Hezekiah Bulkley Strong

1822 - Aft 1880  (58 years)

• Name	Hezekiah Bulkley Strong  [1, 2, 3]
  Birth	30 Jan 1822	Vesper, Onondaga County, New York   [2, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Death	Aft 1880
  Notes	"a farmer in Butler, Johnson Co., O (sic): m. in 1843 Caroline STOCKING (dau. of Hezekiah STOCKING and Abigail HUBBARD)." (Dwight, p 194). The census listing for Hezekiah and Caroline from 1850 through 1880 follow. It is noteworthy that 1850, 1860 and 1870, Hezekiah had either a niece or nephew living with him. Hezekiah's biography, which also follows, indicates he was a prosperous man. Perhaps he was helping family members who were struggling to provide for their families. Or perhaps it was his pioneering spirit that attracted his relatives to his home. HEZEKIAH B. STRONG one of the prominent early settlers of Nebraska, and who probably arrived here before anyone in this locality now living, has for the last twenty-two years been a resident of Todd Creek Precinct, and is the owner of a valuable farm embracing 185 acres of highly cultivated land with commodious and substantial buildings. He at one time owned a much larger acreage, but has sold off considerable. Our subject arrived on the soil of Nebraska the 7th day of August, 1856, nearly eleven years before it was admitted into the Union as a State. He had made the journey overland from Wisconsin with teams and crossed the Missouri River on a flatboat. He settled first in Richardson County, near the present site of Falls City, but a year later changed his location to the present site of Nemaha City. There he purchased land, paying $1,000 for 160 acres, in Buchanan's Addition, taking all he could secure. That land he improved, making two miles of fence the first year. He held the property five years, in the meantime erecting buildings, setting out twenty acres of forest trees and two or three acres of fruit. In company with his wife and daughters, he put up one of the finest barns then in the county. This farm is now owned by Thomas Kean, and lies three miles southwest of Nemaha. The neighbors of Mr. Strong at the time of his coming here were few and far between, and Indians roamed over the country, but aside from stealing whatever they could lay their hands upon, they did not molest the settlers, who were thankful to get off thus easily. Mr. Strong finally took up his residence on the Nemaha River, purchasing a tract of land in 1865, where he. began the building up of a homestead which he has disposed of. He was the founder of the town of Butler's Mills, and operated the first flouring-mill in that locality, grinding corn for people at Beatrice, and turned out the first bag of flour in the county. It will be seen that Mr. Strong was one of the leading men of this section of country, and it is quite natural that he should be one of the first appointed Postmaster, which office he held for two years at Butler, and was succeeded by a Mr. O. M. Holmes. He was also the first Station Agent for the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad, and as such was in the employ of that company a period of five years. In the meantime he steadily proceeded with the improvement of his land, and in the fall of 1881 finished one of the finest residences in this part of the county. This is a large, two story, frame structure, conveniently arranged, finely finished and handsomely furnished. The main barn corresponds entirely with the residence, and the sheds and cattle pens afford ample shelter for stock. Mr. Strong is largely interested in the breeding of road horses, and has one of the finest Hambletonian stallions in the State. He also has a three-year-old mare of the same breed, which is very valuable. His cattle are the Short-horns and his swine the Poland-China. The farm is enclosed with hedge fencing, and the fields which are not at present under cultivation are rich in good pasturage. About sixty acres of valuable timber add to the importance of the property, while the waste is utilized for fuel. The subject of this sketch was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., Jan. 30, 1822, and lived there with his father until a lid of thirteen years. About 1835, leaving the Empire State, he emigrated to Wisconsin, making the journey via the first lake steamer set afloat. A few years afterward our subject sold the first peaches and apples ever marketed on the streets in the State of Wisconsin. He lived there about four years, then went East, and was united in marriage with Miss Caroline Stocking, a native of his own county, and soon afterward returned with his bride to Milwaukee. Later they settled on the Whitewater River in Jefferson County, where Mr. Strong became owner of a valuable tract of land. To Mr. and Mrs. Strong there were born three children--Emma, Edward B. and Ella, all of whom are deceased. Ella married Peter Wright, and became the mother of three children, one of whom, a son, Carlton, is still living, and makes his home with his grandfather, attending school. Mrs. Caroline (Stocking) Strong was born Feb. 19, 1820, and was reared to womanhood in her native county, living there with her parents until her marriage. Site received a common-school education and that careful home training which fitted her for her subsequent duties in life. Mr. Strong cast his first Presidential vote for J. K. Polk, being then a member of the Democratic party, but soon after the organization of the Republicans, considered he had reason to change his views and for the last thirty-two years has been one of the warmest supporters of Republican principles. After the outbreak of the late Civil War, he enlisted in Company H, 8th Kansas Infantry, being mustered in in November, 1862, and serving as a non-commissioned officer. He was at the battles of Perryville, Crab Orchard, Murfreesboro, and various other engagements and skirmishes, and at the end of his term of enlistment received his honorable discharge in March, 1863. Ansel Strong, the father of our subject, was born in Connecticut, in about 1785, and upon reaching manhood was married to Miss Hannah Stocking. They removed to Onondaga County, N. Y., where they spent the remainder of their days, the death of the father taking place about 1865 (sic), after he had reached the advanced age of eighty-seven years. The mother died about 1826. The parental family consisted of five children. From BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF JOHNSON & PAWNEE COUNTIES NEBRASKA http://www.rootsweb.com/~neresour/OLLibrary/pbjp/pages/bajp0044.htm (published bet. ca 1878-1890?) (Research):Census Information: 1850 Census Wisconsin, Jefferson County, Cold Spring 5 September 1850 859-893 H.B. STRONG 28 M Farmer NY Caroline STRONG 29 F NY Emma STRONG 4 F Wisc Adeline STOCKING* 19 F Wisc H.J. PRINTUP 30 M Farmer NY *Adeline is most likely the sister or niece of Caroline 1860 Census Nebraska Territory, Nemaha County 539-505 STRONG, Hezekiah 38 M Hotel Proprietor $4000 $900 NY STRONG, Caroline 39 F NY STRONG, Emma 14 F Wisc. STRONG, Ellen 6 F Wisc OPELT, Edward 14 M Race: HB Missouri STRONG, Ansel* 21 Mail Carrier $150 Wisc. *Ansel is most likely the son of Hezekiah's older brother, Reuben, and was from Greenfield, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1870 Census Nebraska, Johnson County, Todd Creek Township, Tecumseh P.O. 5 July 1870 99-83 STRONG, H.B. 47 M W Farmer $6800 $800 NY STRONG, Caroline 50 F W Keeping House NY STRONG, Ella 16 At School Wisc STRONG, R.B. 12 M W Works on Farm Oh (Parents foreign born) WRIGHT, Petri 22 M W Farm Laborer Wisc Note: Hezekiah Strong is an Uncle of R.B. (Ralph) Strong, age 12. The census incorrectly indicates that Ralph's parents are foreign born. The enumerator probably meant to check that Petri Wright had parents that were foreign born 1880 Federal Census Horatio (sic) STRONG Self M Male W 58 NY Keeps Hotel Ct Ct Caroline STRONG Wife M Female W 60 NY Keeping House Ct Ct Willis WRIGHT Gson S Male W 4 NE WI WI Source Information: Census Place Elk Station, Johnson, Nebraska Family History Library Film 1254751 NA Film Number T9-0751 Page Number 735D
  Person ID	I19325	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	17 Aug 2014

