=============================================================== Your query on a USGenWeb site was recently located using the Surname Helper Surname Search at Rootsweb Genealogical Data Cooperative. You inquired about Susan Strong who married (1.) William Cowan McClellan, who died in 1869, after which she married (2.) a Mr. West. Susannah Elizabeth Strong was a daughter of Charles Waite Strong and Didama Allison Humphrey. She was born 28 JUN 1844, obviously in Madison County, AL. Her first marriage was on 17 OCT 1866 in Madison County, AL, recorded in Marriage Book 5. Her second husband was David K. West. See marriage record below. With my marriage note, I have a note that Miss Willie McClellan, granddaugher of Charles W. Strong, died 1955. I am in possession of a transcript of a "Family History by Charles Strong Written before Civil War (Written 1834)". Unfortunately I did not record the complete bibliographic citation but it appears to be a volume of ALABAMA RECORDS, Pages 101-108. Miss Willie was credited with preserving these family records, which were reassembled by Mrs. Catherine Gilliam. See below regarding Mrs. Gilliam. Included in these records is a transcript of the Family Bible, printed 1818, register of George and Mary ("Polly") Strong. The Charles W. Strong family was enumerated in Madison Co., AL, in 1860 in Dwelline 216. Susanah E. Strong, age 16, born AL. On the 1870 census of Madison Co., AL, Susana McClelland, age 23, was enumerated in Dwelling 253. He parents were enumerated in Dwelling 251. Charles, age 65 and Didama, age 61, both listed their place of birth as Virginia. Here is the descent of this family as I know it: 1. John Strong, Sr., resided St. Peter's Parish, VA, from before 1698 to after 1703, during which three sons were christened. Except for the records of the three christenings, little else is known about him. His wife has not been identified. 2. John Strong, Jr., christened in 1698, died by 1751 in St. Martin's Parish, western Hanover County, VA. His widow was likely Mary Strong. Several other members of his family were identified in the records of a general store operated by "Col." John Chiswell, most importantly Martin Strong. John Strong, III, mentioned in the next paragraph, swore that Martin was his brother and that is the key that unlocked some of the secrets about this family. The above are presumed to have been the ancestors of: 3. Nathaniel Strong, Sr., was born about 1744, probably in St. Martin's Parish, western Hanover Co., VA. In the late 1760s he was an overseer on a plantation located in St. Martin's Parish, SE Louisa County, VA, and also working as an overseer on another nearby plantation was John Strong, III, son of John Strong, Jr. These two then relocated to Goochland County, VA, John about 1770 and Nathan before 1776, when a son was born in Goochland County. Nathan appears to have lived with John and family, including Mary Strong, probably their mother. Nathan purchased some of John Strong's land and conitinued to live in Goochland County until near 1815. One of his neighbors was Mrs. Ann Stanley Strong, my ancestor, who was apparently the widow of Martin Strong, died about 1780, probably in Hanover County. (Another brother, Sherwood, I, died by 1779, probably in Hanover County, without a son to inherit his military land grant; he may have never married.) About 1812 Nathan, Nathan, Jr., George, and Thomas Strong obtained land grants (deeds) of a section (160 acres) each in Madison County, AL. They did not occupy this land until several years later, however, as proved by tax lists which included no poll taxes. The wife of Nathan Strong was Catherine "Callichan" or Callahan, as recorded by the Rev. Dr. William Douglas, the minister for St. James Northam Parish, Goochland County, VA. (The vital records of this parish were published in a book called THE DOUGLAS REGISTER.) The parents of Catherine have never been identified. Nathan Strong died in Madison Co., AL, in 1823. His will was proved at the AUG 1823 court and was recorded in Probate Record Book 3, Page 10. His will was contested by George Strong and Abraham Loving, a son-in-law. Catherine Strong died in Madison County in 1828. The four original Strong grants were located along New Market Pike, now Winchester Road. There is a bend in the road east of North Memorial Parkway and the Valhalla Memorial Cemetery is located near that bend. The bend was located on the grant to Nathan Strong, Sr. The Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University is now located nearby. 