John Houghtby, farmer, section 21, Shabbona Township, was born in Northorsby, Lincolnshire, England, Sept. 19, 1819, a son of William and Susannah (Hadkins) Houghtby. He was be occupation a “gentleman’s bailiff”. He emigrated to the United States in 1876, reaching Shabbona in June, and purchased his present fine farm, which comprises 240 acres.
He was married Dec. 19, 1839, at Ashton-under-Line, Lancashire, Eng., to Miss Margaret (Gibson), daughter of John and Bessie (Calvert) Gibson, who was born in that shire Sept. 5, 1815. They had eight children, namely: George, born Oct 5, 1840, is married and lives in Shabbona; Susannah, born July 19, 1843, is the wife of John Lightbown, in England; Titus C., born June 18, 1845, died July 9, 1874, Charles G., born Aug. 6, 1850, married Ettie Abel and resides in Shabbona Township; Elizabeth C., born Dec. 22, 1852, is the wife of Cornelius Hall, residing in England; Mary A., born March 3, 1855, is the wife of Wesley C. Nicholson, of Shabbona. John, born March 1, 1858, married Elizabeth Stimpson and resides in Shabbona Township; and Sarah J., born March 27, 1861, is now the wife of George Ray of Shabbona.
Mr. Houghtby and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Shabbona.
Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of DeKalb County Illinois; Chapman Brothers, 1885, Chicago, IL