  
  

  Father	Ansel Strong,   b. 23 Oct 1789, Middle Haddam, Middlesex County, Connecticut d. Abt 1876, Vesper, Onondaga County, New York (Age 86 years)
  Mother	Hannah Shailer Stocking,   b. 6 Feb 1792, Connecticut d. 14 Sep 1826, Onondaga County, New York (Age 34 years)
  Marriage	25 Oct 1810	Onondaga County, New York   [4]
  Family ID	F3097	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Caroline Stocking,   b. 19 Feb 1820, New York d. Aft 1880 (Age 60 years)
  Marriage	Abt 1843  [2]
  Children	1. Emma Strong,   b. Abt 1846, Wisconsin d. Between 1860 and 1870 (Age 14 years)   2. Edward B. Strong,   b. Aft 1848, Wisconsin d. Between 1848 and 1860   3. Ella Strong,   b. Abt 1854, Wisconsin d. Bef 1880 (Age 25 years)
  Family ID	F7008	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	9 Dec 2006

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 30 Jan 1822 - Vesper, Onondaga County, New York  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S32] Dwight, Benjamin "The History of the Descendants of Elder John Strong, of Northampton, Mass." (Orig. published Albany, NY, 1871, Reprinted by Gateway Press, Inc. Baltimore, MD 2000), p 194 (Reliability: 3). [S345] Biographical Album of Johnson & Pawnee Counties, Nebraska http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/topic/resources/OLLibrary/pbjp/index.htm. [S144] 1850 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005, (Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Seventh Census of the United States, 1850. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1850. M432, 1,009 rolls. This database is an index to individuals enumerated in the 1850 United States Federal Census, the Seventh Census of the United States. Census takers recorded many details including each person's name, age as of the census day, sex, color; birthplace, occupation of males over age fifteen, and more. No relationships were shown between members of a household. Additionally, the names of those listed on the population schedule are linked to actual images of the 1850 Federal Census.). [S32] Dwight, Benjamin "The History of the Descendants of Elder John Strong, of Northampton, Mass." (Orig. published Albany, NY, 1871, Reprinted by Gateway Press, Inc. Baltimore, MD 2000), p 193 (Reliability: 3).