Hanover County, and about the year 1749 was divided from New Hanover County. In 1784, Sampson County was erected from the portion of Duplin

Note 3./ DAR Patriot Index, Centennial Edition, Washington DC, 1990: Henry Houston born about 1746 in North Carolina, died 1820 in North Carolina, married Sarah Elizabeth Miller and service as a Lieutenant during the Revolutionary War from North Carolina. Two days afterwards [British Major] Craig Marched up to the Grove and Encamped at Colo Routledges House, lay there about three days, Collected some Cattle, destroyed some Crops of Corn Burned Capt. Gillespies and Lieut. [Henry] Houstons Houses, and destroyed such of their Property as they cou'd not carry away; Then Marched on towards Newbern, commiting depredations and Enticeing Negroes to Desert their Masters and go with them. They were followed and Harrassed by some Militia from Duplin, Onslow and Dobbs Counties, Capt. Gordon of the Brittish Dragoons was Killed on the way by some of the Onslow men. This happened in the first week in August 1781. [William Dickson, History of Duplin County, Wilmington Star, 1810]

NOTE 3./ HOUSTON:

Henry was born in N. C. in 1746, a son of Dr. William and Ann Jones Houston. Soldier recieved pay vouchers #3731 for 2/8/0 pounds and # 3823 for 1/10/0 pounds. In N. C. Army Accounts, Vol. V1, Bk 23, pg 43, voucher # 22 for 10/ 18/ 6 pounds principal with interest of 2/12/10 pounds. British General Craig marched up to the Grove (Duplin County) and encamped at Col. Routledge's and Lt. Henry Houston's house and destroyed what they could not carry off. Solider's obituary in the Onslow Register stated "Lieut. Henry Houston age 89, died July 29, 1836. Married Sara Elizabeth Miller. Henry was a Methodist and pensioner.

RS married Sarah Elizabeth MILLER. Sarah (daughter of George MILLER and Margaret MCCULLOH) was born about 1747 in Duplin County, NC. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

WilliamEsq married Anna JONES about 1735 in North Carolina. Anna (daughter of Squire Griffith JONES and Margaret MCREE) was born in 1715 in Bladen County, North Carolina.; died about Apr 1805 in Duplin County, North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Sources:
1./ Text: MCEACHERN, Leora H., DUPLIN COUNTY OF PLEAS AND QUARTER SESSIONS, Abstract of Minutes, 1803-1805, Part 6., Duplin County Historical Society, Rose Hill, NC, 1984.
2./ Text: DUPREE, Garland Monna Crowe, PEOPLE OF PURPOSE, VOLUME TWO, Walker Printing, 1990.

George married Margaret MCCULLOH. Margaret (daughter of Henry MCCULLOH and Mary HOUSTON) was born about 1720. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

NOTE 1./ As a historical time frame point of reference; In 1585, Sir Francis Drake, the English explorer, rescued the 1st English attempt at colonizing the New World. This was at Roanoke Island North Carolina

NOTE 2./ e-mail: Houston family genealogy from Sherri Shrat <> 12-18-06

We – are currently researching and trying to find Dr William Houston, (our immigrant’s ancestry) – We know he came from Ireland and was born in County Antrim about 1710-1715. He came with his Uncle (by marriage) Henry McCulloh, a Merchant and Land Agent of King George. Bob Epperson, one of our cousins has been doing a great deal of research on the McCulloh connection and we have just recently connected with Fletcher Freeman a descendant of Henry McCulloh who has provided us with some interesting info. Fletcher is an attorney and former J.P. from Dallas who lives and practices in MN now.

I need to back up here and tell you we also have a blood connection to Henry McCulloh that we are currently working on securing record proof of. Edward Houston (Rev War Vet) (son of Dr. William Houston) was married to Mary Miller. His brother Henry married Mary’s sister Sarah. Mary & Sarah Miller were the daughters of George Miller and __________ McCulloch. Their mother according to several historians was the daughter of Henry McCulloh. There is some historical error/conflict as to which daughter.

NOTE 3./
Historical reference for the time frame cir the time the Houston family had emigrated to America: (from the Ancestry Weekly Digest, 03 July 2004)

COLONISTS OPPRESSED

King George III succeeded his grandfather, George II, to the English throne in 1760 at age 22. At the time of his ascent to the throne, the French and Indian War still raged over territories in North America. The Sugar Act was passed in 1764, which taxed the importation into the colonies of sugar, coffee, Madeira wine, silks and other cloths, indigo, and pimentos. It also imposed fines on shippers who sold such commodities to the colonies.

