INTRO Part 2.
The Strong Family Intro Part 2.



THE EARLY STRONG FAMILIES OF THE VIRGINIA COLONY

The first recorded Strongs began coming to the New World of North America shortly after the founding of Jamestown in the British Colony of Virginia around 1619. Many Strong families settled in North America after this time. Some Strong families, such as Elder John Strong, settled in Massachusetts in the early 17th century. Elder John Strong immigrated from England. This line is the most noted and familiar to most researchers and makes up the majority of the Strong families in the United States.
      The second largest lines are those of the Southern Strongs. This line is not as well established as the Elder John Strong line and has not been as greatly researched. The Elder John Strong lines are mostly in the Northern States, while our Strong lines are mainly in the Southern States.
      One researcher, James Rolff, in his publication of "Strong Family of Virginia and other Southern States", has made great strides in locating the Southern Strong families. Another publication by The Strong Family of America Association, Inc., "Strong Family Histories Volume V", is also a great contribution to the Southern Strong lines. This publication also contains the remaining Strong lines that are not related to the Elder John Strong lines or the Southern Strong lines.
      Although no proof exists to show that the Elder John Strong lines and the Southern Strong lines are related, James Rolff speculates that the possibility exists that the Southern Strong families may have been related to Elder John Strong back in England. However our Southern Strongs do not seem to fit into the Elder John Strong lines after his immigration to America. So our Southern Strong and the Elder John Strong lines appear to be from two different lines, with a small chance they were of the same line back in England.
      The name "STRONG" is of English origin. So if we start to look for the meaning of the word or name "STRONG", we should start by looking back into it's origin. Some researchers believe that the name "STRONG" originated by one of our ancestors being simply a "Strong Person" in his town or village. Other researchers look at the meaning of the word or name "STRONG" and look at it's evolution in the English Language. In many dictionaries on the "English Language", the word "STRONG" refers to a Foreigner or Stranger.
      The publication, "A Middle English Dictionary (12-15th Century)", by Frances H. Stratman, (pub. Oxford Univ. Press, 1978), states that "STRONG" was previously "STRANG, which was "STRONGE, STRANGE and ESTRANGE", all referring to a Foreigner.
      One explanation given by some researchers is that during the 12th Century in Medievil England, there was a family named Estrange. A John LeStrange V became Lord LeStrange in 1299 and his name was changed from "LeStrange" to "Strange". Although no proof exists of this being an ancestor to our Strong Family, it is always a possibility.
      Our Strong Ancestor's obviously came to the New World from England, not only because our surname is of English origin, but because virtally all settlers in Virginia were of English Origin. And although we do not know for certain when our Strong ancestor came to America, it is believed that it was John Strong, who was apprenticed in the city of Bristol in England. On October 23, 1672 a Thomas Fisher took on John Strong as an apprentice for four years in the British Colony of Virginia. And this John Strong was believed to have been the Ancestor of our John Strong of New Kent County, Virginia.
      Mr. James Rolff, in his book, speculates that the ancestor of our John Strong might have been a William Straunge. This William Straunge was an indentured servant of Sir George Yeardley. Around 1619 Sir Yeardley returned to England where he was knighted and made Governor of Virginia. He then returned to Virginia in the same year of 1619. Sir Yeardley had employed William Strong (Straunge) while in London, and they returned to Virginia. This William Strong was born in the year 1601 in England and arrived in Virginia in 1619. A lot of information on this William Strong is located in Mr. James Rolff's book.
      Another researcher, Robert Strong, who helped in the writing and research of the Strong Family Association of America's publication of "Strong Family Histories Vol. V." believes that our Strongs go back directly to the John Strong of England who came to Virginia in 1672.




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