Strother Surname

Christopher Strother was born circa 1710s-1720s, probably in Virginia. He died before April 30, 1795 in Franklin Co., North Carolina.

Christopher was born and raised in Virginia; probably in the part of Richmond County that became King George County. The family probably moved to Orange County, Virginia during the late 1730s. Christopher was probably living there when his father wrote his will there in June 1740. He was in Orange County in 1743 and 1746. In November 1746, he was described as a resident of St. Mary's Parish in Caroline County, Virginia. Christopher was next described as living in Fairfax County, Virginia in October 1749 when he sold the land that was left to him by his father. Sometime between 1749 and 1758, Christopher had moved south to North Carolina. He settled in Granville County, North Carolina and remained in that general area for the duration of his life. There, they were in the part of Granville County that became Bute County in 1764 and then Franklin County in 1779. However, their family apparently briefly lived in neighboring Edgecombe County, North Carolina during the 1760s. (They purchased land there in August 1762 and sold the same land in November 1771. In August 1768, they were described as residents of Edgecombe County. Their daughter Sarah was married there in February 1770.)

Many researchers suggest that Christopher had military service in the Revolutionary War, which is also accepted by the Daughters of the American Revolution. There certainly was a Christopher Strother who had war service in North Carolina, and was paid for that service in 1784. However it's more likely that the soldier was his son Christopher Strother Jr. (see below).

Christopher died sometime between March 1792 (when he sold land to his son James) and April 1795 (when he was described as deceased in a deed between his sons). In June 1795, his son James Strother was appointed the administrator of his estate.

Various genealogies have accepted that her maiden name was Kemp, yet the source of that name is unknown and does not seem to derive from any contemporary record. However other Strother relatives did have documented relationships with Kemps, and she did have at least two grandchildren with the middle name Kemp. Multiple Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) applications provide her last name as Kemp and their marriage occurring on November 26, 1746 in Caroline County, Virginia. There is no known source for that marriage, but the general time and place seems plausible (note that it was only 4 days after Christopher was described as a resident of Caroline County when he sold land in Orange County, Virginia).

Ann was described as Christopher's wife in 1763, 1768, and 1771 (spelled variously as "Ann" and "Anne"), otherwise her name appears on no known records. She probably died before 1795, when she was not described as a legatee of her husband's estate.

