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Woodward Home Page Return to Deborah Woodward Strode Harlan Page We are indebted to Deborah Chapman, a Strode/Entriken descendant, for some of the information used on this page. We have attempted to collect information from other sources: Abstracts of Chester County, Pennsylvania Land Records, History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, First Families of Chester County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Wills 1682-1834, for example. For the time being we will note what we have found, with the source, and hopefully at some point in time will be able to form a credible family history out of it. The name is seen as Strode and Stroud. One original immigrant is George Strode born about 1650 in Milbrook Parish, Southampton, England, and died about 1698 in Concord, Chester County, Pennsylvania, according to the History of Chester County, Pennsylvania. George Strode was among the original 24 landholders in Concord: 300 acres, lease and release 1681, survey 1683. Also listed as one who first acquired title while in England, George Strode, Southampton, Hampshire County, Merchant From "Land and Landholders, 1683-1701" in Concord Township-The Colonial Legacy, Robert P. Carl, Concord Historical Society, 1983. George Strode, a grocer from Millbrook, Southhampton, originally purchased 500 acres in July 1682 but the plot surveyed to him in 1683 was for 300 acres. Strode must have taken possession early in the year because he appeared at Chester Court in February 1683 seeking legal action against William Cloud. In March 1685 he was appointed Constable for Concord by Chester Court. He kept 100 acres and worked it until 1701. He became an attorney, representing clients at Chester Court during the 1690s. He left the County after selling his land. His wife's name is not given, nor names of children, other than George Strode, Jr. The land grant is confirmed in Chester County land records. On 24 Dec 1719 Henry Reynolds of Chichester, granted land to son John Reynolds in Chichester. Part of the grant is described as follows: "Whereas William Penn, Esq., by deed dated 12 and 13 July 1682 granted to George Stroud a tract containing 500 acres. George Stroud by deed dated 21 & 22 Mar 1686/87 granted to Henry Reynolds the 200 acres of the 500 acres." The land is described as being in Chichester, partially bounded by Naamans Creek. The Chester County History seems to err in saying that George "came soon after [the land purchase] as George Strode witnessed a release of land on 14 March 1682 (see deeds below). George Strode, Jr., was no doubt born in England and immigrated to America with his father. He died in 1757 and his will gives us the names of his children: Pennsylvania Wills, 1682-1834 (Chester Co.Pa. ) STRODE, GEORGE. East Bradford. Yeoman. Being antient. May 9, 1757. January 16, 1758. D. 101. To son Williams' 2 children, Richard and William �20 each at 14. To daughter in law Deborah Strode my negro girl, Hannah, during widowhood, afterward to be sold for benefit of her 2 children. To son George all other estate real and personal. Test signed. Executor: Son George. Wit: Thomas Douglass, Joshua Lewis, Thomas Curry. George, Jr. sold 100 acres on 1 April 1701 to John Jonnan, described as bounded by Concord Street, land of John Palmer, John Hannum, Godden Walter & Thomas Hall. The deed was not recorded until 17 July 1750. This land is also mentioned in a deed of 22 Oct 1705 when Edward Jonnan resold the 100 acres to John Hannum of Concord. George apparently inherited 300 acres from his father, George, as there is a mortgage on 14 May 1747 by John Strode of Bradford, yeoman, to Abraham Darlington of Birmingham, yeoman. The land mortgaged is mentioned as a tract in Westtown bounded by land of Richard Woodward and land in the tenure of George Strode containing 200 acres. The 200 acres sold by George, Sr., the 100 acres sold by George, Jr., and the 200 acres in tenancy of George , Jr., totals the original grant of 500 acres. A mortgage on 27 July 1757 by Thomas Preston of Philadelphia to Thomas Preston of London mentions land in Concord bounded by land of John Heilerd and George Stroud, indicating that George Stroud was probably still alive at that date or it would have read "land late of George Stroud." George, Sr., and/or Jr., also witnessed many land deeds for other people, sometimes signing as Stroud, sometimes as Strode. Perhaps the names of the persons involved in the deeds will be helpful in researching the family: George Strode, 14 March 1682, Woola Rawson, alias