John STRONG ^{1 2}

  Research Notes:

It was at the very end of my Smith/DeKalb County, Tennessee research that I found the deed whereby John Strong of Lincoln County, Tennessee sold his DeKalb County land on Helton Creek. That deed proves what had been earlier speculated by James R. Rolff and Robert T. Strong, Jr., i.e., that John Strong of Smith County, Tennessee and John Strong of Lincoln County, Tennessee were one and the same person.

A similar serendipitous discovery came at the end of my Lincoln County, Tennessee research, at which time I found a probate record for John's daughter, Mary, that helped flesh out the family of John Strong. Hopefully, this run of good luck will continue when I get around to researching the records of Rockingham County, North Carolina.

It should be noted that there was another, apparently unrelated, Strong family in Lincoln County, Tennessee, i.e., that of William Strong, born 1798 in South Carolina, died 2 Nov 1870 in Lincoln County, Tennessee. Roger Dellinger submitted a detailed profile of this family in a message to the Strong Mail List on 22 Mar 1997. It can be viewed at the Strong Mail List archives at http://searches2.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ifetch2?/u1/textindices/S/STRONG+1997+15104001242+F.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Militia: 1810, Smith County, Tennessee. ⁹

Received militia commission.

[Source used by cited source was as follows: Moore, Mrs. John Trotwood, Records of Commissions of Officers in the Tennessee Militia, 1796-1811 (Nashville, Tennessee Historical Commission, 1947).]

2. County Road Order: 1812, Smith County, Tennessee. ¹⁰

2 Mar 1812, Page 92
John Strong appointed to road crew of Josiah David.

3. Deed: 1818, Smith County, Tennessee. ¹¹

Dated 31 Dec 1818 (year difficult to read, could be 1816), Vol. G:11
James Malone to John Strong, $150 for 200 acres on waters of Helton's Creek, a branch of Smith Fork. Legal description references SW corner of original Pointer's tract, NE corner of Henry Haas' tract and SW corner of Robert Malone's tract. Attesting witnesses were Guilford D. Reed, Moses F. Garrison and Samuel Strong. Proved in open court at May 1819 term by oaths of Moses D. Garrison and Samuel Strong.

[James Malone married a daughter of Thomas Scrivner, brother of Benjamin Scrivner.]

[Helton Creek was located in the southern part of Smith County, which appears to have been part of Cannon County in 1836 and which became part of DeKalb County in 1837. There is a Malone Hollow Road which connects Helton Creek to Walker Creek, also in present day DeKalb County, which is where Moses Scrivner and probably Benjamin Scrivner lived.]

4. Census: 1820, Smith County, Tennessee. ³

Family 1869
Strong, John:
1 male under 10, 1 male 10-16, 1 male 16-18, 1 male 16-26; 1 male over 45;
2 females under 10, 1 female 10-16, 2 females 16-26, 1 female 26-45.

[John is presumed to be the male over 45. This census provides evidence that John was married and had children before he married Sarah. Sarah would have only been about 22 in 1820. Edmond could be the male under age 10. Hiram is presumed to be the male age 10-16. James could be the male age 16-18 or 16-26, or both, because of the possible duplication of males age 16-18. Mary is thought to be one of the females under age 10 and Martha is thought to be the female age 10-16. Given that probate records for Mary show only eleven children, including Mary and those born after the 1820 census, that suggests the unidentifed members of John's 1820 household may have been from a different family.]

[Note: Although the 1820 census is partially alphabetized, it may still be a good indicator of how close the various Strongs and Scrivners lived to one another.]

5. County Road Order: 1821, Smith County, Tennessee. ¹²

12 Feb 1821, Page 125
John Strong appointed overseer of the road in the stead of Danl Alexander, Esq.

6. County Road Order: 1830, Smith County, Tennessee. ¹³

22 Feb 1830, Page 340
John Strong was appointed to a jury to view and assess the damage occasioned by the road passing through the lands of Daniel Alexander, William Theveatt and Reason Roland.

[James Malone, a neighbor who married a daughter of Thomas Scrivner, was another juror.]

7. Census: 1830, Smith County, Tennessee. ⁴

Family 798
John Strong:
1 male under 5, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 15-20, 1 male 50-60;
2 females under 5, 1 female 5-10, 1 female 10-15, 1 female 15-20, 1 female 20-30, 1 female 30-40.

