John Houston, Jr. B. April 10, 1760 Ireland

John Houston, Jr. was born April 10, 1760 in Ireland, according to
his pension records. The names of his parents were not
mentioned in the records, but descendants state they were John
and Mary Ross Houston.
He enlisted in the Revolutionary War on March 01, 1776 from
Orangeburg District, South Carolina, in place of his father, in
Captain Flood's Company. From June 01, 1776 one month in
Captain John Sally's company and from July 03, 1776 one month
in Captain Fullington's company, under Major Charles Limming.
He moved to Ninety Six District late in 1779 and served several
more tours of duty up through 1782, serving as a private. During
that time he served as follows; from Mary 05, 1779, four months in
Captain Thomas Dugan's company to range on the frontier; from
March 01, 1780, three months in Captain Dugan's
companyColonel John Purvis' regiment; from in the fall of 1780
until December 15, 1781 under Captains Thomas and James
Dugan and John Virgin, Colonels Joseph Hays and Levi Gaisey;
from March 01, 1782, three months in Captain Henry Keys'
company, under Colonel Jared Smith; from Jun e 06, 1782, four
months under Lieutenant James Stark. During his service he was
in skirmishes on broad River and was wounded at Cross Roads
between Demkins Creek and Encore Rover. Taken prisoner,
remained until Christmas, released on parole, broke parole and
re-enlisted. He was at the seige of Ninety-Six and an
engagement at Bush River.
He married in the summer of 1788, Mary Wilson. She was still
living in 1843. She was allowed pension on her application
executed November, 1835 at which time she was seventy-five
years of age. It is known that in 1836 she received $80.00 per
annum pension.
About 1801 he moved to Jasper County, Georgia, and by 1827
he is found in the tax records of Fayette County, Georgia. In 1833,
he is living in Coweta County, Georgia where by sworn statement
he made application on November 15 for his pension. He died
May 24, 1835 and his will is of record, being dated March 17,
1834 and recorded July 06, 1835, Coweta County, Georgia.

Story from Rev. Joseph Burch Walker in the late 1800's

"I also visited my grandfather Capt. William Powell in Hampshire Co. near Romney. These journeys took me across several rivers and over mountains. I thought in my childish mind, because I had been told grandfather lived in the country, that all "the country" was grandfathers. When leaving the City for the first time I was wonderfully struck with the largeness of the "lots," which I called the broad fields, and the great length and crookedness of the "streets" at grandfathers’, as I called the roads. Meeting some females in the rough mountain country who were shoeless in the summer weather, never having seen the like before, I exclaimed, "Oh mother, do the ladies go bare footed at grandfather’s?" My grandfather Powell was fond of singing and I learned from him several tunes, and after a lapse of sixty-five years remember and sing them still. My Grandfather came to his death from severe injuries from the fall of a tree. Two or three days terminated his sufferings. He died singing the hymn, "Oh for a closer walk with God."