Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-03-18
HOUS7ON.NEII..
RARE FESTIVAL IN ruDpINGTOwN.

A RARE FESTIVAL IN PUDDINGTOwN.
Of the Fiftieth Anniversary OF
the Wedding Of David Houston
and Margaret Neil.
On the evening of st. Patrick's day
March 17-1S3l, in the county OF Derry,
Northern Ireland. near to where it joins
Antrim, among the Scotch Irish folk. who
have contributed so largely to our best
was celebrated at the house of
the brides father the marriage of David
Houston, then an active young man,
not turned his twentieth year, and
Margaret Neil. They were of the
stern United Presbyterian stock aud were
we'd by a preacher of that faith. There
was none of the riotOus merry makings
which characterized such occasions among
that class Of the Irish peasantry with
whom it was the custom for the groom
and his friends to start ou: from his home
in "a mad cap race for the house of the
bride, the best man to win the whisky bot
tie. But there were real heart warnings
and decoious festivities at Father Neirs
and especially, rs Margaret Wilson, who
was there, tells us, after the preacher was
gone did "the young folks let the sells
OUT =.
1t was thc celebration of this
event and in the course OF the his
tory of this family, SO soon after
ward transplanted to American shores,
that notable festival was held yesterday
in the village, once known rs Jackson
vile, sometimes called Bethania, but
more popularity ''Puddinstown." in Sails
bury township, Lancaster county, Oh tho
Gap and Strasburg road, nest!ing ut the
foot Of the Mine hill, just west OF the
curve on the Pennsylvania railroad this
side OF the Gap. There, where these old
people have lived for over quarter OF i cen
tury, their family and kinstOlk and friends
gathered yesterday to pay them homage
and give due significance to the happy oc-
casiOn, well-spring OF domestic joys,
which had its fiftieth anniversary and
amply merited such commcmOratiOn.
The sons and daughters and grand-chil-
dren of the venerable couple entered most
heartily into the spirit of preparations for
the golden wedding and handsome invita-
tions announced the arrangements to the
invited guests. The through trains, east
and west, on the Pennsylvania railroad,
were stopped during the day at Kinzers
station to accommodate visitors, whence
they were conveyed in carriages to the
family residence. The house and adjoin-
ing store were trimmed on the outside with
flags and other decorations. On the in
side tho lucky" horse shoe WAS sus-
pended and wreaths and Il profusion of
bouquets were tastefully arranged. On
the wall Of the paricr we're the striking
and significant figures "1S31 so 1881"
and in the middle of the room was
suspended a huge bell made OF flowers
and evergreens. The wedding feast was
spread in the second story hall of the
building, a spacious room wherein half
hundred could easily sit at table, and
about that number gathered around the
board. Mr.. John G. Spaeth, caterer, had
these arrangements in hand, and the feast
was as substantial and toothsome as the
decorations and table arrangements We're
tasteful and elegant.
Among these present were all the chill
dren. childrcn-in- law and grandchildren OF
the Houston Neil union viz. Mr.. Robert
J. Houston, Of this city, NJ. and Mrs
Fleming and family, of West FallOwtield.
Chester county, DR.. S. n. Houston, wife
and family, of Washington, ID. G..
and DR.. Joseph Houston, wife and family,
bonneville, Chester county. Besides them
were Mr.. II. Bower. Of Steelvillc, Chester
county; Charles b. Houston and wife !;
Thomas j. Houston and wife and Col. d. T.
Houston, all of Chester, and of the family
Of John Houston, deceased Qormcrly of
Christiana, y third cousin Of Mr.. David
Houston, and often mistaken for his
brother because of their long ami close in
timacy); Mrs. Carrie Houston, widow of
Dr.. John Houston; Rev. David Anderson,
Of Octorara United Presbyterian church
and vile; Mrs. Mary Quigley, of Phil
adelphia; Hon. John b. Warfel and
family, OF Lancaster W. U. Hensel, and
a number OF other ladies ana gentlemen.
friends of the family.
The formal exercises of the dag began
with the reading of family history by Mr.
Bower. Of Steelville, who is q brotller-in-
law OF DR.. Joseph Houston. After short
address Of welcome the historian passed
into biographical sketch of the Houston
family, of which the following is the main
portion, divested of few personal alIu-
sions which have only Il private interest !:
THE HOUSTON FAMILY.
David and Margaret Houston were born
in County Derry, Ireland, and were mar
ried Oh the 18th day of March, 1881, and
this day rounds up their fifty consecutive
years Of married life. But little is known
to us of the early ancestors of the Houston
family, save that in consequence of re-
ligiOus dissatisfaction they emi@rated from
Scotland during the reign Of William Of
Orange. III, king of Great Britain, and
settled in the north of Ireland. Although
the manic is spelled differently by the vari-
Gus branches OF the family, there is but
little doubt that they all spring from a
common Scotch Irish ancestry.
The Houston family seems to have i'll
herited love for the study of medicine, as
every branch that We have any knOwl-
edge of has contributed one or more men,
bers to this prOfessiOn-some of whom are
not unknown to fame. DR.. VIM. Houston,
the pupil Of Herman BoCrhaave, wa, not
only an eminent physician, but was dis
tinguished as bOtanist, and the I" Ilous-
tOnia COmba" will pcrpetuate his name
when the philosophical Transactions to
which he was a frequent contributor, shall
have been forgotten. Dr.. Houston, pro-
fessor in Trinity college, Dublin, also dis
tinguished himself as q scholar in that city,
where the. draymen are said to speak
purer English than the professors in Amer
ican colleges. Other members of this
family have also reflected honor upon the
name, and credit upon themselves as
teachers in medical science.
Soon after the marriage of David Hous
ton and Margaret Neil in 1881, they deter
mined to seek their fortunes in the new
world David, being the youngest of
three sons, and therefore disinhcrted by
the English law of entail. After stormy
and perilOus passage of sixty-tllrec days