=============================================================== PART I In a recent message, Megan Scott <[email protected]> reminded me that her earliest Strong ancestor was John Strong, who was a resident of Chester Co., Pennsylvania, possibly as early as 1762 when his son, John Strong, Jr., was born. See Pages 201-217 in STRONG FAMILY HISTORIES, VOLUME V, for some of the descendants of John Strong, Jr. The article does not state the place of birth of John Strong, Jr., but states that he died in Chester Co., PA, in 1857. Megan Scott also related a family tradition that John Strong (Sr.) traveled to Virginia with his wife and a young child to visit a brother. On the trip he passed the Natural Bridge, which is located in the Shenandoah Valley just east of Interestate 81 between Roanoke and Lexington, in the southern part of conteporary Rockbridge County. This story has piqued my interest. Who could be the Strong residing in Virginia that John Strong of Checter County purportedly visited? Following is a brief synopsis of the Strong families in Virignia during the period 1760-1790, including known French and Indian and Revolutionary War soldiers from Virginia named Strong. A more detailed account of some of these families is found on pages 285-287 of STRONG FAMILY HISTORIES, VOLUME V. 01. John Strong, Jr., of St. Martin's Parish, Hanover County (son of John Strong, Sr. of St. Peter's Parish, VA), born 1698, died by 1751. Mary Strong of Goochland County in the 1770s and 1780s, who was apparent residing with #4, John Strong, below, was probably his widow. This is a RECONSTRUCTED, or theoretical, family, since few records of western Hanover County, VA, prior to 1865, were preserved. There is no will, estate settlement, or other civil records to identify the children of John Strong of St. Martin's Parish, Hanover County, VA. The REGISTER of St. Martin's Parish, containgin vital records, was not preserved. No family records have been discovered. The family has been reconstructed based mainly on records of the family AFTER they left Hanover County, such as the sworn testimony of #4, John Strong, regarding his own and his brother, #3. Sherwood Strong's, military service. 02. Martin Strong (1st), probably husband of Mrs. Ann Stanley Strong 03. Sherwood Strong (1st) [French & Indian War veteran]. Died by 1779. No sons. 04. John Strong (3rd) [French & Indian War veteran.] 05. William Strong 06. Nathan(iel) Strong (1st) 07. Martha Strong m. Eleazar(ius) Williams 08. Elizabeth Strong (alive 1750s) 09. [Possibly "Matt"] 10. [Possibly Mrs. Sarah Blaylock] The above family was in western Hanover County, in St. Martin's Parish, in the 1750s. In 1759, William purchased land in Goochland County and moved there. #4, John Strong was residing in Hanover County in 1763 when his son, Charles Strong, a Revolutionary War veteran, was born. By late 1760s, #4, John Strong and #6, Nathan Strong were both near each other in southeastern Louisa County, near the Goochland and Hanover County lines. About 1770, #4, John moved to Goochland Co., where #7, Martha Strong, was already residing. By 1776, #6, Nathan Strong joined John Strong in Goochland County and appeared to reside on John's property. About 1776, #5, William Strong moved to Buckingham Co., VA. 11. William Strong (1st), son of John Strong, Sr., of St. Peter's Parish, VA, was born about 1701. In 1704, St. Paul's Parish was formed from western St. Peter's Parish. About 1720, Hanover County was formed with the same boundaries as St. Paul's Parish. William Strong was residing in eastern Hanover County, in what remained as St. Paul's Parish after St. Martin's Parish was created. Records of him are found there in the 1730s. Before 1770 he and his family were residing in Pittsylvania County, VA, formerly Halifax County, VA. #14, William Strong, Jr., possibly remained in Hanover County where his estate was being settled in 1770. Most of #11, William Strong's family settled in Rockingham County, formerly Guilford County, North Carolina, about the time of the Revolution. There is no proof that #13 accepted his commission as an officer as he departed the county shortly after the nomination. 12. Mary Strong 13. John Strong (nominated to be Lt. of Pittsylvania Co. militia, 1776) 14. William Strong, Jr., died before JUL 1770, apparently in Hanover Co., VA. No sons. 15. Thomas Strong 16. Sarah Strong 17. Elizabeth Strong m. Samuel Crowley, Rev. War casualty, 1776 18. James Strong 19. George Strong was born about 1703 in St. Peter's Parish, the third proven son of #1, John Strong, Sr. No records of him have been found. However, there was a 20. John Strong residing in Cumberland County, Virignia in the late 1750s and early 1760s who could possibly have been a son of 19. George Strong. The following thirteen siblings were likely the children of the 20. John Strong who is of record in Cumberland County. The connection is found in the Revolutionary War pension file of John Strong, who was residing in Fluvanna County, VA, in the 1830s. He said he was born about 1757 in Cumberland County, VA, and that when he was about eight years of age his family relocated to Hanover County, VA. The earliest tax records preserved for Hanove County show this family residing in the same neighborhood as John Stanley, the eldest, father of Mrs. Ann Stanley Strong (see above). The identities of the 13 siblings was proved by a Hanover County deed dated about 1830 which was a division of the estates of two of the sisters. (See Page 290 in STRONG FAMILY HISTORIES, VOLUME V, for more details.] All of the sons, below, were in Hanover County, VA, during the Revolution. 