[John is presumed to be the male 50-60. Note that Sarah, about age 32, now fits the profile for John's wife. Samuel C. is presumed to be the male under age 5. Edmond could be the male age 10-15. Elizabeth is presumed to be one of the females under age 5. Catherine is presumed to be the female age 5-10. Mary might be the female age 10-15 or 15-20. Martha might be the female age 15-20 or 20-30. Since probate records for Mary indicate there were eight children by the 1830 census, those unidentified might be from a different family. Note also, that I have not been able to find a good match for Hiram and his wife Rebecca in any 1830 household. Might they have been in John's household? ]

8. Court: 1831, Smith County, Tennessee. ¹³

23 May 1831, Page 202
John Strong appointed as a commissioner to lay off and set apart one year's provision to widow and family of Isaac Chapman, Dec'd.

9. Tax List: 1836, Cannon County, Tennessee. ¹⁴

John Strong, District 14, 1 white poll, 189 acres, 10 lots, 4 slaves, 1 carriage.

[Although the acreage does not quite match up with what John purchased about 1818 or sold in 1839, it is close enough to suggest this listing is for the subject John Strong. Note that there is another entry for John L. Strong, who is thought to be the son of Thomas. Thus, there is no other candidate for the above entry. It appears John's land on Helton Creek was originally in Smith County, then in Cannon County for a short time, and then finally ended up in DeKalb County.]

[This appears to be the last record for John Strong in the Smith/Cannon/DeKalb area. He then moved to Lincoln County, Tennessee . He does not appear in the 1836 tax list for Lincoln County.]

10. Deed: 1838, Lincoln County, Tennessee. ¹⁵

Dated 4 Oct 1838, Registered 16 Oct 1838, Bk L:279
John Strong to Samuel Little, estimated 60 acres on the eastern waters of Norris Creek for $180. Named abutters in metes and bounds legal description were: Eli Evans, Lewis, Thomas Boaz, Charles Barker, Daniel Warren and Edwards. Signed by John Strong. Witnessed by Ebinezer Hill and John Goodrich, who acknowledged the deed before the clerk of the court on 13 Oct 1838.

[The deed by which John Strong acquired this property has not been found.]

11. Deed: 1839, DeKalb County, Tennessee. ¹⁶

Dated 7 Jan 1839, Registered 30 Oct 1849, Bk D:29
John Strong of Lincoln County, Tennessee to William G. Thweatt of DeKalb, $100 for 186 1/2 acres on Helton Creek, a branch of Smith Fork. Legal description references original corner of Pointer's tract and Henry Hays SE corner. Signed by John Strong and witnessed by Alfred W. Walker, James A. Wilson and Overstreet Garrison. Acknowledged for registration on 30 Oct 1849, by Alfred W. Walker, witness, who swore he saw John Strong sign the deed in the presence of himself and James A. Wilson, another witness, on the date the deed purports. Samuel D. Wilson also appeared and swore he believed the signature of James A. Wilson to be in his handwriting.

[There are a couple of things to note with respect to this deed. Since there was no Lincoln County acknowledgement and since Alfred W. Walker said it was signed in his presence, that must mean John Strong came back to DeKalb County to sell his property. Alternatively, it could mean that John Strong lived in DeKalb County until the sale, but that he was listed as being from Lincoln County because of the deferred registration; however, deed records indicate John Strong lived in Lincoln County by 1838. It appears the death of John Strong in 1848 may have triggered the registration in 1849, more than 10 years after it's execution. Obviously, it was too late to get an affidavit from John, so Mr. Thweatt had to scramble for witnesses.]

12. Census: 1840, Lincoln County, Tennessee. ⁵

John Strong:
1 male under 5, 1 male 5-10, 1 male 15-20, 1 male 20-30, 1 male 30-40, 1 male 60-70
2 females under 5, 4 females 5-10, 1 female 10-15, 2 females 15-20, 1 female 30-40, 1 female 40-50

[It seems clear this is a multi-family household. That makes identification of those enumerated difficult. Candidates for the other family or families include James Strong, Martha and Samuel Little, and Edmund and Mary Strong (if they were not Strawns). Accordingly, the only identifications one can be confident of is that John Strong is the male, age 60-70, and that Sarah is the female age 40-50.]

13. Deed: 1841, Lincoln County, Tennessee. ¹⁷

Dated 1 Oct 1841, Registered ?, Bk N:95
John Strong of Lincoln County to Woodruff Parks of Lincoln County, 20 3/4 acres on the waters of an east fork of Norris Creek. Buyer was an existing abutter. Signed by John Strong. Acknowledged before clerk of the court personally by John Strong, thus no witnesses.

[As with the 1838 deed, the deed by which John Strong acquired this property has not been found. Note that page 96, which contained the date of acknowledgement and registration, is missing and thus the dates thereof are not precisely known. However, since deeds appearing on page 98 were registered on 2 Oct, this deed was probably acknowledged and registered on 1 Oct.]

