Elder John Strong II

     John was born in 1610 in Chard, Somersetshire, England.⁶ John married Margery Deane circa 1631 in Chard. On 22 July 1634, Margery's father, William Dean of Chard left her £10 and her son, John £5. On 1 April 1635, John & his wife, Margery, left Weymouth aboard the ship, "Hopewell", under the command of William Bundocke, bounded for Massachusetts Bay. Among the passengers listed aboard the ship was the John Stronge family. They arrived on the eighth of May..⁷ The family first settled at Hingham. John's wife, Margery, died after 8 May 1635 in Hingham, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, leaving him a widower.⁸ John married 2nd Abigail Ford, daughter of Thomas Ford and Elizabeth Charde, in 1636 in Hingham, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. John became a freeman of Hingham 7 March 1636/37, and after moving to Taunton, was admitted "freeman" of Plymouth Colony 4 December 1638 along with his brothers-in-laws, John and Walter Dean. John was sworn constable of Taunton, 4 June 1639; served a deputy to the General Court of Taunton June 1641, June 1642, & June, August and October of 1643. In 1643 mentioned of Taunton military and lived on what is now Dean Street. By February 24 of 1648, he had followed his father-in-law, Thomas Ford to Windsor, Conneticut where his home lot was just across from the old church. He became a "Freeman" of Connecticut Colony 15, May 1651. In 1650, he removed to Northampton, where he became prosperous and prominent. He also had the honor of being chosen ruling Elder of the church.⁹ John's wife, Abigail, died on 6 July 1688 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, leaving him a widower.¹⁰ John made his will on 14 February 1696 at Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.

In the name of God Amen. Whereas I John Strong Sen. Living in Northampton, in the county of West Hampton in the Province of the Massachuetts in New England am ages & full of Dayes & being at this time weake of Body and Knowing how Soon I may go out of this world unto the place appointed for all Living yet through God's Goodness being of Sound Memory & perfect understanding I Do Now make, Ordain & Constitute this my Last Will & testament hereby revoking & making Null & Voyde any former Will or Wills or any other writings of this kinde made by me at any tyme heretofore
And first I Comitt my Soul to God that gave it & my Body to a Decent burial at the Discretion of my Executor as here in after mentioned hoping and believing through the merits of Christ my Deare Redeemer for a happy & Blessed Resurrection and as for that portion of Worldly goods which the Lord hath Bledded me with all which I have not yet alienated & Given away after my funeral Expenses & just Debts have been payed & fully Discharged I Doe order & Dispose as followeth
To my seven Daughters Abigaile, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah, Hannah, Hester Thankful Item my Will is that with what they have already Received they shall have Each of them fortie pounds the Remainder of what is still behinde that they have not Received I say to Compleate the sum of fortie pounds be truly payd to them by my Executor as here in after mentioned with in two years after my Decease And whereas my Daughter Hannah is already Deade my Will is that what is behinde of her portion be Equally Divided among her children to be paud to them as they come to age.
My Will is that all my Sons besides what I have already given them shall have Item five shillings apiece more payd to them. Item I give to my daughter Experience Filer five pounds. Item to my grandchildren Katherine Chancy I give ten poungs. I give to my Daughter in Law Rachell Strong one acre of Land in the Walnutree Devision which her husband Thomas Strong improved many years but had no Deed of the same I give to her During her life & after her Decease to be Equally Divided amony the children of the aforesaid Thomas Strong according to Courts Orderfor the Distribution of the Rest of the Estate and Further my Will is that in case funeral Expenses, Debt & Legacies be all payd & Discharged there should Remayne fifteen pounds of my Estate not Disposed of then I give five pounds of the same to my Daughter Sarah Barnard & I doe hereby appointe my Sons Samuel & Jerijah Strong to be my Executors of this my last will & testament in Confirmation whereof I have hereto sett my hand & Seal this fourteenth Day of February 1696. John StrongSenr his mark Witnesses: Medad Pomeru, Joseph Parsons, Senior, Thomas Lyman.


He wrote a codicil to his will on 19 February 1697/98. Here followeth a Codicil or addituin

Memourandum as an addition to my Will on the other side Written. Whereas it is sayd that the Legacies which I have Given are by Executorsto be payd within two years after my Decease but considering that my Sons are not to pay what is Due from them so soone therefore my will is that Executor shall pay what is Due to make up my Daughters portions fortie pounds apiece in the first place as the money becomes Due from my Sons & after that to pay what other Legacies I have given to
Any other there to be & to prevent further trouble I do here Declare what I have already given to My Daughters toward their portions viz --- to Abigail thirtie Eight pounds and thirteen shiullings, to Elizabeth thirtie Six pounds & seven Shillings, to Mary thirtie Six pounds & Eighteen Shillings, to Sarah twenty Eight pounds & One Shilling, to Hannah twenty Eight pounds & twelve shillings, to Hester twenty three pounds & fifteen shillings, & my Will is that Each of the above sd Sums be made up fortie pounds & for the Acre of land given to my daughter in Lae Rachell Strong I now Determine it to be one acre lying between the Land of Francis Keefe & my son Samuel Strongs land and I do Hereby appoint my Son Ebenezer to be Executor with his Brethren on ye other side Mentioned of this my Last Will or testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal this nineth of February 1697/1698. The mark of Mr. Hno Strong. Witnessed: Medad Pomeroy, Joseph Parsons, Jr., Nathiel Strong. [This addition was allowed 23 August 1699][Hampshire Probate]
John departed this life on Tuesday, 14 April 1699 in Northampton. His will was probated on 23 August 1699.