STRONG
1. THOMAS-
b. ? Poole, Dorset
As many of the merchants in the area (including the Strong family) were from Poole, it has been suggested by Mr. Keith Matthews of the Maritime History Group that the Strongs of Old Perlican were connected to that area. Research in the records in England is needed to clarify this.
Thomas was listed in the 1753 Census for Trinity Bay as being the head of the household, having a wife, son, two daughters, 15 Irish servants, 2 boats, 1 skiff, and 3 winter servants.(1) Thomas was sworn in as constable for Trinity in 1759. (2) As he was the only Strong in the area at the time it is assumed that he was the father of John.
Issue-
Ref:
(1) 1753 Census for Trinity Bay- PANL
(2) Trinity Bay Court Records- PANL
John had an account in the ledger book of William Warn of Old Perlican: (1)
"(183)
1756 Mr. John Strong Acc � s d
To a moring Brought from fd ( ) 15 8 7
To 3 shamey skin Debt do Jno Short 1 6
January 29
To 3 yd of hollen
To 415 Feet Bord 1 13
To 3 Shollipes ( ) Feet Long 2 6
To 3 Blue Nap Weascoat
To 6 ?Shug
To ( ) Coopers the sumet & hoopes 2 11 6
To 14 Days Tailer Work at Sundry Times 14
_______
20 11 1
1757
Mr. John Strong Ac � s d
To Ballans Due to Me sence 1756 2 7 3
To Lent 1 Gall Millasses
1758
Tos Mr ( ) Debt to Jacob Thoms 1 1
1757
Mr. John Strong Ac � s d
To Ballans Due to me sence 1756 2 7 3
To Lent 1 Gall Millasses
Decemb 3
Tos Mr. ( ) Debt to Jacob Thoms 1 6
1758
To 1 Gall. Millasces ( )
James Peck 1 Lardge Spring 1 6
Lent 1 Gall Tar 1 6
March 27
To 1 Gall. Millasces & 8lb Pitch
To 1 G Bockets 16/2 Seed Lines 4/ 5 6
Luke Butten Ac 1 G Bockets 1 6
James Peck Ac 2lb Shug 1 8
Octob 5
To 2 Gall Rum 10
To 10 � lb of Loof Shug @ 2 p lb 1 1
To 2 Gall. Rum @ Sundy 10
To 2 Gall Read Wind Delt to Jacob Thoms
Last year 8
To 12 lb scoop 12
To Shug for Ballans 3 7
_______
�6 5"
Given the above accounting I wonder if John was starting in the fishing business in 1757 as he spent a considerable amount of money for lumber, cooperage as well as "Tailer Work" which implies he had sails made for his boat.
John Strong's Account in William Warn's Ledger
John is listed in the 1800 Census for Trinity Bay as being a widower and having one boy living with him and being the owner/occupier of a house and stage, however, he did not have a boat.(2) Again, Thomas is listed as child of John given the lack of others in the area who could have been his father, however, no data is available to link the two conclusively.
Issue-
Ref:
(1) William Warn Ledger- PANL B-5-5 MG 476, pp.176-7
(2) 1800 Census for Trinity Bay- Old Perlican, PANL
(3) Trinity Court Records
b.c.1765
m. 7 Oct. 1786 Old Perlican,(1) GRACE TILLEY (d. after 13 Feb. 1845)
bur. 25 Feb. 1828 Old Perlican
Thomas was an employee of Thomas Street of Old Perlican on 7 Sept. 1787.(2)
Thomas is listed in the 1800 Census for Trinity Bay as being married and the household consisting of one man, one woman, three boys and two girls.
"A List of the members in the Old Perlican Circuit" These lists of members of the bible study/religion classes of the Methodist Church run from 1823 until 1846. Unfortunately, the lists from 1837 onward are difficult to read due to water stains.
"Perlican 1822- John Greens Class
Grace Strong
James Deans Class
Thomas Strong Senr"(3)
Thomas was a member of "Bro Deens Class" until his death in 1828. Grace was a member of Rev. John Green's class up to 1839 when the lists become almost unreadable.