1	Sarah Strother was born circa 1749 2, probably in Virginia. She died on July 5, 1842 2, probably in Franklin Co., North Carolina. She married James Murphree on or after February 25, 1770 in Edgecombe Co., North Carolina. They had the following children: Sally B. Murphree (c. 1770s-c. 1846) Nancy Murphree (c. 1770s-aft. 1830) md. James Milner Martha Murphree (1776-1857) md. Sherrod Wooten Elizabeth Murphree (c. 1780-aft. 1860) Mary "Polly" Murphree (c. 1781-1851) md. Alexander Thomas Catherine Murphree (c. 1785-aft. 1860) md. 1st Britton Deloach md. 2nd John Barnes Rebecca Murphree Harriett Murphree (c. 1795-c. 1872) James Strother Murphree (1796-1856) md. Matilda Dyer Susan Murphree (c. 1800-aft. 1860) Josiah Murphree Sarah and her husband settled in Franklin County, North Carolina, where they both lived until their deaths. Her husband wrote his will on October 16, 1824, in which he described his wife and 11 children. His will was proven in June 1826.
2	John Strother was probably born in the 1740s or 1750s, in Virginia or North Carolina. He died sometime between 1798 and 1839. Details of John's life are unclear. He was alive after his father's death in 1795 and 1798, and then described as deceased in 1839 in his sister Mary's estate records. He was probably the John Strother who sold land in Franklin County, North Carolina in October 1797 and was possibly the John Strother enumerated in Franklin County in 1800. John probably moved west to Tennessee with several of his siblings. Based on his sister Mary's estate records, his children (or descendants) were probably John Strother, Polly Strother, Nancy Strother who married Hezekiah Davis, Elizabeth Strother who married a Myers, Robert Strother, Martha Strother who married a Hale, Mariah Strother and Melbry Strother who married a Williams. Some early genealogies indicated he married Jane Fussell (and was the same person who settled in Hancock Co., Georgia) 7. However that has already been disproven by other genealogists. In addition, neither that John nor any of his children were described as heirs of Mary Strother Felts in 1839.
3	Ann "Nancy" Strother was born circa 1756 3 in Virginia or North Carolina. She died on October 28, 1832 in Franklin Co., North Carolina 3. She married Garrett Goodloe in about 1777. They had the following children: William Henry Goodloe (1778-1861) md. Elizabeth Mebane Ann Judd Goodloe (c. 1780-c. 1811) James Kemp Goodloe (c. 1786-1860s) md. 1st Mary Reaves Jones md. 2nd Ann H. Hill Robert Garrett Goodloe (c. 1793-c. 1862) md. Mary Ann Harper French Strother Goodloe (c. 1797-aft. 1850) md. Martha Ann Wright Dabney Minor Goodloe (1799-1886) md. Adaline Short Goodloe Ann was probably married to Garrett Goodloe sometime before November 1777, when her father sold him 200 acres of land in Bute (now Franklin) County. Ann and Garrett remained in Franklin County for the duration of their lives.
4	James Strother was born on August 11, 1763 in North Carolina. He died on June 17, 1843 in Franklin Co., North Carolina. He married Martha "Patsey" Bowers. They had children: William Henry Strother (1793-1862) md. Sarah Beatrice McLeroy James Kemp Strother (1795-1822) md. Ann Bryant Frances Birch Strother (c. 1798-aft. 1850) md. Joshua Mabry Christopher Judd Strother (1800-1854) md. Margaret Lemay Green Bowers Strother (1804-1872) md. Mary E. Smith Charlotte Temple Strother (1806-1873) md. Burwell Baker Edmund Hines Strother (1809-1844) md. Sarah Ann Johnston Gwinford Pope Strother (1811-1871) md. Louisa C. B. Richards David Clark Strother (1813-1840) George Washington Strother (1817-1894) md. 1st. Helen M. Strother (his first cousin, see below) md. 2nd Virginia C. Goodloe (his first cousin, once removed) James and his wife settled in Franklin County, North Carolina, where they both lived until their deaths.
5	Elizabeth Strother
6	Mary Strother was born circa 1760s in North Carolina. She died in September 1838 4 in Smith Co., Tennessee. She married Boling Felts probably between 1787 and 1795. He was born circa 1763 and died on February 2, 1812 4 in Smith Co., Tennessee. They had no children, but she did have one step-child: Anne Felts (c. 1786-1852) who married William Sullivan. Boling Felts was from Sussex County, Virginia. He was described in his father's will of December 1771, from which he inherited land in that county. On September 27, 1785, Bolling was documented as being married to a Mary Felts. Then in October 1787, Boling and his wife Mary sold their land in Sussex County and moved away (they were not located in any tax lists in that county after 1787). In 1790, Boling was living in Wake County, North Carolina (which was adjacent to Franklin County where the Strothers lived). Then in June 1799, Boling sold 131 acres of land in Wake County. Presumably, he moved west to Tennessee at that time. In June 1800, he was described as a resident of Wilson County, Tennessee when he purchased land on Smith Fork in Wilson County. Then in September 1801, he purchased additional land (also on Smith Fork) in adjacent Smith County, Tennessee. Boling spent the rest of his life in Smith County. He wrote his will on January 29, 1812 in which he described his wife Mary and daughter Anne Sullivan. It is unclear when Mary Strother married Boling Felts, although it must have been before October 1795 (when Bolling was described as a legatee of her father Christopher Strother). Many researchers have guessed that theirs was the 1785 marriage in Sussex County, Virginia. However we know that Boling was married at least twice and that his daughter Anne (born circa 1786) was the daughter of an earlier marriage (various contemporary records are explicitly clear that Mary Strother was Anne's step-mother). My guess then is that both of Boling's wives were named Mary and that he married Mary Strother sometime after moving to Wake County, North Carolina. After her husband's death, Mary continued living in Smith County until she died sometime in September 1838. At the time of her death, she owned 160 acres in Smith County. She had no children herself, so in 1839 her heirs were described as her three living siblings (Sarah Murphree, Judd Strother and James Strother) and the heirs of her four deceased siblings (Elizabeth Parrish, Judith Michie, Ann Goodloe and John Strother). Eventually, her heirs sold her land to her step-daughter Anne Sullivan. Many online family trees incorrectly list her name as "Nancy", which confuses her with her sister Ann (who actually used the nickname "Nancy").
