The History of Iowa County Iowa by Union Historical Company
Publ 1881 – Available on Google Books
Page 672
SAMUEL HUSTON – Sec. 11, P.O. Koszta, is one of Iowa’s earliest settlers, coming to Johnson County in 1839, and soon after entering a quarter section where Tiffin now is. When arriving there his wealth was two dollars and fifty cents, and not owning a horse walked from Tiskilwa, Illinois where he had been in business but lost everything in the panic of 1837. He built his first house in Iowa—a cabin—on his claim and kept bachelor hall; breaking up his first 50 acres by procuring the use of a neighbor’s team by breaking two acres [in exchange] for the use of the team and plow, and one acre for himself, and the farm thus broken up is now [1881] known as the Tautlinger Farm near Tiffin. His first crop was that of pumpkins which he had gathered and was about effecting sale of them when an early and unexpected freeze blasted his plans, but being plucky, and never known to give up, he soon conceived the idea of manufacturing them into pumpkin butter, and from the proceeds of which and the sale of wild turkies [sic.] sold at Iowa City, he replenished his badly dilapidated wardrobe –at that time consisting partly of a suit made of a white Indian blanket and a wolf skin cap – he buying his first Sunday suit in Iowa. In 1850 he went to California, returning to Iowa in 1852. Selling his farm in Johnson County, in 1854 he moved to Iowa County, settling in Honey Creek township, at Koszta, he being the original proprietor of that village, where he dealt in real estate and carried on a general merchandise business and also farmed extensively. His farm now consists of 597 acres, and he is ranked among the wealthy men of Iowa County and is now filling the position of Vice President of the First National Bank of Marengo. He was born in Stroudsburg, Monroe County, Pennsylvania in 1811, and has been married four times. His present wife was Margaret B. Lamberton of Marengo, whom he married March 13 1866. He has two children living: George A. Huston (of Clifton, Kansas) Emma L. (wife of Dr. D. B. Darr of Ladora). Mr. Huston is Republican in politics and both he and his wife are members of the M.E. Church.
From pg. 664.. “He laid out the town of Koszta, built the bridge over the Iowa River and made other improvements.”
From History of Solano and Napa Counties, California – found online
One of the early immigrants to California was Samuel Huston, of Pennsylvania, who after eight months of weary travel across the plains, arrived here in 1850. For two years he farmed in the Suison Valley but in 1852 went [back] to Iowa by way of Panama, and remained in that state, engaging in farming and merchandising until his death in 1892. He married Mary Been, [this being her surname from first marriage] a native of Indiana, and two children were born of this union, George A. and Emma L.
More about George A. Huston of Napa CA, in this article.
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