In 1795, Staughton moved to York City and then to Bordentown, New Jersey, where he preached at a Baptist church, headed an academy, and was ordained a Baptist minister on June 17, 1797.
Staughton made the move to York City in 1795 and then settled in Bordentown, New Jersey, where he delivered sermons at a local Baptist congregation, managed an educational institution, and received his ordination as a Baptist minister on June 17, 1797.