Growing up, our daddy always had an active interest in the history of the Stroup and Dellinger families. We grew up listening to his numerous telephone conversations with Stroup’s he had looked up in the telephone books. He did not have the luxury of keyboard and computer at his fingertips, so he let his “fingers do the walking” through every telephone book he came across. Our family vacations were to cemeteries and battlefields.

When we first became interested in continuing Daddy’s Straub search, we had no idea how far we would go with it. We only hope that somewhere down the line another young Stroup descendant will pick up where we left off and continue the research. The search is endless, informative, and fun.

Many of the names and dates were taken from other sources and therefore may be incorrect. If anyone happens to discover an error or omission in this data, an email to me would be much appreciated. I will eventually add more photographs to this website. Until then, please enjoy and remember this site is still under construction. Thanks to all of you who helped with this research. Your help is greatly appreciated.

We love our Stroup heritage! Little bits and pieces of our Straub past make each of us who we are today. I look back with pride and awe at our ancestors. They helped make me who I am today. They survived transcontinental trips, settlement into a new country, migration to new territories, the writing of our Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War II, the Great Depression, Korean War, Vietnam War, the Cold War, Desert Storm, and the Iraq War. Our ancestors were filled with love, determination, and pride. I am fiercely proud to call them FAMILY.

Jane Stroupe Hornsby

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This is our Stroup Group for exchanging Stroup information and thoughts. This site only covers my direct line and the Stroup Group will cover as many Stroups as possible. So come join us today.

Mom and Dad at Aunt Helen's right after the war

This site is dedicated to my father Andrew Jackson Stroupe. He started this Stroup research in the 1940's and continued until he passed away in 1979. He did all his research by mail and would wait weeks sometimes before he got a reply to a question he may have had. He didn't have the benefit of today's internet, so I'm amazed at the amount of data he collected.

My sister Mary Jane Stroupe Hornsby picked up the torch after Daddy passed away. She had the benefit of today's internet and gathered huge volumes of information. All I have done is compile all this data and create this book for future generations.

Michael B. Stroupe

Taken in about 1943. I sure would love to have that uniform today.

Rough Sketch map of area where the Stroup's settled in North Carolina

Photo from a recent Stroup Family Reunion in 2004 at Molly's home. Second row left in blue shirt is Sunshine Thomas, to far right in 3rd row is Joe Burton with his son Lewis at his side. On the front row standing with red shirt is Ginny Burton. On the right back row is Hal Stroup, Mel Bolick and his wife Anne. Bessie Burton is on left side under the narrow window. Molly is standing in front of Lewis Burton.

AFTERWARD written by George Rhyne

These are just a few notes written by George Rhyne

"WWII had Dick Stroupe in the Battle of The Bulge, Jack Stroupe in Italy, Jim Stroupe going through a literal hell in the Pacific, Joe Burton, Howell Stroup, and Louis Burton in the Army Air corps. Velda Stroup a commissioned officer in the WACS, and M. A. Stroup, Jr. interning as a Medical Doctor in the Medical corps. No doubt about serving the country.

Christine Stroup was one of the first women licensed as an aircraft mechanic. I remember seeing her photo in the Atlanta Journal. She was dressed in overalls and even in that attire she was a very beautiful lady.

In addition to the above, there were school teachers, business women, and home economists who excelled in their fields. The second generation had to be a set of very confident and capable folks who gave birth to another set who have excelled in many ways. Some of the other contributions I can note are

Serving in all branches of the military, including the Israeli Defense Force.

Retrieving Mercury Astronauts in the South Atlantic

Working as a research Immunologist and creating kits for detection of various cancers.

Serving in national political campaigns.

Authoring model legislation for the handicapped.

Working as RN for many years, with offspring following in a nursing career.

Working in the Anti-Missile R & D Program.

Building Habitat for Humanity houses.

Sergeant Major of the Third Armored Division.

School Board member and community activist.

International Airline Pilot

These are just some of what I can remember of people and their offspring pictured in these photos.

One last story about a visit to my Aunt Christine. In the summer of 1977, I was transferred to Atlanta. I contacted Joe and Bessie Burton and asked what ever happened to Christine. She was living in Atlanta and working as a shoe saleslady in a downtown Atlanta department store.

I was eager to see her as I had something that belonged to my Mother (Iva Lee), who had recently passed away, that may have been a gift from Christine. I found her apartment and arrived just after dinner. She was with a neighbor and sort of cooling it with a drink. Really laid back. We exchanged the usual pleasantries of relatives who had not talked to each other in ten or fifteen years, and I asked her a question about her previous work. I said, "Aunt Christine, what ever happened to your job as an airplane mechanic?" The little grin that she normally had on her face suddenly disappeared and a transformation took place. She began to tell me about working on all sorts of problems with everything from engines to brakes. She was running through a whole gamut of technical terms that would have impressed a Physicist. It was all about pressures, hydraulics, fluids and compression. She was back in the 1940’s living them all over again. She was still upset that the male pilots did not want her to work on their planes. It seems that she had to work while they were not looking.

By this time, her neighbor who only knew her as a shoe clerk, was absolutely stunned. I was not talking, but sitting in absolute amazement. Especially at the transformation in facial countenance and vocabulary. She wound up her stories with a real highlight. It appears that she put in modifications for the brakes on the C46 transport plane. The Curtis C46 Commando was a mammoth two engine job that was instrumental in solving airlift cargo problems in WWII. I was and still am impressed with my Aunt Christine. Her neighbor certainly was equally impressed.

Year later, I told this story to her daughter Sissie and she just smiled. Sissie said that her mom’s autos ran well and stayed in good shape. Then Sissie told me a story about her mom. Sissie as a grown woman asked her mother, Christine, why she had divorced her first husband. Her reply was "Him!....Why he couldn’t even change a socket on a table lamp!" I miss these folks who were my role models. They were far from perfect, but knew how to "get over it" and move on."

If you would like to email me questions or add photos, data and other information just click on my name and send me a email. I would love to hear from my cousins. Mike

I am now in possession of most of Ethel Belle Stroupe's files and documents. So I will be making a lot of additions to this site. It will take me several months to go through the volumes of material, so look in often. I want to express my thanks to Ethel's daughter Lee and to Dr. Reiley Kidd for making this happen. They can be assured I will cherish every scrap of paper in Ethel's files.

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