The Strausbaugh Family

for further information see the following website:

Cambria Co., PA website

http://www.rootsweb.com/~pacambri/

  The Strausbaugh Family Name[1]

            From a history of the Strausbaugh family come these interesting comments about the family name.

          In the early years the family was in America, many variations of spelling were used.  While the Strausbaugh spelling is common today, this was not always the case.  This spelling has evolved as much in the last 100 years of the almost 250 year history of the family in America.   During the first 100 years, Strasbach was the most common spelling, but just one of many.

          Essentially nothing is known concerning the original European spelling of the name .... It must be remembered that for the greater part of the 250 years that the family has been in America, the name was written down by record keepers as they heard it, or as they thought it should be spelled.  In many instances this was true even when the person could write their own name.

          Following are various spellings found during family research:  Drasbart, Drasbarb, Prasbart, Trassbaret, Trasbach, Trasback, Trasbaugh, Tresback, Treshback, Trosbach, Trosbaugh, Trospaugh, Starsbach, Strasbach, Strasback, Strasbaugh, Strawsbach, Strawsbaugh, Strawsbauch, Strawssbauck, Strassbach, Strasbock, Strassbaugh, Strosbach, Strosback, Stroosbaugh, Strausbaugh, Strausbough.

 The Immigrant Ancestor:  Nicholas Strausbaugh

            Shirley Gorman, who has a Strausbaugh mailing list on the Internet writes in February 2002:  "If you have any connection to the Strausbaugh name (the spelling now) you are a cousin.  With a lot of work and time each and every one of you should be able to trace your line or branch back to Nicholas Strasbach and family that arrived in Philadelphia on the ship Princess Augusta."

          At this point I haven't made that connection, but I'll keep working on it.  In the meantime, I'll include some information about Nicholas Strasbach, the immigrant ancestor, and his two sons Nicholas and Michael from whom all Strausbaughs (and similar names) are said to have descended.          

          A Strausbaugh Family History prepared by Don Osborn of Muscatine, Iowa, was sent to me by James Strassbaugh.  Some interesting parts of it are as follows:

          "Nicholas Strausbaugh, in the summer of 1736, sailed from Rotterdam, Holland, with his wife and family, and arrived in America at Philadelphia on September 16, 1736.... He was 40 years of age when he arrived in America in the year 1736, indicating that he was born about the year 1696.   He eventually settled in Paradise Township, York County, Pennsylvania, where he died in the year 1753.

          Essentially nothing is known concerning his parentage, birth place, marriage, or his early life in Europe.  Because of the religious preference of a majority of his children and grandchildren, it is assumed that Nicholas was of the Roman Catholic faith.  Based on somewhat flimsy circumstantial evidence, it appears that his origin may have been in the Alsace-Lorraine region of Northcentral Europe, and that he and his family traveled down the Rhine River with a small group of Catholic families from that area, who were bound for America.  From wherever he may have come, the termination of the European portion of the journey was at Rotterdam, Holland, located at the mouth of the Rhine River.  Rotterdam was the principal port of embarkation for those emigrants who came down the Rhine.

          In the summer of 1736, Nicholas Strausbaugh, his wife and six children, boarded the ship Princess Augusta captained by Samuel Marchant, which sailed from Rotterdam, Holland, made a stop for provisions at Cowes on the English Isle of Wight, sailed across the Atlantic to Philadelphia, arriving on or shortly before September 16, 1736.

          The trip across the Atlantic could not have been an easy journey.  From Captain Marchant's manifesto, it is learned that there were approximately 330 passengers crowded into the sailing vessel.  Of these, 112 were males over 16 years of age, the remaining 218 were women and children.

          On September 16, 1736, Captain Marchant and the male passengers appeared before the Philadelphia Court for qualification as required by the laws of the Province of Pennsylvania.  The captain presented to the court his list of male passengers over 16 years of age who were transported to Pennsylvania on the Princess Augusta.  The court prepared two lists on which the passengers either signed their names, or if they could not write their name, they signed with their mark alongside the name as it was written down by the court's recorder.  Thus, for those who could not write, the name was written with a phonetic spelling as heard by the recorder.

