Simeon Joseph Strong (abt. 1827 - 1885)

Born about 1827 in Canada

Ancestors

Husband of Mariah M. (James) Seagrave — married 20 Oct 1849 in Warren, Ohio, USA

Husband of Rhoda Ann (Cole) Strong — married 2 Jan 1877 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa

Descendants

Died 1 Apr 1885 at about age 58 in Nevada, United States

Biography

Children with Maria James (married 20 Oct 1849 in Warren, Ohio)^[1], as listed in biography below:

• Elijah (February 14th, 1850 - 19 Sep 1926)^[2][3]
• Malissa (October 9th 1850, Oswego, Illinois) married James E. Welsh
• Frank (June 30th, 1853, Eureka, Wisconsin)
• Harvey J. (June 14, 1852, near Warren, Indiana) married Mary Isabella Birk^[4]
• Reuben (March 21st, 1857, near Warren, Indiana) married Mary E. Karr^[5]
• Jerusha (October 7th, 1859, Oswego, Illinois) married Mr. Rounds
• Mary (August 7th, 1861, lby county, Iowa), married a son of her brother-in-law, James Welsh
• Ella (December 27th, 1853, Crawford county, Iowa)
• William (February 14th, 1867)
• Martha 'Mattie' (October 10th, 1868)
• Charles (October 9th, 1870)

Married Rhoda Ann Cole 02 Jan 1877 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa^[6]

MILITARY, Civil War:^[7][8][9]

Name: Simeon Strong

Residence:

Age at Enlistment: 36

Enlistment Date: 2 Dec 1863

Rank at enlistment: Private

State Served: Iowa

Survived the War?: Yes

Service Record: Enlisted in Company I, Iowa 1st Cavalry Regiment on 12 Jan 1864.Mustered out on 15 :Feb 1866 at Austin, TX.

Birth Date: abt 1827

Sources: Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers in the War of Rebellion

1885, March 30, "Simeon Strong. Brief Sketch of a Checkered Career.
A large family of children
The Man Convicted of Wife Murder Tells the Story of His Life.
A Gazette reporter called at the jail yesterday and found Simeon Strong, the man recently tried for the murder of his wife, quite talkative and somewhat excitable. He gave a long, but rather rambling, account of his life, which has been rather eventful. He shows a remarkable memory of dates, and can tell the date of each of his childrens' birthday, which is something very unusual. Strong was born in Oxford township, 25 miles east of London, Upper Canada, on June 19th, 1820, while his parents were there on a visit. They lived at Seneca Lake, New York. He had one sister living at St. Joseph, Mo., and two half brothers. The family moved to Michigan in 1831, and to Illinois in 1840. His father was a farmer and both parents good Methodists. Young Strong never learned a trade, but worked at home until 24 years old, when he went to Michigan, working in different places, and in 1849 went to Warren county, Ohio, where he met his first wife, who was living at Shakentown, near Lebanon. He was married October 9th, 1849, and February 14th, 1850, their first child was born. He now lives on a farm near Sioux City, Iowa, and his name is Elijah Strong. In 1850 the family moved to Oswego, Illinois, where Melissa was born on October 9th. She is now Mrs. James E. Welsh, and lives on a farm near her brother. She has Strong's boy born at Battle Mountain. June 30th, 1853, a son Frank, was born in Eureka, Wisconsin, where the father was working at saw mill work. On June 14, 1852, Harvey J. Strong was born near Warren, Indiana, where the family had moved. He now is farming at River Sioux, Iowa. Reuben Strong lives at the same place. He was born March 21st, 1857, near Morristown, Indiana. Jerusha was born at Oswego, Illinois, October 7th, 1859. She is now Mrs. Rounds, of Sioux River. Mary Strong was born in Shelby county, Iowa, August 7th, 1861, while her father was mining at Denver. She is married to a son of James Welch, who married her eldest sister. Ella Strong died young. She was born in Crawford county, Iowa. December 27th, 1853, Strong enlisted, and was in the army until the Fall of 1865, serving in the southwest under General Custer, A.J.Smith and others. He reached home June 16th 1866, and February 14th, 1867, William Strong was born. October 10th, 1868, Mattie Strong appeared upon the troubled scene, and October 9th, 1870 came Charles A. Strong. In the next year the family again moved, this time to Monona county, Iowa, where the father bought a farm. He had trouble with his wife here, and also lost his health from an army wound, and spent a great deal of money doctoring and traveling.

