James Henry “Old Uncle Henry” Howton, Sr.

Biography

James Henry Howton, Sr. was born on August 17, 1807 in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States. His parents were Jonathan Howton and Ann Elizabeth (Trover) Howton. He was a farmer and a blacksmith.

James married Nancy (Hankins) Howton on September 23, 1824 in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States. She was the daughter of William Hankins and Polly Hedden. Together they had the following children:

1. George Washington Howton, Sr.; (1825 – 1913).  Married 1) Delilah C. Jackson 2) Rebecca Lamb.  
2. Joel Lacy Howton;  (b abt 1828 –1900).  Married 1) Charity Jackson.  2) Rebecca Beshear.  
3. James Henry Howton, Jr.; (1829 – 1901). Married Elizabeth Louvinia Ross.
4. Emeline (Howton) Ross;  (b abt 1835 –  ).  Married William R. Ross.
5. Caroline (Howton) Menser; (b abt 1832 –  ).  Married William W. Menser.
6. William Calvin Howton;  (1830 – )
7. Eliza Ann (Howton) Harris. (b abt 1836 – ).  Married 1) Madison Beshear 2) Leander Holeman Harris.

James Henry Howton married 2nd to Eunice (Clark) Howton on February 2, 1837. (1811-1869) as her second husband; she was married to Clement Trigg ( first). She was the daughter of George W. Clark and Eunice Franklin. Together they had the following children:

1. Gilbert Irving Howton; (b abt 1839 – ).  Married Temperance Franklin.
2. Martha J. (Howton) Smith; (b abt 1842 – ).  Married Henry Clay Smith.
3. Sarah E. (Howton) Henry; (b abt 1846 –d abt 1865 ).  Married Peter Aaron Henry.  
4. Fines E. Howton.  Married Rebecca J. Purdy.  
5. Unknown child   (1850- )

He died on July 30, 1865 in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States and was buried in August 1865 in Irvin Howton Cemetery, Hopkins, Kentucky, USA.

Note on residence. "There once was an Indian village where Dawson Springs is now located, known as “The Big Bend in Tradewater River,” which was evidenced by flint chips, spear heads, pestles, mounds and forts.  The Big Bend village was a trading post. Other tribes living north of the Ohio River would come up the Tradewater River to trade blankets, lariat ropes, and shell beads for other articles .... The earliest known white settlers came in the area about 1808, and the earliest reference to a white settlement where the city now stands is given in the first edition of Collin’s History of Kentucky.  The village was called Chalklevel.  The origin of the name is unknown.".  Dawson Springs, Kentucky History

Old Well

Excerpt from Ivan Etheridge's, (s/o George Whitson Etheridge, s/o Miles Bartlett Etheridge and Charlotte Howton) narrative "My Trip to Dawson Springs, Ky from Colorado and back to Wyoming (written year 1895)." Ivan was 8 at the time of this trip:

"Then we went to see old man Henry Howton, that was Dad's uncle.  Before the Civil War he ran an underground station, so the negro slaves fleeing from their masters could get across the Ohio River, where they would be safe and free.  This was just an old well that the negroes could hide in during the day.  Uncle Henry would feed them and then they could travel at night that is, he would take them to another station and they would take care of them the next day, and so on till they were safe.  He had a neighbor that owned some negroes.  One day he came over to Uncle Henry's and brought a negro boy along to hold his horse.  Well, he made a mistake by staying for dinner.  When he got to the table he found the colored boy at the table.  He wasn't going to eat, but he had to sit down and eat with the negro boy, the old boy didn't like it but Uncle Henry weighted 190 lbs. and was 6 ft. 4 inches tall so he didn't have much choice.  My uncle had a blacksmith shop, and he let me run the bellows.  That was something I have always liked ever since. While we were there we went seining for fish.  I remember catching fish, but I don't remember any big ones, they were catfish." 

Genealogy

“Re: Duke Houghton change to Howton-HELP!” (Posted: 21 Feb 2005) < link >; (document attached)

My grandfather was (Abijah) John Dee Colombus Howton.

John and Joel were both (along with some other children) the sons of James Henry Howton II 1829-1901 , who in turn was the son of James Henry Howton I. (1807-1865)--and he was the son of Jonathan Howton and Ann Trover.

