| Corresponded with author | | N |
| A Contributor to Houghton Surname Project | | N |
| Notable | | Y |
| Birth | 1678 | dd calc |
| Notable | | Rowland Houghton (1678-1744) was a Boston mechanic who designed a new “theodolate,” a brass surveying instrument. He received a patent from the General Court of the Colony of Massachusetts in 1735. This was only the second patent for a mechanical invention issued in the British colonies of North America. It is the earliest brass surveying instrument to be patented and documented. One of only two extant is an incomplete version that is housed in the Smithsonian. |
| Marriage | | 2 |
| Occupation | 1722/23 | Boston, Suffolk Co., MA, USA, constable3 |
| Research | 1729 | MA, USA, Sold indentured servants |
| Deed | Oct 22, 1729 | Boston, Suffolk Co., MA, USA, deed from George Monk in York Co., ME, to Rowland Houghton, merchant4 |
| Notable | 1735 | "Rowland Houghton’s “theodolate,” patented in 1735 in Massachusetts, is the earliest brass surveying instrument to be patented and documented. In his book With Compass and Chain, historian Silvio Bedini traces the history of the patent given to Houghton in 1735/36 by the Massachusetts Bay Colony. According to the Act recorded in its Acts and Resolves II, Houghton’s instrument was designed “for surveying of lands … with greater ease and dispatch than any surveying instrument heretofore projected or made within this province.” There were many circumferentors and semi-circumferentors primarily constructed of wood during this early period, but Houghton was able to obtain a patent due to the accurate simplicity of the design of his instrument. Rowland Houghton surveyed in Maine and in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Based on an announcement of Dabney’s arrival that appeared in the Boston Gazette in July of 1739, Bedini points out that Houghton engaged the English-trained instrument maker, John Dabney, who worked with Houghton in 1739 - 1740, for some of his instrument work. The announcement stated, “Arriv’d here ... from London John Dabney, junr. who serv’d his time to Mr. Johathan Sisson, Mathematical Instrument Maker to His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales. Makes and sells all sorts of Mathematical Instruments ... at Mr. Rowland Houghton’s shop ... in Boston...To this date there are only two known examples of this Houghton “theodolate.” One is an incomplete version that is housed in the Smithsonian collection, and the other is the one that has been used for the photos in this article.”5 |
| Census | 1735 | NH, USA |
| Newspaper | Nov 10, 1735 | Ad in Boston Gazette: "For the Public Good - The Art of Surveying made more Plain and Easy
By a new Theodalite projected by Mr. Rowland Houghton, whereby the Surveyor may do more Work than by either the old
Theodalite Semicircle or Plain Table. The use of the Protractor is supplied by a sliding Quadrant adapted to Platting, with far more ease and expedition by this new Discovery, and not so subject to Errors, being of a large Radius. On said instrument is also projected the Hours of the Day and distance of places. Made and Sold by the Projector near the TownHouse in Boston at a reasonable rate. Rowland Houghton."6 |
| Note | Apr 5, 1736 | Boston, Suffolk Co., MA, USA, Deed of George Monk to Rowland Houghton of 22 Oct. 1729 confirmed.7 |
| Will | 1744 | 2 |
| Death | Aug 7, 1744 | Boston, Suffolk Co., MA, USA, age 668,9 |
| Burial | | Granary Burial Ground, Boston, Suffolk Co., MA, USA, Here lyes buried the body of Mr. Rowland Houghton, aged 66 years, died August ye 7th 1744.9 |
| Court | Jul 18, 1787 | United Empire Loyalists, Part II
New Claim.
773. Case of Archibald Macneil , late of Massts. , Decd.
Elizabeth MacNeill , Widow of the decd. Archibald , has been appointed admr. David Shoolbred appears in her behalf.
Says the late Archibald Macniel lived in Boston in Business of a Baker which he carried on in an extensive Line. From the first he distinguished himself by his Loyalty. He was one of the town Association. Left Boston with the Troops.
In the year 1774 & 1775 the Tradesmen at Boston had refused supplying the Troops with Bread & Flour, on which occasion Mr.
Macneil & a Mr. Hill engaged to do it & supplied them for a long time. Went to Halifax on Evacuation of Boston . Came from thence to Quebec & settled here in June '85 , going from this Place to New Brunswick . He was murdered by some Indians.
He had made no Will. He left a Widow, who is appointed admr. Lives at Quebec .
Eldest Son, Archibald , in Jamaica , a Clerk in the house of Balentine, Fairly & Co.
He served in the Engineer Department during almost the whole war.
Wm. Henry a Clerk with Wilson Taylor of Montreal .
Elizabeth , Wife of Witness.
Nancy , Wife of Thos. Hill , now of Boston .
