Ralph Frederic William Strong
Martha Penny Rolenda Newhook


                                                              +-George STRONG
                                                              | m. 24 Oct 1859
                                                              |
                               +-Ralph Frederic William       |
                               | b. 25 Jan 1869       STRONG--+
                               | d. 22 Nov 1922               |
                               |                              +-Louisa STUCKLESS
  Elizabeth STRONG-------------+
  b. 17 Jul 1889               |
                               |
+-James Charles STRONG---------+
| b. 2 Oct 1892                |
| d. 4 May 1973                |
| m. 2 Aug 1915                |
|                              |
+-Mary Sarah ORD               |
(or Sarah May ORD - see notes) |
                               |
+-Ralph William Trotter STRONG-+
| b. 7 Sep 1896                |
| d. 3 Aug 1967                |
| m. 20 Aug 1919               |
|                              |
+-Jessie Elizabeth CAINS       |
  b. 20 Aug 1897               |
  d. 26 Dec 1973               |                              +-Charles Alexander BREWSTER
                               |                              |
                               +-Elizabeth Ann BREWSTER (1)---+
                                 m. 4 Dec 1890                |
                                 b. ABT 1872                  |
                                                              +-Sarah BROWN
                                                                b. 2 Sep 1851

                               |
+-Sadie Blanche STRONG---------+
| b. 23 Dec 1904               |
| d. 2 Dec 1990                |
|                              |
+-John Ernest BUTLER           |
  b. ABT 1894                  |
  d. 11 Jul 1974               |
                               |
+-Chester George STRONG--------+
| b. 2 Apr 1910                |
| d. 9 May 1992                |
|                              |
+-Elva Frances GRANVILLE       |
  b. 30 Jun 1908               |
  d. 23 Jul 1978               |
                               |
+-Cyril Wellington STRONG------+
| b. 2 Aug 1912                |
| d. 10 Feb 1987               |
| m. 19 Sep 1938               |
|                              |
+-Hazel GUEST                  |
                               |
+-Nada Alice STRONG------------+
| b. 29 Apr 1916               |
| d. 8 Sep 1998                |
|                              |
+-Gerald Walter TRAYLOR (1)    |
  d. 1944                      |
                               |                              +-Charles William NEWHOOK
|                              |                              | b. ABT 1855
+-Morris TAYLOR (2)            |                              | d. BET 1913-1916
  d. 17 Aug 1993               |                              | m. 14 Jul 1877
                               |                              |
                               +-Martha Penny Rolenda NEWHOOK |
                                 b. 4 Jun 1881           (2)--+
                                 d. 28 May 1965               |
                                 m. 21 Mar 1904               |
                                                              +-Maria BATSTONE
                                                                b. ABT 1853
                                                                d. 16 Nov 1926
From Cyril Wellington Strong's memoirs "My Life as a Newfoundland Union Organizer":

"My father, Ralph Frederick William Strong, was born at Twillingate, Newfoundland, into a family of three sons and three daughters."

"My father had left home at sixteen, to go to sea. At the turn of the century, he was in Alaska and the Yukon during the gold rush, where apparently he made a fortune digging gold. Like many who made fortunes there, he considered himself a financier, using his money to promote various companies. He managed to spend or lose all his money before he died in November, 1922, leaving his wife and family penniless."

"A newspaper account of the wedding notes that 'Molly Newhook was marrying Millionaire Strong'."

"My father had been married previously, in British Columbia, and was divorced."

"... he was buried in the General Protestant Cemetary", in St. John's.

"In June 1924 we moved to St. John's where my mother rented a house and established a boarding house, the Imperial Hotel ... which was up over Knowlings West End store on Water Street ... Around the end of 1925, Uncle Jim and Aunt Minnie came to town from Botwood and wanted to adopt my brother and me. ... My mother would not even consider adoption but she did agree that we could go to Botwood for the winter."

"My mother, nee Martha Penny Rolenda Newhook, was the daughter of a miner who worked in the mine at Tilt Cove, Notre Dame Bay, until it closed. He then moved to St. John's and worked as a carpenter. I understand the family had moved to Tilt Cove from Jackson's Arm, White Bay. I do not know in which place my mother was born, but she was reared at Tilt Cove along with three brothers and two sisters."

"At age one I was taken by mother and father to London, England, where we stayed for three years, and where, just before we came home, my sister, Nada Alice, was born." ... "I was four years old when I returned from England with my father, mother, and newborn sister. The year was 1916...".

There is confusion about Ralph's year of birth (1860, 1864, 1868, 1869 or 1870). I'll use the date on his headstone.