Marcus Hook, to Nathaniel Lampplugh of Chichester; George Strode, 1 June 1688, John Hannum to John Wikerham, Concord; George Strode, 8 Dec 1691, John Simcock to Thomas Brown, Chester; George Strode, 7 Sep 1696, Francis Chadsey to John Martin, Birmingham; George Strode, 1 Mar 1697, John Bennett to Daniel Davis, Birmingham; George Strode, 11 Dec 1699, David Loyd to David Roberts, Chester; George Stroud, 16 Oct 1707, Hugh Harris to Daniel Davis, Birmingham; George Stroud, 15 Mar 1708, John Neel to Thomas Dutton, Aston; George Strode, Sr, 22 Apr 1707 Margret & Thomas Green to John Moore, Concord. An Edward Strode is also mentioned as a witness in land records: 20 Mar 1711, Nathaniel & Elizabeth Ring of Westown to Richard Woodward, son of Robert of Birmingham. We do not know Edward Strode's relationship to George Strode. On the Chester County mailing list, Kathryn Weiss mentions that George Strode was administrator of Edward Strode's estate about 1696; thus there were apparently two Edward Strodes. Sandra Ferguson who owns the list tells us that George Strode is mentioned in several court entries and appears to have acted as an attorney; thus might have acted in that capacity for Edward Strode. This may also explain the large number of land deeds witnessed by the Strodes. There is another mention of Edward Strode in connection with George: "Mortgage. On 1 June 1757 Robert Jefferies of East Bradford, yeoman to George Strode of East Bradford, yeoman. Robert Jefferies for 35 pounds granted to George Strode a tract in Bradford bounded by land of Carter containing 138+ acres except 13+ acres sold to Edward Strode..." George Strode, Jr. married Lydia Vernon, daughter of Thomas & Lydia Williams Vernon, and widow of Nathaniel Ring. George & Lydia had two sons that we know of from his will: William and George III: (1) William Strode married Deborah Woodward, daughter of Richard and Deborah Stanfield Woodward on 12/28/1749 at Old Swede's Church on the Delaware. Orphan's court records give us the names of children: Richard and William Strode. (2)George Strode III who was executor for his will. John and Mary Woodward StrodeThere is another Strode/Woodward connection. John Strode married Mary Woodward, daughter of Richard and Mary Nayle Woodward.At present we are unable to determine the parentage of John Strode. Some researchers carry him as son of George and Lydia Vernon Strode but we know that is not true as he is not included in that George's will (of course children were sometimes left out if they were disinherited for some reason). From wills of Richard and Mary Nayle Woodward we have the names of three children of John and Mary Woodward Strode: Richard, Mary and Joseph Strode. According to the Chester County History, Richard Strode married Sarah Hickman, daughter of Francis Hickman. When Richard Woodward wrote his will in 1747 it was witnessed by George Strode (signed with his mark) and George Strode, Jr. Daughter Mary Strode married Samuel Entrikin, son of George and Mary Woodward Entrikin. There is a well researched book A Family History - George Entrikin (1710-1785) Descendants and Related Families that includes some information on the Strode Family. George Strode's wife is given as Elizabeth, widow of Nathaniel Ring, probably from the land records mentioned above. Vernon wills prove that her name was Lydia but perhaps Lydia and Elizabeth were one and the same? Other Strode mentions include a James Stroud who appears in land records in 1757 who was an "inn holder" in Chester. The land where the inn was erected was described as bounded by the King's Road leading to Concord among other lands. Another is given in a will: Pennsylvania Wills, 1682-1834 ( Chester Co. Pa. ) STRODE, GEORGE. Yeoman, being weak. E. Bradford. October 16, 1777. December 22, 1778. Provides for wife Mary. To daughter Elizabeth wife of David Brinton. To sons Elias and Peter �5 each. To daughter Susanna Strode �50, furniture and pewter that was her mother's, etc. To son Jonathan Mansion House and all my land in E. Bradford, cont. about 330 acres. Negro woman and mulatto wench Dinah to be set free at my death. Executors: Friends Amor Jefferis and Joseph Buffington. Letters adm., etc., to Benjamin Powell, executors named having renounced. Wit: Hezekiah Niles, Joseph Gilpin, Jr., John Hunt. Because Joseph Gilpin was a witness we believe this was the George Strode who married Mary Gilpin (as second husband), born 1716, daughter of Joseph and Hannah Gilpin. In the marriage record George is given as the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Strode. |