14. Deed of Trust: 1841, Lincoln County, Tennessee. ¹⁷

Dated 1 Nov 1841, Registered 28 Dec 1841, Bk N:192
A Deed of Trust to secure indebtedness to John Strong, with James Strong as Trustor and Herman Husbands as Trustee. The property given in security by James consisted of one bay mare, one gray mare and one bay. (A somewhat unusual aspect of the Deed of Trust was that James was paid $5, perhaps to equalize the debt and the collateral.) The recitation of facts indicated John Strong had become security for James Strong for his note to Joseph Sebastian in the amount of $56, due 25 Dec 1841. It was also stated that John Strong held two earlier notes of James Strong, one for $33.33, due 6 May 1841, and a second for $22, due 25 Dec 1839. To secure payment of his obligations to John Strong, including presumably the contingent obligation if James defaulted on the note to Joseph Sebastian, the Deed of Trust was executed. If James paid his obligations by 6 May 1842, then the Deed of Trust was to be void. If he did not make payment, the property was to be sold, his debts satisfied, and any remaining balance was to be paid to James. Signed by James (his X mark) Strong. Witnessed by Samuel Little and Andrew Flemming. Acknowledged by witnesses before the clerk of the court on 28 Dec 1841.

[The fact the Deed of Trust was registered after the due date of the note to Joseph Sebastian indicates that note was not paid. Query whether James met his obligations to John by 6 May 1842.]

15. Tax List: 1846-1848, Lincoln County, Tennessee. ¹⁸

1846, District 7: No. 131; Strong, John; 52 acres, value $400; no poll; $0.60 tax.

1847, District 7: No. 126; Strong, John; 52 acres, value $400; no poll; $0.74 tax.

1848, District 4: No. 106; Strong, John; 158 acres, value $600; no poll; $1.38 tax.
[After comparing names in District 7 for 1847 and 1848, it appears John moved to District 4, i.e., this was not just a matter of redistricting.]

[John was probably exempt from the poll tax on account of old age.]

16. Will: 1848, Lincoln County, Tennessee. ⁸

Will of John Strong, Dated 5 Dec 1845, Proven 4 Dec 1848, Bk 1:346

"The State of Tennessee Lincoln Cty Dec 5 1845
This my last will and testament I bequeath to my wife Sarah all my Loose property until her death which consist of horses hogs cattle household and Kitchen furniture and implements and goods until they shoult leave by marriage then she may help them to their proportionable part when ever such one of the seven children now living with us shall (viz) Polly, Catherine[,] Elizabeth[,] Darthula[,] Samuel C[,] Matilda A[,] Daralee J[,] and at her death thier shall be an equal Division of all my Goods and Chattles. I also bequeath my land to my wife her lifetime then for it to be sold and the money to be equally divided between Samuel C and the above named Six Girls which my Executor will attend to in accordance to the above will and testament and which I set my hand and seal the day and date above name."

Test: Lemuel G. Mead John X Strong
John H. Sullenger

[This will is somewhat unusual in that it only identifies and only provides for those unmarried children living at home at the time it was written. The clear inference is that there were other children. While it is understandable that those other children, such as Hiram and possibly James, who did not live in Lincoln County might not be provided for, the same can not be said for the omission of Edmond. Might this indicate that Edmond was not a child, or might it just indicate that John failed to include him because of his age and circumstances?]

17. Estate Administration: 1850-1870, Lincoln County, Tennessee. ^{19 20 21 22}

[The nature of John Strong's will resulted in a confused and protracted administration of his estate. Since he left his wife Sarah a life interest in his property, there was no formal administration of his estate upon his death. Instead, just a memorandum of inventory was filed by Sarah. Then, it appears that upon her death in 1863, administration was further postponed until after the 1865 death of Mary Strong, John's unmarried daughter, who appears to have lived with Sarah and continued the household after Sarah's death. Upon Mary's death, both her estate and Sarah's estate were probated and both estate sales of their property occurred at their residence on the same day. (Query how their respective possessions were determined.) But, the administrator of Sarah's estate failed to realize that she had no estate of her own, but only a life interest in John's property, and sold his property as her own. Ultimately, the mistake was caught and a belated administration of John's estate was had. Set forth below are the various records relating to the administration of the Estate of John Strong, Dec'd. See the estate administration records for Sarah Strong and Mary Strong for the full context.]

