311. William Houchins
William Houchins was an old time Whig until the party was absorbed by the present Democratic and Republican parties. William was a Union man and a Primitive Baptist. When war broke out between the states, he remained loyal to Virginia and cast his lot with the fortunes of the Old Commonwelth. He was a commissioner of Revenues and a Justice of the Peace. He was a land owner and a farmer by trade.
312. James , Jr. Houchins
FTM Marriage records of 1786-1850
In The History of Monroe County, VA, there is an intrguing bit of information from the 1833 Records Books: "Charles Houchins, John Peters, and Joel Stodghill keep houses for private entertainment." I'm guessing that these were boarding houses or taverns. Between 1830 and the mid 50's, stagecoach travel was suprisingly heavy and small hotels popped up everywhere along the roads in the area to provide lodging for the passengers. Sarah (Houchins) may have helped her parents as a child. Later, her husband, J. Wesley Dunbar, opened the first hotel in Mt. Summit, Indiana, ("Dunbar House") which she ran for years. In turn, her daughter, Mahala Dunbar (Spell), ran the "Shady Side Hotel" in New Castle, Henry Co., Indiana with the help of her daughter Alberta Lee "Bessie" Spell (Shirk).
Charles Houchins was said to have been very tall, the Houchins were known to be exceptionally tall people. He was literate and taught his little girls from his second marriage to Malinda Cupp to read. After his first wife Catherine died, he moved to the state of Missouri from Virginia taking one son (James) with him, leaving the rest of his children to be reared by relatives. He married Malinda Cupp in Missouri, a woman twice his age and had children with her, all girls, and leaving her a widow at a young age.
316. Thomas H. Houchins
Thomas moved to Texas and operated a large fruit and farm business.
356. William M. Mann
Mann, William, Soldier 30th Batallion VA Sharpshooters, Pvt/Drummer Vawter's Battery/Co. C. Enl. 3/26/62 in Union, Monroe Co., VA. Had been a 1st Lt. in Co. D and a 2nd Lt. Co. H in 166th Militia. Present until absent in arrest 10/31/62. Present 12/31/62 to 2/28/63 roll when listed as drummer although not listed in the drum corps in April 1864. Present on clothing receipts of 8/1/64 and 11/17/64. NFR. Brother of Woodson and Michael Mann. Married Jane Keaton in 1840. Res. Monroe Co., WVA.