Sarah , unmarried, with her Mother at Quebec .
Mary , wife of John Walter , mercht. of Quebec at present as Witness thinks in England , his Wife is now at
Boston , but Witness supposes Mr. Walter means to come here or to stay in England .
Produces Copy of Warrant for banishing him from the State of Massts . Signed John Hancock ,1784 .
V. Vol. 11. Col Dundas's Book,
18 July, '87 .
Further Evidence in Case of Arch. Macneil , decd.
David Shoolbred , Wits:
Produces Pass for Arch. Macneil
Septr. 1774 ,
Boston . Signed John Small .
Produces Deed from Isaac Freeman to Archibald Macneil of Messuage & Land in Marlboro Street,
Boston , in Cons. £660.13s., dated 1753 .
Appears a Mortgage. Witness Produces Deed from
Mary Ross to Arch. Macneil of a Mess &c. in Marlboro Street for 30£ Conditionally for Payment of said sum & Interest, dated
1775 .
Produces Deed from John Hunt to Archd. Macneil of 2 Lots in Grenville containing 55 acres each in Consn. 47.13 Lawful
1768 .
Produces Deed from John Hunt to Archd. Macneil of a Lot containing 84 acres in Granville in Consn. 36£ Lawful, 1768 .
Produces Deed from John Hunt to Archd. Macneil of 2 Rights in Valentine Township, Connect. , to each of which 100 acres has been already laid out in Consn. 36£, 1772 .
He had 5,000 acres in North Yarmouth, Casco Bay [MA, now ME]. These Lands had belonged to Mr. Roland Houghton .
Roland Houghton gave by Will, dated 1744 , 600 acres in North Yarmouth to his sons John & Richard & Grand children
Joshua & Anna Winock , also all the Rights he had in the Islands belonging to Township of North Yarmouth equally amongst his
said children. Gives the Residue of his Estate to his Widow, Ann Houghton .
Mr. Macneil married Ann Winock , one of the Legatees in the above Will mentioned. Mr. Macneil had one child by his first Wife. The child is dead & the Wife is Dead.
Produces Copy of Will of Joshua Winock , whereby he gives Arch. Macneil all his Estate, real & Personal, after payment of Debts,
1748 .
Produces Deed from Anna Houghton , Widow of Rowland Houghton whereby she conveys to Archibald Macneil one 150th part of a Gore or Tract of Land in North Yarmouth in Consn. of 10£, dated 1751 .
Produces short Abstract from the Books of the Proprietor in North Yarmouth , whereby it appears that several Rights were sold to
Rowland Houghton . Signed by Proprietor's Clerk.
Produces a subsequent Letter from the said Proprietor's Clerk to Archd. Macneil relative to building an House on the Lands there, to shew Mr. Macneil was interested in these Lands.
Produces Mortgage from Amos Silvester of 40 acres in North Yarmouth , 1774 .
Penobscot Lands. Produces a Deed from Anthony Coverley to Mary Taylor , his Daughter, of half his right which he bought of
Charles Chauncey containing ten Leagues at a Place cald. Muscongus, 1765 .
Taylor & his Wife, formerly Coverley, sold their Interest to Archibald Macneil .
Produces Copy of Assessment on the Proprietors of Lands in Penobscot amongst which Mr. Macneil 's name appears.
Sarah Macneil , Witness:
Says she remembers that there was a kind of Combination amongst many of the Tradesmen not to work for the Troops, on which her Father stood forward & worked for the Army. He always continued to shew the same Loyalty. He continued as long as the Troops staid. Went away with them. He came to Halifax & afterwards to Quebec . He died without a Will & Mrs. Macneil is adsx.
Mrs. Macneil appears, says she has been appointed adminx.
Certificate of the sale of Mr. Archibald Macneil 's Estate in Suffolk Co., Massts. , for the sum of 1,000£ lawful. Signed
Saml. Barnet , Chairman of Committee. Produces Valuation by 3 appraisers who value it at 2,500£ lawful & that it would have rented for 130£ lawful.
Sarah Macneil , Witness, says:
There was a large Dwelling House, 2 Bake Houses, Stable, garden. The bake houses & outhouses & storehouses were built after the Purchase from Freeman.
He was offered 1,000£ Sterl. before he built the house at the end of the garden.
His Son in Law, Thos. Hill , tried to buy it in, but was not allowed. He would have given 2,000£ for it.
Remembers her Father in Possession of Lands in Granville purchased of Mr. Hunt ; No. 3 & No. 4. Did not hear of anything laid out by her Father after ye Purchase.
Heard also of his being in Possession of Lands in Valentine Township , No. 5.