He left home but with no idea of separating from his family permanently, although he claims that his wife was notoriously unfaithful as the dates above must show. He came to Utah, where he visited relatives who were Mormons. He teamed to Pioche, and the same Fall came to Battle Mountain and has since worked at points in Nevada, Utah and Arizona. His first wife never was divorced but married again soon he left. He married four years after she did, and he says the officers said he did not need any divorce if she was married again. He was married the second day of the month and the second day of the week. He brought his wife and her sister, Mrs. Billips, to Battle Mountain, where the two children were born, the oldest boy who is idiotic, and a girl who is not two years old. Strong is very bitter against the Billips, and makes strong charges against the husband. He has no education, being able to read writing but not to write. He says he never smoked chewed or drank, he belonged to but one secret order and that was temperance. The reporter asked concerning his religious belief, and he said he was divided between the Methodist and Catholic belief. He never belonged to any church and he became very much affected when questioned as to his future and wept heartily. He said he had been taught to read the good book by his father and it is said a man is appointed once unto death and whether it comes sooner or later he could die but once. He had faced death many times; once when a boy he fell off a log wagon and a log rolled on him, nearly crushing his head, but his time had not come. At another time an ox team ran away with him, dragging him until both ankles were broken. They thought he would die but his time had not come. A well caved in on him in Illinois and covered him so deep and heavy that he could not speak; he heard his neighbors saying it was no use to dig him out as he was surely dead; still his time had not come, and when they got him out he was alive. During the war he was hurt and lay in the hospital but his time had not come.

In Battle Mountain he was shot in two places, but his time had not come and he did not believe it has come not. "If it has" he remarked fervently, "God speed the plow." He believes the Lord will take care of him until his time does come. He says if he is hanged, he will not be drowning; what is to be, will be. He denies directly that he killed his wife whom he continually protests he loved sincerely. He wants it to be put on record that he valued her far more highly that the mother of his first family. He does not know whether the verdict can be reversed or not or what course will be taken. He does not pretend the finding of his wife in bad company justified him in killing her. He tried to save her from the imputation of immorality, although he evidently knows all about the case. He says she was drinking heavily while he seen her, and she mixed morphine with her brandy and beer. Strong's manner is flighty and excited and he can plead the insanity dodge better than most men if he tried. He has a wild look when excited, and his stiff, thick gray hair, course features, and sharp eyes with heavy eye-brows, make him look like anything but a pleasant person. He says he does not sleep very well, and he is evidently considerably worried about his chances."

Reno Evening Gazette, Reno Nevada; 1885 February 9^[10]
"Murders Multiplying, An Unfortunate Woman's Miserable End.
The Story of Her Life, Her Former Husband's Connection With the Crime.
The 17th of October a woman with two children came to the Lake House and registered as Mrs. A. Cole, but giving no residence. Two or three days after, a coarse looking man with iron gray hair, no whiskers, a heavy voice and rather rough manner was found beating her door between 5 and 6 o'clock in the morning, calling out for her to let him in or he would break it down. He said he would do her no harm, but she must let him in. Mr. Dealey said he should not arouse the house in that way, and threatened his arrest. He went for Dan Pine, who talked him into quiet until the woman had a chance to dress herself. The man and woman had a long talk. He begged the woman to go home with him; she refused, but said he could take the children. He took them with him and she manifested no emotion at all at the time, but afterwards she told her story to some Reno ladies, and they seemed much affected with her sorrows. Soon after Mr. Dealey gave her notice that she must seek other quarters, and she went to the fortune teller's, on Virginia street. Afterwards she took up her residence on the alley. Yesterday morning, as Constable Nash and Mr. Brunnick were passing her door, they heard groans, and went in to see what the trouble was. They found the gray-headed man lying on the bed in the rear room, and the woman dead on the floor in the front room, lying in a pool of blood. She was curled up with her head partly beneath the body and the face concealed. An ugly wound was found, made by a bullet that went through from the left ear and out the top of the head.