The Stamp Acts, passed by Parliament in 1765, placed a duty (tax) on "every skin or piece of vellum or parchment, or sheet or piece of paper on which shall be ingrossed, written, or printed," for the
purpose of "further defraying the expences [sic] of defending, protecting, and securing" the colonies. The expense was enormous. A Stamp Act Congress consisting of representatives from nine colonies
was convened on 19 October 1765 and produced a Declaration of Rights that complained about the Stamp Act and other injustices imposed upon the colonies by Parliament.

The Townsend Acts were passed in Parliament in 1767 for the purpose of raising revenue to support the British army in the colonies. Import duties were imposed on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. The
Townsend Acts also provide salaries for some colonial officials so that the provincial assemblies could not influence them by withholding wages. Other particularly offensive bills authorized blank search warrants called Writs of Assistance, created three additional vice-admiralty courts which operated without juries, established a Board of Customs Commissioners headquartered in Boston, and suspended the New York assembly for a failure to comply with the Quartering Act of 1765 which dealt with providing quarters for British soldiers.

Parliament also passed the New York Restraining Act, which suspended the provincial legislature until it provided "his Majesty's troops... with all such necessaries" as required by British law. Colonists
protested these taxes by petitioning Parliament and boycotting these and other British goods. On 5 March 1770, Parliament altered the measure, and the duties on all commodities except tea were repealed. The tea tax, however, was the most lucrative and was retained by Parliament to show the colonies that it still had the right to impose taxes on them.

On 5 March 1770, a young barber's apprentice, Edward Garrick, apparently yelled an insult at a British soldier, Hugh White. The soldier responded by hitting the boy with a rifle. The boy called out for help and a crowd of more than four hundred colonists responded in a short time and began to throw snowballs and ice at the soldiers. The soldiers, egged on by more insults, ultimately fired shots into
the crowd, killing five men and wounding others. Although the soldiers were arrested for murder in what became known as the "Boston Massacre," they were all acquitted at trial. Colonists became more
afraid and resentful of the standing British army presence and some areas began organizing their own provincial troops in secret to help protect the populace.

The British East India Company controlled all the tea shipments into the colonies and colonial boycotts of their tea placed the company in jeopardy of going out of business. The colonial merchants had been
smuggling tea in from Holland. However, the British government was determined that the British East India Company would survive. In May 1773, Parliament passed the Tea Act, which allowed the company to sell tea directly to the colonists. This action bypassed the colonial merchants and, in fact, made the price of tea cheaper than even the Dutch imports. The colonists demanded the removal of the tea tax and dockworkers refused to unload tea from the company's ships. The Governor of Massachusetts demanded that the dockworkers in Boston unload the tea. He also demanded that the people pay the duty on tea.

On the night of 16 December 1773, a group of men dressed as Mohawk Indians and calling themselves the Sons of Liberty, went to Boston harbor and boarded three ships. They incapacitated the crew and
guards and, over the next hours, conducted what has become known as the Boston Tea Party. They dumped forty-five tons of tea into Boston Harbor and escaped unchallenged. The Crown and Parliament were livid and retaliated with the Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts. These included the following:
- The Boston Port Bill, which closed the Port of Boston to all colonists until the damages from the Boston Tea Party were paid.
- The Massachusetts Government Act nullified the original charter of the colonies and placed the British governor in complete control of town meetings. This act took control from colonists and, in effect,
stifled freedom of speech.
- The Administration of Justice Act stated that British officials could not be tried for capital crimes in provincial courts. They would be extradited to England for trial.
- The Quebec Act extended the Canadian borders to take over lands that had formerly been parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Virginia.

Outraged, colonial leaders organized and convened the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia on 5 September 1774. Fifty-five delegates from all the colonies except Georgia attended and met until
late October. They sought to petition Parliament to right the wrongs imposed against the colonies, rather than advocating independence.

THE SHOTS ARE FIRED

The colonists' covert military organization had not gone unnoticed. On 15 April 1775, General Thomas Gage, the British military governor in Massachusetts, was ordered to destroy the rebels' military stores
at Concord. On 19 April, he led a large number of troops across the Charles River. Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode through the countryside and alerted the so-called Minutemen of the
impending arrival of the British.

When Gage's troops arrived at Lexington Green, they were met by a group of armed colonial militia. A shot was fired and the British troops began firing on the small group of militia, killing eight and
wounding ten more. The militia retreated and the British continued on to Concord.

The Concord militia was more prepared--it flanked the retreating British troops, shooting at them from behind trees and bushes. The British had never experienced such guerilla tactics, and their morale
was severely damaged. The British casualties were very high. The Battles of Lexington and Concord mark the beginning of the full-fledged American Revolution.

