James Lewis Strong

Notes:

FAIRVIEW CEMETERY, GAINESVILLE, COOKE COUNTY, TEXAS editors Sue Wood and Ronnie Howser (1983-1984) contains the following listing on page 11:

Strong, James Lewis 1870-June 1951 Strong, Elizabeth Mary1869-March 1950

Presumably, Elizabeth was his wife.

Notes:

W.R. Strong wrote his reminisences in his late years, and parts of these are quoted in the book "The First 100 Years In Cooke County" by A. Morton Smith (The Naylor Co: San Antonio, TX, 1955).

" (He) came to Cooke County with his family when he was 12 years of age, arriving by ox-wagon from Champaign County, Illinois in June 1846. At that time, he recalled the settlers were 'a man named Poplar who lived at Poplar Springs, Mr. Buchanan at Big Springs, Mr. Stamps near Nelson Grove, and Mr. Grimes at Grimes' Prarie, all of whom left the same year'....Frank Carpenter settled on Grimes' Prarie...Mr. Underwood and one son were killed by Indians at the head of Beaver Creek in Grayson County, and that Mr. Carpenter and Henry Wilson helped young Strong make his first crop in the spring of 1847 after his father's death in October, 1846. Strong further noted that en route to Texas 'we fell in with the Dickson, Chadwell, Chambers and William families, all going to join the Peters' colony just as we were.'

In THE HISTORY OF GRAYSON COUNTY, Mrs. W.H. Lucas and Mrs. H.E. Hall report that in the extreme western part of Grayson County, along Cross Timbers, six families from Missouri arrived the evening of November 24, 1845. Among them M.L Webster, Charles Wheelock, Myron Mudgit, widow Underwood, Frank Carpenter, Dr. Leaky, widow Middleton. They were later identified as among the earliest Cooke County citizens. [Note: per census records, W. R. Strong's wife E. was born in Missouri]

Strong relays details of the first social even of consequence, held at Fitzhugh's Fort 'and they danced the night through-July 4, 1847-commerating the 71st anniversary of the Declaration of Independence'. W. R. remembers visitors from Grayson, Collin and Denton counties attending. He remembers a similar festive event held in Grayson County on July 5, 1852.

Strong (and presumably his siblings) attended the school taught by Miss Jane Shannon of Grayson County. In 1847, she began teaching in the home of Mrs. Underwood (11 miles southeast of Gainesville). Strong also writes of circuit rider Isaac Walker of Grayson County.

According to the 1860 and 1870 census, he lived in Gainesville, Texas.

The Familysearch 1880 United States Census lists his family as follows:

Precinct 1, Cooke, Texas

W.R. Strong Male Married White age 46 Birthplace Ohio Parents: OH OH E. Strong Wife F Married White age 36 Birthplace MO Parents: TN TN T.J. Strong Son age 18 Birthplace Texas Parents OH MO S.J. Strong Dau age 16 Birthplace Texas Parents OH MO William W. Strong Son age 14 Birthplace Texas Parents OH MO J.L. Strong Son age 10 Birthplace Texas Parents OH MO M.C. Strong Dau age 8 Birthplace Texas Parents OH MO M. M. Strong Dau age 2 Birthplace Texas Parents OH MO

William married Elizabeth ???. Elizabeth was born about 1844 in Missouri; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Neither the first name of her husband, nor Anna's maiden name is known. The Strong head of household's in Champaign County, Illinois in 1840 were as follows: Cyrus, John, Hiram, Orange and Ambers.