M. (1) 18 Nov 1662 in Northampton, Massachusetts2
Wife: Freedom Woodward
M. (2) 28 Dec 1681 in Northampton, Massachusetts3
Wife: Abigail (Bartlett) Stebbins
M. (3) 5 Jan 1692 in Northampton, Massachusetts4
Wife: Mary (Hart) Lee
D. 22 May 1733 in Coventry, Connecticut1
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, 1637.1 By 1646, the family moved to Windsor, Connecticut,5 then in about 1659, they migrated up the Connecticut River to Northampton, Massachusetts.6 This was a fairly typical migration for many Puritan families.
On November 18, 1662, Jedediah married a young woman named Freedom Woodward.2 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.8 Jedediah then married a widow, Abigail (Bartlett) Stebbins, on December 28, 1681.3 Abigail had 11 children from her first marriage, and with Jedediah, she had one more.9
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.10 And in 1683, he took on the job of constable.10 With the size of Jedidiah’s family, perhaps he also took on the extra jobs it to bring in a little money.
Jedediah’s second wife Abigail died on July 15, 1689.11 He married a third time to Mary Hart, the widow of John Lee, on January 5, 1692,4 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,12,13 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.10
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;15 D. 17 Feb 1691, Northampton, Massachusetts;16 M. Ebenezer Wright (1663-1742), 16 Sep 1684, Northampton, Massachusetts17
2. Abigail Strong — B. 9 Jul 1666, Northampton, Massachusetts;18 D. 24 Jul 1689, Hatfield, Massachusetts;19 M. Thomas King (1662-1711), 17 Nov 1683, Northampton, Massachusetts20
3. Jedediah Strong — B. 7 Aug 1667, Northampton, Massachusetts;21 D. 12 Oct 1709, Wood Creek, New York;22 M. Abijah Ingersoll (1663-1732), 8 Nov 168810
4. Ford Strong — B. 2 Sep 1668, Northampton, Massachusetts;23 D. 1 Nov 1668, (probably) Northampton, Massachusetts24
5. ________ Strong — B. 11 Oct 1669, Northampton, Massachusetts25
6. Hannah Strong — B. 3 Feb 1671, Northampton, Massachusetts;26 D. 20 Mar 1762, Coventry, Connecticut;27 M. Benjamin Carpenter (1663-1738), 14 Mar 1691, Rehoboth, Massachusetts28
7. Thankful Strong — B. 15 Apr 1672, Northampton, Massachusetts;29 D. 16 Apr 1742, Coventry, Connecticut;30 M. Thomas Root (1667-1756), 1 Dec 1691, Northampton, Massachusetts31
8. John Strong — B. 15 Nov 1673, Northampton, Massachusetts;32 D. Nov 1673, Northampton, Massachusetts33
9. Sarah Strong — B. about 1674, Northampton, Massachusetts;34 D. 25 Dec 1726, Lebanon, Connecticut;34 M. Thomas Cushman (~1670-1727)34
10. Lydia Strong — B. 9 Nov 1675, Northampton, Massachusetts;35 D. 16 Jul 1718, Coventry, Connecticut;36 M. David Lee (1674-?), 5 Sep 1695, Northampton, Massachusetts12
11. Mary Strong — B. May 1677, Northampton, Massachusetts;37 D. May 1677, Northampton, Massachusetts10
12. Experience Strong — B. 19 Aug 1678, Northampton, Massachusetts;38 D. 16 Sep 1678, Northampton, Massachusetts39
13. Preserved Strong — B. 29 Mar 1680, Northampton, Massachusetts;40 D. 26 Sep 1765, Coventry, Connecticut;41 M. Tabitha Lee (~1677-1750), 23 Oct 1701, Northampton, Massachusetts13
14. John Strong — B. 10 May 1681, Northampton, Massachusetts;42 D. 21 Apr 169910
Child by Abigail (Bartlett) Stebbins:
1. Mary Strong — B. 14 Jul 1683, Northampton, Massachusetts;9 M. (1) Ebenezer Pixley (1678-1716), 18 Apr 1711, Northampton, Massachusetts;43 (2) Benjamin Sexton (1667-1754), 13 Jul 1717, Westfield, Massachusetts9
Sources:
1 Find-a-Grave listing of Jedediah Strong Sr.
2 Marriage record of Jedediah Strong and Freedom Woodward, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
3 Marriage record of Jedediah Strong and Abigail Stebbins, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
4 Marriage record of Jedediah Strong and Mary Lee, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
5 The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Robert Charles Anderson, 1999
6 History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its Settlement in 1654, Vol. 1, James Russell Trumbull, 1898
7 Birth record of Elizabeth Strong, Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
8 Death record of Freedom Strong, Massachusetts, Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910, FamilySearch.org
9 WikiTree listing of Mary (Strong) Sexton
10 The history of the descendants of Elder John Strong, of Northampton, Mass., Benjamin Woodbridge Dwight, 1871
11 Find-a-Grave listing of Abigail (Bartlett) Strong
12 Marriage record of David Lee and Lydia Strong, Massachusetts, State Vital Records, 1638-1927, FamilySearch.org
13 Marriage record of Preserved Strong and Tabitha Lee, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
14 FamousKin.com listing of Jedediah Strong
15 Birth record of Elizabeth Strong, M., B. & C.
16 Death record of Elizabeth Wright, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
17 Marriage record of Ebenezer Wright and Elizabeth Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
18 Birth record of Abigail Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
19 Death record of Abigail King, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
20 Marriage record of Thomas King and Abigail Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
21 Birth record of Jedediah Strong (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
22 Find-a-Grave listing of Jedediah Strong II
23 Birth record of Ford Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
24 Death record of Ford Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
25 Birth record of _____ Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
26 Birth record of Hannah Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
27 Death record of Hannah Carpenter, Connecticut, Deaths and Burials, 1772-1934, FamilySearch.org
28 Marriage record of Benjamin Carpenter and Hannah Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
29 Birth record of Thankful Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
30 Find-a-Grave listing of Thankful (Strong) Root
31 Marriage record of Thomas Root and Thankful Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
32 Birth record of John Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
33 Death record of John Strong, M., D. & B.
34 Find-a-Grave listing of Sarah (Strong) Cushman
35 Birth record of Lydia Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
36 Death record of Lydia Lee, C., D. & B.
37 Birth record of Mary Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
38 Birth record of Experience Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
39 Death record of Experience Strong, M., D. & B.
40 Birth record of Preserved Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
41 Death record of Preserved Strong, C., D. & B.
42 Birth record of John Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
43 Marriage record of Ebenezer Pixley and Mary Strong, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
