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Bob, Susan and Timmy Strain

Genealogy with an OKLAHOMA TWIST...ER! We live in Jenks . . . a small city south of Tulsa which is located on the banks of the Arkansas River.

Some of the surnames that will be included in these pages are: STRAIN; DAVIDSON; MANKINS; MAYO; PARSONS; UNDERWOOD; VAN HORN; CANFIELD.

My GG grandfather was born in SC in 1819. I will give you a brief overview of what I know. We have a Strain Reunion every , first weekend of May, at Beavers Bend State Park, Broken Bow, OK. This year (2001) we had between 175 and 200 people attend. I am also attaching a link to my website. If I have information that would help you please let me know.
 
Roger Strain
Paris, TX
 
http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/s/t/r/Roger-C-Strain
 
James (Jimmy) Strain came from Henderson County, Tennessee to Texas about 1878.

According to the 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870 Henderson County census he was born in SC. He received a land grant of 142.75+ acres in the W district, in Henderson County, TN (Tennessee Land Grants) in 1850. He owned a home in Henderson County where all of his children were born. Jimmy is listed in the 1840, 1850, 1860 and 1870 Henderson County, Tennessee and the 1880 Bowie County, TX census.

Jimmy's mother, Sarah H, is listed in the 1840, 1850 and 1860 Henderson County, TN census with three children, Leonora (age 21), Charles T (age 18) and Sarah A (age 16). She is listed in the 1870 census as living with Jimmy.

There is a David D Strain listed in the 1850 Henderson County census who is two years younger than James. This is could be a brother. The census shows David to be a shoemaker. The "Tennessee Land Grants" also shows that D D Strain received a land grant of 166 acres in the W district Henderson County, Tennessee in 1849.

Jimmy left his brother, Charles, and ? brother, David, in Tennessee when he moved to Texas. We have found no trace of his two sisters, Leonora and Sarah.

After leaving Tennessee Jimmy first settled around Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas where he stayed only about a year. During this time his wife, Nancy A Heart, died. She is buried in or near Terrell. Nancy was a half sister to Mollie (Lovin) Stephens. Mollie is the mother of Vannie (Stevens) Johnson. Vannie first married Will Davis, then F A Sturdivant and then J Johnson.

After leaving Terrell in 1879 Jimmy moved to Oak Grove, Bowie County, TX where he lived until his death in 1895. According to his grandson, James Wesley (Jim) Strain, son of John C Strain, Jimmy is buried in Spring Hill Cemetery, eight miles north of Oak Grove, in an unmarked grave. Next to him is his grandson Clarence Lee Strain, son of John C Strain, who died at an early age.

A according to a Bowie County, TX, Land Deed Jimmy purchased 960 acres about 2.3 miles NW from Boston from M P Blocker on December 12, 1879 and it was duly recorded in Record Book No. O, Page 21, December 12, 1881. Joseph Leneal (Joe) Strain has a copy of the original deed.

Jimmy was married a second time to Mandy Jordon but that was in later years and they had no children. Mandy died sometime after 1915.