From Garland Local History & Genealogical Society, Volume 3-Number 1, April 1974

STROTHER FAMILY OF GARLAND

Author: Alton Delora Lewis

The Strother family charts in The Visitation of Northumberland, England in 1615 show: William Strother married the daughter of Edm. Horsley of Newton, Esq. Their issue: William Strother md Jane, daughter of John Selby. Their issue: William, Lancelot, John living in 1615, Anne, Elizabeth, Jane, Elinor, Mary and Catherine.

Another early Strother family is shown in and around London.

The Strother family to which Joseph Sale Strother of Garland was connected had its beginning in America with William Strother, first on the Rappahannock River in Virginia, July 12, 1673. He is said to have married Dorothy, daughter of Captain Anthony Savage in Virginia and to this union were born:

William, b. ca 1652, d. 1746; md. Margaret Thornton

Jeremiah, b. 1655; md. Eleanor __(?)___

James, d. 1716

Robert, d. 1716; md. Elizabeth Berry

Benjamin md. Mary Woffendale

Joseph Strother, b. 1684, d. 1766; md. Margaret Berry

Jeremiah Strother and Elenor __(?)___ had the following sons: Christopher, James, William, Francis, Jeremiah & Lawrence. Daughters: Catherine & Elizabeth. Two of these children will be mentioned: William Strother md. Mildred Taliferro and their daughter Sarah, married Col. Richard Taylor, whose son, Zachary Taylor, became President of the United States. Their granddaughter, Sarah Taylor, married Jefferson Davis who became President of the Confederate States of America. The other son, Christopher Strother, served in the Revolutionary War with the Franklin County, North Carolina, Militia and married Ann Kempe.

The children of Christopher Strother (d. 1795) and Anne Kempe were:

James Strother, md. Patsy Bower

Ann Strother, md. Garrett Goodlow

John Strother, md. Jane Fussell

Sarah Strother, md. James Murphy

Eleanor Strother, never married

Nancy Strother

Judd Strother, md. Rebecca Perry

Dorothy Strother, Presumed to have married Thomas Floyd

The first child of Christopher and Anne Kempe Strother was the aforementioned James, b. August 11, 1763, d. June 17, 1943. He married Martha (Patsy) Bower, b. February 25, 1776, d. October 23, 1847. The children were:

William Henry who md. Sallie Muckle

James Kempe

Francis Birch

Christopher Judd

Charlotte Temple

Edward Harris

Furneford Pope

George Washington

David Clark

Green Bower Strother.

Green Bower Strother was the fifth child and fifth son being born April 13, 1804, and died June 18, 1872. He married Mary E. Smith and the family settled in Huntsville, Alabama. Their children were:

Mattie, md. James Daniel Jones

Ellen, md. Charles Crawford

James Kempe

Oscar,

Laura

Mary Georgia, md. Willis Blankenship

Joseph Sale md. Emily McCullough, Later of Garland, Texas

Joseph Sale Strother, b. August 22, 1836, & died September 15, 1903, at Garland, Texas, was a justice of Peace, County Commissioner and at his death was serving in the State Legislature. He (was) married December 23, 1858, near Hillsboro, Texas, to Emily McCullough, b. May 14, 1840, at Mt. Sterling, Kentucky & d. December 13, 1929, in Garland, Texas. She served for some years as Post Mistress of Garland. Their children were: Mary Ellen, Hannah, Cora Lee, William Kemp, Edwin Bower and Archibald Oscar.

Mary Ellen, b. February 25, 1860, d. June 9, 1903, md. William McDonald, b. August 12, 1844, d. September 1, 1935. Their children were (1) Marvin Vester, md Nina Alma Bone and had one child, Marvin Vester, Jr. (2) Bertie, md. Edward Payne Squibb and had one son, Donald Squibb. (3) Ethel May, md Joseph Pollard Harris and had three children, (a) Fredna md. George Davis, (b) Joseph md Louis Anderson and (c) Paul md Clara Anderson. (4) Mary Vivian, b. December 2, 1889, md. George James Wallace October 1, 1907, and had four children, (a) Wilbur V., dec’d; (b) Mary md Al Tobin; (c) Nell md Howard Scoggins and (d) Margie md Fletcher Taylor. (5) Lila Lucille md. Mack Kidd and had one son, Leroy; (6) Nellie died as a child and (7) Fredna Lorine died as a child.

Hanna, the second child, married the Rev. Isaac Seaborne Ashburn and had the following children: (1) Ina Lee married twice without issue; (2) Lila May md. Jerry Harwell and had two children (a) Lila May and (b) Jerry; (3) Frank md. Mayfair Luna and had one son, Richard; (4) Haygood md. Mabel Maddox and had two children (a) Mary Lee and (b) Margaret; (6) Isaac (Ike) Seaborne md. Beula Cook and had one child, Isaac S., Later marrying Gladys Watson and Bertha Smith; (7) Pierce died in infancy.

Cora Lee, the third child of Joseph S. & Emily Strother, md George B. Willis. They did not have issue.

William Kemp, fourth child, md Mattie Duke. Their children were (1) Coble md Virginia Holmes Hanna and they had two children (a) Lou and (b) William; (2) William Kemp md Luella Lamb & had two children (a) William and (b) Lucy; (4) Martha Duke who did not marry.

Edwin Bower, the fifth child of Joseph and Emily Strother, was once a school teacher at Centerville School and later became a lawyer. He married Cornelia Barrett and to this union was born six children: (1) Archie Oscar md Mary Margaret Boyle; (3) Mary md. Charles Elliot Sterling; (3) Bertie Faye md. Wilson Curtis Turner; (4) Joe Tom md. Janie Davis; (5) John Paul md. Arlene Horton; (6) Samuel Max md. Margie Smith.

This ends a sketchy family tree of the Strothers. A more complete listing of family members with birth, death and marriage dates (can) be found in Notable Southern Families, Texian Who’s Who, Biographical Sketches & Passing Comment, newspaper articles, family letters, statements of family members, legislative, church and military records.

We are indebted to Mrs. George Wallace, Mrs. Ethel McDonald Harris and Mr. Donald Squibb for much of the recent family history.