21. John Strong relocated to Fluvanna County. 25. William Strong relocated to Campbell County. 26. George Strong relocated to Louisa County. 29. Martin Strong remained in Hanover County. 21. John Strong 22. Sarah Strong 23. Agnes Strong 24. Elsa Strong 25. William Strong [Revolutionary War pensioner.] 26. George Strong [possibly Revolutionary War soldier] 27. Martha Strong 28. Jane Strong 29. Martin Strong (2nd) 30. Elizabeth Strong 31. Judith Strong 32. Mary Strong 33. Anne ("Nancy") Strong One of the two Martin Strongs, probably #2, contibuted beef for use by the Colonial army during the Revolution. #2 was a land owner in Hanover County in 1763, the only year for which real estate taxes were preserved for colonial St. Martin's Parish.. #4, John Strong, also contributed provisions to the Colonial Army during the Revolution but he was not a soldier in the Revolution as has been incorrectly reported. 05. William Strong, son of #1, John Strong, Jr., resided in Goochland County, VA, from about 1759 until about 1776 when he relocated to Buckingham County, VA. Several of his sons served in the Revolutionary War and after the war the sons began to migrate to Georgia, apparently to obtain military land bounty grants. By 1800 all of this family had migrated to the part of Georgia that became Clarke County. 34. Sherwood Strong (2nd) 35. Johnson Strong (Revolutionary War pensioner] 36. William Strong [Revolutonary War soldier] 37. Elizabeth Strong 38. Sally Strong 39. Isham Strong (1st) [U. S. Army AFTER the Revolution; died relatively young] 40. Susannah Strong 41. John Strong 42. Jane Strong 35. William Strong died in Clarke County, GA, 35. Johnson Strong (named for his mother's family, Johnson) migrated from Georgia to Missouri Territory to Alabama, where he died in FAyette County. 34. Sherwood Strong died in Clarke Co., GA, then his widow and family relocated to Coweta County, GA. 39. Isham Strong served in the U. S. Army in a unit of Scouts and Spys after the Revolutionary War. It is uncertain whether he served during the Revolution. He died relatively young and some of his descendants were subsequently found in Kentucky near #41, John Strong. #41, John Strong, departed Clarke County, GA, about 1805 and then spent a number of years in the Missouri Territory before settling in Christian County, KY. 04. John Strong followed his brother, 05. William Strong, to Georgia, after spending a few years in Campbell County, Virginia, beginning late 1780s. The estate of 04. John Strong was settled in Clarke County, GA. 43. Charles Strong [Revolutionary War pensioner; born Hanover Co., VA, ca 1763.] 44. Sarah Strong 45. Robert Strong 46. Catherine Strong 47. David Strong All of the children in this family went to Georgia except #47, David Strong, who resided a number of years in Charlotte County, VA, before relcating to Giles County, Tennessee. There were two more Strong families residing in Norfolk County, Virginia, in the period preceding and during the Revolutionary War. 48. Edward Strong died in Norfolk County, VA, about 1777. 49. John Strong (styled "Captain John Strong") [Revolutionary War soldier] #49, John Strong, resided in Norfolk Co., VA, Richmond Co., NC, and Copiah Co., MS, where he died in 1838. 50. Nathaniel Strong, Sr., was residing in Elizabeth River Parish, Norfolk Co., VA, in 1753, when his son, Nathaniel Strong, Jr., was bound out as an apprentice to Thomas "Miars". 51. Nathaniel Strong, Jr. #51, Nathaniel Strong, Jr., was bound out a second time in 1754 to Mathew Rothery. He appears to have reached tithable age (16 or 21 years, probably the latter) in 1761, suggesting a birth about 1740. He has not been traced after he reached adulthood. There are no facts to support the claim that he was the same person as #6, Nathaniel Strong, above, except they were both in Virginia and of near the same age, and the records of #6 begin a few years after the last known record of #51. On the other hand, there is no definitive proof that #6 was a son of #1 John Strong of St. Martin's Parish, Hanover County, except for the close affilation of #6 with #4 John Strong and with Mrs. Ann Stanley Strong, the apparent widow of #2 Martin Strong. This discussion will be continued in a subsequent message. =============================================================== Copyright (c) 1998. All rights reserved. May be copied for personal use only. Robert T. Strong, Jr. 119 Mystic Way Madison, Al 35757-8801