Robert Strong

Robert Strong was born in 1808 in Ireland.

Robert married Irish-born Elizabeth (1823-1907), possibly in Ireland, and they had at least eight children: Robert (b. 1845), James (b. 1847), Mary A. (b. 1850), William (b. 1853), Henry (b. 1855), Abram (1856-1860), Richard (b. 1859), and Amy A. (1864-65).

Robert and his wife both immigrated to America and had settled in Canada by 1845 when their oldest son Robert was born. Sometime between 1847 and 1850 they moved to New York, and moving westward they eventually settled in Michigan by 1856. By 1860 Robert was working a farm (he owned some $6000 worth of real estate) and he was living with his wife and children in Hastings, Barry County.

Robert stood 5’8” with gray eyes and hair and a dark complexion and was a 56-year-old farmer possibly living in Assyria, Barry County when he enlisted in Company B on February 8, 1864, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, and was mustered the same day. He joined the Regiment on March 10 at Culpeper, Virginia, and was slightly wounded in the leg in early May. He was probably absent sick when he was transferred to Company E, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864, and was subsequently reported absent sick from June 5, 1864 through April of 1865. He was discharged on May 19, 1865, at Annapolis, Maryland.

After the war Robert returned to Barry County.

In 1872 (?) he applied for a pension (no. 177294).

Robert died on March 20, 1878, possibly in Barry County, but in any case was buried in Barryville cemetery.

His widow was living in Castleton, Barry County in 1880 and in 1890.