Sthreshley Surname

Newer information on this page is attributed to an ancestral file posted by Pat Briel. I have not corroborated this research but it fits well with what I have. Besides the difference in name spellings this family is difficult to trace because of the very intricate family history. People in this family usually married their cousins. For example, my ancestor Susan Sthreshley Brodie was descended in three different ways from William and Hannah Upshaw. She was also descended in two different ways from Thomas and Hannah Sthreshley. That does not even count the other marriages which resulted in numerous connections between these families.

Thomas Sthreshley was born circa 1665. He died in Essex Co., Virginia.

may have been the immigrant ancestor of this family. He was probably born in the 1660's and was in Virginia as a youth. He was married to Elizabeth Reeves and had at least one child: Thomas (see next generation). Thomas died after 1735 in Essex County, Virginia.

They had at least one child:

1	Thomas Sthreshley

Thomas Sthreshley was born circa 1690, probably in Virginia. He died circa 1735 in Essex Co., Virginia.

Father: Thomas Sthreshley
Mother: Elizabeth Reeves

He is the earliest known member of the family and he may or may not have been the father of the next generation. The name of Thomas' wife was probably Hannah. He may have had at least three children: Tamazen (md. William Upshaw), Elizabeth (md. Nicholas Lafon), and William (see next generation). Thomas died about 1735 in Essex Co., Virginia.

They had the following children:

1	Tamazen Sthreshley was born circa 1715 in Virginia. She married William Upshaw.
2	Elizabeth Sthreshley was born circa 1719 in Virginia. She died after 1757 in Essex Co., Virginia. She married Nicholas Lafon circa 1740 in Virginia.
3	William Sthreshley
4	Thomas Sthreshley
5	Hannah Sthreshley
6	Mary Sthreshley
7	Sarah Sthreshley was born on February 3, 1715/6 in Essex Co., Virginia. She died in 1805 in Rowan Co., North Carolina. She married Erasmus Withers Allen circa 1738 in Virginia.

William Sthreshley was born about 1725 in Virginia. He died circa 1750 in Essex Co., Virginia.

Father: Thomas Sthreshley
Mother: Hannah

He was raised in Essex Co., Virginia, where he married Suca Jones in about 1745. Sadly, William did not survive for long and had two sons: Thomas and William (see next generation). William died circa 1750 after only about 5 years of marriage. Afterwards, his widow Suca remarried to James Upshaw in about 1751 and he was appointed as guardian of William's sons. Apparently, Suca died in about 1760.

They had the following children:

1	Thomas Sthreshley
2	William Sthreshley was born on December 22, 1749 in Essex Co., Virginia 5. He died on May 11, 1830 in Virginia 5. He married Elizabeth Buckner in Virginia.

Thomas Sthreshley was born circa 1746 in Virginia. He died on February 25, 1829 in Fayette Co., Kentucky ⁷.

Father: William Sthreshley
Mother: Suca Jones

At an early age, Thomas' father died and he was raised by his step-father, James Upshaw. Thomas was married to his cousin Martha Hipkins, probably in the mid 1760s in Essex County, Virginia. They lived in Essex and later King George County, Virginia before moving to Fayette County, Kentucky in about 1794.

Thomas was a large landowner, and owned various tracts of land in Fayette and Jefferson County, Kentucky. His home was on the South Elkhorn Creek in the western part of Fayette County. During his life, Thomas was often known as "Major" Thomas Sthreshley, indicating some previous military service. Thomas wrote his will on February 23, 1829. He named his children and two of his grandchildren. He died two days later on February 25, 1829 in Fayette County, Kentucky. The will was probated in March 1829.

Thomas was a slave owner. During his lifetime, he is known for emancipating/freeing several of his slaves and giving them land. In his 1829 will, he specifically liberated two slaves, named Pompey and Catey. Several of his freed slaves used land he gave to them to form a community named Reform (later called Slickaway; then Fort Springs; now a neighborhood on the outskirts of the city of Lexington).

