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Good Afternoon,
My name is Karen Strong Railey and I am looking for information concerning my gr grandfather who was known as Edward Henry Strong. I haven’t been able to find anything concerning him before I find him in IA when he married Susan Beedle/Beadle. I do not know if he was married before he went to IA or if he had children before this.I don’t have parent’s or sibling’s names. That information was never passed down.
Edward’s family before his marriage to Susan has been a brick wall for my cousins and I. We are hoping if we put out info and questions to as many Strong’s as we can we’ll eventually come across someone who knows about him or recognizes some circumstances that happened in their branch of Strong’s that may be similar to some of our family stories or that some of Edward’s children’s names will be the same as some of Edward’s ancestors or siblings in someone’s Strong family and we’ll be able to figure this out that way.
Below is pretty much what I know about Edward.
In most of the Federal Census, Edward has the birth year of about 1845–46. In the 1910 Census it gives 1860 as his birth year. His grave marker states his birth year as 1852. On his death certificate the birth date given is Dec 4, 1851. His headstone says 1852.
All census’s where Edward is found (IA & NE) state Kentucky as the birthplace. Edward’s death certificate states the birthplace as Louisville, Kentucky.
Edward’s granddaughter’s believe that the parents came from England, were in VA then KY. The 1880, 1900, and 1910 all state the parents came from England. One, the 1885 NE state census, states that the parents were born in or came from Guernsey a small island in the English Channel, Channel Islands between the coasts of UK and France.
Family stories have the family being involved in some way with sulky racing horses in KY.
Edward was said to have been sent away by his family for some reason. One story: He was a bit of a rebel and somehow disgraced the family and was sent away. Another: He was kidnapped by the Union Army during the Civil War and made a drummer boy. After that the family sent him away. Due to some of the stories we think Edward could have been using and alias and his name was not really Edward or Strong. This in an unknown.
Another family story: Edward was in IA on business, met Susan, he was smitten with her so they married. No real details available. It is possible that if he was married he just never went back. These things did happen.
In 1880 the Federal Census lists Edward and Susan as Henry and Susey Strong, living in Hamburg, Fremont, IA. No children at this time.
1885 Nebraska State Census has the family members listed are Edward, Susan, Bessie, Willie, and Harry. Willie was born abt 1882–1883 and a Willie Strong, age 7 yrs 9 mos, is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Omaha, Nebraska. He died Jan 24 1890 reportedly from the croup. Family members don’t ever remember a Willie being mentioned and did not know of him. When the family went to visit graves, Willie’s was not visited. There is a family story that one of the children was shot in a park. I’ve wondered if that could have been Willie as I found it strange that the cemetery records stated his last place of residence as a park near the family’s home.
Edward’s stated profession in the 1885 Nebraska Census, Omaha, Douglas, NE was “dealer in butter and poultry.”
An 1889–90 Omaha, Nebraska Directory lists a secondary address location for Edward as 4320 Tuttle Avenue. Occupation is stated as “Gardener.”
1900 — Edward and family lived at 5208 N 38th St, Florence, NE. The 1900 Census lists this as a farm with four farm laborers. This was believed by family to have been a dairy farm and the same census lists Edward’s son Harry as a dairy laborer. For his father perhaps?
Residence in 1910 was 37_ _ Spaulding. In the 1910 census the last two digits of the address were not readable.
The 1910 census lists the family with the last name Strange (Strong).
According to Grandson Ray Strong (my dad), Edward used to receive a check every month from Kentucky. He believed the amount to be $500. His father, Arthur, told him this. I think it may have been something like $5.00 a month or at most $50.00.
Ray also said that his dad told him that Edward was supposed to have had some property in Texas. Edward died before he told anyone where that was.
Birth & Deaths:
Edward b: Dec 4 between 1845 and 1852 d: Apr 12 1912 at Omaha General Hospital in Omaha, Douglas, NE
Susan Beedle/Beadle — b: Apr 15 1860 in Peoria, Illinois d: Feb 28 1930 in Omaha, Douglas, NE
Marriage: Dec 25 1879 in Sidney, Fremont, IA
Edward & Susan had 9 children:
Bessie M — b: Nov 17 1881 in IA d: Jan 27 1934 in Omaha, Douglas, NE
Bessie was said to have been named after a sulky racing horse. Haven’t found a horse with “Bessie” in the name that I am sure would be the one.
Willie (possibly William) — b: about 1882 in IA d: Jan 24 1890 in Omaha, Douglas, NE
Harry Henry — b: Feb 29 1884 in Omaha, Douglas, NE d: Dec 16 1963 in Omaha, Douglas, NE
Maud S — b: Jan 19 1887 in Omaha, Douglas, NE d: Dec 28 1980 in Omaha, Douglas, NE
Maud was named after the sulky racing horse Maud S, a well known champion who set records
Arthur (nickname Jack) — b: May 11 1892 in Omaha, Douglas, NE d: Feb 16 1969
Raymond (nickname Jake) — b: Aug 9 1894 in Omaha, Douglas, NE d: Mar 1 1980 in Omaha, Douglas, NE
Clyde — b: Nov 1896 in Omaha, Douglas, NE d: Sep 2 1902
Eliza Jane — b: Jan 20 1899 in Omaha, Douglas, NE d: Jun 7 1930 in Omaha, Douglas, NE
There was one more child but I haven’t found the name or sex yet. The 1900 US Census states that there were 9 children born and 7 living in 1900. Willie had passed away and Clyde who died young was still living then, so there was another child in there somewhere.
Recently we found a DNA match with my dad’s DNA and Stafford and Creamer surnames. Unfortunately, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they were related as the Stafford & Creamer DNA tests had only 12 markers tested to compare with. This is more interesting, however, because a land patent was found where a Thomas Stafford and John Creamer appeared with a Robert Strong and George Strong in that same 1673/74 Virginia Land Patent. Perhaps they were related or at least associated in some way.
Karen from the genealogical research department at the Omaha Public Library says it is possible that Edward was a “remittance man.” These were people who were paid to stay away from their homeland and/or family due to disgraceful behavior or because they were the youngest son.
Karen Strong Railey
What a wonderful website. I have only discovered this part of my heritage in the last 2 years and my connections to Chaffee, Lyman, Proctor, Deane, Strong, Dodge, Stebbins, and so many more. Born and raised in TX from a mother that was adopted I had no idea I had New England ancestors. Thank you so much for providing all this information.
Regards,
Richard D. Slaughter