Abner Stroup

Born- 5 Dec 1819

In Lincoln County, North Carolina

Died- 20 May 1899

Buried- Mt. Zion Cherryville, North Carolina

Married- Lydia Baker

Marriage Date- 2 Jan 1842

Born- 2 Jul 1822

Died- 20 Dec 1902

Buried- Mt. Zion Cherryville, North Carolina

Abner Stroup Biography

On 5 December, just in time for Christmas 1819, Abner “Ab” Albert Stroup was born to Daniel Stroup and his wife Mary Polly Goodson on their family farm near modern-day Cherryville.  What a wonderful Christmas gift for this family.  Abner was the sixth of seven children, followed by Isabella “Ibby”, born several years later.

The 1820 Federal Census records a “Dan Stroup” and family living “West of the South Fork of the Catawba River, Lincoln [County], North Carolina”.   Similar to the 1810 Census only family member’s ages were recorded in 1820:  Ab as one of three children listed as “Male, less than 10 Years”. 

At the time of the 1830 Federal Census Ab was eleven years old and living at home with his widowed mother and four brothers and sisters. Ab’s father Daniel passed away in 1824, so we are sure that in 1830 Ab was taking up some of the lesser chores around the family’s 140 acre farm near the “Buffaloe Creek”.  In his father’s “Last Will and Testament”, Abner, nor the other two younger children, were mentioned by name; only as “the three younger children”.

In 1833 Ab’s mother, Polly, passed away leaving Ab, age 14, and Isabella “Ibby”, age 10, without a father or mother to raise them into adulthood.  Presumably the two children were placed in the home of one of their older siblings shortly after Polly’s death.

By the time of the 1840 Federal Census, Abner, age 21, was living with his older brother Christopher Goodson “Christy” Stroup and his family on the Daniel Stroup land, which had been purchased by Christy in 1836, shortly after Polly’s death.   According to the Census, Christy’s family and “Uncle Ab” lived in the “Upper Regiment” of Lincoln County, North Carolina.  The “Upper Regiment” delineation in the Census was associated with the geographical boundaries of the Lincoln County militia regiments, “Upper” and “Lower”.  Undoubtedly throughout his teens and early adult years Ab worked alongside his brother, earning his keep on Christy’s large farm.  Also in the Christy Stroup household at that time were Christy and his wife Elizabeth’s two young children, Miles, age three years and his sister, Mary Catherine, one year old.

Around this time, in the early 1840s, Abner met the love of his life; a young lady named Lydia Baker, three years younger than Ab.  They were married on 2 January 1842 in Lincoln County.  A “Mr. J.L. Daily” was named Surety for the Marriage Bond and as was customary for a Surety in those days, Mr. Daily was most likely to have been related to the bride.

The next 20 years are assumed to have been slow and hard times for those farming --- living off the land --- in the red-clay foot-hills of North Carolina.  Conversely the Nation and State were quickly growing and evolving.  In 1845 Gaston County was formed from the western part of Lincoln County, those lands settled by the Stroup family.

In the 1860 Federal Census we find Abner, his wife Lydia and their seven children and farming near the “Craigeville Post Office”, Gaston County, North Carolina.

Mahulda                                                                                                       Age 17

Christopher Columbus, named for his Uncle “Christy”                    Age 15

Joseph Jason (J.J.)                                                                                    Age 14

John Michael (John)                                                                                   Age 12

Elizabeth (Lizzie)                                                                                         Age 10

Noah                                                                                                              Age 6

Mathew L.                                                                                                    Age 3

[Note:  In the 1900 Federal Census, Lydia Baker Stroup revealed that she had ‘borne’ 12 children during her lifetime; although only seven had survived past infancy, those listed above].

In 1860 the Census reflects that the value of Ab’s farm was $500 and his personal possessions of less than $100.  Next door to Ab were older brother Christopher Goodson “Christy” Stroup and his family of eight children.   Christy’s farm value was listed at a whopping $2,000 (presumably the 140 acres) and his personal possessions, including house, at an additional $2,000.

During the US Civil War Ab was a member of 4 Corp Company 11 87 North Carolina Militia [Home Guard], Confederate States Army.  Ab’s son “J.J.” also served with the Confederate States Army, as a member of the Junior Regiment, Home Guard.

In the 1870 Federal Census, six years following the “War of Northern Aggression”, Abner, age 51 and his family continues to farm land south of Cherryville.   At home are the five younger children, Mahulda and Christopher Columbus having married and established their own families during the intervening ten years.  Ab owned no property in 1870 and his personal property value was listed at $100, indicating he was most probably ‘tenant farming’ other’s (brother Christy’s?) land.   In contrast, the Census reflects that a “Mr. McGee” lived in the same area, south of Cherryville, owning real property valued at $12,000 in 1870 dollars!  The years following the Civil War were again hard on many, many Southerners.  As is well documented, Southern “farming” families merely survived from day-to-day --- living off the land.

By the 1880 Federal Census Abner and Lydia, now in their 60s, along with daughter Elizabeth and younger son Noah were living together as a family, “farming” per the Census record.   Youngest son Mathew L. Stroup had passed away, from unknown cause, in 1875.  Two other children had married by 1880:  John Michael to Sara Ann Beam and son Joseph Jason (J.J.) to Susan Farris. 

No further documented information exists after 1880 for Abner Stroup, as the 1890 Federal Census records were destroyed in a fire in Washington DC in the early 20^th century.

Abner Albert Stroup died in the spring of 1899.  He is buried among his father’s family at Mount Zion Baptist Church Cemetery, north of Cherryville.   Lydia Baker Stroup, his wife of 57 years, passed away a few years later, while she was living with son Noah and his family on land owned by Noah, south of Cherryville.

Biography revised on October 12, 2008.  Information from the files of:

Ethel Belle Stroupe Vochko [1920-2006] originally from Asheville North Carolina

Sid Stroupe, Durham, North Carolina

Abner's marriage bond

1860 Census

1870 Census

1880 Census