M. (1) 18 Nov 1662 in Northampton, Massachusetts
Wife: Freedom Woodward
M. (2) 28 Dec 1681 in Northampton, Massachusetts
Wife: Abigail (Bartlett) Stebbins
M. (3) 5 Jan 1692 in Northampton, Massachusetts
Wife: Mary (Hart) Lee
D. 22 May 1733 in Coventry, Connecticut
By virtue of being married three times, Jedediah Strong amassed a large amount of offspring, some of whom were his biological children and some of whom were his step-children. They totaled 32 individuals, and in spite of the effort it must have taken to support this many, Jedediah lived a very long life.
Jedediah was himself from a large family, one of 16 children of John Strong and Abigail Ford. The Strong family lived in Hingham, Massachusetts, where Jedediah was born on May 7, 1637. By 1646, the family moved to Windsor, Connecticut, then in about 1659, they migrated up the Connecticut River to Northampton, Massachusetts. This was a fairly typical migration for many Puritan families.
On November 18, 1662, Jedediah married a young woman named Freedom Woodward. Their first child was born in June of 1664, and over the next 17 years, they had 13 more. This seems to have taken a physical toll on Freedom, and a week after the birth of their youngest child, she passed away. Jedediah then married a widow, Abigail (Bartlett) Stebbins, on December 28, 1681. Abigail had 11 children from her first marriage, and with Jedediah, she had one more.
As with most men in Puritan New England, Jedediah performed civic duty in his community. During the years 1677 to 1679, he blew a trumpet that summoned the people of Northampton to meetings, earning 18 shillings a year. And in 1683, he took on the job of constable. With the size of Jedidiah’s family, perhaps he also took on the extra jobs it to bring in a little money. He did have enough resources to acquire a lot of property. He owned several parcels of land in Northampton, and in 1701, he bought 35 acres in Lebanon, Connecticut.
Jedediah’s second wife Abigail died on July 15, 1689. He married a third time to Mary Hart, the widow of John Lee, on January 5, 1692, who had six children from her previous marriage. Two of Mary's children joined Jedediah's household, and married two of his children with Freedom, something that often happened with blended families in colonial New England.
Jedediah’s third marriage ended very tragically. On October 9, 1710, he and Mary set out on horseback from Northampton to visit their children who had moved to Coventry, Connecticut. Mary, who was 70 years-old, rode on the horse on a pillion, seated behind Jedediah. They reached a point near South Hadley, Massachusetts when the horse slipped on some smooth stones "near the falls." The horse fell and Mary was fatally injured, dying the next morning.
Example of a pillion saddle showing how women often rode horses, and why Mary might have fallen off.
Children by Freedom Woodward:
1. Elizabeth Strong — B. 9 Jun 1664, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 17 Feb 1691, Northampton, Massachusetts; M. Ebenezer Wright (1663-1742), 16 Sep 1684, Northampton, Massachusetts
2. Abigail Strong — B. 9 Jul 1666, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 24 Jul 1689, Hatfield, Massachusetts; M. Thomas King (1662-1711), 17 Nov 1683, Hartford, Connecticut
3. Jedediah Strong — B. 7 Aug 1667, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 12 Oct 1709, Wood Creek, New York; M. Abiah Ingersoll (1663-1732), 8 Nov 1688
4. Ford Strong — B. 2 Sep 1668, (probably) Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 1 Nov 1668, (probably) Northampton, Massachusetts
5. Baby Strong — B. 11 Oct 1669, (probably) Northampton, Massachusetts; D. (probably) 11 Oct 1669, (probably) Northampton, Massachusetts
6. Hannah Strong — B. 3 Feb 1671, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 20 Mar 1762, Coventry, Connecticut; M. Benjamin Carpenter (1663-1738), 14 Mar 1691, Rehoboth, Massachusetts
7. Thankful Strong — B. 15 Apr 1672, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 16 Apr 1742, Coventry, Connecticut; M. Thomas Root (1667-1756), 1 Dec 1691, Northampton, Massachusetts
8. John Strong — B. 15 Nov 1673, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. Nov 1673, Northampton, Massachusetts
9. Sarah Strong — B. about 1674, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 25 Dec 1726, Lebanon, Connecticut; M. Thomas Cushman (~1670-1727)
10. Lydia Strong — B. 9 Nov 1675, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 16 Jul 1718, Coventry, Connecticut; M. David Lee (1674-?), 5 Sep 1795, Northampton, Massachusetts
11. Mary Strong — B. 25 May 1677, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. May 1677, Northampton, Massachusetts
12. Experience Strong — B. 19 Aug 1678, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 16 Sep 1678, Northampton, Massachusetts
13. Preserved Strong — B. 29 Mar 1680, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 26 Sep 1765, Coventry, Connecticut; M. Tabitha Lee (~1677-1750), 23 Oct 1701, Northampton, Massachusetts
14. John Strong — B. 10 May 1681, Northampton, Massachusetts; D. 21 Apr 1699
Child by Abigail (Bartlett) Stebbins:
1. Mary Strong — B. 14 Jul 1683, Northampton, Massachusetts; M. (1) Ebenezer Pixley (1678-1716), 18 Apr 1711, Northampton, Massachusetts; (2) Benjamin Sexton (1667-1754), 13 Jul 1717
Sources:
The history of the descendants of Elder John Strong, of Northampton, Mass., Benjamin Woodbridge Dwight, 1871
Famous Kin (website)
Genealogies of Connecticut Families: From the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 1, Genealogical Publishing Com, 1983