"Grace Strong to John Strong Jun (of John)
Memorial of an Indenture bearing date the Thirteenth day of February one thousand eight hundred and forty five whereby Grace Strong of Old Perlican in Trinity Bay widow for and in consideration of natural love and affection and for the further consideration that her Grandson John Strong of the same place Fisherman shall maintain his Grand mother the said Grace Strong comfortably as long as she lives and provide for her every necessary during the remainder of her life agreeably to the said Indenture the said Grace Strong hath made over assigned and transferred unto her said Grandson John Strong Junior son of John his heirs the half part of her large Garden or westward part situated near the chimney end of her Grandson John Strongs (son of Thomas Strongs) House to Have and to hold unto the said John Strong son of John forever
Grace X Strong
Wit: William X Bursey
John X Pyke Sent to John Strong under cover to
John Thompson John Thompson, Esq"(4)
Two of the three sons listed in the 1800 census may have been the Thomas and John listed in the above deed. The third son was most probably William or Matthias as they were the only other Strongs in Old Perlican who were contemporary with Thomas and John and no other Strong was present in Old Perlican who could have been their father. Given the listing for only three sons in the 1800 census, however, I suspect that the oldest (Thomas) was either apprenticed out or, more likely, had shipped out on one of the many schooners. It seems unlikely that any of the children were born after the 1800 census. The identity of the daughters remains a mystery, only Christiana was contemporary with the other possible children of Thomas and Grace.
Issue-
Ref:
(1) Trinity Court Records
(2) Ibid
(3) Old Perlican Class Lists- United Church Archives- St. John's
(4) Newfoundland Registry of Deeds- Northern District, Vol. 10, p. 206
4I. THOMAS (THOMAS 1, JOHN 2, THOMAS 3)
b.c. 1788
m. ANN ______ (b.c. 1796, ? bur. 28 Oct. 1855 Old Perlican)
bur. 29 Sept. 1867 Old Perlican
Thomas and Ann are listed as attending the church school from 1822 until the records become unreadable in the late 1830's, with Thomas referred to as "Thomas Junr" and Ann referred to in the later years as "Ann Strong Sen".(1)
"The List of persons entitled to vote in the Election of a member for the District of Trinity Bay on the first day of September One Thousand Eight Hundred and thirty five in respect of Dwelling Houses situate in then the said District
764 Strong Thomas Old Perlican Mount".(2)
Thomas was also listed on the voters lists for 1836, 1837 and 1838.
Interestingly, Thomas is not listed in the Newfoundland Directory of 1864-5, perhaps he was no longer living on his own and had moved in with one of his children.(3)
In 1881 James, Henry and Nehemiah Strong, brothers ages 48, 46 and 38 along with James Churley and Elear Churley, brothers "These five men were all suddenly snatched away through the upsetting of a boat in the North West Arm of Random Sound. The sad event took place on the 25th of November. The men all died whilst clinging to the boat and then fell into the water where they wait for the resurrection Day. One young man Paul Strong son of James (ed note- this was Samuel, not Paul) was rescued to bring home the sad news. John Collings age 31 a Roman Catholic died at same time and from same came as the above. He died, we have reason to believe, trusting in Christ as we know the others did. They prayed and sang hymes of praise through the long cold night. Collins body was recovered."(4)
In his book As We Were, E. Fred Cram recounts the story of how the Hope was lost off Foster's Point in the North West Arm of Trinity Bay. "She left Old Perlican to sail across the bay with a full load of freight for Foster's Point to be discharged at Theophilus Hart's. With the frieght unloaded the crew decided to spend Sunday with the Adeys in Lee Bight. The canvas was hoisted again and the Hope moved up the arm with a north west wind filling her sails. As she passed Foster's Point, she was struck by a sudden squall of wind. It tipped the lightly ballasted schooner over on her side, throwing the crew into the icy water, among the canvas sails. They scrambled up to the side of the boat and hung on to the back stays during the cold November evening.
All night they drifted down the arm with the bitter north west wind biting through their soaking wet clothing. When the sun came up next morning only two men still clung to the wreckage. Three of the Strong brothers died of exposure during the night and their bodies washed away from the wreckage. One brother was the father of Captain Thomas Strong (Henry).