There is a marriage record for Frederick William Strong and Elizabeth Ann Brewster in the British Columbia Vital Statistics Marriage Index. The marriage record says he was 22 years old and she was 18 years old in 1890.

According to the 1901 Victoria Census, Andrew Strong was boarding with the family of George and Mary Craig at 10 San Juan Street. George Wallace Craig (b. 9 Oct 1867 in ON, d. 2 Nov 1904 at Victoria, buried in Ross Bay Cemetery - Block P Plot 116 E N) and Mary Craig (b. 14 Jul 1872/3 in ON, d. 3 Nov 1950 at Vancouver) were married on June 5th 1895 at Victoria. Mary Craig was Mary Ann Brewster, the daughter of Charles Alexander Brewster (b. Ireland) and Sarah Brown (b. Scotland). Mary A. Brewster was one of the witnesses to the marriage of Frederick William Strong and Elizabeth Ann Brewster on December 4th 1890.

From the Victoria City 1901 Census, Division 15, pages 13 and 14, 118 Hillside Ave:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~canbc/1901vic_cen/div15/d15p13.htm
F. Strong, widower, born 25 Jun 1865 in Scotland, Baptist, Carpenter.
Elizabeth Strong, daughter, born 17 Jul 1889 in BC, Baptist.
James Strong, son, born 2 Oct 1892 in BC, Presbyterian.
Ralph Strong, son, born 8 Dec 1896 in BC, Presbyterian.

Listed next door at 120 Hillside Ave was:
Sarah Brewster, widow, born 2 Sep 1851 in Scotland, came to Canada in 1852, Presbyterian.
James Brewster, son, born 25 Feb 1887 in BC, Presbyterian.
Annie Brewster, daughter, born 20 Apr 1889 in BC, Presbyterian.
Mable Brewster, daughter, born 2 Sep 1893 in BC, Presbyterian.

Rolenda Martha Newhook (age 24) and Frederick William Strong (age 33) were married on March 21, 1904 in New Aberdeen, Glace Bay, Cape Breton (Nova Scotia). The registration number is 154-93.

Ralph's will can be found in Volume 13, Folio 450 of the Supreme Court probate records.

Ralph's photograph, sent to me by Christine Cook.

Ralph and Martha's headstone at General Protestant Cemetary, St. John's, sent to me by Christine Cook.

Refer to the Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador article regarding Cyril Wellington Strong at http://enl.cuff.com/entry/80/8053.htm.

Martha's obituary (Evening Telegram June 28, 1965) and headstone both say she died June 27th, 1965, but her death certificate says she died on May 28th, 1965.

Ralph Fredrick Strong, age 33 years, arrived at Ellis Island, NY on November 22, 1904 aboard the Silvia from Saint John's, Newfoundland. Married but traveling alone, he was listed on the manifest as a U.S. Citizen, with an occupation of Lumberman.

R. W. Strong, age 34 years, arrived at Ellis Island, NY on June 29, 1905 aboard the Silvia from Saint John's, Newfoundland. Listed as single and traveling alone, his nationality was Newfoundlander and race was English.

Ralph F. W. (age 45y 6m), Rolend [sic] M. (age 35y 1m), Cyril W. (age 3y 11m), and Nada Alice (age 2m) arrived at Ellis Island, NY on July 18, 1916 aboard the Saxonia from Liverpool.

Ralph Strong, age 46 years, arrived at Ellis Island, NY on February 5, 1919 aboard the Prospero from Saint John's, Newfoundland. He was born in Twillingate, Newfoundland. He traveled alone on his way to London.


I have not verified the following records yet.
Victoria Vital Statistics:
http://web.city.victoria.bc.ca/archives/
James Charles STRONG and Sarah May ORD married 1 Aug 1915, Victoria, BC Tim 1915.08.02,06
Ralph Ord STRONG died 23 Mar 1916, 16 days old, b. Victoria BC, Ross Bay Cemetery plot M 48 E 4

BC Vital Statistics:
http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/textual/governmt/vstats/v_events.htm
James Charles STRONG born 2 Oct 1892 [1892-09-007844, BC: B13810, GSU: 2114718]
James Charles STRONG died 4 May 1973 [1973-09-006351, BC: B13324, GSU: 2050076]
James Charles STRONG and Mary Sarah ORD married 2 Aug 1915 [1915-09-029623, BC: B11371, GSU : 1983528]
Sarah May STRONG died 1 Nov 1971 [1971-09-014974, BC: B13313, GSU: 2034264]
Ralph Ord STRONG died 24 Mar 1916 [1916-09-033648, BC: B13083, GSU: 1927293]

Legend
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Last Updated on September 14, 2002