Father: Samuel Hipkins
Mother: Margaret Upshaw

Martha probably died between the 1820 census enumeration and February 1829, when her husband wrote his will and she was not named.

1	William Sthreshley
2	Margaret Sthreshley was born on September 23, 1768 in Virginia 5. She died on December 22, 1819 in Fayette Co., Kentucky 5. She married James Berryman on October 15, 1787 in Westmoreland Co., Virginia 8. (He was born on March 28, 1764 in Virginia and died on May 23, 1812 in Fayette Co., Kentucky.) They had the following children: James Sthreshley Berryman (c. 1789-1856) md. Elizabeth Matilda Waring John H. Berryman Upshaw Berryman Ethelmer Berryman Francis Berryman Newton Berryman Thomas H. Berryman
3	Frances Hipkins Sthreshley was born circa 1770 in Virginia. She died before August 9, 1830 in Franklin Co., Kentucky. She married first William Bohannon on October 10, 1794. She married second Samuel Hoggins on March 29, 1823 in Franklin Co., Kentucky.
4	Susan Sthreshley was born on April 6, 1774 in Virginia. She died on June 20, 1846 in Hopkinsville, Christian Co., Kentucky. She is buried in the Riverside Cemetery, Hopkinsville, Christian Co., Kentucky. She married Daniel Preston circa 1795 in Virginia. (He died sometime between March 3 and March 30, 1829 in Hopkinsville, Christian Co., Kentucky. He is buried in the Riverside Cemetery, Hopkinsville, Christian Co., Kentucky.) They had no known children.
5	Mary Ann Sthreshley was born circa 1777 in Essex Co., Virginia. She died on March 20, 1831 in Russellville, Logan Co., Kentucky. She married first John O'Bannon before 1810, in Kentucky or Virginia. (He died before April 1813 in Woodford Co., Kentucky) They had no known children. Her husband did have two known daughters, Elizabeth O'Bannon Cotton and Eliza O'Bannon Bucham, who were probably born from an unknown earlier marriage. She married second John Jackson on November 3, 1813 in Woodford Co., Kentucky. (He died before May 1816 in Woodford Co., Kentucky. They had no children. John did have 9 children from an earlier marriage: Mariah, America, Mary, Alice, David, Richard, John, William and another whose name is not known. She married third Richard Bibb on or after December 25, 1817 in Woodford Co., Kentucky They had no children. Mary had no known children, but she had step children by each of her husbands, who were all widowers when she married them. Her stepson David Jackson was married to her niece Juliet Sthreshley.
6	Martha Upshaw Sthreshley was born circa 1780 in Essex Co., Virginia. She died after 1850 in Kentucky. She married Sanford Keen on November 30, 1805 in Fayette Co., Kentucky 5.
7	Alice I. Sthreshley was born circa 1785 in Virginia. She died after 1829. She married John Kinkead on July 7, 1809 in Fayette Co., Kentucky 4.

William Sthreshley was born circa 1766 in Virginia. He died before July 13, 1812 in Fayette Co., Kentucky.

Father: Thomas Sthreshley
Mother: Martha Hipkins

William was born and raised in Virginia, probably in King George County. The family was wealthy and apparently owned land in neighboring counties of King George, Caroline, Essex and Spotsylvania. In about 1794, William moved out west to Kentucky with his family. In 1795, he was on a tax list in Fayette County, Kentucky. After this, he returned to Virginia. In about 1797, William married a widow named Lucy Waring (his cousin). They moved to Kentucky sometime between March and June of 1798. In March 1798 in Essex County, Virginia, William appointed his cousin John Jones as his attorney to recover money on his behalf. William's first child, Mary, was born in June 1798, apparently in Fayette County, Kentucky.

William settled with his family in western Fayette County, between Lexington and Versailles. They first lived on Shannon Run before moving to a different estate on nearby South Elkhorn Creek. He also owned land in neighboring Woodford County. William was a wealthy slave owner in Fayette County, Kentucky. He died between 1811 (when he was on the tax list for that year) and before July 13, 1812, when his widow Lucy was appointed guardian of their children. Lucy continued to raise his children until she died 6 years later.

