Rev. Samuel Stoughton lived in Clay Township of Butler County, Pennsylvania and was born on 27 August 1795. He was a Baptist Minister and was very influential in the County affairs. He was licensed to preach on 30 November 1822 and ordained on 28 November 1823. He was a much-respected man and was sought after for his sound advice, in addition to his ministrations from the Pulpit. He was one of the first Ministers of the 1st Baptist Church in Evans City, Pa., (I think this may have been the Amana Baptist Church: founded in 1820 and with a new building, in 1854. This was also known as Evansburg, Pa., at that time.) And he must have been one "Hell of a Preacher," because he was ministering to at least three different Churches, at the same time, as I have discovered.

In 1814, Samuel was enumerated as being part of Capt. James Mervin's Company, with the 26th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Militia and he is listed as having been paid $11.00 for his 6 months service, in the defense of Erie, PA. This unit was under the command of Maj. Andrew Jenkins and, in turn, under the command of Maj. General Mead. Samuel was listed on the same rolls as his brother Andrew and his nephew William. (Fam #8) He must have done his military service prior to being ordained.

The main Church, where he preached for the longest time was "Muddy Creek Baptist Church, in Franklin Township - The Rev. Henry Spear was the 1st Baptist Minister who preached in this place. Later Rev. Nathaniel Tibbet assisted him. Having gathered a small band of believers, these two organized a church of 17 members on the 19th of October 1819. Rev. Nathaniel Tibbet was the 1st Pastor. The Rev. Samuel Stoughton, who was licensed to Preach in 1822 and Ordained on November 28, 1823, succeeded him. He remained in charge of this church until about 1862 – a period of forty years – during which time he labored faithfully and zealously for the up building of Zion." "This Church has never suffered from dissension. Its house of worship is a brick structure, erected in 1844 and situated about 3 miles north of Prospect." "The Deacons of the Church have been Jacob Rose, John Shaffer, Robert Hampson, C. Baker, William Shaffer, Andrew Stoughton, Daniel Smith, Oliver Peiser, Robert McGinnis, Simon Stickle, Leonard Shannon and James Cratty." "The 1st person buried in the Graveyard of this Church was Cadwallader Baker, son of J.J. Baker and the 2nd was William Jewell." "When he left this Church, on his death, in 1863, the membership numbered over 150 and average attendance was 60." Also, he preached at the Zion Baptist Church, in Worth Township and it was constituted on November 15, 1841. The 1st Ministers were Thomas Daniels and his son Daniel Daniels. The church was founded by Rees Davis and had seven original members and 13 were baptized at the 1st meeting. Rev. Samuel Stoughton was elected minister in 1850 and continued until 1852, when David Phillips followed him. On November 2, 1849, Harmony Baptist Church, in Lawrence County, was constituted and Nathan Hazen gave a little over an acre of land for the church and the graveyard; the church building which was commenced in 1851 and finished, in 1853, occupies the south part of the lot. The Church was organized in a schoolhouse, which stood on the west side of the road. The 1st Baptists in the neighborhood were John Hazen and his wife Rebecca and Nathan Hazen and his wife Lavina. The Harmony Church was constituted by the Revs. Samuel Stoughton, Jacob Morris, Daniel Daniels, Levi Ross and A.G. Kirk, with a membership of 11.

Rev. Stoughton was also a charter member of the Butler County Teachers Association which was formed on 12 August 1828 and where he was elected as one of the Vice Presidents.

In 1858, Samuel owned a good sized farm in Clay Township and, if located by present day landmarks, (2011) the western boundary of this farm would be the western boundary of Clay Township, which is just east of present day Route 8. This was the farm, owned originally by his Father William and was the original Stoughton Farm and settlement in Butler County. The North side, of his farm would be bounded by Turk Rd./Kildoo Rd.; the east side would be about ¼ mile east and, almost, parallel to present day Claytonia Rd. and the south side would be about ¼ mile south and parallel to present day Hall Road. His farm was almost perfectly rectangular in shape and the extreme headwaters of Big Run, a tributary of the Slippery Rock Creek, were located on his farm.

At the time of his death he was still preaching as the Minister of the Muddy Creek Baptist Church and "The First Regular Baptist Church." (I cannot figure out if these churches are one and the same or not and if they are not, then the location of the 1st Regular Church is unknown, to me, at this time, although it may have been located in Clay Twp., his residence, in 1860.)

His will was signed on 20 Feb. 1862 and probated 9 May 1862, in which he is described as "Late of Clay Twp." The estate was finally settled on 29 Oct. 1879. We do not know for sure where Rev. Samuel is buried, but it is most likely in the Family Cemetery on present day Claytonia Rd., in Butler County and this cemetery is located on ground that was part of the original Family Farm. (See photos with Family #28, Jacob Bernard Stoughton.)

He married:
1st – Isabel _____, (??Lindsey??), in 1816 and she was probably of Ohio and she may have been the sister of Jane Lindsey, wife of, his brother, James Stoughton.(See Family # 4) (See Endnote with Daughter Nancy) and she died before 1820.

2nd - Catherine McCune, in 1821. She was born 18 Aug. 1802; she died 15 January 1867.

She was the daughter of _____McCune and Lucinda (Lucy) Moore. Lucy was born circa 1762, either in Virginia or Maryland. Catherine McCune was a twin with Robert McCune and they had the following brothers and sisters: Samuel, Jane, William and John McCune. Lucy Moore McCune later married _____ Claypool and her youngest children, Catherine and Robert McCune, the twins, were often referred to as Claypool.