The Strait Family

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

The Strait Family

Source: J. Percy Crayon, Rockaway Records of Morris County, N. J. Families, (Rockaway, N.J., Rockaway Publishing Co., 1902)

Among the early settlers of Morris County, were Abraham STRAIT, his wife, name unknown, and family of five sons and one daughter. They came from Holland and settled at Milton, about 1750.

Abraham (2) settled at Canisteer, Sussex county, NJ, then called Winchester. He married Charlotte COMER, who was born at sea, bought largely of real estate, and being a carpenter by trade, built the first frame house there, and the second forge about 1780. Many of these lands were located by Hartshorn Fritz RANDOLPH Dec. 7, 1764.

Children of Abraham (2) and Charlotte (COMER) STRAIT: David A., married Sarah SMITH and lived near Canisteer, NJ, William C., married Sarah BROWN, lived at Canisteer. John, married Bridget SHAW, lived above Canisteer. Abraham A., (3) married Dulcena, daughter of Samuel and Catharine (ESTILL) DUNN, lived at Canisteer. Eliza, married John PADDOCK, lived above Canisteer. Charlotte, married John, son of Anthony DOUGHERTY, lived above Canisteer. Catharine, married Adam, son of John I. and Catharine (McCLOUD) SMITH, July 20, 1816, lived at Canisteer. Lucinda, or Lucy as some of the records have it, married Paul FARBER, Jr., who came from Rockaway, went to Ohio in 1830, died there. A daughter, name unknown, married James PADDOCK, lived at Cherry Ridge. Jane, married William, son of Samuel DUNN, lived near Canisteer. Stephen STRAIT, married and removed from Milton, NJ, to Ohio. No records of children. John went to Tennessee, no records. Ann married John DAVENPORT, who was connected with some of the first forges near Milton. Christian, or Christoffel, name uncertain, remained at Milton. Some of the descendants settled at Sparta, NJ, and from thence came to Rockaway. Jacob STRAIT, the youngest of the family, born 1740, married Abigail GOULD, who came from Holland June 16, 1774. He died at Beattystown near the dividing line of Morris and Sussex counties, Nov. 18, 1792. His wife married (2) Aaron BEDFORD, of Stockholm, NJ. (3) _____ DAVENPORT, and died Feb. 1, 1803.

Children: Elizabeth, born Nov. 2, 1775, married Moses DOW, soldier of 1812 War. She died Jan. 11, 1832. He married as his second wife Elizabeth _______, born Dec. 1799, died June 7, 1883. Both buried at Rockaway. Sarah, born July 22, 1778, married William, son of Robert and Phebe (GARDINER) HEADLEY, Oct. 12, 1797, lived at Milton, died Sept. 2, 1849. Both buried in Headley Cemetery at Milton. John, born Mar. 24, 1781, married and removed to Ohio about 1805. Mary, born Aug. 25, 1783, married William CARR, removed to Port Clinton, Ohio, died there. Moses Dow, born Nov. 12, 1786, went to Fairport, now Horseheads, NY, married Ann HAMMOND, died Dec. 27, 1843. Both buried in Horse heads Baptist Cemetery. David, born Jan. 11, 1790, married Sarah, daughter of Peter and Phebe (ANGLE) CARD, Dec. 14, 1816, lived and died at Stockholm, May 7, 1874. His wife born July 5, 1799, died Nov. 24, 1879. Both buried at the M. E. Cemetery at Stockholm.

In tracing this, my mother’s family, in many of the states West and South, I have yet to find the name STRAIT, who could not find some connection with this Morris county family. They are scattered through the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina and Georgia.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)