My Ancestors
by Clifton
DuffyThe Duffys are of
Irish descent. John
Duffy, my great great grandfather came from Ireland to
Pennsylvania. His son, Anthony was born in
Lancaster county,
Pennsylvania, but when Anthony was a small boy they moved to
Cumberland county, Pa., where Anthony, my great grandfather received his education. I have found that my great grandmother on my motherÂ’s side also went to this same school in
Cumberland county and at the same time that Anthony went.
Anthony
Duffy, my great grandfather, married Matilda
Spangler, daughter of Samuel
Spangler, a veteran of the war of 1812. The Spanglers were of French and German descent. Anthony came from
Cumberland county to
Illinois about 1836. They spent about two months and a half on the journey, crossing the river at Peoria, on a flat boat. They settled in
Hancock township about two miles south of Webster. Anthony and Matilda had several children, Samuel, the oldest, being my grandfather. There also were Mary, Ellen, Joe, Robert, Will, John and Scott. Joe and John enlisted and fought in the Civil war, John being only seventeen.
Samuel
Duffy was born in 1836. He was the first white child born in
Hancock township. He was very fond of hunting deer. He also hunted fox, having as many as twelve hounds at a time. He married Francis
Meek in 1862. They first lived in a log cabin, then built and moved into a brick house, the bricks of which were made in the brick kiln on the
Duffy farm. My grandfather spent the earlier part of his life working in the kiln. They later moved into the frame house, which now stands on the
Duffy farm and he remained there until 1904, then moving to
Fountain Green. My grandfather, Samuel and wife, Frances, had six children, John, Benjamin, Matilda, Sarah, Verdelia and James Anthony, my father.
Next I shall give you a few facts in the
Huston records, my motherÂ’s family.
The Hustons are of Scotch
Irish descent. The family name was originally House Son. The remotest member of the family, whose name has come down through the family register was Robert House Son. He was of Celtic origin and was born in Dublin, Ireland, 1450, where he lived and died a merchant. Later the Hustons dwelt in the lowlands of
Scotland. They took decided stands in favor of the Reformation, favoring Calvin and Knox. They were persecuted for their rigid adherence to the
Bible and many of them emigrated to the northern part of Ireland.
Christopher
Huston, my great, great, great, great grandfather came from Ireland to
America about 1740. He settled in East Pensora township,
Pennsylvania, where he was an active and prominent citizen. He was tax collector for east Pensbora township in 1784. His fifth child, John married Margaret
Huston, a daughter of Samuel and Isabella Sharon
Huston. Margaret is a descendant of Abnor
Huston.
Now turning to
Abner Huston. Abner
Huston and his brother were living in Ireland at the time that the Reformation had given rise to violent religious controversy, and the two brothers decided to change their surname which was then House Son. Alfred changed his name to
Houston, while
Abner changed his name to
Huston. Alfred came to
America first, then
Abner followed in 1612. Abner, being a business man, soon made the acquaintance of John Rolfe, the Englishman, who married Pocahontas, and with him
Abner entered into trade with the Indians and colonists and transported goods to England. Alfred and
Abner learned the Indian language in order to trade with them and to preach the gospel to them in their native tongue.
When Sir George Yeardley selected twelve men to draw up the code of laws for the colony at Jamestown, Alfred and
Abner were among the delegates. This was the first legislative body of white men that ever met on American soil. There is no doubt but that all the families in United States who spell their name
Huston are descendants of Abnor
Huston.
John and Margaret
Huston lived in west Pensboro township,
Pennsylvania. The tenth child of John and Margaret — Samuel, was born in 1797. He married Anne Fulton. They had ten children, the oldest, John
Wilson, being born September 11, 1826, and died January 31, 1893. He married Katherine Weims Black of Newville,
Pennsylvania. In 1851 they came in a covered wagon part of the way and by boat part of the way. They landed at
Warsaw on Christmas day 1851. They settled on a farm five miles southeast of
Fountain Green in
Hancock township. He was a prominent citizen of the vicinity until a very old age. He was a charter member of the first Presbyterian church in
Fountain Green, where every member of his family belonged. In those days he had to haul his grain and other products to
Warsaw, the nearest trading post. It usually took him about three days to make the trip there and back. There was a small tavern called the "Half Way House" just east of Elvaston, in which they would stop for lodging. The first
Huston home was a large log cabin, which although very rude, was one of the best to be had in those days. John and Katherine had eight children. Thomas the oldest was born in 1850, just a year before they came to
Illinois. The other children are Harriet, Samuel, John, Peter, Amos, Edward and Francis. John Calvin, the third child was my grandfather.
John Calvin was born February 7, 1857. He married Alma
McCall in 1881. They located on a farm one half mile west of
Fountain Green. He was instrumental in establishing the Woodman lodge in
Fountain Green. In 1916 he and his wife left their farm to the management of their son and moved to Carthage. He had two children, Lawrence
McCall and Anna Myrtle, my mother. Myrtle married Anthony
Duffy in 1903. There are my sister, Frances, now Mrs. Carl
Phipps and myself in our family.
Source of My Material
My knowledge of the
Duffy side of my ancestors came from J. T. Spangler, who is a neighbor of my folks, living in
Hancock township.
My material on the Hustons came from a book owned by S. F. Huston, who resides east of Carthage.
The Carthage Republican
Carthage,
IllinoisWednesday
January 31, 1934
Page 6
Columns 1, 2, 3, 4