but of no great historical significance. In the Middle Ages in Scotland the original line of barons settled on the spelling Houstoun. In later times, this was shortened to Houston and that is the spelling today for the Scottish village of Houston, Houston house, houston Station, all in the area where the family originated.
In Northern Ireland, generally called Ulster, from the year 1600 down to modern times, the spellings Houston and Huston are used in public records. In Colonial history in America, both these versions of the name are common, but one branch held to the older form, Houstoun. In some cases in the same family, one generation spelled the name differently from the other. As an example, the great-grandfather of General Sam Houston spelled his name Huston in his will. In America at the time of the Revolutionary War, the spelling of the surname was about equally divided between Houston and Huston. But by far the most popular form of the name today in the United States as well as in Scotland and Northern Ireland is Houston. About one out of four spell it Huston, and a very few use other variations. In this book, for clarity and convenience, the spelling Houston is used when reference is made to the family as a whole. Where individuals are mentioned, the spelling used by that particular person is followed. As to the pronunciation, the usual form is "hew-stun" for either spelling. However, there are a few who spell it Houston and call it "house-tun." Regardless of the spelling or pronunciation, all who bear the name share the rich family heritage.
This account of the Houston ancestors is the result of several years of research by the author and his brother, Tom Huston of Miami, Fla. In the process, the latter assembled a private collection of rare hooks dealing with the Houstons arid their contemporaries which have proved invaluable in this work. We have delved into many libraries and checked public records in Scotland, Ireland and America. Travel in the area of the original American Colonies was rounded out with a journey by the author and his wife, Bess, to the homelands in Scotland and Northern Ireland in 1967. This is the tour described in the opening chapter arid referred to elsewhere in this volume.
STAMFORD, TEXAS
1968