In a postscript to the carbon copy to Robert E. Strong, Jr., of my message earlier today concerning Strongs in Tennessee by 1820, I underscored that there were two of these early Strong families in what is now "Middle" Tennessee for which the sons have not been identified. One was the John Strong who was residing in Davidson County, TN, by 1805, per a tax list, and who died there about 1815, as proved by the settlement of his estate, beginning in JAN 1816. The other was a Thomas Strong (Page 256) who was residing very near my ancestor, Isham Strong (Page 255), on the 1830 census of Davidson County, TN, with five sons under the age of 10 years. Both were residing near what later became known as Hermitage, TN, and as Opryland, USA, now closed. The location is identified by the Donelson clan, who resided on the Cumberland River along what is now Old Hickory Boulevard. Sherwood Strong, father of Isham Strong, was residing in this neighborhood in 1820. President Andrew Jackson, who married Rachel Donelson, built his home, The Heritage, is this area and the community of Hermitage developed around his home. =========1=========2=========3=========4=========5=========6===== JOHN STRONG OF DAVIDSON COUNTY, DIED ABOUT 1815 1805 tax list, Davidson County: John Strong was taxed for two free white males. 1811 tax list, Captain Kincaid's Company, Davidson County: John Strong was taxed for three "free taxable inhabitants". The above suggest that John Strong had a son who was a legal adult by 1805 and that another son attained legal majority by 1811. Davidson County Court Minutes, JAN 1816: "Ordered that Martha Strong have letters of administration on the Estate of John Strong, deceased, she having given bond of five hundred dollars with William H. Nance and Jacob Morton her Securities and qualified according to law." There are a few more references to the estate settlement in 1816 in the Court MInutes and in Will Book 7. James Robert ("Jim") Rolff <[email protected]>, the primary researcher of Strongs in Pittsylvania Co., VA, and Rockingham County, NC, associated the name Morton with his wife's Strong ancestors of those areas. On 18 DEC 1819, a license was issued by the Davidson County Court for the marriage of Thomas Williams and [Mrs.] Patsy Strong. A genealogy of the Morton family was published in the WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE QUARTERLY. At the moment I cannot locate the Volume Number, Issue Number, or Year. "The will of Nancy Morton was probated in Rutherford County, Tennessee, in 1823...In this will she mentions daughters Susanna Peay, Patsy Williams, Polly Lipscomb, and Fanny Burleson and son John. In the settlement of the estate a short time later it is observed...that Patsy Williams' first husband [was ] John Strong..." (Page 213) The compiler of the genealogy believed Mrs. Nancy Morton was the widow of John Morton, of Charlotte Co., VA, and that this couple were married in Amelia Co., VA, in 1768. Rutherford County marriages: ========================= William S. Strong to Jerusha M. Clark, 22 NOV 1827, Samuel Vest, Surety Francis Strong to Elizabeth Hearn, 27 JUL 1833, William T. Brothers, Surety The following record was found in Rutherford County General Records, Book 8: William Strong was paid $5.00 for constructing a coffin for Isham Nance, deceased, recorded 29 JUN 1830. Samuel Morton was one of the appraisers of the estate. Rutherford County Tax Lists, 1836: ============================= Francis Strong, 33 acres, 1 white poll I have not been able to trace these two Strongs--William S. and Francis--and have been unable to connect them to any branch of my own Strong kin in Middle Tennessee. Could they have been the sons of John Strong, who died in Davidson County about 1815? The ancestry of this John Strong of Davidson County remains a mystery, despite his apparent connection to Strongs in Pittsylvania Co., VA, and Rockingham Co., NC. For example, the John Strong who was the son of Mrs. Elizabeth Strong and apparent half-brother of Alexander Martin Strong, aka Alexander Strong Martin, was in North Carolina too late to have been this John Strong. =========1=========2=========3=========4=========5=========6===== TOO MANY THOMAS STRONGS! There were five Thomas Strong households on the 1830 census of Middle Tennessee: one more than I can account for. Davidson County: Page 256 (age 40-49), Page 259 (age 30-39) Rutherford County: Page 306 (age 20-29) Smith County: Page 73 (age 40-49) Gibson County: Page 248 (age 50-59) It is the Thomas Strong on Page 256 of the Davidson County census who remains a mystery. The Thomas Strong who was residing in Gibson County was the same Thomas who married in Davidson County to Milly Blackmore (?); he was the brother of Sherwood Strong. His year of birth precisely matches the estimated year of birth of Thomas Strong of Goochland Co., VA, based on tax records. The Thomas Strong who was enumerated on Page 259 of the Davidson County census fits Thomas Strong, son of Sherwood Strong. He was born in the late 1790s and was a soldier in the War of 1812 (to 1815). The Thomas Strong who was enumerated on Page 256 of the Davidson County census does not fit any of my Strong families. He had a wife, age 30-39, and five sons under the age of 10 years; three of these were under the age of five years. This family does not appear on the 1840 census of Tennessee and has not been traced. The Thomas Strong of Rutherford County in 1830 is believed to have been a son of John Strong, brother of Sherwood Strong, who had relocated to Rutherford County from Buckingham County, VA. Nelson Strong of Rutherford County was another son of John Strong. John Strong moved on to Franklin County, Alabama, before 1840. John Strong appears to have had a third son, Franklin. It is uncertain whether Francis Strong of Rutherford County, TN, and Franklin Strong, of Franklin Co., AL, 1840 census, were the same person. Before 1860, Nelson Strong and Thomas Strong are found residing in Lafayette Co., Mississippi. The Thomas Strong of Smith County is discussed in Jim Rolff's book. Rolff cited records in Rockingham County, NC, dated 1805, that proved that James Strong had sons named John, Samuel, James, Thomas, and William, the last a minor in 1805. It was Rolff's opinion that it was these five brothers who settled before 1820 in Smith County, Tennessee, later DeKalb Co., TN. "Bob T." Robert T. Strong, Jr. 119 Mystic Way Madison, Al 35757-8801