EMMETT REESE STRONG, SR.
The following bio
was taken from page 399 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled
and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.
Transcribed by Claudia
Schuster
Submitted by Gloria
Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator
George Seaborn Strong was born February 2, 1846,
near Cedar Town, Polk County, Georgia. He
was the son of John Strong and Mary Ann Whatley Strong. In 1850 his parents moved to Rusk County, Texas and settled
near the present site of Church Hill. George
grew up here, and with the exception of a short interval, lived here to the day
of his death.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, George
enlisted in Company I of the 7th Texas, even though he was a very
young boy. He fought under the flag
of the Confederacy and did brave and valiant service.
He was twice wounded and carried one bullet the rest of his life.
At one time he was captured and held prisoner for six months in Chicago.
Twice he secured a furlough and came home.
An interesting account showing one of George’s
very desirable traits –caring for others – is related in the following
story. A lady whose husband had
been killed and whose people were in Rusk County, Texas wanted to go back to
them. He had promised them that
when he came home again he would bring her.
Going to the place where he expected to find her, he learned she was in
another state. In order to keep his
promise, he went back after. Then
drifting down to the western line of Mississippi as far as he had a pass, he and
the lady got tickets and boarded the train.
In the front car he found a man with a wooden leg, which George borrowed.
Going back into his car, he seated himself beside his traveling
companion. Crooking his leg back,
he placed the wooden leg on his knee, she throwing her skirts over it to hide
the fraud. The wooden leg proved to
be all the pass he needed through the state of Louisiana.
The lady in the incident was a sister of Miss
Susan Louvenis Reese, whom George married on August 12, 1866.
To George and his wife were born ten children, two
girls and eight boys, two of the latter dying early in life: Mary Elizabeth,
John Franklin, George Seaborn, Jr., Willie McCajah, William Lewis, Thomas
Jefferson, Lesbia Belle, Jay Lewis, Benjamin Edward, and Emmett Reese.
Emmett Reese Strong, 1888-1969, married Grace
Williams on November 7, 1907. To
this union were born eight children: Jewel, Edward, Mabel, Reese, Lansing,
Melba, Jack, and Charles. Seven of
these children are living. Lansing
having died at the age of forty-three in 1965.
Jewel of Henderson, married Edward S.
Weatherby, who died in 1967. Survivors
are Jewel, two sons, Ben and David; a daughter, Phyllis Phelan, and three
granddaughters – Jane Camille, Jennifer, and Amanda Weatherby.
W.E. (Ed) Strong of Henderson married Theiris
Harris. They have one daughter,
Patsy Black, and one granddaughter, Beverly.
Mable married Ross C. Ford and they live in
Lafayette, Louisiana. Their
daughters are Patricia Garrett and Deborah Brumfield; their son is Ross C. Ford,
Jr., and their granddaughters are Toni, Becky, and Micky Ford; Sherry and Tami
Garrett, and Emily Grace Brumfield.
E. Reese of Henderson married Lula Ross.
They have two sons, Dr. William R. Strong and Tommy Jay Strong; a
granddaughter, Julie Ann; and a grandson, Bryan Scott.
Lansing of Ft. Worth married Mary Jo White.
They have two sons, Robert Lansing, Jr. and Garland White, and had one
daughter, Kathy Jo, who was stillborn.
Melba of Henderson married William B. Taylor.
Their two sons are Dr. William Byron Taylor, Jr. and Dr. John Stephen
Taylor, and their grandson is William Byron Taylor, III.
Jack Conrad of Longview married Jackie
Bullard. They have one daughter,
Brenda Kay Lee; one son, Mark Vonni and one granddaughter, Shelby Kay.
Charles Wesley of Henderson married Cheryl Gann.
They have two daughters, Cindy McDonnell and Vicki Danner; one son,
Stephen; and three grandchildren; Samantha Lynn McDonnell, Ronnie Martin Danner,
and Melissa Danner.
Submitted by the Strong children