          "These lists, which are extant, contain essentially all the known information concerning Nicholas Strausbaugh prior to his arrival in America.  The lists are published in "Pennsylvania German Pioneers” by Strassburger and Hinke and are identified as Lists A, B, and  C, List A being Captain Marchant's list, and Lists B and C being the two lists prepared by the Philadelphia court.  List A is of the most importance to the Strausbaugh history as it gives Nicholas's age and the number of persons in the family....Nicholas Strausbaugh signed the court's list with his mark.  On the three lists are found four phonetic spellings of his name.  None of the four are identical. 

          "Nicholas Strausbaugh arrived in America with six children.  At the time of his death, there were ten known surviving children, three sons and seven daughters.  Of the three sons, the second son died shortly after his father, without heirs, thus the descendants of the name are either from the eldest son, Nicholas Strausbaugh, Jr., or from the youngest, Michael Strausbaugh.

          "Nicholas Strausbaugh died during the year 1753, at an age of about 57, as on October 25, 1753, letters of administration for the estate of Nicholas Strausbaugh were granted to his oldest son, Nicholas.  The places of burial are not known for either Nicholas  Strausbaugh or his wife.  His wife, whose name is unknown, was not mentioned in the administration of the estate, and it is assumed that she died before Nicholas.

          Nicholas's children were as follows: 

          Nicholas, b. about 1721 in Europe

          John, b. in  Europe, d. before 1763

          Anna

          Mary Ann                                 (2 older sons and 4 daughters

          Barbara                                    were born in Europe; the rest in PA)

          Margaret

          Matalena

          Catherine

          Judith

          Michael b. about 1742 in PA

          "About 1810 some of the descendants started moving westward, particularly into Ohio.  Today, descendants are found spread through most of the United States.  It is believed that the great majority of the Strausbaugh families of various spellings now living in the United States are descended from this immigrant ancestor, Nicholas Strausbaugh.

The oldest son:  Nicholas Strausbaugh, Jr.

          "Nicholas Strausbaugh lived in a number of locations, including what is now Menallen Township, Adams County, PA.  Most of the Strausbaugh families who lived in, or migrated out of the western half of Adams County, are descended from Nicholas, Jr. and his wife Matlena.

The youngest son:  Michael Strausbaugh

          "Michael Strausbaugh lived in Paradise Township, York County, Pennsylvania.  Most of the Strausbaugh families who lived in or migrated out of York County and the eastern portion of Adams County, Pennsylvania, are descended from Michael and his wife Eva Catherine Staub."

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            The Michael Strausbaugh who was born in 1795 and was found in the census of Adams County in 1830, Cambria County in 1840, and Armstrong County in 1850, the father of Peter and grandfather of Marietta Strausbaugh, COULD have been a son or grandson of Michael Strausbaugh, youngest son of the immigrant.   IF he is descended from Nicholas, oldest son of the immigrant, it would probably be as his grandson or great-grandson.  At this point, I have not made a connection with either one.

          The 1830 Adams County census record which I believe to be my g-g-g-grandfather Michael is in Germany Township, but I don't know whether that is eastern or western Adams County.  If it is what is now known as Germantown, that is in about the center of the county.

Maternal Ancestors of Sarah Margaret Walter Hopson

1^st generation

Michael Strausbaugh

(b. about 1795, d. after 1850)

Elizabeth M.

(b. about 1800, d. after 1850)

          Michael Strausbaugh was born in about 1795 in Pennsylvania.  He married in about 1825 in Indiana County, PA Elizabeth M. who was born in about 1800 in Pennsylvania.[2]  Their known children were:

                   i.        Joseph Strausbaugh         b. 1826

                   ii.       Mary Strausbaugh  b. 1828

                   iii.      Marget A.  Strausabaugh  b. 1831

                   iv.      Peter Strausbaugh 1832-1897   m.  Elizabeth Shearer

                   v.       Ann E. Strausbaugh b. 1835

                   vi.      Charles Strausbaugh        b. 1836

Michael's occupation is listed as salesman.

