M. (1) about 1630 in (probably) Somerset, England1
Wife: Margery Deane
M. (2) about 1636 in Massachusetts1
Wife: Abigail Ford
D. 14 Apr 1699 in Northampton, Massachusetts1
John Strong represents a generation of early New Englanders who settled first in eastern Massachusetts, then in central Connecticut, before ending up in the western Massachusetts town of Northampton. With an exceptionally large family of 16 children, only one of whom died young, he left a massive amount of descendants, many who populated New England for generations to come.
John was born in Chard, England, a town in Somerset, in about 1605.1 His father was named John Strong, but his mother's name is unknown. John married Margery Deane and they had two children, one of whom died as an infant.
The church in Chard, England.
Some researchers believe that John may have traveled to America on the voyage of the Mary and John in 1630, but this is not proven. He was probably one of the many young men recruited in Dorset, Somerset and Devon around that time to populate the new Puritan colony; if he did sail on the Mary and John, he returned to England on the same ship. It is certain that he did travel on the ship Hopewell in 1635 along with his wife and child.1 She is believed to have died soon after arriving, and John married a second wife, Abigail Ford of Dorchester, Massachusetts.1 Abigail was just 16 years-old at the time of marriage, and between about 1636 and 1665, she had 15 children.
John was said to be illiterate,1 and worked as a tanner in the colony1, a gritty job that involved skinning animals and processing the remains into leather. He settled first in Hingham, Massachusetts, then in Taunton, where he was admitted as a freeman of the Plymouth colony on December 4, 1638.1 He was also a constable in 1638 and 1639,1 and a representative to the General Court in 1641 to 1644.1
In 1647, John moved to Windsor, Connecticut where he was admitted as a freeman on May 15, 1651.1 He was assigned the job of supervising the breeding of cows.2 In 1659, John was recruited as a skilled worker to join the settlement of Northampton, up the Connecticut River in Massachusetts.3 Two of his sons stayed in Windsor to continue the tanning business, while he set up another tannery in Northampton.3 He was granted 40 acres by the town officials and set up his business on a quarter acre. He had a reputation for honesty in his work. The property where his home was located stayed in the family for 103 years.4 John owned at different times some two hundred acres of land in and around Northampton.3
John took an active role in the church, and from its earliest years, he was the ruling elder of the First Church of Northampton, a position he held for nearly 40 years.3 The Elder position involved church government, watching over member conduct and substituting for the Pastor when he was sick or absent.
John's wife Abigail died in Northampton on July 16, 1688.1 John lived another ten years, passing away on April 14, 1699.1 He was buried at Bridge Street Cemetery. It was said at the time of his death he had 150 living descendants. Over time, his progeny multiplied to tens of thousands of people, and among them were Nathan Hale, 19th century fur trader Jedediah Strong Smith, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, First Lady Lucy Hayes, Bess Truman, Sarah Palin, Frederick Law Olmsted, J.P. Morgan, Kate Upton, Rob Schneider, Ben Affleck, Brooke Shields, Patricia Arquette, Cliff Arquette, Glenn Close, Dorothy Gish, Lillian Gish, Lee Meriwether, Brooke Shields, Princess Diana, Prince William, Prince Harry and Boris Johnson.5
Two-volume set of books about John's descendants.
Children by Margery Dean:
1. John Strong – B. about 1631, (probably) Chard, England;1 D. 20 Feb 1697, Windsor, Connecticut;6 M. (1) Mary Clark (~1638-1663), 16 Nov 1656, Windsor, Connecticut;7 (2) Elizabeth Warriner (?-1684), before 1665;1 (3) Hannah Smith (1647-1719), 2 Nov 16868
Children by Abigail Ford:
1. Thomas Strong – B. about 1636, Hingham, Massachusetts;1 D. 3 Oct 1689, Northampton, Massachusetts;9 M. (1) Mary Hewitt (1640-1670), 5 Dec 1660, Windsor, Connecticut;10 (2) Rachel Holton (~1652-1705), 10 Oct 1671, Northampton, Massachusetts11
2. Jedediah Strong – B. 7 May 1637, Hingham, Massachusetts;12 D. 22 May 1733, Northampton, Massachusetts;13 M. (1) Freedom Woodward (~1642-1681), 18 Nov 1662, Northampton, Massachusetts;14 (2) Abigail Bartlett (1636-1689), 19 Dec 1681, Northampton, Massachusetts;15 (3) Mary Hart (~1638-1710), 5 Jan 1692, Northampton, Massachusetts16
3. Return Strong – B. 9 Apr 1640, Taunton, Massachusetts;17 D. 9 Apr 1726, Windsor, Connecticut;18 M. (1) Sarah Warham (1642-1678), 11 Nov 1664, Windsor, Connecticut;3 (2) Margaret Newberry (1662-?), 23 May 1689, Windsor, Connecticut19
4. Ebenezer Strong – B. about 1643, Taunton, Massachusetts;1 D. 11 Feb 1729, Northampton, Massachusetts;20 M. Hannah Clapp (1646-?), 4 Oct 1668, Northampton, Massachusetts21
5. Abigail Strong – B. about 1645, Taunton, Massachusetts;1 D. 15 Apr 1704, Northampton, Massachusetts;22 M. (1) Nathaniel Chauncey (1639-1685), 12 Nov 1673, Chapman, Connecticut;23 (2) Medad Pomeroy (1638-1716), 14 Sep 1686, Northampton, Massachusetts24
6. Elizabeth Strong – B. 24 Feb 1647, Windsor, Connecticut;25 D. 12 May 1736, Northampton, Massachusetts;26 M. Joseph Parsons (1647-1729), 17 Mar 1669, Northampton, Massachusetts27