When the people from Hickman's Harbour arrived on the scene later in the evening, eighteen- year- old Samuel Strong was the only crew member alive. John Collins had tied himself to the mast and died of exposure.
A song was written at the time to record the event. Older residents still remember two of the verses:
Oh, think of John Collins, who clung to the mast,
He went there for safety, but died there at last.
Oh, think of the prayers and the hymns he had sung,
And think of the sorrow when he was brought home."(5)
My grandmother, Mary Belle (Strong) Whittaker, would tell this story to us when we were children saying that one of the wives of the brothers was standing in the house and during the storm the door blew open violently and she knew they would never come back.
Issue- all children born in Old Perlican
Ref:
(1) Old Perlican Class Lists- United Church Archives, St. John's
(2) Trinity Bay Manuscripts- The William White Collection- Voters List, Trinity Bay
District 1835-38- PANL 18/a1,6
(3) Newfoundland Directory for 1864-5- Old Perlican, p. 302
(4) Old Perlican Methodist Register- United Church Archives, St. John's
(5) As We Were- E. Fred Cram, Jesperson Press Ltd., 1996- pp.40-1
(6) Births, Deaths, Marriages in Newfoundland Newspapers 1875-1877- Gert Crosbie,
Sept. 1986
6I. JOHN (THOMAS 1, JOHN 2, THOMAS 3, THOMAS 4)
b.c. 1814
m. 15 Nov. 1842 Old Perlican, Nfld., MARY STRONG (bpt. 6 Oct. 1822 Old Perlican)
bur. 17 Apr. 1887 Old Perlican
The parentage of John Strong and Mary Strong remains uncertain. I suspect, given the names of the children, that Mary Strong was the daughter of William Strong... her baptism not listed in the Old Perlican register. Her baptism being unrecorded seems a good possibility for two reasons; first, William was one of the few in the Strong family not to attend the church school in Old Perlican implying a lack of interest in that form of worship (therefore a lack of interest in having his children baptized); second, there seems to be large gaps between the baptisms of William's children implying irregular attendance at that church for whatever reason (perhaps the missing baptisms will be found in another parish). One might think that it would be odd to have both a Mary and a Mary Ann in a family, not so, as it occurs with some frequency in other areas. Another possibility is that Mary Strong, daughter of Thomas was our Mary Strong and her husband John was another child of William? This seems unlikely, unless William had another wife prior to 1818 as John was most likely born c.1814. Given the names in this family it seems probable that one of them was the child of William Strong, most likely Mary. Mary Strong would have been born at the latest about 1825 or 1826, although I suspect that she was older given the fact that she participated in the church classes in 1837 (two Mary Strongs were listed in 1840, one would be Mary, daughter of William, the other would be Mary, nee Hopkins, wife of John Jr.). Given the above, Mary was probably born c.1820 or slightly before as her parents were married in Nov. 1818 and her brother Moses was born in 1822. The other possibility is that Mary Strong was the daughter of Matthias and Mary, however, this seems unlikely as this couple disappears from the Old Perlican area not to return and Mary's place of residence at the time of her marriage is given as Old Perlican (it is always a possibility that she may have been "boarding" with someone in town with her parents living elsewhere, however, the custom has been for a couple to marry in the wife's home parish). At this point I cannot explain the relationship between John and Mary Strong and the witnesses at their wedding: Laban and George Strong (one of the witnesses at Laban's marriage was William Strong). The third John Strong who died in Old Perlican remains a mystery, however, I wonder if this is a non-issue as no marriage record and no birth records for children are found in the Old Perlican vital records. Did he remain a bachelor? Or perhaps he lived elsewhere for most of his life and returned to Old Perlican and died there? I suspect that he was the John Strong who died in 1874 age 68, thus being born c.1806, too old to be the child of Thomas and Ann (she b.c.1796) or John (whose birthdate we know from his headstone). So that brings us back to William or Matthias. William can be excluded as he was not married until 1818 (unless this was a second marriage as stated above, although I doubt it as there doesn't seem to be a lot "unattached" children running around Old Perlican at that time period unless the third John Strong was an only child of this union. Also, having William with a previous wife and a child born c.1806 would make him too old to be the son of Thomas who married in 1786). Matthias and Mary only have one child baptized in Old Perlican in 1822 implying that was their last child or they moved away or died. John Strong, born c.1806 remains an "orphan" until more information is available. One more thought on this John Strong. It seems unlikely that he was the John Strong who married Mary Strong in 1842 as this would have made him about 36 years old at the time, a bit old to be married to a much younger woman (an unusual event given the society at the time) and having children for twenty years after.