NOTE 4./ Houston Family Scrapbook <>

Our "Houston Heritage" is rich and colorful. I have traced our "roots" in this line back to Dr. William Houston born about 1710, County Antrim, Ireland. He is our Houston line's original immigrant. The family name Houston, pronounced "House-ton" (the English pronunciation) was used by our line, rather than the Irish pronunciation of "Hugh's Town shortened to Hugh's-ton". Some of the descendants in our line have adopted or gone back to the original Irish pronunciation.

Dr. William Houston, although he has not been officially recognized as a Patriot by DAR, was in fact a Patriot. His son Edward Houston my family's direct line ancestor has been recognized as a Patriot. I have joined DAR through him. If any of you would like to join DAR through Edward, please let me know. I can send you information to assist you. I am going to have Dr. William Houston recognized as a Patriot and added as a supplement to my membership, which will open membership to all our Houston cousins who are interested and not direct descendants of Edward

Our Houston DNA tests show that we are of Viking descent. (A Viking in our genetic woodpile) Apparently Vikings controlled much of Ireland and Scotland from 800 - 1100 A.D. This was prior to the common use of surnames. This is why we have a Scot/Irish surname rather than a Scandinavian surname for our Houston line. I am continuing with other family members, researching to find documented proof of Dr. William Houston's ancestry.

William married Unknown MCCULLOH. Unknown (daughter of James MCCULLOH) was born about 1675 in Ireland; died in in Ireland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Note: From: Richard & Carol Ann Lantz [mailto:[email protected]] I am interested in your research re. the Houston family line -- most especially your 4th generation (William Houston with spouse ?McCulloh). I am researching the McCulloh line and find many contradictions of dates and births. One of my references refers to a Helen Houston marrying a Henry McCulloh, but I don't see any reference to a Helen Houston in your Descendency list. But -- and the reason for my e-mail -- a Dr. William Houston came to North Carolina around 1735 and was the nephew of my ancestor, Henry Eustace McCulloh, Sr. He had sisters by both the first and second marriages of his father, James (McC) of Grogan. If one of these sisters is the ? McCulloh that is the mother of William Houston, Esq. (b 1715), then that would make this Dr. William Houston the nephew who was made agent of many of Henry McCulloh's lands in North and South Carolina prior to the Revolutionary War. I would like to know the source of your entry that ? McCulloh married a William Houston. Although I find in your research a reference to "Repository: Title: v8t1352.FTW", I am unfamiliar with the source reference and hope you can clarify for me the source of this marriage.

Squire married Margaret MCREE. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Sources: Text: DUPREE, Garland Monna Crowe, PEOPLE OF PURPOSE, VOLUME TWO, Walker Printing, 1990.

Notes:

Note 1./
Henry McColloch was of the distinguished Craigs Castle family. (per Alabama Houston history)

Note 2./
Henry McCulloch, a merchant of London, in association with Arthur Dobbs and others, received grants in 1735 for 60,000 acres on Black River and subsequently grants for more than a million acres in the back country of North Carolina, subject to certain conditions as to settlement which were never carried out completely. The first settlement on the McCulloch lands was made in 1736 in Duplin County. The earliest settlers of Duplin were Scotch Irish and Swiss. In 1762, McCulloch claimed that he was entitled to 71,160 acres in Duplin County. The McCulloch grants were the source of much dispute before the Revolution. Of these lands, 56,969 acres were confiscated during the Revolution and sold by the State for £10,275-11-10. C. R., V, xxxii-xxxv, VI, 773; R. D. W. Connor, Colonial-Revolutionary Periods, 167; S. A. Ashe, History of North Carolina, I, 252-254

Note 3./
About the year 1736 this part of the Country, (then the uper part of New Hanover County) was first Setled by Emigrants from the North of Ireland and some Dutch from Switzerland;— Henry McCulloh Esq. of London, having purchased a Tract of land from the Crown, Containing 71,160 Acres lying in the uper part of New Hanover County, between the No. East branch of Cape fear River and Black River. Encouraged a Number of Irish and Dutch to come over from Europe to Settle his lands,3 with a promise of certain Conditions to give them Titles to certain Portions of it.—Their first Settlements were at Soracta4 on the No. East River, and at the lower end of Goshen, (then called Woodwards Chase,) And on the Grove, where Duplin Court House now Stands; About the same time, and soon after, a Number of families Emigrated from Roanoak, Meherrin,5 and Elcewhere, and Setled on Cohera, Six Runs, Goshen, and No. East.—The Country being then New; The Range fresh and luxuriant, and the Country abounding with wild Game, their Principal object then was Raising Stock and Hunting.—

At the first forming of this County, which then Included both Duplin and Sampson, it contained but about 360 white Poll Taxables, and very few Negroes. At the Commencement of the Revolutionary War it contained about 900, or 1000 White Poll Taxables very few of them were then Emigrants from Europe

Note 4./
Soracte is encountered in the records as early as 1744. Henry McCulloch gave it as his North Carolina address

Note 5./
In 1755, 628 taxables comprising 460 white men and 168 male and female blacks and mulattoes were reported. White taxables were reported as 848 in 1765, 883 in 1766, and 1,071 in 1767.