Inventory dated 4 May 1850, Sworn to in open court on 6 May 1850 by Sarah Strong, Page 354.
The memorandum of inventory for the Estate of John Strong, Dec'd, set forth the personal property of his estate as follows: 2 head of horses, 4 milk cows and calves, 20 head of hogs, 7 feather beds and furniture, 1 bureau, 1 cupboard, 1 furniture, 1 sumer bed stead, 2 chests, 2 looms, 2 looking glasses, 12 chairs, 3 spinning wheels, 2 flax wheels, 3 side saddles, 1 mans saddle, 1 kittle, 2 wash pots, 5 plows, 2 pair of gears, 2 pot racks, 2 pair of fire(fine?) dogs, 3 ovens, 4 dining tables, 1 book case, 5 stand of bees, 1 flax hackle, 1 ____ shovel, 2 washing tubs, 2 water pails, piggin candle stand, 1 pair of slic___, 2 small irons, 2 pickling stands, 3 auger, 2 hogshead, 1 vinegar keg, 500 lbs bacon, and 6 barrels of corn.

William D. Moorehead & Others vs. Elizabeth Thompson & Others, Equity Docket No. 13 (Docket No. varies over time)
[Set forth below is a series of proceedings for the above case.]

Circuit Court, November Term 1865, Page 85
Since Elizabeth Thompson did not have a regular guardian, George B. Boyles was appointed guardian ad litem to answer the complaint. [Elizabeth Thompson has tentatively been identified as the daughter of Matilda Ann (Strong) Thompson. See Research Notes for Matilda Ann (Strong) Thompson and Paralee Jane (Strong) Thompson. Query why a minor heir of John Strong was the named defendant in what was merely a settlement of the remainder interest in the real property of John Strong, Dec'd? The "& Others" who joined William D. Moorehead, the Administrator for John Strong, Dec'd, were presumably the other heirs. Did "& Others" for the defendant include the other minor Thompson heirs that are known to have existed? Note that the latter "& Others" did not appear in the pleadings until the March 1867 Term.]

Circuit Court, November Term 1865, Page 86
The Court recited the basic facts of the case, i.e., (i) that John Strong had left a will, by which he gave a life interest in all his property to his widow, Sarah; (ii) that upon Sarah's death the property was to be sold and the proceeds equally divided between his son and six daughters named in his will; (iii) that Sarah died in 1864 [other records show 1863]; and (iv) that the real property of John Strong, Dec'd, amounted to about 108 acres. The Court then determined as follows: "But because it does not appear whether said land can be advantageously divided, or whether it is to the interest of all that it should be sold, it is referred to the clerk to take proof and report to the present term of the Court whether it is to the interest of all that it should be sold, and what is the value of the same on a credit of one and two years." [Query the need for such investigation since the will clearly states the property was to be sold and the proceeds equally divided among the named beneficiaries.]

Circuit Court, November Term 1865, Page 86-87
Per the previous order of the Court, R. S. Woodard, the clerk, submitted a report on 14 Nov 1865, which recited he had deposed Harmon(?) M. Franklin and Irving M. Raney(?) and based upon those depositions he had made the following findings about the tract of land in question: (i) "that it is hilly and broken and most of the timber lies on the east end of the tract"; (ii) "there is but one spring on the tract"; (iii) "it might be divided into two settlements and both families use water out of the same spring"; (iv) "it might sell better so divided, but it would be difficult to lay off a sufficient quantity of wood and tillable land convenient to such two settlements"; (v) "it might be laid off into two settlements but not more and in that way it might sell for more than if sold in one lot"; (vi) "the tract is not susceptible of division amongst the seven parties entitled thereto"; (vii) "it is manifestly to the interest of all the parties interested that the same should be sold, whether sold in one or two tracts; and (viii) that "eleven dollars per acre would be a fair value for said land on a credit of one and two years". Whereupon the Court, hearing no exceptions to the report, found that the land was not susceptible of an advantageous division and that it would be to the interest of all that it be sold. The Court ordered the clerk to sell the land at public sale, in the whole or in lots at his discretion, to the highest bidder on a credit of one and two years, with the bidding to open at eleven dollars per acre. The clerk was also ordered (i) to have the land surveyed, (ii) to report the respective interests of the parties in the proceeds, and (iii) to report what would be a reasonable fee for attorneys Bright and Bright in the cause.