(Note: Earlier it was believed that this William was actually the brother of Thomas Sthreshley and the son of William and Suca Sthreshley. Newer evidence places William as a son of Thomas. The William son of William and Suca married someone else and died at a different time.)

They had the following children:

1	Mary Louisa Sthreshley was born on June 1, 1798 in Fayette Co., Kentucky 5. She died on June 16, 1877 in Macomb, McDonough Co., Illinois 5. She is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery, Macomb, McDonough Co., Illinois. She married Thomas Alexander Brooking on January 25, 1816 in Fayette Co., Kentucky 4. (He was born on January 20, 1795 in Richmond, Nottaway Co., Virginia and died on February 25, 1858 in Macomb, McDonald Co., Illinois. He is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery, Macomb, McDonough Co., Illinois.) They had the following children: Elizabeth Randolph Brooking (1816-1872) md. Joseph P. Updegraff Lucy Streshley Brooking (1818-1880) md. John C. Snyder Matilda Jane Brooking (1819-1907) md. William H. Randolph Edward S. Brooking (1821-1864) md. Mary Cawkings William Thomas Brooking (1824-1910) md. Louisiana Walker Mary V. Brooking (1826-1839) Alexander Vivion Brooking (1829-1916) md. 1st Elizabeth Hampton Randolph md. 2nd Mary Elizabeth Butler Marie Louise Brooking (1831-1853) md. John W. Randolph Ann Augusta Brooking (1834-1896) md. John R. Palmer Marion R. Brooking (1837-1852) Robert Sherwin Brooking (1839-1919) md. 1st Sarah A. Bash md. 2nd. Sally F. N. Julia E. Brooking (1844-1908) md. James H. Randolph Thomas worked at many different professions during his adulthood, and worked as a lawyer, a merchant, a teacher and an innkeeper. From 1816 to about 1819, they lived at Richmond, Virginia. Then from about 1819 to about 1824, they lived at Union County, Kentucky. Then from about 1824 to 1834, they lived in Caldwell County, Kentucky. In 1834, they moved to McDonough County, Illinois, where they remained.
2	Marcia Preston Sthreshley was born circa 1800 in Fayette Co., Kentucky 6. She died sometime between 1870 and 1880. She married Guy Hamilton on February 9, 1820 in Woodford Co., Kentucky 4. (He was born circa 1800 in Pennsylvania and died after 1850.) They probably had one child, a male, born in the early 1820's. No further information After their marriage, Guy and Marcia lived in Woodford County, Kentucky, probably in Versailles. Sometime during the 1830s they moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where they were living in 1840 and 1850. Guy and Marcia were apparently separated during the 1850s. In 1860 and 1866, Marcia was living in the house of her half-sister Elizabeth Berryman in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. In 1870, she was living in the house of her niece-in-law Martha Jackson in Madison, Indiana. It is not known where she went after this, but she probably died before 1880. During the 1870s, her sister Juliet moved to Franklin County, Kentucky and her niece Martha moved to Nebraska.
3	Susan Martha Sthreshley
4	Juliet Upshaw Sthreshley was born on June 20, 1804 in Fayette Co., Kentucky 5. She died sometime between May and July of 1877 in Franklin Co., Kentucky. She married David L. Jackson on November 9, 1822 in Woodford Co., Kentucky 4. (He was born circa 1800 and died sometime between January and May, 1831 in Fayette Co., Kentucky.) They had the following children: James Sthreshley Jackson (1823-1862) md. Martha Buford Lucy Elizabeth Jackson (1828-1859) md. William Taylor Buckner Juliet and her husband lived in Fayette County, Kentucky. After his death, she moved to adjacent Woodford County, Kentucky. There, she was a member of the Pisgah Presbyterian Church in Versailles. In 1849 or 1850, she moved to Hopkinsville, Christian County, Kentucky, where she lived with her daughter Lucy. In 1860, she was still living in Hopkinsville in the house of her half-sister Elizabeth Berryman. She was still living in Hopkinsville in 1866. In 1870, Juliet was living in Madison, Indiana in the household of her daughter-in-law Martha Jackson. Sometime after this, she moved to Franklin County, Kentucky, where she wrote her will on April 2, 1877 and a codicil to it on May 18, 1877. The will was proven in court on July 2, 1877. Juliet's son James Jackson was a lawyer and a member of the US Congress in addition to being a rather famous General in the Union side during the Civil War.
5	Thomas Lucian Sthreshley was born circa 1810-1812 in Fayette Co., Kentucky. He died before September 1835, probably in Fayette or Jefferson Co., Kentucky. He married Mary R. Berryman, widow of George Boswell, on March 9, 1835, probably in Fayette Co., Kentucky. (She was born circa 1815 in Kentucky and died on November 16, 1886 in Lexington, Fayette Co., Kentucky. She is buried in the Lexington Cemetery, Lexington, Fayette Co., Kentucky.) They had no known children. Thomas died less than 6 months after his marriage. He was about 23-25 years old. At the time of his death, he owned property in both Jefferson and Fayette County and it is not clear where he lived or died.