He had Lands in North Yarmouth . She does not know how much. Mrs. Macneil , the first Wife, & her Bro. Joshua were the only Heirs to Rowland Houghton . Mrs. Macneil , the first Wife, died before her Brother Joshua .
Her Father had Lands in Penobscot purchased of a Mrs. Taylor . Thinks her Father had a Deed.
They have tried to get Certificates of Confiscation of their Lands but could not obtain them.
Her Father had a Sloop of 115 Tons. It was taken into the King's Service by Major Sheriff. Her Father therefore had neglected to get her ready to take away. It was left at Boston on the Evacuation & there sunk by the Americans. The notice was so short that her Father would not have been able to have carried it off. Her Father purchased it at auction.
He left the largest part of his furniture behind at Boston ; large Glasses, Tables & one very valuable horse & chaise.
Her Husb. had Debts due 1,677£.
John Coffin , Esq.:
Knew the late Archibald Macneil at Boston . He was distinguished from the first for his Loyalty. Witness speaks clearly & decidedly & strongly to that point. Thought him in good circumstances as he lived well. He had a great Deal of Business from the Army.
Knew No. 1. Vals. it at 1,000£ Sterl.
Heard of his having Lands in other parts of the Province. Understood he had a large Tract about Penobscot. His house was very well furnished.
Constantine Freeman , Esq.:
Knew Macneil . Heard of his having Lands in Penobscot & Grenville .
Nathaniel Taylor , Esq., Wits., says:
Knew Archibald Macneil . He always was distinguished as very Loyal. Knew his house at Boston , No. --. There was a large lot, Garden, Bake House, &c., in a public, well situated Thinks it worth between 1,000 & 1,500£. Heard of his having other Lands. Considerable property to the eastward. Understood it was a Property in what was called Plymouth Purchase, which extended from
Kennebec to Penobscot . Thinks he had other Lands.
Heard he had a Sloop at Boston . Witness thinks he registered a Sloop for him & that it was left at Boston . A Sloop of that burthen, 115 tons, was worth from 200 to 400 Lawful, according to the Condition she was in.2 |
| Research | | MLM: "Rowland Houghton of Plymouth, Massachusetts, was probably a son of James and Mary Houghton. In 1731 Rowland Houghton of Plymouth, Massachusetts, was a member of the Prudential Committee. On April 1734, he was appointed to collect a Tax of 3 pounds for the meeting House. On May 2, 1739, as a merchant of Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, land he had previously for 40 pounds he sold to Solomon Small, North yarmouth, Massachusetts, land he had previously bought there. October 8, 1734, he was to appear at York County Court to oppose Stephen Gedney's claim for land on the Royal River (now in Maine). " (see Desc. of Edward Small & allied families, 3 V., Rev. 1934 by Underhill, pgs. 544, 550, 556, 1295-1296, 1428, 1426, 1715.)10 |
| Biography | | Boston, Suffolk Co., MA, USA, A Boston mechanic; chosen a constable in 1722; chosen clerk of market Mar. 11, 1733, made chimney sweeping proposals on Jun 23, 1736.
Smithsonian: Common Theodolite
Catalogue number:
1985.0860.01
Inscriptions:
"ROWLAND HOUGHTON Fecit"
Dimensions:
alidade 11.5 inches long; needle 5.125 inches
Discussion:
This is an example of the "new theodolite" for which Rowland Houghton (about 1678-1744), a Boston mechanic, received a patent from the General Court of the Colony of Massachusetts in 1735. This was the second patent for a mechanical invention issued in the British colonies of North America. The patent did not describe Houghton's instrument, but stated simply that it was designed "for surveying of lands, with suitable instruments, with greater ease and dispatch than any surveying instrument heretofore projected or made within this province." The only other contemporary reference to this instrument appears in Houghton's 1737 advertisement for aqueducts, which states that "Said Houghton has lately improv'd on his new Theodolate (sic), by which the art of Surveying is rendered more plain & easy than heretofore."
The horizontal circle of Houghton's instrument is graduated to degrees, and numbered in quadrants. One side is also numbered from VI to XII to VI, as for a sundial. The sights vanes for the alidade are missing. The compass card--marked "J. R. LINCOLN, BOSTON"--is a 19th-century replacement.
When the Smithsonian acquired this instrument, it was the only known surviving example. Another example, however, has recently come to light.
Ref: Silvio Bedini, "Rowland Houghton's 'New Theodolate,'" Rittenhouse 1 (1987): 30-39.
Raymond V. Giordano, "Some Notes on the Two Extant Rowland Houghton New Theodolates," Rittenhouse 15 (2001): 93-97.1,11 |
| Research | | Only MLM gives this parentage. His birth would be 7 years before James's marriage. Not in VRs |
| Research | 1678 | Boston, Suffolk Co., MA, USA, b. 1678 |
