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grievances 1, 2), 1696-1697 (elected to the 7th ses-
sion), 1697/98-1700 (Accounts 1-4; Elections and
Privileges 1), 1712-1714, 1716-1717 (died before
the 3rd session). OTHER PROVINCIAL OFFICE: jus-
tice, Provincial Court, 1696-1707 (quorum, 1699-
1707). LOCAL OFFICES: justice, Charles County,
1690-1696, 1710-1718 (quorum, 1694-1696,
1710-1718; president, 1710-1718); Port Tobacco
Parish Vestry, Charles County, 1693-1696. MILI-
TARY SERVICE: captain, 1690-1702; colonel, by
1705. STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: his
support of the revolution of 1689 brought the first
appointments to local offices; he was recom-
mended for appointment to the Council in 1701/2,
but he was never commissioned. WEALTH DURING
LIFETIME. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: Over 1,256
acres; by 1698 he had acquired an additional 2,189
acres from the Mudd estate. WEALTH AT DEATH.
DIED will probated on April 30, 1718. PERSONAL
PROPERTY: TEV, £1,347.5.3 (including 21 slaves).
LAND: 1,314 acres.
HOUSTON, ISAAC (?-1797). BORN: in
Worcester County, of age by 1775. NATIVE: at
least third generation. RESIDED: in Acquango
Hundred, Worcester County. FAMILY BACK-
GROUND. FATHER: James Houston (?-1761), of
Worcester County; son of Joseph Houston. STEP-
FATHER William Lane, a Quaker. MOTHER: Mary
(?-by 1773), widow of Levi Purnell (Purnall) (?-
1751), of Worcester County. BROTHERS: James
Houston (?-1809); John. STEPBROTHERS: Thomas
Purnell; Levi Purnell. SISTER: Mary. STEPSISTER:
Sarah Purnell. MARRIED by 1776 Mary, widow of
Capt. Joshua Sturgis (?-1774). CHILDREN. SON:
James, Jr. (?-1814), a lunatic. DAUGHTERS: Mary
Dixon (?-1800), who died without progeny; Sarah,
who married by 1799 William Quinton; and Ame-
lia (ca. 1784-?). STEPDAUGHTER: Martha Purnell
Sturgis. PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION: literate.
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Anglican. SOCIAL STA-
TUS AND ACTIVITIES: Esq., 1777; Gent., 1778.
OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: probably a planter;
owned a mill; owned one-half interest in a sloop.
PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower
House, Worcester County, 1780-1781, 1789, 1793.
LOCAL OFFICES: justice, Worcester County, com-
missioned 1777, 1778, and 1779 (did not qualify);
justice, Orphans' Court, Worcester County, com-
missioned 1778 (did not qualify). MILITARY SER-
VICE: captain of a militia company in the
Wicomico Battalion, Worcester County, commis-
sioned 1777, resigned 1778; called colonel, by
1797. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL
PROPERTY: his wife's inheritance from her first
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marriage was £636.5.4, 1776; assessed value
£973.18.4, including ca. 23 slaves and 43 oz. plate,
1783. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: owned ca. 556
acres in Worcester County (more than 294 acres
inherited from his father; 262 acres by purchase);
he had control of 782 acres in Worcester County
for the heirs of his wife's first husband. SIGNIFI-
CANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELEC-
TION AND DEATH: owned 819 acres in Worcester
County, including a mill lot and a water mill,
1783; purchased 222 acres, plus 1 tract of unspeci-
fied acreage in Worcester County between 1789
and 1793; controlled 782 acres in Worcester
County until 1786. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: ad-
ministration bond taken on July 15, 1797, in
Worcester County. PERSONAL PROPERTY: TEV,
$4,730.64 current money (including 16 slaves and
more than 9 books); FB, $4,253.64. LAND: ca.
1,040 acres in Worcester County.
HOUSTON, JAMES (?-1809). BORN: in
Worcester County, of age by 1782. NATIVE: at
least third generation. RESIDED: in Acquango
Hundred, Worcester County. FAMILY BACK-
GROUND. FATHER: James Houston (?-1761), of
Worcester County, son of Joseph Houston. STEP-
FATHER: William Lane, a Quaker. MOTHER: Mary
(?-by 1773), widow of Levi Purnell (Purnall) (?-
1751), of Worcester County. BROTHERS: Isaac
Houston (?-1797); John. STEPBROTHERS: Thomas
Purnell; Levi Purnell. SISTER: Mary. STEPSISTER:
Sarah Purnell. MARRIED first, by 1791 Martha
Purnell. MARRIED second, in 1806 Gertrude
Parker. CHILDREN. SONS: Isaac; James. PRIVATE
CAREER. EDUCATION: literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIA-
TION: Anglican, All Hallow's Parish, Worcester
County. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: probably a
planter. PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE:
Lower House, Worcester County, 1788. LOCAL
OFFICES: All Hallow's Parish Vestry, Worcester
County, in office 1798; justice, Worcester County,
1799-at least 1800. MILITARY SERVICE: captain,
Thirty-seventh Regiment, Worcester County Mili-
tia, commissioned 1794; major, Thirty-seventh
Regiment, Worcester County Militia, commis-
sioned 1796; lieutenant colonel, Thirty-seventh
Regiment, Worcester County Militia, commis-
sioned 1800; called colonel at death. WEALTH
DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL PROPERTY: 19
slaves, 1790. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: 241 acres
in Worcester County (121 acres inherited from his
father's estate after his brother John died; 120
acres by purchase). SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN
LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH:
sold 120 acres in Worcester County, 1791; pur-
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