7. Experience Strong – B. 4 Apr 1650, Windsor, Connecticut;28 M. Zarubbabel Filer (1644-1715), 27 May 1669, Windsor, Connecticut29
8. Samuel Strong – B. 5 Aug 1652, Windsor, Connecticut;30 D. 29 Oct 1732, Northampton, Massachusetts;31 M. (1) Esther Clapp (1656-1698), 19 Jun 1684;32 (2) Ruth Sheldon (1663-1728), 28 Oct 1698, Northampton, Massachusetts33
9. Joseph Strong – B. 5 Aug 1652, Windsor, Connecticut;34 D. 23 Dec 1662, Windsor, Connecticut3
10. Mary Strong – B. 26 Oct 1654, Windsor, Connecticut;35 D. 8 Dec 1738, Northampton, Massachusetts;36 M. John Clark (1651-1704), 20 Mar 1679, Northampton, Massachusetts37
11. Sarah Strong – B. about 1656, Windsor, Connecticut;38 D. 10 Feb 1733, Deerfield, Massachusetts;38 M. (1) Joseph Barnard (1641-1695), 19 Dec 1675, Northampton, Massachusetts;39 (2) Jonathan Wells (1659-1739), 23 Sep 169838
12. Hannah Strong – B. 30 May 1659, Windsor, Connecticut;40 D. 31 Jan 1694, Northampton, Massachusetts;41 M. William Clark (1656-1725), 15 Jul 1680, Northampton, Massachusetts42
13. Hester Strong – B. 1 Jun 1661, Northampton, Massachusetts;43 D. 4 Mar 1727, East Windsor, Connecticut;44 M. Thomas Bissel (1656-1738), 15 Oct 1678, Windsor, Connecticut1
14. Thankful Strong – B. 25 Jun 1663, Northampton, Massachusetts;45 D. 5 May 1726, Windsor, Connecticut;46 M. Jonathan Baldwin (1649-1739), before 16951
15. Jerijah Strong – B. 13 Dec 1665, Northampton, Massachusetts;47 D. 24 Apr 1754, Northampton, Massachusetts;48 M. Thankful Stebbins (1678-1744), 18 Jul 1700, Northampton49
Sources:
1 The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Robert Charles Anderson, 1999
2 The History of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Henry Read Stiles, 1859, p. 145
3 The history of the descendants of Elder John Strong, of Northampton, Mass., Benjamin Woodbridge Dwight, 1871
4 History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its Settlement in 1654, Vol. 1, James Russell Trumbull,
1898
5 FamousKin.com listing of John Strong
6 Find-a-Grave listing of John Strong (younger)
7 Marriage record of John Strong and Mary Clark, Connecticut Vital Records to 1870, FamilySearch.org
8 Marriage record of John Strong and Hannah (Smith) Trumbull, New England Marriages to 1700, FamilySearch.org
9 Find-a-Grave listing of Thomas Strong
10 Marriage record of Thomas Strong and Mary Hewitt, Connecticut Vital Records, Prior to 1850, FamilySearch.org
11 Marriage record of Thomas Strong and Rachel Holton, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
12 WikiTree listing of Jedediah Strong
13 Death record of Jedediah Strong, Connecticut Deaths and Burials, 1772-1934, FamilySearch.org
14 Marriage record of Jedediah Strong and Freedom Woodward, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
15 Marriage record of Jedediah Strong and Abigail Stebbins, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
16 Marriage record of Jedediah Strong and Mary Lee, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
17 WikiTree listing of Return Strong
18 Death record of Return Strong, C. D. & B.
19 Marriage record of Return Strong and Margaret Newberry, C. V. R., P. to 1850
20 Find-a-Grave listing of Ebenezer Strong
21 Marriage record of Ebenezer Strong and Hannah Clapp, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
22 Death record of Abigail Pumry, Massachusetts Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910, FamilySearch.org
23 Marriage record of Nathaniel Chauncey and Abigail Strong, C. V. R., P. to 1850
24 Marriage record of Medad Pomeroy and Abigail Chauncey, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
25 Birth record of Elizabeth Strong, Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906, FamilySearch.org
26 Death record of Elizabeth Parsons, M. D. & B.
27 Marriage record of Joseph Parsons and Elizabeth Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
28 Birth record of Experience Strong, C. B. & C.
29 Marriage record of Zarubbabel Filer and Experience Strong, Connecticut Vital Records to 1870
30 Birth record of Samuel Strong, C. B. & C.
31 Death record of Samuel Strong, M. D. & B.
32 Marriage record of Samuel Strong and Esther Clapp, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
33 Marriage record of Samuel Strong and Ruth Sheldon, Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925, FamilySearch.org
34 Birth record of Joseph Strong, C. B. & C.
35 Birth record of Mary Strong, C. B. & C.
36 Death record of Mary Clark, M. D. & B.
37 Marriage record of John Clark and Mary Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
38 Find-a-Grave listing of Sarah (Strong) Wells
39 Marriage record of Joseph Barnard and Sarah Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
40 Birth record of Hannah Strong, C. B. & C.
41 Find-a-Grave listing of Hannah (Strong) Clark
42 Marriage record of William Clark and Hannah Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
43 Birth record of Hester Strong, C. B. & C.
44 Death record of Hester Bissel, C. D. & B.
45 Birth record of Thankful Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
46 Find-a-Grave listing of Thankful (Strong) Baldwin
47 Birth record of Jerijah Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
48 Find-a-Grave listing of Jerijah Strong
49 Marriage record of Jerijah Strong and Thankful Stebbins, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
