William Strother III (abt. 1652 - 1726)

Born about 1652 in Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Thornton) Strother — married 2 Apr 1698 in St. Pauls, Richmond County, Virginia

Descendants

Died 26 Jul 1726 at about age 74 in King George County, Virginia Colony

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Biography

Origin

William was born c. 1653 according to the "Biography of William Strother" on USGenWeb Archives, probably at Old Rappahannock County, on Virginia's "Northern Neck," where his father settled in about 1650 or 1651.^[1] He was a son of William Strother and Dorothy Savage.^[1][2][3]

Family

William married on 2 April 1698 to his first cousin, Margaret Thornton. Their mothers, Dorothy Savage Strother, and Alice Savage Thornton, were sisters, daughters of Captain Anthony Savage and his wife, Alice Stafford.^[1]

They had 5 children:^[4][5][6][7] But, there are 6 children named in his will ^[8] and documented by the William Strother Society^[9]

1. William Strother, IV of Stafford, b: 1697 in St. Paul's Parish; m Margaret Watts and had six daughters
2. Francis Strother b: 01 Aug 1700, in Hanover Parish, Richmond County, VA (m. Susannah Dabney)
3. Margaret, b. Abt 1702 d. Bef 07 Apr 1726, she was deceased when his will was written
4. Benjamin Strother b: 1703 in St. Paul's Parish, King George Co., VA (m. Mary Mason, married 1st., George Fitzhugh)
5. Anthony Strother b: 1 AUG 1710 in St. Paul's Parish, King George Co., VA(m. 1st., Bethland Storke and 2nd., Mary James)
6. George Strother, d. Aft 07 Apr 1726, not yet married when his William wrote his will

Property

This family lived in the "Northern Neck" of Virginia and records point toward land that was originally in Rappahannock County, then it became Richmond County in 1692, which later split, forming King George County in 1720. Their plantation was near the present-day town of Conway, Virginia; an area known for rich tobacco plantations in colonial times. The Strothers may be considered among "the First Families of Virginia," an unofficial 19th Century term denoting prominent early planters and officials in that colony that intermarried, thereby preserving gentry-like bloodlines.^[10]

The Augustine Washington family were friends, and their farms adjoined one another. After the death of William, two-hundred and eighty acres, including the eight bedroom house, were sold to the Washingtons. Later the property came to be known as "Ferry Farm.".^[1]

Positions in King George County, Virginia

William was called "Captain Strother"^[1] possibly because of military service in the county militia. He was also High Sheriff and Gentleman Justice of King George County and a Church of England (Anglican) Vestryman of Hanover Parish.^[1]

Death and Legacy

William's will was dated 7 Apr 1726 and probated 1 Jul 1726 at King George County, Virginia.^[11] He died in between April and June 1726, probably in June as Wills at that time were proven in court almost immediately after death so the estate could be evaluated, a process that could take months or even years.^[1][8]

Research Notes

Find A Grave incorrectly has a daughter, Elizabeth that is actually Priscella Elizabeth (Strother) Kay (1724-1808)^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} Clayton, Olin, "Biography of William Strother." USGenWeb, Archive.org archived 3 Apr 2012.
2. ↑ Raulston & Russell Genealogy, Barbara Gonce Clepper, 1986
3. ↑ 1702 Probate of 30 December 1700 will of William STROTHER of Richmond County, Virginia "Abstracts from Records of Richmond County, Virginia. Will Book 2" Published in William and Mary College. Quarterly Historical Magazine Volume XVII October 1908 No.
4. ↑ Railey, William E., (January, 1918) "Brief Sketches of the Strothers, Randolphs and their Connections." Register of Kentucky State Historical Society. Frankfort, KY: Kentucky Historical Society, Archive.org (Vol. 16, No. 46, Pages 67,)
5. ↑ Hamm/m Research - William B. Strother
6. ↑ Family History or Pedigree: "Colonial Families of the USA, 1607-1775"
   Page number: 493
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61175 #67930 (accessed 5 September 2023)
   Name: William Strother V; Birth Date: 1653; Marriage Date: 1694; Death Date: 1726; Death Place: King Ceorge; Spouse: Margareth Thornton.
7. ↑ Family History Or Pedigree: "Genealogies of Kentucky Families from The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, Vol. II" Lists the children named in his will.
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 48033 #169944 (accessed 5 September 2023)
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} abstract of William Strother's 1726 will (King George County, VA) King George County, Virginia Will Book A-1. 1721-1752: 40-41
9. ↑ THE WILLIAM STROTHER SOCIETY, INC.
10. ↑ First Families of Virginia on Wikipedia
11. ↑ Bible record for Francis Thornton (tiff file)
12. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51026216/william-b-strother: accessed 06 September 2023), memorial page for William B Strother III (1 Nov 1653–26 Jul 1726), Find a Grave Memorial ID 51026216; Burial Details Unknown, Lost to time; Maintained by PJC (contributor 50185637).

• Buckners of Virginia and the Allied Families of Strother and Ashby page 221 and so on