Justice Joseph Strong

Notes:

He removed from Northampton to Coventry, in March, 1716, seven years after the first settlement of that town. He was a farmer and a man of property and consideration. He held various town offices of importance, as town treasurer in 1716; selectman for six years; and justice of the peace for many years from 1723 onwards. In 1721, the first year that Coventry was respresented in the Colonial Legislature, he was sent to it as the representative of the town. There were two sessions yearly of the Legislature, in May and October, until 1819. Justice Joseph Strong was for fifty-two times elected a member of the Legislature and including extra sessions was during sixty-five sessions a member of the General Assembly of Connecticut. He was moderator of the first town-meeting held April 24, 1718, and often afterwards of others, holding the office for the last time April 11, 1763, when 90 years old. He was a member of the Colonial Legislature for the last time in May, 1762, when 89 year old. His son, Phinehas being the other representative from Coventry. His second wife was Ruth (last name not discovered) of Coventry, Ct. They had no issue. She died at Glastenbury, Ct., Feb 14, 1768. (Dwight, p. 309).

Joseph married Sarah Allen about 1694 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. Sarah was born on 22 Aug 1672 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; died before 1724. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married Ebenezer ROOT of Coventry.

Notes:

A farmer in Coventry, Ct.: for 13 years a selectman: for a long time justice of the peace; and for 34 years (1739-73), deacon of the First Congregational church. He was for nine sessions a member of the General Assembly and was much in public life. (Dwight, p 330).

Joseph married Elizabeth Strong on 12 May 1724 in Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut. Elizabeth (daughter of Preserved Strong and Tabitha Lee) was born on 27 Sep 1704 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; died on 1 May 1792. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

d. soon (after birth).

Notes:

Benjamin Dwight notes that "he was a farmer at Coventry: a member for fifty-three sessions, including extra ones of the General assembly, having been thirty-eight times elected to the legislature: a selectman for six years, justice of the peace for many years, and for a long period a deacon of the church."

DISTINGUISHED DESCENDANTS of Dea. PHINEHAS STRONG

Glenn Close born 19 March, Greenwich, CT Broadway and film actress and producer Nominated for an Academy Award for her first feature film,
The World According to Garp (Source: SFAA Newsletter, Oct 2002)

Phinehas married Mary Parker on 5 Nov 1724 in Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut. Mary was born before 1706 in Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut; died on 13 Apr 1767. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Never married.

Notes:

m. in 1727, Noah RUST of Coventry.

Family/Spouse: Aaron Strong. Aaron (son of Preserved Strong and Tabitha Lee) was born on 14 May 1708 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Elizabeth married Richard (Dea.) Hale on 27 May 1746 in Newburyport, Essex County, Massachusetts. Richard was born on 28 Feb 1716; died on 1 Jun 1802. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Benajah married Lucy Bishop about 1769 in Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut. Lucy was born about 1747; died about 1783. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She married Thomas Page of Coventry.

Notes:

She married James Pinneo, a descendant of James Pinneo, a Hugenot refugee from France, who settled in Lebanon, Connecticut. He was also the the ancestor of Anna Pinneo, the wife of Elisha Strong.

Notes:

A farmer in Coventry and Sharon, Ct., and finally in Ashland, Greene County, New York (1785-1805), where he owned a large tract of land. He was killed by the kick of a horse.

Family/Spouse: Anna Pinneo. Anna was born about 1746; died on 18 Nov 1818 in Windham, Greene County, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

NATHAN HALE was born on June 6, 1755 in Coventry, Connecticut. His father was a prosperous Coventry farmer, and Nathan was the sixth of twelve children born into the family. His parents held very strong religious beliefs and were advocates of a rigid Puritan work ethic. The Hale children grew up very much influenced by their parents' beliefs in religion, hard work, and education. The days of Nathan Hale's youth were marked with mounting political controversy. The American Revolution was in its infancy, and more and more people were promoting radical ideas that pertained to individual liberties and sovereignty. Nathan Hale took the ideas of individual and political freedoms to heart, and gained a sense of purpose. In a sense, he was very fortunate. His family had the means to send him off to Yale College at the young age of 14. His older brother Enoch was also sent to Yale at the same time. In these years, Yale was primarily a school that prepared young men for the ministry, focusing on religion and the classics. The school was evolving, however, and Nathan absorbed not only ideas in religion and the classics, but also other areas of thought, such as business, astronomy, writing, mathematics, philosophy, and law. During his years at Yale, Nathan Hale became a confident young man, supported by his ethical beliefs, willing and able to speak to others about his ideas. He graduated from Yale at the age of 18, at the top of his class.

When he graduated from Yale in 1773, he accepted a teaching position in East Haddam, Connecticut, and shortly thereafter he was offered a position as the master of the New London, Connecticut Grammar School. All during this period, the political controversies between the Colonies and England were rising to a head. When war broke out, Nathan Hale put his ideals ahead of his immediate comfort, and volunteered his services to the cause of the Revolution. He served as a lieutenant, then a captain, and then as an officer in Thomas Knowlton's elite Knowlton Rangers. In 1776, George Washington needed to gain an advantage on the British. He solicited capable officers who could infiltrate the British forces; in short, Washington needed spies. Nathan Hale volunteered. The details of what happened next are not entirely clear, and never will be. But we do know that Hale was captured by the British in New York on September 21, 1776. We also know that the British General William Howe attempted to bribe Hale for information and a change in allegiance. Nathan Hale stood by his principles. He refused to betray his country, and without a hearing or a trial, he was sentenced to be hanged.

Nathan Hale died in New York on September 22, 1776 because he held to his convictions. Before he was hanged, he bravely spoke words that will never, ever, die: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." Nathan Hale died very young, at the age of 21, but his dedication to his beliefs are one of the symbols of of American bravery and principles.

http://www.netstate.com/states/peop/people/ct_nh.htm

A painting depicting this scene can be found in the Aug-Sept DAR Magazine, and is copied in the November 1996 SFAA newsletter. (The Nov. 1996 Newsletter also contains a five page biography of him).

Joseph married Rebecca Young on 8 Sep 1796 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Rebecca was born about 1780; died about 1862. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

A farmer and hotel-keeper and a deacon in the Presbyterian church at Ashland (the Windham), N.Y., where he d. Oct. 3, 1826. (Dwight, p. 485).

Family/Spouse: Mary Robertson. Mary was born on 5 Apr 1778; died on 31 Mar 1850 in Elyria, Lorain County, Ohio. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]