Thomas Hueston

As printed in 1905

THOMAS HUESTON, a pioneer of Buffer county, was born in the backwoods of Virginia in 1776 and died at his home, four miles north of Hamilton, in 1861 in the eighty-sixth year of his age. The parents of the subject first resided near Mercersburg, Franklin county, Pennsylvania. In religion they were Presbyterians, and belonged to Dr. King’s congregation, who was distinguished in the annals of that region of country as the pastor there from 1769 to 1813. They removed from that place west of the Alleghany mountains, and settled in Ohio county, Virginia, which was then called the western country — the backwoods. The father of Thomas located and resided with his family on a tract of land lying on Little Wheeling creek, twelve miles above its mouth. He was not allowed, however, to remain there long, for in 1774 Dunmore’s war commenced, and the Indians became so troublesome that the settlements were broken up and the families obliged to remove to forts for security. Mr. Hueston’s family was ensconced in Taylor’s Fort (named after Robert Taylor, his brother-in-law, and the ancestor of the Taylors, who were the early settlers of this county. This fort was situated on Buffalo creek, twenty-four miles from the city of Wheeling (then Fort Henry) and twelve miles from the Hueston farm). In Taylor’s Fort Thomas Hueston was born, in the year 1776, and in 1781 his father was shot, killed and scalped by the Indians at the door of his own residence. Col. Matthew Hueston, the brothers of Thomas, emigrated to the city of Cincinnati in the year 1793, and in a few years Thomas followed, and both resided in Butler county ever afterward. The first sales of United States lands west of the Great Miami river were held at Cincinnati in April, 1801; not long after Thomas purchased a tract and in a few years afterward began to put it in a cultivable condition, and resided upon it for many years, leading a quiet, sober, economical, virtuous and industrious life. He was associated with his brother Matthew in the commissary department in the war of 1812. The Hueston family is the largest family connection in the county. There are the Elliotts, Taylors, Grays, Nichols, Marshalls, Thomas, Harpers, Birds, Millers; Robertsons, Millions, Becketts, Trabers, Hardings and others, all connected.

Thomas Hueston left a widow and a family of sons and daughters and lived four score and five years. He was born the same year that our Declaration of Independence was announced to the world, and died when the patriotism of the country was being aroused to squelch out the most wicked rebellion against the best government that ever mankind have been best with. He was an old-school patriot; and while living, his prayers went up before his God oft and frequent, for the preservation of our government and the perpetuity of the freedom of his race. We cast our eyes over his life, but to behold in its pathway the just and conscientious man. It is no exaggeration to say of him: “All the ends he aimed at, were his country’s, his God’s, and Truth’s.” He was always for his country and government, whether administered right or wrong. He truly lived in the days “that tried men’s souls,” and was a connecting link between the men of 1 776, when tories were summarily dealt with, and the men of 1861, many of whom were halting between two opinions, whether they would espouse and defend their country or justify rebellion and revolution.

Thomas Hueston died a Christian, a patriot, a philanthropist, a pioneer and an honest man.

As printed in Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.