My father, Norman Estes Howton (son of A. John D.C. Howton) lived 1896-1982.

Sources

1. 1824 - U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900. Name: James Howton. Gender: Male. Birth Place: KY. Birth Year: 1807. Spouse Name: Nancy Hankins. Spouse Birth Year: 1805. Marriage Year: 1824. Marriage State: KY. Number Pages: 2 . Source Citation: Source number: 871.002; Source type: Pedigree chart; Number of Pages: 2; .
2. 1830 - US Federal Census, Eastern Division, Blount, Tennessee, as James Houston.   Household: Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 10.  Total Free White Persons: 10.1 male under 5: 1 male 5-10, 1 males 10-14, 1 male 20-29, 1 male 70-79 ; 1 female under 5, 1 female 10-14, 2 females 15-19, 1 female 20-29, 1 femal 50-59.  (neighbors include Thomas Hankin)  Source Citation: 1830 US Census; Census Place: Eastern Division, Blount, Tennessee; Page: 283; NARA Series: M19; Roll Number: 178; Family History Film: 0024536.  N.B.  Not confirmed.
3. 1837 - U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900. Name: James Howton. Gender: Male. Birth Place: KY. Birth Year: 1807. Spouse Name: Eunice Trigg. Marriage Year: 1837. Number Pages: 2 Source Citation: Source number: 871.002; Source type: Pedigree chart; Number of Pages: 2; .
4. 1840 - US Federal Census, Hopkins, Kentucky, as James Honlow.  Household:  Total Free White Persons: 11. Total All Persons – Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 11. Persons Employed in Agriculture: 4.  1 male under 5: 1 male 5-10, 3 males 10-14, 1 male 15-20, 1 male 30-40; 1 female under 5, 1 female 5-10, 1 female 20-30. (neighbors include Jonathan Hankins) Source Citation: Year:  1840; Census Place:  ,  Hopkins,  Kentucky; Roll:  114; Page:  360; Image:  717; Family History Library Film:  0007827.
5. 1850 - US Federal Census, District 1, Hopkins, Kentucky. Family Number 328 headed by James Howton, age 42, Farmer, b abt 1808, KY.  Also in household: Ums age 39; James age 21; Caroline age 18; Emilin age 16; Eliza A age 14; Gilbert J age 11; Martha J age 8; Sarah E, age 4; Howton, male, age 4. Source Citation:  Year: 1850; Census Place:  District 1,  Hopkins,  Kentucky; Roll:  M432_205; Page:  70B; Image:  145.
6. 1850 - US Federal Census, Slave Schedules, District 1, Hopkins, Kentucky. Name of Slave Owner: James Howton.  slaves: age 19, female, black;  age 2, male, black. Ancestry.com. 1850 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules [database on-line]. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Seventh Census of the United States, 1850.
7. 1860 - US Federal Census, Hopkins, Kentucky. James Howton, farmer, age 52.  Birth Year: abt 1808. Birthplace: Kentucky. Home in 1860: Hopkins, Kentucky. Gender: Male. Post Office: Chalk Level.  Value of real estate:$2000.  Personal estate: $3000. Household Members: Eunice, age 48; E A., age 23; G E., age 21, farm laborer; Martha J., age 18; Sarah E., age 14; Fines E., age 10. Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place:  ,  Hopkins,  Kentucky; Roll:  M653_374; Page:  693; Image:  253; Family History Library Film:  803374.
8. 1860 - US Federal Census, Slave Schedules, Hopkins, Kentucky. Name of Slave Owner: James Howton. Slave house: 1. Slaves: age 27, female, black;  age 12, male, mulatto; age 8, male, mulatto. Ancestry.com. 1860 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules [database on-line].Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Eighth Census of the United States.
9.  1865 - Burial of James Howton, Irvin Howton Cemetery, Hopkins, Kentucky

Links

•  http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~houghtonfamily/p1233.htm  Houghton Surname Project, compiled by Charles J. Vella, PhD.
• Howton Family Ties - Descendants of George Howton
• Hopkins County, Kentucky
• ” Descendants of Thomas Franklin” (2013)(document attached)
• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Mar 6 2017, 8:43:34 UTC
• Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Mar 29 2017, 17:16:30 UTC