7	Judith "Judah" Strother was born circa 1767 6 in North Carolina. She died sometime between 1836 and 1839, probably in Lawrence or Wayne Co., Tennessee. She married first Thomas Flood probably between 1788 and 1795. (He was born circa 1760 in Buckingham Co., Virginia and died on or about June 2, 1810 in Wilson Co., Tennessee 5). They had the following children: Nancy Strother Flood (c. 1796-aft. 1870) md. Harris Smith Elizabeth Judith Flood (c. 1799-c. 1872) md. William Michie Robert Boling Flood (c. 1802-c. 1840s) md. Mary "Polly" D. Michie Thomas Henry Flood (1803-1871) md. 1st Martha Walker md. 2nd Dorothy G. Gilchrist Lucy Davis Flood (c. 1806-aft. 1860) md. Joseph Pearce John Jefferson Flood (1807-1864) md. 1st Frances Hoggatt Russell md. 2nd Mary Ellen Prewitt md. 3rd Mary Guirey McConnell She married second George Michie on or after June 1, 1816 in Wilson Co., Tennessee. He died in about 1843 in Wayne Co., Tennessee. They did not have any children. Judith's first husband Thomas Flood was living in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, where he married Elizabeth Gale and had one child: Mary "Polly" Thomas Flood (1788-1870) who married William Stockard. He was living there in 1787 and 1788, and then moved away. His first wife died sometime between 1788 and 1795. He was next found in October 1795, described as a legatee of Christopher Strother - suggesting he was probably then living in North Carolina and had married to Judith sometime before October 1795. Judith and Thomas moved west to Tennessee in about 1799, where they settled in Wilson County. Thomas purchased land there in February 1800. After Thomas' death in 1810, Judith continued to live in Wilson County with her children. In 1816, she married a widower named George Michie, who was also from Wilson County. Then sometime in the late 1810s or early 1820s (possibly in 1818 and 1819), she moved with some of her family to southern Tennessee, where they settled in the neighboring counties of Lawrence and Wayne. In March 1827, they were living in Wayne County, Tennessee when her second husband applied for a Revolutionary War pension. She was described in his application as "my wife Judah aged about sixty years infirm and not able to support hirself (sic)". In March 1836, Judith was living in Lawrence County, Tennessee when she deeded personal property to her daughter Lucy in lieu of writing a will. She was then described as deceased in March 1839 in a record about the estate of her sister Mary. Note that some early genealogies incorrectly describe her as "Dorothy Strother, m. Thomas Floyd (?)" 2 getting both her first name and husband's last name wrong.
8	Judd Strother was born on February 23, 1771 2 in North Carolina. He died on February 27, 1843 2 in Smith Co., Tennessee. He married first Rebecca Terry on or after December 15, 1787 in Franklin Co., North Carolina. She died in 1801 2. They had one known child: William Strother (1798-1861) md. Dicy Crutchfield He married second Elizabeth Sullivan in about 1803 in Tennessee. They had the following children: Henry Strother (c. 1803-1875) md. Mary Ann Woodward Mary "Polly" M. Strother (1807-1859) md. ??? Gilmore md. William Clinton Sweatt Permelia Strother (c. 1809-1845) md. Samuel Thompson Vaden Amanda Strother (c. 1811-c. 1857) md. William A. Cook Hixie Strother (1813-aft. 1880) md. Harold D. Marchbanks Helen M. Strother (1818-1856) md. George Washington Strother Eliza Judd Strother (1821-1880) md. James Meredith Shepherd Rebecca Jane Strother (1824-aft. 1910) md. William E. Roscoe After his marriage 1787, Judd continued living in Franklin County, North Carolina. In February 1801, he sold his land in North Carolina. In about 1803, he moved out west to Smith County, Tennessee; where he remained. Judd wrote his will on June 28, 1838, which was proven in March 1843.
9	Eleanor "Nelly" Strother died sometime between 1798 and 1839. It is not known when Eleanor was born. She was unmarried when her father died in 1795 and she was still alive in 1798. It is unknown what happened to her after this date. She was not described as an heir of her sister Mary Felts in 1839.
10-13?	Other researchers suggest that there were additional children: Richard Strother, Christopher Strother Jr., William Strother and Dorothy Strother. Richard Strother There was a Richard Strother who lived in the same part of North Carolina as Christopher. In about 1790, he sold his land in North Carolina. He was probably the Richard Strother who moved west to Sumner County, Tennessee at that time. He wrote his will in September 1809, in which he described a wife Susanna and children James, Robert, Susanna Pitt, Nancy Hollis, and Betsy McConnell. However my guess is that although Richard Strother was related to this family that he was not a child of Christopher (neither him nor any of his children were described as heirs of Mary Felts who died in 1838.) Christopher Strother Jr. In December 1776, a "Christopher Strother" was a witness to a deed from "Christopher Strother" (suggesting that they were different people - although oddly neither of them used a "Jr." or "Sr." suffix in their name). In 1784, a Christopher Strother was paid for Revolutionary War military service (although this could have been his father, it's more likely that the soldier was the age of his son). Then in December 1791, John Strother was appointed administrator of the estate of Christopher Strother Jr. William Strother In December 1791, John Strother was appointed administrator of the estates of William Strother (at the same time he was also appointed as administrator of the estate of Christopher Strother Jr.) Dorothy Strother Some genealogies describe a daughter named Dorothy that married Thomas Floyd 2. It is now obvious that she was being confused with daughter Judith who married Thomas Flood. However it is certainly possible that there was a daughter named Dorothy who died in infancy or childhood, but there would be no evidence to ever corroborate that.