Circuit Court, November Term 1866, Page 152-153
R. S. Woodard, clerk, submitted a report dated 10 Jan 1866 to the Court during its March Term, 1866, in which he reported he had the land surveyed by the County Surveyor and that the tract of land contained 144 acres. He also reported that after advertising the sale as required by law, he conducted a sale of the land on the premises on 10 Jan 1866. W. A. Carter [husband of heir Elizabeth]was the high bidder at $12.00 per acre. He was declared the purchaser for the aggregate amount of $1,728.00. The purchaser paid $173 down and provided two notes for $777.50 each, due in one and two years. Securities for his notes were Catherine Hedgpeth, A. B. Carter and M. W. Carter. There being no exceptions to the report, the Court ordered the clerk to take proof and report to the present term what would be a reasonable fee for Bright & Bright and Geo. B Boyles, guardian ad litem. The clerk was also charged with the responsibility of receiving payments on the purchase notes and accounting therefore. [The survey map submitted by W. A. Rhodes, County Surveyor, shows an oddly configured tract, shaped somewhat like the shape of Texas and Oklahoma if they were combined. The spring referred to in the clerk's report appears to represent the southeast boundary. The metes and bounds description starts by saying the land was situated on the waters of Tuckers and Roundtrees Creeks. The point of beginning was the northeast corner of Thomas Loyds land.]

Circuit Court, November Term 1866, Pages 226-227
Robert S. Woodard, clerk, reported he took testimony from two practicing attorneys (names difficult to read, but appear to be I. P. Dimukes and W. B. Martin) of the Fayetteville Bar to the effect $44.56 would be a reasonable fee for Bright and Bright in this case and also $10.00 would be a reasonable fee for George B. Boyles, guardian ad litem. The Court accepted the report and ordered fees in those amounts to be paid to such persons. [Here is an example of a case that need not have been brought, involving parties between whom there was no dispute, which became a feeding trough for attorneys.]

Circuit Court, March Term 1867, Page 306
R. S. Woodard, clerk, submitted a report dated 11 Mar 1866, wherein he reported there was a balance due of $634.40 on the first installment note of W. A. Carter. He also reported (i) a beginning balance of $173.00 from his last report, (ii) reported payments of $54.56 for attorneys' fees, and (iii) reported retaining $90.50 for costs and commissions, which left a balance of $18.94, to which had been added $150.00 collected on the first note. The ending balance was $168.94. The Court accepted the report and ordered the clerk to continue to collect on the purchase money notes and to distribute the cash on hand and the amounts collected on the notes to the heirs, except that the share of Elizabeth Thompson was to be paid over to her regular Guardian when one was appointed.

Circuit Court, July(?) Term 1867, Page 425
The Court made the following order: "In this cause it is ordered that the clerk distribute the proceeds of the land sale under a former decree amongst those entitled to the same, as heretofore adjudged, taking and filing proper receipts for the same. The clerk will pay over the interest of Darthula Stone to Samuel Little her attorney in fact whose Letter of Attorney is filed in the cause."

Sale of Real Property, 1870
Per the Fayetteville Observer, dated 28 Apr 1870, W. D. Morehead, Adm of the Estate of John Strong, Dec'd, sold his real property. [This report is somewhat confusing, in that the Court had sold the real property of John Strong, Dec'd, to W. A. Carter on 10 Jan 1866.]

Inventory dated 2 Jun 1870, Filed by W. D. Moorehead, Adm, Page 141.
An inventory of personal property belonging to the Estate of John Strong, Dec'd, which had previously been reported and sold as the property of Sarah Strong, Dec'd by mistake: 1 red hiefer, 1 rone hiefer, 1 calf, 1 oven, 1 kittle, 1 jar, 1 shovel, beadstid, 1 ____ stillards loom, sifter, 2 slays, 1 one inch auger, bull, 2 shackels, 2 beds, boulsters, pillows, 2 counterfeins(?), 1 sack of feathers, 1 bed quilt, 1 big pot, 1 pot rack oven and pot hooks, 1 small oven.

Estate Settlement dated 28 Jun 1870, Filed by W. D. Moorehead, Adm, Page 181
Charged for the proceeds from the 19 Sep 1865 sale of property on behalf of the Estate of Sarah Strong, Dec'd, in the amount of $103.10. Allowed credit for expenses paid as follows: $5 to the clerk for various fees, $10 to Bright & Son, Attys, $30 to W. D. Moorehead, Adm ("allowed you for your trouble"). How the remaining $58.10 was distributed to the final heirs was not noted.

John married 1st Mrs. John Strong. (1st Mrs. John Strong died in 1820-1830 in Smith County, Tennessee ^{3 4}.)

John next married Sarah. (Sarah was born about 1798 in Tennessee ²³ and died on 24 May 1863 in Lincoln County, Tennessee ²³.)

  Marriage Notes:

It is clear that John Strong had a different wife in the 1820 census than in the 1830 census. Thus, John's first wife appears to have died after 1820, and he then married Sarah before 1830. The difference between their ages also suggests Sarah was a second wife. John and Sarah presumably married in Smith County, Tennessee.