Hi Carri,

I was just getting ready to start pulling this altogether more cleanly but it will take some time. So in the meantime off the top of my head I'll try to answer some of your more specific questions.

John 3rd ultimately lands in Alaiedon, Ingham, Michigan but he just shows up as John in the 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, and 1870 census' for Michigan. He was born about 4/1/1781 in Greenfield, Franklin MA (Reverend Newton recorded that John 3rd intended to mary Betsey Persons in october of 1800). John Strikland and Betsey (b.abt. 6/18/1782) both have gravestones in the Strickland cemetery in Alaiedon (I took photos). John died 3/21/1876 and Betsey died 12/18/1864. I have a copy of an 1860 era photo of two very quaint old Strickland's that I believe to be them. John 3rd's first known son is Joel B. (b.btw 5/1803 and 5/1804) Joel moves with his father (they buy land next to one another in Alaiedon). Joel B is also buried in Strickland Cemetery (d. 5/21/1888). His wife was Sally Hudson (also buried there).

John 3rd's father, John 2nd (aka. John Jr), was likely born in Granville MA or CT abt 1748/49 and he was in the Revolutionary War (10/21 to 11/17/1776). A flag and marker are at his stone in Log Plain Cemetery, Greenfield (actually Bernardston) MA. I'm guessing that John II (the first Jr) married Ruth Bancroft (b.perhhaps 7/16/1756 d. 3/2/1813) who is buried with the Bancroft family in Granville. I transcribed this from her stone: "In Memory of Mrs. Ruth Strickland. Wife to John Strickland Jr. who died (suddenly, while on a visit from Vermont, to this town, the place of her birth) March 2nd 1813, in the 57th year of her age."

Suspiciously, John Strickland Jr.'s grave 50 miles away from Ruth Strickland's in Greenfield has a Sarah Strickland (b.abt. 1798 d. 1835) next to him, no wife. I suspect this Sarah to either be their last child or their daughter in-law.... Obed Sr.'s wife (Randolph and Obed F.'s mother) died in 1835 but I have not been able to find her in Dansville yet. It's possible that since they knew there were still two open plots next to John Jr and that Ruth was buried in Granville they simply brought her back to Greenfield. However, if Obed's wife was a Lydia (per your note, please send link) then that would eliminate that theory (unless Lydia is a second wife). But the last child theory is possible (Ruth would have been about 42 in 1798).

John I's (b.abt 1723 d.12/13/1814) Will (drawn up 12/31/1800) was executed in Feb of 1816. John and his wife Margaret (b.abt 1720 d. 12/3/1804)divide the estate between their children: David, John Jr., Margaret (wife of Ephraim Hastings), Abigail (wife of Merrick Hitchcock), Sarah (wife of Eluathan Sanderson), Rachel (Wife of Benjamin Hastings), and Lydia.

Children of John II (Jr.) have not been easy for me to confirm. Obviously, John 3rd is one and there appears to be a Ruth too. So right now Obed and Chancy (also an Elam buried in North/Adams) are just strongly suspected.

The 1820c related to Strickland's in Dansville (Livingston and/or Steuben Co's NY) is important for a number of reasons. 1) It limits Chancy's birth to no later than 1795. 2) It places Obid's birth between 1795 and 1804. 3) It shows the a reasonable number of children for John (based on later census'). You'll notice that Chancy's estimated birth year migrates over the census' going forward. It starts out at 1798, then 1794, then 1792... Only the latter two are possible based on the 1920c.

Yesterday I came across some documentation in the DeWitt Cemetery (a monument) that links Obed, Randolph, and O F Strickland together. And has Obed's birth at 1/1/1795 which fits the 1920c! So there is no doubt in my mind now that Obed (Sr.)is the father of Randolph and Obed Frank and that Chancy Sr. is Obed Sr.'s brother. It just needs to be proven that John III is an older brother of Obed (Sr.) and Chancy (Sr.). If the statement made in Randolph's bio that he had a grandfather that was in the Revolutionary War named John from MA is true then it would definetly narrow it down to John Jr (II) of MA (making all three brothers). Reason being there is only one John listed as being in the Revolutionary War from MA... the next closest is Jonathan which is likely the son of Joseph of Granville... Joseph is likely John I's brother so the two "Johns" are probably 1st cousins. Note: It appears that another son of Joseph, named Joseph, was also in the Rev War.

John I and Joseph likely started their families together in Granville before John and Margaret moved up to Greenfield with their family. There are a number of other connections between the Granville and Greenfield Stricklands.

Now, moving forward again in time: Joel B (son of John III) had quite a few children and at least two or three were in the Civil War (including my great-great grandfather George Henry Strickland... I have a copy of a photo of him in his Civil War uniform), the last of his four sons was my great grandfather Edgar D. and Edgar's only son Claude Edgar was my grandfather.

It's kind of sad that the abandon Strickland Cemetery in Mich has at least 3 or 4 that served in the Civil War (and at least 1 that died as a result) but they have just been forgotten. I am actually trying to collect local Stricklands (around Mason MI) to help me out in cleaning up the cemetery, finding buried stones, resetting them, marking Civil War vets, and documenting all the interred on a sign for the cemetery. So if there is anyone out there that now realizes they have relatives buried in the Strickland Cemetery of Alaiedon (Mason), Ingham MI and you live close enough to lend a hand next spring/summer please give me a call.

Thanks
Doug Strickland
Monroe CT
203-268-1904