My Genealogy Hound

E. RANKIN HUSTON. As stated in the former part of this history, Jonathan Huston was the youngest child of Samuel and Isabella (Sharon) Huston. He married Margaret Rankin McIntyre, and by her had eleven children, four of whom died in infancy and were buried in the Pine Hill graveyard. Those who reached maturity were Rebecca, Samuel (2), Isabella (2), William C., Jane Creigh, Mary and Margaret.

Rebecca, the eldest, married William Eckels, her first cousin, who was a son of Nathaniel Eckels and Isabella (Huston) Clendenin, his wife, as may be seen elsewhere.

About the year 1818 Samuel removed to London, Ohio, where on Feb. 25, 1819, he married Anna Quigley, who bore him one child, Anna Quigley Huston, who was born in May, 1820, and died Oct. 12, 1820. His first wife was born in 1797, and died Sept. 11, 1820, and he afterward, on April 24, 1823, married Elizabeth Arbuckle, who bore him three children: William Milton and a daughter, both of whom died in infancy, the child that survived being named Anna Elizabeth Huston. She was born June 11, 1826, and in 1847 married Albert R. Phifer, by whom she had three children. The oldest, George Huston Phifer, was born Sept. 30, 1848, and was a drummer boy during the Civil war. He died many years ago. The other two children of Albert R. and Anna Elizabeth (Huston) Phifer were: Edwin, born March 24, 1854, died July 3, 1854, and Anna Kate, born Aug. 19, 1858, died May 31, 1859. According to the history of Madison county Samuel Huston was an intelligent and educated man and engaged in the profession of teaching. He was born July 10, 1795, and died Oct. 2, 1826. His wife, Elizabeth Arbuckle, was born May 10, 1805, and died June 3, 1835. His daughter, Anna Elizabeth (Huston) Phifer, died Oct. 11, 1858. Albert R. Phifer died Aug. 10, 1871.

The second Isabella married Emanuel Sheaffer, but had no issue by him. Emanuel Sheaffer died and his widow married ____ King, an employe of the Allegheny Valley Railroad Co. at Pittsburg. Her second husband died leaving her a widow without issue: She died at Pittsburg when about eighty-four years of age.

Jane Creigh married Lewis Tolbert, and by him had one daughter, Mary Adaline Tolbert, born Nov. 29, 1831, who on Sept. 1, 1852, married George K. Duey, of Hogestown. Lewis Tolbert died early. His wife, Jane C. (Huston), died June 16, 1870, at the age of sixty years. She is buried at Silver Spring, but it is not known where her husband is buried.

Mary Huston, on Feb. 8, 1848, married James Swiler, but had no issue by him. She was his second wife. James Swiler died Sept. 20, 1869; his wife, Mary Huston, died July 11, 1877, at the age of seventy years, and the remains of both are buried at Silver Spring.

Margaret, the youngest child, was married March 25, 1830, to William M. Eckels, a son of James and Mary Eckels, of Upper Allen township, and lived in Shepherdstown to the end of her days. She was born May 10, 1813, and died June 6, 1900. Her husband was born Oct. 29, 1804, and died Sept. 19, 1865, and both are buried at Silver Spring. They had three children: Major William H. Eckels, born Feb. 11, 1831, died Feb. 13, 1896; Mary Eckels, wife of Dr. Robert White Ross, born Nov. 12, 1832, and James Eckels, born Jan. 11, 1835.

William C. Huston, the eighth child of Jonathan and Margaret Rankin (McIntyre) Huston, was born Dec. 19, 1799, on his father’s farm in what is now Silver Spring towmship. He grew to manhood on the farm, but in addition to farming learned the carpenter’s trade and for years was noted as a carpenter and bridge builder. He did bridge building in the vicinity of Pittsburg and among the memories he would recall in after years were several trips, between his home in Cumberland county and the scene of his labors, which he made on foot. He was remarkable not only for his skill as a mechanic but also for his great physical endurance. On March 29, 1838, he married Mary Ann Phillips, the Rev. William R. DeWitt, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Harrisburg, performing the ceremony, Mary Ann Phillips was a daughter of Peter and Catherine ( Enders) Phillips and was born Sept. 22, 1817, in the same part of the county her husband was born. Peter Phillips was one of the prominent citizens of Silver Spring township, and was a son of Jacob and Mary Phillips, who were born in Germany but immigrated to America at an early date. Jacob Phillips was three years a soldier in the war of the Revolution and was wounded in the head and face. He died in 1783; his wife, Mary, died in 1807, and both are buried in the cemetery of the Catholic Church at Carlisle. Peter Phillips was born in Cumberland county, May 6, 1781, and learned the carpenter’s trade, but in his after years engaged at farming. In the war of 1812 he entered Capt. George Hendel’s Company of the 5th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, as a private, and rose to the rank of second lieutenant. He participated in the battles of Bridgewater, Chippawa, Lundy’s Lane, Burlington and other engagements on the Canadian border, was once wounded by Indians lying in ambush, and several times narrowly escaped being captured. On April 6, 1806, Peter Phillips married Catherine Enders, a daughter of Philip C. and Anna Enders, of Dauphin county, who was born March 18, 1783. Philip C. Enders was born in Braunsigweilen, Germany, July 22, 1740, and after completing his education entered the military service of his sovereign. He participated in numerous battles of the Seven Years’ war, and for his gallantry was promoted to a captaincy in the Royal Cavalry. He afterward resigned his commission and on May 13, 1764, married Anna, daughter of Conrad Degen, and came to America. He first settled in Philadelphia, but later removed to Lancaster county. In 1788 he purchased a tract of over 1,300 acres of land in Upper Paxton, Dauphin county, and moved to it with his family. He died there Feb. 26, 1810. His wife, Anna, died in 1796. Philip C. Enders was in many respects a remarkable man, and left his mark in the history of Dauphin county. He was the founder of Fetterhoff’s church, organized and taught the first school in that part of the county, built and operated the first sawmill in the valley and was the leading spirit in all the public enterprises of his community. Peter Phillips died Oct. 5, 1860. Thirty-five years before his death he built the Trindle Spring Lutheran and Reformed church, and within the portals of its cemetery his remains were laid. His wife, Catherine Enders, died Nov. 28, 1844, near Bellville, Ohio, and her remains were buried at that place.

