NATHAN M. STRONG

BIOGRAPHY

AS RECORDED IN:

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF
TOLLAND AND WINDHAM COUNTIES CONNECTICUT.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS AND OF MANY OF THE EARLY SETTLED FAMILIES
PUBLISHER: J.H.BEERS & CO., CHICAGO; 1903 P. 424

NATHAN M. STRONG. The history of the Strong family in New England begins with Elder John Strong, who was born in Taunton, England, in 1605, and sailed for New England in the company under Rev. John Wareham, in the ship “Mary and John,” in 1630. In 1635, after having assisted in developing Dorchester, he became the original proprietor of Taunton. He was at Windsor, Conn., and in 1659 at Northampton, Mass., where he was noted as one of its foremost citizens. For forty years he resided in that town. His first wife died on the voyage to New England.

John Strong (2), son of Elder John, born in England in 1620, married (second) 1664, Elizabeth Warriner. He was a tanner and lived at Windsor, where he died in 1697. His second wife died in 1684.

John Strong (3), son of John (2), born in 1665, was married in 1686 to Hannah, a daughter of Deacon John Trumbull, of Suffield, Conn. He made his home in Windsor, where he died in 1749.

Deacon David Strong, son of John (3), was born in 1704, and was married in 1732 to Thankful Loomis, a daughter of Moses Loomis, of Windsor. When eighty years old he married for his second wife a girl of eighteen. He was a farmer in Bolton, and died at the age of ninety-six. For sixty-five years he was a deacon of the Congregational Church.

Ebenezer Strong, son of Deacon David, born in 1754 was married in 1779 to Lucy (Kilbourne) Lawrence, daughter of Benjamin Kilbourne. Her husband, David Lawrence, was killed in the massacre at Wyoming, Pa. Mr. Strong was a farmer in Bolton, and built the house in which Nathan M. was born. He died in 1824, his widow passing away in the following year.

Daniel Strong, son of Ebenezer, born Nov. 18, 1784, was married in 1825 to Sabra, daughter of Nathan and Sarah (Capron) Morgan, who was born in 1797. To this union came the following children: (1) Nancy married Elisha Miner, of Groton, Conn., became the mother of four children, and is now deceased. (2) Daniel, born in 1828, died in New London in 1899, where he had been engaged in farming and railroading. (3) Nathan Morgan is mentioned below. (4) Emeline married George Burdick, of Nyack, N.Y., and is the mother of five children. (5) Lucy married (first) William Salters and (second) William Nye, was the mother of two children, and is now deceased. (6) Amanda became the wife of George Birch, of Waterbury, Conn. Daniel Strong, the father, was a farmer in Bolton. He erected a distillery on the Blackledge river in the south part of Bolton, below the Strong homestead, about 1824. Ira Bliss, his foreman, a most worthy man, was murdered some years ago at Burnside. Mr. Strong was a man of fine character and generous disposition, and his closing years were shadowed by large losses incurred through his generosity and trusting disposition. He died in Bolton, in 1870, and his widow died the following year.

Nathan Morgan Strong, son of Daniel, was born March 24, 1829, and married in Glastonbury, March 12, 1856, Abbie Louise Hollister, who was born in that place May 30, 1830.

THE HOLLISTER FAMILY, to which Mrs. Nathan M Strong belongs, traces its history back to Lieut. John Hollister, who is said to have been born in England in 1612, and came to these shores about 1642. In Wethersfield, Conn., where he settled, he became a noted man, and was deputy a number of times to the General Court. Johanna, his wife, was the daughter of Hon. Richard Treat. He died in Wethersfield in 1665, his widow surviving until 1694.

John Hollister (2), son of Lieut. John, was born in 1644, and was married in 1667, to Sarah Goodrich, daughter of William Goodrich. Mr. Hollister held a leading position in Glastonbury, where he died in 1711; he lost his wife eleven years before.

Thomas Hollister, son of John (2), was born in 1672, and married Dorothy, daughter of Joseph Hills, of Glastonbury, who was born in 1667. Mr. Hollister was a deacon in the church. He died in 1741, his wife the same year.

Josiah Hollister, son of Thomas, was born in 1696, and was married to Martha, a daughter of William Miller, in 1718. They lived in Glastonbury where he was buried. In 1742 he bought land in Sharon.

