It is said, according Diana Matthiesen and others at genforum that the Straub families left from the region of the Palatinate, Württemberg, Alsace-Lorraine, and/or Switzerland and fled first to Rotterdam in the Netherlands and then London to avoid religious persecution around 1709. They were then sent to New York around 1710 in a program to produce naval stores (lumber, pitch, charcoal, etc.) for the British navy, with some staying in New York and others moving into Pennsylvania.
A grandmother of one of my ancestor's of the Strope/Stroup line was Amanda Whitmore who was said to have lived for over 100 years. Some source's without date's say she is the grandmother of Henry Stroup Sr. (possibly the mother of Sarah Graves/Grove) but other sources (with date's) list her as Mary Sandford's mother's and say that Amanda was born in 1799 and died in 1925, which would actually make it 124 or 125 years!
My 5th Great Grandfather, Michael Stroup/Straub
Born 1782 in Pennsylvania. Died May 29th 1851 in Washtenaw Co., MI. married 16 Nov 1806 in 'Buffalo Valley, Union Co. PA to Sarah Graves/Grove/Grave.
Weaver
eight Children:
My 4th Great Grandfather, Henry Stroup Sr
Born 1815 in Lewisburg, Union Co., Pennsylvania. Died 1890. married in 1841 to Mary Sandford.
Farmer, Canal boat driver, & log runner on the Flat River. Educated in Seneca Co., New York. in 1847/8 he settled on 80 acres of land in Kent Co., MI in the Oakdale area of Spencer Township, the second regular settler in the township.
other sources give birth date as 1816 or 1817.
Seven children-
My 3rd Great Grandfather, Henry Stroup/Strope/Stroupe Jr
Born Sept. 15th 1846 in Bridgewater Township, Washtenaw Co., MI. Died Oct. 5th 1931 in Morley, MI. Married Sept. 15th 1866 in Kent Co., MI to Isadora Higgins. Married 2nd Ella Anne Gross, formerly his housekeeper, on 14 Feb 1899.
He lived in Greenville, in Mecosta Co., and in Montcalm Co., all in MI. He worked as a Farmer, storekeeper, lawyer, lumberman, Shingle maker, and politician including being the leader of the Strope faction in the celebrated Strope-Crimmins political feud at Morley which split the town into two Republican factions for many years.
During the civil war he changed his name from Stroup to Strope and enlisted at age 15 or 14 on 16 Feb 1864 (Note- date's do not agree) and served with Co. F of the 21st Michigan Infantry.
He was a part of Sherman's march to the sea under Cornelius Vanluce (his Company Commander) and was at the battles of Stone River, Savannah, Maryha's Vineyard, & Bentonville. Upon returning to Michigan he joined the masons after seeing how regular Union dead were thrown in a pit by confederates whereas Union masons were buried neatly.
After the war he was transfered to Co. C of the 14th Michigan Infantry and the unit was scheduled to join Gen. Custer to 'quell Indian uprising out west'. Luckily this never happened for we know what happened to Custer and his men.
1900 Mecosta County plat map shows H. Strope owns 89 acres at E1/2 NW1/4 Sec.28 T13N R9W (Deerfield Township), right across the street from G. Mero! Also shows him owning 40 acres at SW1/4 SE1/4 Sec. 35 T13N R9W.
1918 Mecosta County plat map shows him (albeit with name spelled Stroppe) owning the same 89 acre plot in Section 21 and now owning (last name spelled Strope) 40 acres at SE1/4 SW1/4 Sec.21 T13N R9W (Deerfield Township).
Eight children:
With Isadora Higgins With Ella Anne Gross:
My Great-Great Grandfather, Delmar Warren Strope
Born April 15th, 1866 in Greenville, Montcalm Co., MI. Died Feb. 1928 in Lansing, Eaton Co., MI. Married Nov 10th, 1888 in Mecosta Co., MI to Nina May Hansen.
I originally had birth as April 15th, 1866, but a source - which also showed another (earlier/later?) marriage to Ella Gross - had 1875 and had additional children for Delmar (whom I have added below).
Update: the above source appears to be incorrect, a much more authoratative source has confirmed that Delmar's birth was 15 April 1866, five months before his parents wedding because when Henry "came back from the war he not only wanted to join the masons, he was in a hurry to leave his mark so to speak" and that Ella Gross was not Delmar's wife but his step-mother (R. Allison) so I have changed it back to 1866.
Sold home furnishings in Grand Rapids, MI and lived at 731 E. Shiawassee St., moving to Lansing about 1905.
Three Children:
My Great Grandmother, N.D.M.S.
Information withheld to protect privacy of living descendents
3 children, 4 Grandchildren, 5 Great Grandchildren, & 2 Great-Grandchildren
Webmaster: Greg Weatherup.
Last Update: May 11th, 2007.