Note 6./
In 1786, a tract of 100 acres lying on the west side of North East River on lands of Dr. William Houston, was incorporated as the town of Sarecto. Charles Ward, John Hill, James Outlaw, Samuel Houston, David Murdough, George Miller, and John Matchel were appointed commissioners “for the further designing, building, and improving the said town

Note 7./
Henry MCCULLOH Esqr. was born about 1702/3 in England. He signed a will on 31 Oct 1778 in England, Canterbury. The Will names Elizabeth, [Elizabeth Green*] Henry Eustace, James McCulloh of Duplin NC (to whom he gave money, slaves and land). Henry Eustace and a Robert Boyd were Executors. The Will was proven in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on July 16, 1779. The will refers to Henry Eustace as "my beloved son" but does not indicate the family connection to James. Elizabeth Green was his housekeeper following the death of wife Penelope. The document I sent is a part of a Trust set up for Elizabeth by Henry on Jan 1, 1777

NOTE 8./ Eleventh Generation <>

Henry McCulloh of England, the London Merchant, was born about 1700, the son of James McCulloh of Grogan, Scotland. He may have lived at some point in Northern Ireland
December 13, 1736 and May 22, 1740, Henry Eustace McCulloh received grants to 1,200.000 acres of land in the province of North Carolina from the King of England.
June 24, 1738. Henry McCulloh was granted 72,000 acres of land in the area of Duplin and Sampson Counties by George II. He received vast acreages elsewhere making him the premiere land speculator in NC during the colonial period.
1740 Mr. and Mrs. McCulloh and family landed at Charleston and by Sept. 1741 were in Wilmington. He was on his plantation at Socrate in Nov. 1744.
1746 As I understand, agents of Henry McCulloh secured from the Crown the twelve 100,00-acre tracts (see above, the 1,200,00 acres mentioned) and each tract of 100,00 acres was further divided. All of these tracts were in the Piedmont.. Named as grantees were 16 people but the bulk of the land ended up in the possession of Henry McCulloh. Among the grantees were three of Henry McCulloh's children: 25,000 acres to James McCulloh of Sarecta, 12,500 acres to Penelope McCulloh of Sarecta, and 12,500 acres to Henry Eustace McCulloh Jr. of Sarecta. Another grantee was Henry McCulloh's nephew, Dr. William Houston, one of Duplin's best known citizens.
1747 Henry had returned to England, Turnham Green, in the county of Midlesex. Staying behind when Henry returned to England was a McCulloch named James. (This James is felt to be his grandson, son of James) At some point this James married a daughter of William Taylor and continued to make his home in Duplin County. Before leaving for England, Henry vested power of attorney in Alexander McCulloh, his cousin. Alexander lived most of his life in Halifax County.
1760 Henry's son Henry Eustace McCulloh was "called to the bar" in London and in 1761 his father sent him back to NC as his attorney.
1767 Henry was forced to surrender his unsold acreage and Henry Eustace McCulloh, his son purchased 16,000 acres to become Duplin's largest landowner.
1767 Henry Eustace McCulloh returned to London, came back to NC in 1772 and in 1773 returned to London, never to return.to NC.
Jan. 12, 1774 a letter from Felix Kenan in NC to Henry Eustace McCulloh gave indication he was aware that father Henry McCulloh was "in health' and that "Mr. James McCulloh and family is well He has got a daughter born"
1777 The state gave the McCullohs until October 1778 to return and claim their lands.
1778 Henry Eustace McCulloh crossed the Atlantic for the fourth time, got as far as New York and then had to return to England.
1779 NC confisticated his remaining land.
1779 Henry McCulloh died in England
1807 Udell, wife of Henry Eustace McCulloh, informed the Claims Commission in England that Henry Eustace was confined to an Asylum at Clapton after becoming deranged. He is reported to have died shortly after.

Henry married Mary HOUSTON about 1710 in Ireland. Mary died in 1732. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]