Susan Martha Sthreshley was born on March 23, 1802 ^1,3 or March 28, 1802 ² in Fayette County, Kentucky. She died on August 22, 1854 in Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee ^1,2,3. She is buried in the Riverview Cemetery, Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.

Father: William Sthreshley
Mother: Lucy Upshaw

Susan was probably named after two of her father's sisters: Susan Preston and Martha Keen. Susan was raised in Fayette County, Kentucky; about halfway between the cities of Lexington and Versailles. Then in 1818, Susan was orphaned at the age of 16. After this, she was put under the legal guardianship of James Berryman, who was married to her half-sister. Over the next 7 years, she apparently spent her time living with different relatives. Her obituary indicates that she had professed religion in 1819 in Logan County, Kentucky; which is where her aunt Mary Bibb lived. In 1820, she was probably enumerated in the household of her sister Elizabeth Berryman in Versailles in Woodford County, Kentucky. Sometime between 1820 and 1825, she probably went to Hopkinsville, in Christian County, Kentucky, to live with her aunt and namesake Susan Preston. It was probably while living there that Susan met and became engaged to a local doctor. Susan and Dr. David Brodie were married on March 23, 1825 (her 23rd birthday) at Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

After the marriage they settled in neighboring Montgomery County, Tennessee, where David's family lived. They had 6 children: Ethalinda, Lucian, John, Madora, Henry, and Frank. Susan spent the remainder of her life in Montgomery County, Tennessee. They primarily lived on farms northwest of Clarksville at what is now Fort Campbell. They also lived within the city of Clarksville. Susan died of an unknown "protracted and painful" illness on August 22, 1854 in Clarksville, Tennessee, at the age of 52. In adulthood, Susan was a dedicated member of the Methodist church. Her obituary referred to her having a gentle spirit, being naturally timid and that the author had "seldom, if ever, known a better woman than sister B".

It's a guess that Susan might have used the nickname "Sudie" during her lifetime. She was only ever listed with the name Susan, however her granddaughter Susan Jones used the nickname Sudie; and another granddaughter was named Sudie Brodie.

For information on their children, see his page.

1. Tombstone inscriptions, Riverview Cemetery, Clarksville, Tennessee
2. Whitley, Edythe R. Red River Settlers. 1980.
3. Obituary of Susan Broaddie, Louisville and Nashville Christian Advocate, October 5, 1854
4. Kentucky Marriages to 1850, Ancestry.com
5. Online gedcom family files
6. Assorted US Federal census records
7. Death notice of Thomas Sthreshley, Kentucky Reporter, March 4, 1829
8. Virginia Marriages to 1800, Ancestry.com