Elizabeth Strother was born circa 1760s in North Carolina. She died sometime between 1819 and 1839, probably in Tennessee.

Father: Christopher Strother
Mother: Ann

Elizabeth Strother was probably born during the mid-1760s (a guess based on the approximate year of her marriage and the births of her known children) but in reality we have no idea when she was born. She was probably born in what is now Franklin County, North Carolina (then either Granville or Bute) or what is now Nash County, North Carolina (then Edgecombe). By 1771, her parents had settled in what is now Franklin County, North Carolina; where they remained.

Elizabeth married Henry Parrish probably in about 1785 in Franklin County. They continued living in Franklin County after their marriage. Her husband purchased land there in December 1788 and sold it in March 1792. Then in October 1795 and March 1798, Henry was described as a legatee of her father in his estate records when he was distributed part of the estate (household items and money). Then in October 1798, Henry was described as a resident of Sumner County, Tennessee when he took out a lease for land on Bartons Creek in the part of Sumner County that became Wilson County in 1799.

Elizabeth and her family continued living in Wilson County, Tennessee. By 1805, they had settled on a 150-acre estate on Cedar Lick Creek in that county. They were living there when Henry died sometime before May 1811. Afterwards, Elizabeth and her oldest son David were appointed as joint administrators of his estate. Then on April 14, 1814, Elizabeth married a widower named Lewis Shapard. Their joint family continued living on their Parrish estate in Wilson County. Lewis took over as administrator of Henry Parrish's estate and as guardian for her minor children. Then in February 1816, Lewis advertised that Elizabeth had abandoned him and was racking up debts in his name. Presumably, she had moved out of the Parrish estate with her children and probably moved somewhere nearby. In December 1818, most of her children sold their father's land in Wilson County. Lewis initiated the divorce process and they were divorced in March 1819 on the grounds of Elizabeth's "willful and malicious desertion" for the previous 2 years.

There is no record of what happened to Elizabeth after her divorce in March 1819. My guess is that Elizabeth continued living with one of her children or siblings that lived in the general area (possibly Smith, Wilson, or Sumner County). She was described as deceased in February 1839 in the estate records for her sister Mary Strother Felts.

They had children.

They had no children.

1. Strother, Edward L. The Strother Family. 300 Years from Virginia to Louisiana. Gateway Press, Baltimore, MD, 2002.
2. Heard, Harold. Strother Families. Amarillo, TX.
3. Obituary of Ann Goodloe, Raleigh Register and North Carolina Gazette, Nov. 23, 1832, Pg. 3.
4. Smith County [Tennessee] Chancery Court Minutes, Vol. 4, Pg. 290
5. Widow's dower allotment for Judith Flood, December 1810. (Wilson County Loose Court Papers, Box 41, Folder 20).
6. Revolutionary War Pension Application of George Michie, 1827
7. Smith County [Tennessee] Circuit Court Minutes, 1817-1819, Page 393
8. Wilson County [Tennessee] Loose Files of County Court, Box 13, Folder 8, Image 2206 (Familysearch)