To compound the confusion in this family on 5 Feb. 1839 in Old Perlican John Strong Jr. married Mary Hopkins. Both pairs of John and Mary Strongs lived in Old Perlican and both were having children at the same time therefore making it difficult to separate which child belongs to which John and Mary! A probable list can be constructed with the following reasoning. I have a page from an old letter which was sent to my grandmother (Mary Belle Strong Whittaker) many years ago which listed her grandparents very clearly as John Strong and Mary Strong (not John & Mary Strong)... the author was very careful to list the maiden names of the women in the family so I assume that Joshua was the son of Mary Strong, not Mary Hopkins. This bit of information thus gives us a starting point. Thomas belongs to this family as he was named after his grandfather, Thomas Strong. Mary Ann is probably also of this family as she is named after her aunt. Aaron is a known child (my grandmother lived with her uncle Aaron and aunt Ann after her parents died) therefore his twin, Moses, is also part of this family (also Aaron and Moses were uncles, children of William Strong). The same reasoning places Levi in this family as well. The other piece of information is the fact that John and Mary had twins which is a genetic trait, one that would predispose a couple who already had twins to have another set of twins. Emily Ann belongs to this family as her brother Joshua named a daughter after her (she was a witness at the marriage of Moses Bursey and Amelia Ann Strong in 1882). Caleb, Elias, and Newman are all buried in the area with the family of John Strong Jr. who married Mary Hopkins (John & Mary's headstone in the Old Perlican cemetery). Archibald was named after his father's (John Strong Jr's.) brother who drowned 3 months prior to his birth and Archibald's wedding was witnessed by his brother Caleb. By default Jabez is son of John Jr. and the same reasoning (short gestation times) places Abraham in that family.
Letter to Mary Belle Strong Whittaker concerning her genealogy written by Maria (Stanford) Smith, Page 2
John was listed in the Newfoundland Directories for 1864/5 and 1871 as being a fisherman.
Of all the children of John and Mary Strong, only Joshua had a surviving child (my grandmother).
Issue- all children born in Old Perlican.
Ref:
Vital Records- Old Perlican, Nfld.
Lovell's Newfoundland Directory for 1871
7XII. JOSHUA (THOMAS 1, JOHN 2, THOMAS 3, THOMAS 4, JOHN 5)
b. 17 Nov. 1859 Old Perlican, Nfld.
m. 7 Nov. 1882 Grates Cove, by Rev. W.W. Percival, LYDIA (2) STANFORD (b. 28 Oct. 1861
Old Perlican, m.2. 20 Apr. 1889 Old Perlican, Stephen Bursey (b. 1871 Old Perlican, m.2.
11 Dec. 1895 Old Perlican, Martha Button), d. 4 July 1894 Old Perlican)
d. between 12 Jan.- 15 June 1888 Old Perlican, Nfld.
Joshua Strong's Baptism Record
Family tradition states that Joshua was a logger and was killed by a falling tree. This statement makes sense as many in Newfoundland found work in the logging industry during the winter months, while working in the fishery from spring until fall.
Lydia then married Stephen, a fisherman and lighthouse keeper, and died of tuberculosis soon after. Stephen and his son William were the lighthousekeepers for the lighthouse on Old Perlican Island until 1931 when the light was changed from kerosine to gas thus eliminating the need for the light keeper to live on the island. In 1936 the dwelling was demolished.
The first lighthousekeeper was Stephen Cram. His son, Frank, wrote the following poem Life in a Lighthouse:
From sundown until sunrise,
As the lonely hours go by,
The light sends out its previous beams
Across the northern sky.
The sea gulls and the night hawks
Fly pass the window pane,
To break the lonely silence,
But gives company just the same.
As night and day, day and night,
Continue into years.
