Back to Family Story outcomes, S22
by Lillie Presti
Before this class, I knew that I had a large extended family on my mother’s side who, for the most part, all grew up in New England. I also knew that some of my maternal family members had played important historical roles in the early days of the New England colonies. However, it wasn’t until I did further research for my genealogy project that I truly learned the extent of my family’s impact. I have focused on one line of my family in particular, which is the Strong family of Massachusetts.
John Strong “elder” was born in 1605 in Taunton, England. He immigrated to the United States in 1635 on the ship Mary & John. At this time, John was married to Margery Deane and had one child, John Strong Jr, who is my direct ancestor. Margery had just given birth to their second child; unfortunately Margery died either on the ship or right when they landed, and the newborn died shortly after her. John Sr. then married Abigail Ford, also a passenger on the ship, and the couple went on to have 17 children together.
The ship landed in Dorchester, part of the Massachusetts Bay colony, making John Strong one of the first settlers in the area. Before coming to the US, the family name was Stronge; however, it seems as though upon arrival in Massachusetts the ‘e’ was dropped to become just “Strong.” This move from England to Massachusetts led to the establishment of the Strong family in America.
After settling in the colonies, John owned a tannery, a facility where animal skins are processed, which was located on his 200 acres of land in Northampton, Massachusetts. In 1638, he took the Freeman’s Oath in Boston, Massachusetts, where he pledged his new loyalty to the Massachusetts Bay colony. This also made him eligible to vote in town and colony elections and serve in the church. Throughout the rest of his life, John Strong accomplished multiple impressive and important feats. He served on the General Court of the Plymouth colony, and was one of the founders of the Northampton Puritan Church and was named the ruling elder, hence his title of “elder.” He even played a crucial role in defending Northampton against attacks by the Nipmuck and Potomac tribes during the King Philip’s War. John Strong Elder certainly did lots for the original Plymouth colony and his legacy will remain part of American history forever.
Since John Strong Elder’s life, the Strong family has an extensive history engrained in America and now spreads all over the world. Other notable members of the Strong family include Nathan Hale, a revolutionary war hero whose mother was a Strong. Samuel Strong is also known for being kidnapped by the Native Americans in the 1700s. Present-day members of the Strong family have much pride in their ancestors and continue to work on making their legacy known. The Strong Family Association of American has over 600 members among 46 states, and has held annual family reunions since 1975. Many of the members are interested in genealogy, and enjoy comparing their notes and talking about family history during these gatherings. Although originating in England, the Strong family now has descendants living in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the British West Indies.
Among the Strong family living in the United States there are a few famous figures who still carry on the last name: Jeremy Strong is an actor best known for his roles in HBO’s Succession, Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty, and Trial of the Chicago 7; as well as Nathan Leroy Strong who was a Representative for Pennsylvania in the US House of Representatives (6). The extensiveness of the Strong family today can be seen in the sheer presence of ancestors all over the world!
As a member of the Strong family, it has been incredibly interesting to learn about the story of John Strong Elder and his role in the establishment of the United States. I was also excited to learn about the Strong Family Association of America. Although I have not participated in any of the annual gatherings, I still feel a sense of community within the family. My line of the Strong family has their own family reunions, and most of us still live in New England and are able to see each other often. Even the ones who now live far away enjoy coming home to the northeast to remember their past and the family that they grew up with.
Before this project, I never realized the value of having a family so deep-rooted in the United States, and New England in particular. Because of this history, I have been able to personally know so many of my direct and extended family members on my mother’s side. Some people are not so lucky to meet and be able to spend time with their extended family. Although I do not consider myself to be the most “patriotic” person, I still am proud of my family history and the impact that the Strongs have made.
Works Cited
Farnsworth, J. “The Mary and John.” Massachusetts Genealogy Trails. Genealogy Trails History Group. http://genealogytrails.com/mass/maryandjohn.html
Farrel, C. 2010. “The Strong Family of England.” Genealogy.com. https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/mallory/2991/
“John Strong (colonist).” 2022. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Strong_(colonist)
Melton, R.H. 1983. “After 12 Generations, Reunion Finds Old Family is Strong, Stronger, Strongest.” Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1983/08/21/after-12-generations-reunion-finds-old-family-is-strong-stronger-strongest/1646a093-5752-4051-994b-ebb53614693f/
“Person: John Strong.” 2021. WeRelate. Foundation for Online Genealogy. https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:John_Strong_%282%29
“Strong History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms.” House of Names. https://www.houseofnames.com/strong-family-crest
Strong, T. “Pedigree Chart for Living: Strong.” McLemore-Strong Genealogy. The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding. http://strongfamilytree.org/pedigree.php?personID=I1&tree=STR06
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