The children of William Houston and Anne McCrae listed in the 1871 Census plus those who had died previously and those yet to be born are listed below. The locations of their life events helps plot the couple’s movements around Renfrewshire and Ayrshire. For example, the movement from the area of the closed Benston pit to the vicinity of Crosslee Railway Station seems to have occurred around 1865 which ties in with the construction date of the railway. Birth date Birth place Date of death Place of death Adam Spencer Houston 25 Feb 1857 Paisley, Renfrewshire 1879 Riccarton, Ayrshire William Houston 1858 Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire 14 Aug 1859 Benston, Renfrewshire Margaret Houston 18 Apr 1860 Abbey Paisley, Renfrewshire Elizabeth Houston 3 Jul 1862 Paisley, Renfrewshire 28 Jul 1894 Hurlford, Ayrshire William Houston 26 Mar 1864 Abbey Paisley, Renfrewshire John McCrae Houston 25 May 1866 Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire 1944 Kilmarnock, Ayrshire Oliver Houston c 1869 Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire Annie Houston 18 Dec 1870 Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire Jessie Gardner Houston 19 Jan 1873 Johnstone, Renfrewshire Agnes Mary Houston 28 May 1875 Hurlford, Ayrshire On Jessie Gardner Houston’s birth certificate (1873) the couple were residing at 3 Houstoun Square, Johnstone. William’s occupation was listed as mining contractor. Houstoun Square is in the centre of Johnstone and a modern photo is shown on the left. The bandstand and fountain were gifted by the Laird, George Ludovic Houston, in 1891. By the time of Agnes’s birth (1875) the couple had moved to Hurlford, Ayrshire. William was now an oversman at colliery. 1881 Census William Houston Head Mar 45 Oversman Colliery Kilmarnock, Ayr, Scotland Annie Houston Wife Mar 43 New Cumnock, Ayr, Scotland Elisabeth Houston Dau Unm 18 Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland William Houston Son Unm 17 Coal Miner Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland John Houston Son Unm 15 Coal Miner Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland Oliver Houston Son 12 Scholar Kilbarchan, Renfrew, Scotland Annie Houston Dau 10 Scholar Kilbarchan, Renfrew, Scotland Jessie Houston Dau 8 Scholar Johnston, Renfrew, Scotland Agnes Houston Dau 5 Hurlford, Ayr, Scotland