They keep their lonely vigil
With all their doubts and fears.
The storms beat on the windows,
And whistle in the grooves,
But the family nestles around the fire
In ecstasy of love.
I spent some years in a lighthouse,
And the lines I write are true,
And I'll never, never forget it
Though my years be long or few.
The keeper of this lighthouse
With his angelic wife
Had sailed the seas for many years
In storms and sunshine bright.
The tending of a lighthouse
On an island in the deep
Seems simple to many landsmen
As they rest in their gentle sleep.
But the weary sleepless sailors,
They sometimes cry for joy
When the man up in the lookout,
Hails the Captain- "Light ahoy."
The memories of those happy days
Makes one break into song,
Although there was no radio
To pass the time along.
But we had the stars and the big round moon
To cheer us on our way,
And were happy as we waited
For the mail to come someday.
As we read aloud and sang the songs,
Of many long years ago,
The waves would gently wash the beach
And set the heart aglow.
So soothing to the nerves and brain,
Words cannot express
The wonderful tranquility
Of peace and happiness.
High winds and storms did not upset
The lives within those walls,
With shutters to the windows,
We listened to the squalls
And prayed for all the mariners
That came from- Oh so far.
The light shone like a beacon,
To be their guiding star.
As years passed on, this haven of rest
No longer held me down.
For war clouds started to gather
And mothers began to frown.
God bless you all, as I said good-bye.
They kissed and shook my hand,
The bells rang out come back again
To dear old Newfoundland. (1)
Stephen could not support his family during the hard times in Newfoundland and had to leave the colony leaving his son with his mother and his step-daughter with his late wife's brother-in-law Aaron Strong. Aaron moved to Halifax, NS where he ran a rooming house for the University students. In 1900 he moved to Everett, MA to work as a mason on the new subway system in Boston and he, his wife and young Mary were living at 154 Broadway next to Ann's sister Jannet and her husband William Hall.(2) Aaron and Ann were living at 1 Parker Place, Everett in 1902-3.(3) After the "El" was built he returned to Halifax and Mary remained in Massachusetts with her new husband.
One of our cousins, Harry Strong , still lives in Old Perlican and recently received the Order of Canada for his years of service as CEO of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Issue- First four children by Joshua and Lydia, next child by Stephen and Lydia, last three children by Stephen and Martha.
Mary Strong's Baptismal Record
War Will, War Will and Triffie, Aunt Triffie and family
Ref:
(1) Life in a Lighthouse- Fred S. Cram, quoted in "As We Were"- E. Fred Cram, Jesperson
Press Ltd., 1996, pp.211-13
(2) 1900 Census for Everett, MA- Vol.40, ED 742, sheet 3, line 41
(3) Everett City Directory for 1902-3
Vital Records of Old Perlican, Nfld.
E. Tryphenia H.B. Tilley- Old Perlican, Nfld.
5III. WILLIAM (THOMAS 1, JOHN 2, THOMAS 3)
m. 4 Nov. 1818 Old Perlican, ANN WOODLANDS (b.c.1799, ? bur. 24 Nov. 1881 Old Perlican)
Ann Strong was listed as being a member of the church school beginning in 1822 and is listed as "Ann Strong W" which is assumed to refer to her being the wife of William with her sister-in-law (the only other Ann Strong at the time) being listed simply as "Ann Strong". William is not listed in the class lists and evidently did not attend.(1)
William is also listed on the voters list for Trinity Bay: "The List of persons entitled to vote in the Election of a member for the District of Trinity Bay on the first day of September One Thousand Eight Hundred and thirty five in respect of Dwelling Houses situate in then the said District
William Strong Old Perlican Mount".(2)
A William Strong, laborer, is listed in the Newfoundland Directory for 1864-5, however, he is not listed in the 1871 directory.(3) No death date has been found for William.
Issue-
Ref:
(1) Old Perlican Class Lists- United Church Archives, St. John's
(2) Trinity Bay Manuscripts- The William White Collection- Voters List, Trinity Bay
District 1835-38- PANL 18/a1,6
(3) Hutchinson's Newfoundland Directory for 1864-5 p. 302, Lovell's Directory for 1871 p.281
