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NATHAN STRONG FAMILY PAPERS

1851-1937
Manuscript Collection MC 1210

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NATHAN STRONG

Nathan Strong (1789-1863) was a pioneer settler of Clark County, Arkansas, arriving in 1837 with his family. Five of Nathan's sons served the Confederacy during the Civil War, three of which are represented in this collection. Henry Strong (1825-1897), the eldest son, operated a general store and boat landing at Montroy on the Ouachita river before the war. He served as a Justice of the Peace for Manchester Township, Clark County, following his wartime service as a supervisor for the Arkadelphia salt works facility. Watson Strong (1836-1903) went to school at Andrew College in Tennessee before enlisting in the Second Arkansas Cavalry. He later became a Memphis, Tennessee attorney. Wesley K. Strong (1838-1923) enlisted in the First Arkansas Infantry, and later served in the 37th Arkansas Infantry. Following the war he resumed farming in Clark County.

THE COLLECTION

Letters, memoranda books, court docket books, and account books created by or pertaining to Wesley, Watson, and Henry Strong were donated to Special Collections by Clara M. McCaskill of Arkadelphia, Arkansas on August 5, 1992.

The Strong family papers, which combine those created or collected by three sons of Nathan Strong, were inherited by his last surviving son, Wesley K. Strong. His daughter, Willie Strong McCaskill, took possession of the material next, finally passing it on to her daughter Clara, the donor of the papers.

The Nathan Strong family papers consist of letters written by Strong family members and acquaintances, including wartime letters written by Wesley Strong from Virginia and Mississippi during 1861 and 1862. An additional Civil War letter written to James Prior of Tulip, Arkansas, from Captain George Alexander of the Third Arkansas Infantry in 1861 is also among the Civil War letters. Twentieth century letters mostly consist of letters from Clara Cooper to Mary "Mollie" Pryor Strong, the widow of Wesley, and pertain mostly to family history. Other papers in the collection include: memoranda books with diary-like entries kept by Wesley from 1876-1894; an autograph album kept by Watson Strong during his 1858 school term in Tennessee; account books detailing sales and river traffic business at Henry Strong's operation at Montroy; three court docket books for proceedings at Manchester Township, Clark County, overseen by Henry Strong; a Strong family history and genealogy written by Miller Gibson Jones and Mollie Pryor Strong; a folder of miscellaneous recipes, clippings, lists, and poetry collected by family members.

Restrictions apply. The materials have been arranged in topically labeled folders within two boxes. The originals have been restricted at the donor's request, and two boxes of positive photocopies are available for research use. Access to the originals is by permission from the head of Special Collections only.

Processed by Kim Allen Scott, September 1992. Special Collections Division, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

CONTENTS OF COLLECTION (4 containers)

Box 1
  1. Letters, 1857-1862
  2. Letters, 1868-1924
  3. Letters, 1930-1937
  4. Clippings, recipes, poetry
  5. Memoranda books, 1876-1877
  6. Memoranda books, 1877
  7. Memoranda books, 1877-1878
  8. Memoranda books, 1878-1879
  9. Memoranda books, 1886-1894
  10. Autograph book, Watson Strong, 1858
  11. J.P. Docket, 1875-1876
  12. J.P. Docket, 1878-1881
  13. J.P. Docket, 1878-1881
  14. J.P. Docket, 1878-1881
  15. J.P. Docket, 1885-1887
  16. "Strong Family: Virginia-Tennessee-Alabama-Arkansas," by Mrs. Miller Gibson Jones and Mrs. Mollie Pryor Strong
  17. Account book, 1851-1875
Box 2
  1. Account book, 1853-1855
  2. Account book, 1853-1854
  3. Account book, 1852-1893
Box 3
Box 3
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