The woman's body was taken to the dead house and the man was taken to jail. A Gazette reporter called soon after, and found Drs. Waggoner and Hogan examining four wounds on him, two on the head and two on the left breast. They proved to be the track of two small bullets that had mad short tracks beneath the skin and then emerged, leaving only flesh wounds. The man said his name was Simeon Strong, and that the woman was his lawful, wedded wife. They were married at Council Bluffs eight years ago and have two children. He has lived at Battle Mountain twelve years, having worked at the depot handling freight, has been night watchman, and last Summer worked for Joseph Marzen, at Lovelocks. when he took his children last Fall he went with them to Sioux City, leaving his 6-year-old boy with his oldest daughter, and the little girl with a friend there. He says he received a letter from the woman, asking for money or a ticket to come home and tell him what she wanted and to hear his proposition, if he had any. He says friends there advised him to come here and see her, in preference to her going to Battle Mountain. He came Friday night and spent the night at her rooms on the alley. Saturday night he went to her room and they never went to sleep at all, but talked all night. About 11 o'clock they went to bed, and at 3 o'clock she looks at his watch to see what time it was, because he was to go to Lovelock's on the 5 o'clock train. It being only 3 he did not get up, but at 4 he did, and while putting on his clothes someone stepped up on the walk outside. He said, "What's that?" She answered, "It's someone on the porch." She got up, and he says was in the act of kissing her, when a shot was fired, striking him on the head and killing her.

She sank to the floor exclaiming, "Oh, my God." He partly turned just as another shot struck him in the left side. He fell insensible, and does not know how long he lay. When he woke up he screamed for help, but no one came for a long time, until Constable Nash found him. He claims he was not armed. Mr. Mershon found a small caliberd bull dog in the out house vault some hours after Strong left the house, but could not tell whether it was the one used or not. Strong says he did not go out of the house until he was arrested. An examination of the wounds on Strong's person show that neither one was made from behind, as he claims. His shirt bosom was very much powder burned, and so was his hair in front of the wound, but not to the rear of it. The time of the shooting is quite indefinite. Mr. Hall, the shoemaker, says he heard three shots and thinks it was about three o'clock. Strong was born in Canada, when his parents were there on a visit. He is 64 years old, though his papers say he is 60. He was in the First Iowa Calvary and served two years. He has been twice married and was divorced from his first wife, whom he supposes to be still living. The dead woman's name was Rhoda Ann Cole; she was 25 years old last October. Strong was exceedingly nervous and said he would have given a thousand dollars, if he had it, to have been killed right there. He made a good deal of fuss while Drs. Waggoner and Hogan were examining his wounds.

The Inquest: The coroner began an inquest at 1 o'clock, at which a pistol was shown which was found in the street in front of No. 15 in the alley. The lock was broken so it could not be used. The pistol found in the vault was in good order with three chambers empty.

J.C.Hagerman heard two pistol shots at 3 o'clock Sunday morning.

Mr. Nash testified to the facts in another column.

Miss Millsap had known the deceased about three months. Saw her in bed with Strong on Friday night. They were on good terms, and she seemed willing to go back with him if he had money to take her. A letter from Lovelock's warned Mrs. Strong to get out of town, as Strong was coming and might kill her. It was signed Mrs. Bilop, a sister of deceased. She laughed and said she wasn't afraid. She could not read or write. I tried to read one or two from him, but couldn't read them. I did not hear the shots. Brunnick found a bullet hole on the north side of the house. Could not have been fired from where Strong says it was. The inquest could not be concluded to-day."

1885, February 12, "Justice Court, Simeon Strong, the man arrested for the murder of his wife last Sunday morning, had an examination before Justice Young yesterday, and was held without bail to await the action of the Grand Jury, which will re-convene on the 23d instant."

