Jedediah Strong (1738 - 1802)

Born 7 Nov 1738 in Litchfield, Litchfield, Connecticut Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Ruth (Paterson) Strong — married 17 Apr 1774 in Litchfield Co Connecticut

Died 21 Aug 1802 at age 63 in Litchfield, Connecticut, United States

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Biography

Yale College 1761

He first studied divinity, then changed to "Pettifogger and Politician" (Law).

He was elected a Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, and held a seat in that body for 30 sessions, during several of which he was Clerk of the House. In 1774 he was chosen a Member of the Continental Congress.

m2. Jan. 22, 1788 Susannah, dau. of Hon. George Wyllys, of Hartford (Secretary of State).

buried in West Burying-Ground. No stone.

Resided in Litchfield CT in 1787, and apparently created the milestone on which his name and the year are commemorated. The article on p 71 of the noted book (Litchfield Book of Days) states he was politician of good merit, but later had a fall from grace and was divorced, perhaps due to overindulgence in drink. i have posited that he is the man of this name born in 1738 in Litchfield and a son of Supply Strong.

A fuller description from The Strong genealogy corroborates the identification. 1761 graduate of Yale, chosen as a member of the Continental Congress but declined. He was a member of the Conn. General Assembly, judge for county court, commissary of supplies during Revolution, delegate to the state Constitutional convention, many town offices. Two wives, one child, Ida Strong was a poet. He died in a dissipated condition.

Sources

• The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records (NEHGS, Boston, 2011) Vol. Litchfield, Page 213.
• Kilbourne, Payne Kenyon. A Biographical History of the County of Litchfield, Connecticut (Clark, Austin & Co., New York, 1851) Page 193-5.
• Kilbourne, Payne Kenyon. Sketches and Chronicles of the Town of Litchfield, Connecticut (Case, Lockwood and Co., Hartford, 1859) Page 147-50,
• Boswell, George Copeland. The Litchfield Book of Days (Alex B. Shumway, Litchfield, 1899) Page 71.
• Dwight, Benjamin Woodbridge. The History of the Descendants of Elder John Strong of Northampton, Mass. (Albany, New York, 1871) Vol. 2.