After his marriage William C. Huston lived upon the family homestead until the spring of 1847, when he moved to Hogestown. In 1849 he purchased a small farm a short distance north from Mechanicsburg, on the road leading to Hogestown, which continued to be his home until 1882, when on account of the infirmities of age he removed to the home of his son, E. Rankin Huston, in Mechanicsburg. He died April 29, 1883, and his remains were laid to rest by the side of those of his father, in the cemetery of the Silver Spring Church. As a husband and father he was kind, as a citizen esteemed, quiet and unostentatious. He is among the number of the citizens of Mechanicsburg who have died within the memory of this generation and who well deserve to be remembered. His wife died Oct. 7, 1881, and was buried in the same family plot. She was a member of the Trindle Spring Lutheran Church, amiable and kind as a wife and mother, and a deeply pious woman.

William C. and Mary Ann (Phillips) Huston had two children, a daughter who died in infancy, and was buried at Pine Hill, and a son who is the subject of this sketch.

E. Rankin Huston, the son, was born Sept. 28, 1843, in the northern part of Silver Spring township, on the farm that for so many years was in the name of his great-grandfather, Samuel Huston. He spent his earlier years at his home, attending the public school of his district until he had mastered the common branches. He then attended the Pennsylvania College of Trade and Finance, from which he graduated in 1867. He then took up the study of painting and decorating, which branch of industry he has made both his trade and his art. On Dec. 4, 1873, he was married to Mary E. Walters, by Rev. W. R. H. Deatrich, pastor of the Reformed Church of Mechanicsburg. Mary E. Walters was the youngest daughter of Daniel and Margaret (Weibley) Walters, and was born Jan. 22, 1850, near Mechanicsburg. They began their married life in Mechanicsburg, have always lived there and are prominent factors in its social and business life. Mr. Huston, like his ancestors before him, is a Democrat, firm in his views, but not a biased partisan. In 1896 his party nominated him for county treasurer by a majority of 1,600 over his opponent, and he was elected by a majority of 374, notwithstanding the fact that the Republican candidate for president carried the county by 1,052. Only one other Democrat on the county ticket was that year elected. Mr. Huston proved a careful and obliging official and at the end of his term left the office with an untarnished record and the confidence and esteem of men of all parties. In January, 1900, he was nominated for the office of chief burgess, but owing to other engagements declined the nomination. He served two terms as school director from a strong Republican ward and on each occasion was elected by a large majority. He has frequently represented his party in county and State conventions and held many positions of honor and trust.

He has compiled a complete and accurate genealogical record of the Huston and Eckels families, covering a period of seven generations, giving dates of births, marriages and deaths of many of them. This list includes about 1,400 names, and in no instance has a name or date, or any fact been inserted that was doubtful or not sustained by satisfactory evidence.

E. Rankin and Mary E. (Walters) Huston have two daughters, viz.: Carrie Irene, born Sept. 11, 1874, a graduate of Mechanicsburg high school and Irving College, class of 1893, and Mary Rankin, born Aug. 10, 1878. Carrie Irene, on Oct. 24, 1895, was married to John Smith Leiby, of Newport, Perry county, a dry-goods merchant, and a graduate of Franklin and Marshall College, class of 1888. They reside in Newport and have issue one son, Rankin Huston Leiby, born Oct. 20, 1900. Mary Rankin, the other daughter, was for two years a student at Allentown College, and is now at home with her parents.

Mr. Huston attends the Presbyterian Church, the church of his paternal Scotch-Irish ancestors, but his family belong to the Reformed Church, the church of Mrs. Huston’s ancestors. He has been active in fraternal and other orders and associations and is a member of Eureka Lodge, No. 302, F. & A. M.; treasurer of Samuel C. Perkins Chapter, No. 209, R. A. M. for the past twenty- four years; a member of the Grand Chapter of Pennsylvania; Harrisburg Consistory, A. A. S. R., 32d degree; Mechanicsburg Lodge, No. 215, I. O. O. F. Melita Lodge, No. 83, K. of P.; the Grand Lodge, K. of P., of Pennsylvania; has been treasurer of Rescue Hook and Ladder Company since its organization, 1885; is a member of the Hamilton Library and Historical Society of Cumberland county; the Scotch-Irish Society of Pennsylvania; the Pennsylvania Historical Society, and the Pennsylvania Genealogical Society.