1885, February 23, "An Exciting Report. The Grand Jury reported at 2:30 that they had found indictments against Simeon Strong for murder. Be Hung for embezzlement...etc."

1885, 31 March, "On motion of Thomas E. Haydon, counsel for the defendant, Judge Boardman to-day deferred the sentence of Simeon Strong for the murder of his wife until next Saturday, the 4th of April."

Nevada State Journal:^[11]
Event- death
Date- April 1, 1885
Notes- committed suicide rather than be executed.

1885, April 2, "Simeon Strong's remains were buried quietly this afternoon."

Sources

1. ↑ Ohio, County Marriages, 1774-1993; Spouse Maria James, Film Number 001514073
2. ↑ Iowa, Death Records, 1920-1940; Child Elijah Strong
3. ↑ Iowa, Deaths and Burials, 1850-1990; Child Elijah Strong
4. ↑ Iowa, Marriage Records, 1880-1937; Child Harvey J Strong
5. ↑ Iowa, Select Marriages Index, 1758-1996; Child: Reuben Strong
6. ↑ Iowa, Select Marriages Index, 1758-1996; Spouse Rhoda A. Coles, FHL Film Number 1018501
7. ↑ U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865; Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers in the War of Rebellion
8. ↑ U.S., American Civil War Regiments, 1861-1866; Source: The Union Army, vol. 4
9. ↑ The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Record Group Title: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773 - 2007; Record Group Number: 15; Series Title: U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934; Series Number: T288
10. ↑ Reno Evening Gazette, Reno Nevada; 1885 February 9
11. ↑ Nevada State Journal. Reno, NV, USA: 1870. Compiled by Kim E. Barghouti from microfilms held in the special collection of Washoe County Library, Reno, NV.

• Year: 1860; Census Place: Oswego, Kendall, Illinois; Roll: M653_194; Page: 241; Family History Library Film: 803194

• Year: 1870; Census Place: Union, Crawford, Iowa; Roll: M593_385; Page: 491B; Family History Library Film: 545884

• Census Year: 1870; Census Place: Union, Crawford, Iowa; Archive Collection Number: T1156; Roll: 7; Page: 3; Line: 5; Schedule Type: Agriculture

• Year: 1880; Census Place: Battle Mountain, Lander, Nevada; Roll: 758; Family History Film: 1254758; Page: 310D; Enumeration District: 025

• profile creator's personal ref link, https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/36407284/person/260157597880/facts

• https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/64716587/person/44484830727/facts

• 1860 Census, Oswego, Kendall, Illinois. Age 33, occupation farm hand, spouse Mariah Strong, children Elijah, Malissa, Frank, Horace, Rebecca, Joshua. https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/11049799?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a224f41766e6e2b67306339787a41524c2f3146454d4d396a54674d4f69596c706772505a31747147544f75343d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d

• 1870 Census, Union, Crawford, Iowa, age 44, occupation farmer, spouse Maria Strong, children Elijah, Frank, Harvey, Reuben W, Jerusha, Mary, William, and Martha. https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/11049825?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a2252524144634e7a6872512b70716e79566b733873734a475541684f7664306f4434544750435a4a644278453d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d

• 1880 Census, Battle Mountain, lander, nevada, usa. Age 54, Occupation laborer. Spouse Rhodian (probably Rhoda Ann) Strong, age 21. Children Simeran Strong, age 2. https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/11049892?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a226a65696d7758476b324d595936686e6977594c63536d546a4570797352462f724f41726239743152636e6b3d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d

• Geneanet Community Trees Index, Simeon Joseph Strong, Birth 1827 Oxford/Nova Scotia/Canada, Marriage 9 oct 1849 Warren County/Ohio/USA, death 1 Apr 1885 Reno/Washoe/Nevada/USA, Father John Strong, Mother Lucina Hoard, Spouses Maria Mariah James. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/5151561288:62476

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13172576/simeon-joseph-strong

• https://gw.geneanet.org/jimprociw?lang=en&pz=james&nz=prociw&p=simeon+joseph&n=strong