Houstoun Genealogy

Crest: Sand glass.
Arms: Or, Chevron checque, azure and argent, between three martletts, sable. Supporters: Two hinds.
Motto: In time.

This ancient, noble baronial family of knightly lineage and who achieved later on the title of Baronet, was founded in Georgia by Sir Patrick Houstoun¹, the fifth Baronet, who filled many positions of importance.

Many are the families descended from this noble line, and we find such well known names as Johnston², McIntosh, Anderson, Waring, Kollock, Woodruff, Clinch, Molyneux and others who descended from this sept, and inherit Royal and noble lineage, through Sir Patrick Houstoun³, first Baronet, who married a daughter of Sir John Hamilton, first Lord Bargany. who married a daughter of the Marquis of Douglas, descended from Robert III, of Scotland.

In the reign of Malcolm N. of Scotland, 1153-65, the grant of a Barony was made to Hugo De Padvinan, and the name of the Baron was changed to Hugh's-town; afterward, when surnames came in vogue, the name was eventually corrupted to Houstoun. Several descendants of this Hugo⁴ received Knighthood, and in 1668 the representative of the family was created a Baronet by King Charles II of England. When General Oglethorpe went to Georgia, the fifth Baronet, Sir Patrick Houstoun, accompanied him, and founded this ancient and illustrious family of Georgia, who helped lay the foundations of the commonwealth. We find at an early day Dr. William Houstoun, a naturalist⁵, being sent by Sir Hans Sloan to gather rare exotics in the West Indies. Sir Patrick Houstoun, member of His Majesty's Council and President of the same, and Registrar General. His sons, Sir Patrick Houstoun and Sir George Houstoun, member of the Council of Safety, member of Provincial Congress, and a very prominent patriot, 1775. John Houstoun, Delegate to Continental Congress, member of first Executive Council, Governor of Georgia, Mayor of Savannah, Agent of Georgia in boundary disputes, Trustee of State College, Chief Justice of Georgia, &c.⁶ William Houstoun, Trustee State College, Agent of Georgia in settlement of boundary disputes, Delegate to Federal Convention for Adoption of Constitution. Dr. James Houstoun⁷, Surgeon in Continental line of Georgia Brigade during the Revolution. In later days, Edward Houstoun, a man of prominence, and his sons, Dr. J. P. S. Houstoun, a well known physician and oculist, of Savannah, and General Patrick Houstoun, Adjutant General of the State of Florida, and really by title a Baronet.

Hugo de Padvinan (died 1165), who in 1160 was granted the Barony of Kelpeter, had: Sir Reginald, who had Sir Hugh, who was succeeded by Sir Findlay Houstoun, Knight, living in the time of King Alexander of Scotland. From these ancient Barons of Houstoun, descended to the reign of James II, we come to Sir Patrick Houstoun of that ilk (died 1450), married Annes Campbel or Agnes Campbell (died same year), and had Sir John Houstoun, Knight, (died 1456), who married Maria Colquohon and had Sir Peter Houstoun, Knight, who was at the battle of Flodden (died 1513). He married Helen, the daughter of the ancient family of Schaw of Sauchy, and had a son, Sir Patrick Houstoun, who was knighted by James V. He married Janet Cunninghame and was killed in 1526, leaving a son, Sir John Houstoun, who received charter of Baronies of Houstoun 1528 and died in 1542, having married Agnes, daughter of Hopepringle of Torsonce. His son, Sir Patrick Houstoun, was created a Knight by King James VI., and died 1605, leaving by his wife Janet, daughter of Gabriel Cunninghame of Craigends⁸, a Cadet branch of the Earls of Glencairn, (besides a number of daughters) four sons as follows:

•  John Houstoun (died 1605), married Margaret, daughter of Sir James Sterling of Keir.

•  Patrick Houstoun of Colt..

•  Peter Houstoun of Wester South Bar. N. James Houstoun of Commonside.

John Houstoun and Margaret Sterling had: Sir Ludovic Houstoun, Knight (died 1616), who married Margaret, daughter of Patrick Maxwell of Newmarch and had (besides seven daughters):

•  Patrick Houstoun, died 1662. Patrick Houstoun had: Patrick Houstoun, created a Baronet 1668 by Charles II., died 1696. Sir Patrick Houstoun married Ann (died 1678), daughter of⁹ Sir John Hamilton of Carriden, first Lord Bargany, by Margaret or Jean, daughter of William Douglas¹⁰, first Marquis of Douglas and eleventh Earl of Angus, and his wife, Honorable Mary Hamilton, daughter of Claude, Lord Paisley.

•  George Houston, first of Johnstone.

•  John Houstoun, Governor of Georgia, married Hannah, daughter of Hon. Jonathan Bryan. No issue.

•  James Houstoun, Surgeon in Continental Army, married 1775, Eliza Crook and had issue:

  • Mossman Houstoun, Colonel U. S. A.

  • James Edward Houstoun.

  • Dr. James Edmund Houstoun, married Mary Ann Williamson.

  • Elizabeth Houstoun, married Charles Spalding.

  • Jean Houstoun.

•  William Houstoun was a very influential man and was elected as a delegate from Georgia to the Convention in New York to assist in the framing of the Constitution of the United States. He married in New York, Maria Bayard, daughter of Nicholas Bayard and Catharine Livingston, and had issue:

  • Elizabeth Houstoun, married General Duncan Lamont Clinch, first wife.

  • Maria Clinch Houstoun, married John Ripley Madison, U. S. A

•  Ann Priscilla Houstoun, married George McIntosh, fourth son of John Mohr McIntosh, the Highland Chieftain who went to Georgia from Inverness with 130 Highlanders. From this marriage descended branches of the families of Clinch, Sadler, Loud, Shanklin, Elliotts of South Carolina, Heyward and others.

The first Marquis of Douglas was son of William Douglas, tenth Earl of Angus, and Elizabeth, daughter of Lord Olyphant, the son of Sir William Douglas, Knight, of Glenbervie, ninth Earl of Angus, who married Egidia, daughter of Sir Robert Graham of Morphie, son of Sir Archibald Douglas of Glenbervie, son of Sir William Douglas, son of Archibald Douglas, fourth Earl of Angus, styled in history as "Bell the Cat," who married Elizabeth, daughter of Lord Boyd. He was the son of George Douglas by Isabella, daughter of Sir Andrew Sibbald, of Balgony, and this George Douglas was the son of George Douglas, first Earl of Angus, who married Princess Mary, daughter of King Robert III., and George Douglas was the son William Douglas, first Earl of Douglas, by Mary Stewart, Countess of Angus.

Sir John Hamilton, Lord Bargany, was son of Sir John Hamilton of Lettrick, son of John, first Marquis of Hamilton. We thus see the noble and Royal descent of the family of Houstoun of Georgia.

Notes:

1. Chart of Houstoun by Misses Epes and Kollock.

2. Habersham and other Southern Families, Lineage Book Order of Washington.

3. George Crawford's History of the Shire of Ranfrew, Douglas' Extinct Baronage, History of Georgia, &c.

4. History of Shire of Renfrew, by George Crawford.

5. History of Georgia.

6. History of Georgia.

7. Habersham and other Southern Families.

8. See Burke's Extinct Baronage.

9. See Burke's Extinct Baronage, and Scot's Peerage.

10. Scot's Peerage, by Sir J. Balfour Paul. Lyon King at arms.