"Mennonites of the Washington Co., MD and Franklin Co., PA Conference" Daniel R. Lehman
Isaac Houser was one of the earliest settlers at Beaver Creek. He bought land there in 1743. By 1769 he owned over 1500 acres of land.
He was ordained a Mennonite Minister at Beaver Creek prior to 1770. He was likely the father of the other Housers of the Beaver Creek area. He was one of the donors of the ground for the Zion Meeting House, also called Housers.
Abraham Houser, who died in 1813 was the son of Preacher Isaac Houser. He also served as a Mennonite minister at Houser's Meeting House in Beaver Creek. He is named as a Mennonite minister in the deed for the ground for the meeting house.
Abraham Houser had eight children: John, Elizabeth m John Garver, Jacob, Abraham, Henry, Christian married Rosanna Geeting, Mary married Henry Grim and Barbara married George Detrick/or George Teeter.
"Elders in Each Church" Roy Showalter
Abraham Houser died 1813. He married Barbara. On March 17, 1763 he purchased his only tract of land in Washington Co., MD which was part of Park Head. The tract was the first land grant in Washington Co. and was recorded on April 4, 1731 by William Parks for 1,550 acres of land.
Jacob Houser and Jacob Huffert were named executors of Abraham's will. Abraham was the only non-enroller in 1776 during the days of the American Revolution. In 1790 there were two Abraham Housers listed. Abraham of Park Head was one and the other was the son of Isaac Houser of Beaver Creek. Both of the Abrahams had a son, Abraham.
Abraham, son of Isaac has been confused in the past as the Mennonite minister at Mt. Zion because his brother and nephew sold the original tract of land for the erection of the Mt. Zion Mennonite Meeting Houser. Abraham, son of Isaac, was more likely the Abraham Houser who moved to Kentucky after 1797 and was a United Brethren minister there.
On May 12, 1792, a deed was recorded at the Hagerstown, MD courthouse for one acre of land to be used for the use of erecting a meeting house and a school house and for a burying ground. The grantee was Abraham Houser, minister of the Manonest congregation. The grantors were Isaac Houser Sr. and Isaac Houser Jr. The original stone church built in 1793 was replaced in 1888 by a union church built by the Dunkers.
Isaac Houser was born in 1721. He and his wife Barbara moved into the Beaver Creek area of Washington Co., MD by 1752. He purchased St. Patrick's lot containing 127 acres and he eventually owned 964 acres. He also owned a hemp mill.
The ordination of Isaac Houser took place before 1770. In 1770 there were three generations of Isaac Housers living: Isaac born 1721; Isaac born ca 1741; and Isaac born March 11, 1761 and died May 3, 1832. Isaac born 1721 seems to be the logical person because there is no substantiating evidence that the others were ever a part of the Mennonite Church. Their names do no appear on the list of non-enrollers in 1776 and they were deeply involved in slave ownership. Isaac born 1721 was not listed as a non-enroller, and being 55 years of age in 1776 may have exempted him from any involvement in the draft.
Barbara, wife of Isaac Houser born 1721, may have lived until Aug. 6, 1798. They had the following children: Isaac born 1741 died May 1823. Had a son Isaac. Abraham had a son Abraham and Isaac. There may have been more children.
Revolutionary Patriots of Washington Co., MD 1776-1783" Henry Peden
Abraham Hauser
Henry Houser - Private Militia 7th Class, Capt. John Cellars' Co. 1776-1777
Isaac Houser - Private Militia 8th Class, Capt James Walling's Co., 2nd Battalion, 1776/1777. Isaac died at his residence in Washington Co. at an advanced age
John Houser - Private Militia 7th Class, Capt, Henry Boteler's Co. 1776/1777