Andrew J. STRONG ^{2 3 4}

  General Notes:

Slightly different versions of what happened to Andy exist. The family story passed down to Clois Richardson is that Andy went to Gainesville, Texas to buy lumber to build a new house and he never returned. His wagon and team were found in the wagonyard, but he had disappeared. The family story passed down to Joyce Bearden is that Andy left home for Gainesville with a wagon of cotton to sell and was never seen again. Family speculation was that (i) he may have been killed by Indians, (ii) he may have been robbed and killed after he sold his cotton, or (iii) after selling his cotton he may have taken the Red River ferry with the intention of moving on and making another life for himself. Joyce says that Nancy was madly in love with Andy and was devastated by his disappearance.

Speculation that Andy may have abandoned his wife and two infant children may have arisen because the neighbor from whom Andy borrowed a tarp to cover his cotton said that Andy said, "You may get this back and then again, you might not." While this statement could be viewed as indicating prior knowledge he might not return, I think it is too ambiguous to put much stock in the abandonment theory. As Andy's Civil War record indicates, he was a person who persevered rather than one who cut and run. Personally, I suspect he was the victim of foul play. ^{5 6}

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census: 1840, Cole County, Missouri. ⁷

Household of Hiram Strong: Presumed to be the male child under 5.

2. Census: 1850, Newton County, Missouri. ²

Household of Hiram Strong: Andrew Strong, age 12, male, born in Missouri.

3. Census: 1860, Cole County, Missouri. ³

Household of Becker ['Becca] Strong: Andrew Strong, age 22, male, guarding at the PY [Prison Yard], born in Missouri.

4. Military Service: 1861-1865, Missouri. ⁴

Andrew J. Strong of Cole County, Missouri enlisted as a private in Co. B (commanded by Capt. Gilbert) of the 1st Mo. Vol. Cav., C.S.A. on 11 Dec 1861 at Sac River. He was age 23 at the time of his enlistment. On 20 Nov 1862, he was elected 2nd Lt. He was promoted to 1st Lt. on 20 Aug 1863. On 11 Feb 1865, he was in command of Co. B and G, which had been consolidated. (At some point in time, he also served in M.S.G. Co. "A" MuCullock's Regt. Cav. for 3 months.)

Battles included Lexington, Sugar Creek, Bentonville, Elk Horn, Farmington, Iuka, Corinth, Hatchie Bridge, Baker's Creek, where he as wounded, Vicksburg, New Hope Church, Pine Mt., Kenesaw Mt., Atlanta, and Jonesboro, where he was wounded.

5. Census: 1870, Cooke County, Texas. ⁸

Precinct No. 5, P.O. Gainesville
Dwelling 24, Family 24, HOH James M. Allen
Strong, Andrew J., age 30, male, white, cattle driver, born in Missouri

[Since Andrew appears to have survived the Civil War, one would expect him to appear in the 1870 census. Except for the younger son of Henry G. Strong, Andrew's brother, the only Andrew Strong in the 1870 census who was born in Missouri is the above Andrew. Note he also has the middle initial "J". His age does not quite match up with the other records, but census ages of unrelated persons in a household are even less dependable than usual. Arguing against this being the right Andrew is the fact there was another Strong family in Cooke County at this time, although his name does not appear in the records for this family and they were not from Missouri. Note also that in the 1880 census for neighboring Montague County, there appears the family of James A. Strong, son of Martin. Thus the Cole Co., Missouri Strongs did have a presence in the area. Finally, it appears Andrew's daughter may have been named after his mother. On balance, I think the evidence suggests this Andrew J. Strong was the son of Hiram and Rebecca.]

Andrew married Nancy Lavona SNOW on 21 Jan 1874 in Montague County, Texas.⁵ (Nancy Lavona SNOW was born on 19 Jun 1856 in Tippah County, Mississippi,⁵ died on 1 Feb 1943 in Montague County, Texas ⁵ and was buried in Dye Mound Cemetery, Montague County, Texas ⁵.)