Elijah Hollister, son of Josiah, born in 1729, (first) married Mehitable Judd, in 1752 and (second) Mary Pratt. He spent his last years in Glastonbury, and represented that town in 1775 in the General Court. He also served in the same position in 1776 and 1780. His death occurred in 1785. His first wife died when only twenty-six years old, and his second wife died the same year as he died.

John Hollister, son of Elijah, born in Farmington, in 1756, was married to Mary, daughter of William Wells, of Glastonbury, in 1781. She was born in 1757. John Hollister passed his life in Glastonbury, where he died in 1835, and his widow in 1838.

Horatio Hollister, son of John, born in 1786, in Glastonbury, married Polly Tullar, Aug. 29, 1809. She was born in 1786, and died in 1841, his death occurring in 1851. They had the following family: Mary Tuller, born June 17, 1810; Martin, May 13, 1812 (died April 8, 1878); John, June 7, 1814 (lives in Glastonbury); Charles, March 28, 1816 (died Dec. 14, 1883); Norman West, 1818 (died May 8, 1853); Julia Ann, June 10, 1820 (died Nov. 14, 1849); Andrew, May 13, 1822 (died Sept. 7, 1846); George, March 29, 1824 (died Feb. 5, 1887); Robert, April 14, 1826; Jane Eliza, March 17, 1828 (wife of George Dean); Abbie Louise, wife of Nathan M. Strong; Elisha, Sept.23, 1833.

Rev. Jonathan Strong, D.D., one of the distinguished representatives of the Strong family, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1786, and was ordained pastor at Randolph, Mass., Jan. 28, 1789. Dr. Strong had superior ability, and was a man of fine spiritual zeal and temper, meeting with large success in the ministry.

Nathan M. Strong, who was born in Bolton, went to live with a cousin in Glastonbury when he was only six years old, and there he made his home until he was twenty-one. His education was obtained at the local schools and in the academy at East Glastonbury, that part of the town now bearing the name of Buckingham. Mr. Strong inherited principally from his parents a strong constitution and unbounded energy. He began farming, but spent a winter in the Cheney Mills at South Manchester, and a second winter in the silk mill. Later he took up the carpenter’s trade, at which he spent six years, working for David Hubbard.

After their marriage Mr. Strong and his wife lived for a time on a rented farm in Glastonbury. In 1859 they came to Vernon, where he bought a farm near the Centre which he held for a time, and then sold to buy another. Mr. Strong has bought and sold a number of farms, and has moved twelve times since his marriage. In 1878 he built his present home near the Centre, one of the modern homes of the town, having steam heat and other up-to-date conveniences. Mr. Strong engaged in carpentry and farm work for a time after coming to Vernon, but for the last twelve years has devoted himself strictly to farming, gardening being his specialty. For two years he raised tobacco.

Mr. And Mrs. Strong have two children: (1) Nathan Hollister, born April 26, 1857, was married Nov. 27, 1878, to Ella M. Dart, a member of the old Dart family of whom a sketch may be found on another page. They have two children, Nathan Morgan, born Sept.17, 1889, and Edna L., born Feb. 20, 1896. (2) Mary Jane, born July 14, 1859, was married in 1889 to Capt. Ebenezer Morgan, who died in 1881. **(see footnote) She is now the widow of Prof. Alonzo Williams, a professor of languages for twenty-seven years in Brown University, whose career was phenomenal. At twelve years of age he was working in a factory and began his education by studying nights. Entering the service during the Civil war as a private, he was promoted to major for signal bravery and conspicuous ability. After the war he went to Europe, studied languages and received a degree.

Mr. Strong cast his first vote for the Democratic party, but since then has voted with the Republicans. The family are members of the Vernon Center Congregational Church, where Mr. Strong rendered valuable and important service as a member of the building committee. Mr. Strong is a well preserved old gentleman, and represents a high type of citizenship. Beginning life with energy and enterprise as his most valuable assets, he has won success by such methods as retained for him the highest respect and esteem of his fellowmen, and has made a name to leave to his posterity of which they will have just cause to feel proud.

**footnote: obviously an incorrect date somewhere, but this is exactly how it is published in the book.

Reproduced by:

Linda D. Pingel

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