4. George Strong was born around 1770. Some records say 15 JAN 1773. It is uncertain whether his parents were in Louisa or Goochland County at that time. He married in Goochland County, VA, on 6 JUN 1797 to Mary ("Polly") East. She was a daughter of Benjamin East (1759-1809) and Nancy Pruitt (1760-1800) of Goochland County. George Strong and my ancestor, Sherwood Strong, III, migrated to what is now called Middle Tennessee around 1805 or 1806. It is uncertain whether they travelled together. George acquired land in the part of Rutherford County that was later to become Bedford Co., TN, and he lived there on the Duck River about 10 years. George's younger brother, Nathan, Jr., possibly resided with him during the War of 1812, when Nathan, Jr., was single and was a commissioned officer (Lieutenant). Sherwood settled in Sumner County, later moving to Davidson County then to Rutherford County, where he died in the mid-1830s. George Strong died without a will on 18 AUG 1834 in Madison Co., AL, and is buried in a cemetery located off "Meridian Pike", between Huntsville and Meridianville, AL. Also buried there is Mary East Strong, who died 18 or 19 FEB 1842. See ALABAMA RECORDS, Volume 103 regarding the estate settlement. I once tried unsuccessfully to visit this cemetery, which appears to be located about a quarter mile off the highway in the middle of a large cotton field with no road leading to the cemetery. The site can be seen from U. S. Highway 231 to the East, where Meridian Street and North Memorial Parkway (Highway 231) intersect. 5. Charles Waite Strong was born 11 AUG 1804 in Goochland County, VA. He and Didama Allison Humphrey were married on 10 OCT 1828, probably in Madison County, AL. He died on 23 FEB 1871 and is reportedly buried in a Strong Cemetery at Mount Charron, now a suburb on the north end of Huntsville, AL. This site is on the opposite side of U.S. Highway 231. I also tried unsuccessfully to locate these grave markers. They were buried near a home which was said to have been built by Charles W. Strong from an abandoned river boat salvaged from the Tennessee River. [There is an article entitled "Historic Homes" by Pat Jones, dated 1923, which describes this home. There is a copy in the vertical files of the Heritage Room at the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library. Attached are genealogical notes compiled in 1968 for Lucille ("Lula ") Strong Powell, b. 1887, by Catherine Kelly Gilliam.] Didama Humphrey was born on 2 JUL in 1806 or 1809, possibly in Bedord Co., VA, She was the daughter of David Humphrey and Sarah ("Sallie") Blankenship. David Humphrey appears on the 1850 census of Madison Co., AL, Page 364B, Dwelling 7. See also ALABAMA RECORDS, Page 36, regarding his heirs. Didama died 25 JAN 1878 at the reported age of 68. Charles W. and Didama Strong were the parents of about a dozen children, gleamed from census records, the Catherine Gilliam notes, and court records, some of which are abstracted in ALABAMA RECORDS. Charles Strong appeared on the Madison County, AL, census 1830-1870. He received land grants of 80 and 40 acres in Madison County in 1851. 6-01: Mary Ann Strong 6-02: George Mastin Strong, M.D. 6-03: David Crawford Strong (possibly Civil War causualty) 6-04: Sallie Belinda Strong 6-05: Pleasant DeKalb Strong ("insane" on 1860 census) 6-06: Frances Peytrey Strong 6-07: Robert Nathaniel Strong (CSA Army) 6-08: Susannah Elizabeth Strong 6-09: Nancy Ann ("Nannie") Strong [possibly Nancy Virginia Strong), d. age 20, 23 JAN 1869 6-10: Cornelia Webster Strong 6-11: California ("Callie") Strong 6-12: Henrietta Exine Strong 6-13: possibly Charles Strong (mentally retarded?) The will of Charles W. Strong was probated on 10 APR 1871 and recorded in Madison County Will Book I, page 450. The following was published in the SOUTHERN ADVOCATE on 15 MAY 1878, as transcribed in ALABAMA RECORDS, Volume 42, Page 35. "Mrs. Sue E. McClellan, daughter of late Charles Strong, married David K. West at home of Mrs. Fannie Shoenberger on 15 MAY 1878. Rev. G. W. Mitchell officiated." "Fannie" was her sister, Frances P. Strong. From HUNTSVILLE ADVOCATE, 20 JAN 1871, as transcribed in ALABAMA RECORDS, Volume 54, Page 55. "Marriage at Charles W. Strong residence on the 12th: George Shoenberger to Mrs. Fannie P. Davis." William Cowan Carter, Colonel, retired, who resided at 1011 Wilson Lane, Pulaski, Giles County, TN 38478, submitted his descent from Charles Waite Strong to the GILES COUNTY LINEAGE BOOK, Giles County Historical Society, Pulaski, TN, (c) Margaret M. Cowart, 7801 Tea Garden Road SE, Huntsville, AL 35802. 1. Charles Waite Strong 2. Sue Elizabeth Strong m. William Cowan McClellan 3. Charlie Alice McClellan m. Tony Arthur White 4. Nancy Susan White m. Thomas Brown Carter 5. William Cowan Carter, b. 28 JUN 1921, m. 24 NOV 1943, Nashville, TN. I assume you are a son or grandson of William C. Carter? For further details regarding the first few generations of this Strong family see my web site, A STRONG HERITAGE: The Strong-Gossage Ancestral Database. You can also see my own Strong lineage there. We are VERY distant cousins. http://ro.com/~rts2/ancestry For instruction on how to subscribe to The Strong Mail List, see my other web site, THE STRONG QUEST: http://ro.com/~rts2/quest I hope there is something here that is new and useful for you and I also hope you will join our discussions on TheStrong Mail List. I am sending a copy of this message to The Strong Mail List, where it will be archived and available for future reference. Do you happen to be acquainated with Dr. Jason Kinser, physicist, who took a research position at George Mason University a year or so ago. Jason and his highly talented wife, Sue Ellen, were very esteemed members of my church in Madison, AL, prior to their relocation. Sue Ellen was our choir director. If you are from Pulaski and he is from Madison, then you will surely have a lot of common ties. Get acquainted, if you are not already acquainted. "BoB T." Strong Robert T. Strong, Jr. 119 Mystic Way Madison, Al 35757-8801