There is a Michael Strausbaugh family in the 1830 Adams County, PA census[3] which COULD be this family--if there were some older children who had already grown up and left home by the time of the 1840 census, which is certainly possible.

1 male 30-40          (Michael, 35)

1 female 20-30       (Elizabeth, 30)

1 male under 5       (Joseph, 4)

1 female under 5    (Mary, 2)

1 female under 5    (?? died by 1840 census)

2 males 5-10 (?? died or married by 1840 census)

1 female 15-20       (?? married by 1840 census) (If ages are correct,

          Elizabeth would have given birth to her at age 15, always a

          possibility.)

There is a Michael Strausbaugh in the 1840 Cambria County, PA census[4] that COULD be this family, as follows:

1 male 40-50          (Michael, 45)

1 female 30-40       (Elizabeth, 40)

1 male 10-15          (Joseph, 14)

1 female 10-15       (Mary, 12)

1 male 5-10            (Peter, 8)

2 females 5-10       (Marget 9, Ann, 5)

1 male under 5       (Charles, 4)

1 female under 5    (?? m/d by 1850 census)

The 1850 Armstrong Co., PA census, Pine Township, shows this family as follows:

Michel Strausbaugh, 55, salesman

Elizabeth, 50

Joseph 24

Mary 22

Marget A. 19

Peter 17

Ann 15

Charles 14

 Indiana, Cambria, and Armstrong counties are adjacent to each other, and Adams is farther away.

I have not been able to find a listing for Michael or Elizabeth Strausbaugh in the 1860 Pennsylvania census index, even taking into account the various spellings of the name.

2^nd generation

Peter Strausbaugh

(1832-1897)

Elizabeth Shearer

(1830-1923)

For interesting information see the Blacklick Township website:

http://www.rootsweb.com/~pacblack/index.html

Photo thanks to Joe Inghram:

Marietta Strausbaugh Walter and her mother Elizabeth  Shearer Strausbaugh

           Peter Strausbaugh was born in about 1832 in Adams County, PA[5], the son of Michel Strausbaugh and Elizabeth M. Strausbaugh.[6] 

          He married Elizabeth Shearer 6 Jun 1852 in Mineral Point, Cambria Co., PA[7].  She was born 10 July 1830 in Pennsylvania, the daughter of George Shearer and Margaret Stifford Shearer.[8]  (see SHEARER .)

          Peter and Elizabeth had four children:[9]

                   i.        William George Strausbaugh b. 1853, m. Sara Eva

                             Harding 19 Jul 1878; d. 29 Apr 1931, Jackson, Cambria

                             Co., PA; bur. 2 May 1931, Armaugh, Indiana Co., PA; 6                               children[10],[11]

                   ii.       Charles L. Strausbaugh, b. 1856, m. (1) Mary A. Kaylor,

                             4 children; Mary d. bef. 1900; m. (2) Elizabeth Roland

                              1902; Charles d. 1931 Cambria Co., PA; Elizabeth d.

                             1941.

                   iii.      Marietta Strausbaugh 1857-1916  m. Daniel Webster

                             Walter, 1881

                   iv.      Sarah (Sadie) E. Strausbaugh  (b. 28  Dec 1864,  m.

                             Joseph C. Miller (1857-1930), d. Aug 1946 Johnstown,

                             PA [12]

          They also adopted a son:

                   v.       John L. Strausbaugh, b. 1872[13], m. Florence Stephens

                             1903; no information on his date of death

          This family appears in the 1860 Cambria Co., PA census, Jackson Township, as follows:

          Peter Strausbaugh, 29, cooper

          Elizabeth, 30

          William G. 9

          Charles L. 6

          Marietta 4 (there may be an initial I )

According to military records in the National Archives, Peter Strausbaugh enlisted as a private in the 4^th Pennsylvania Cavalry in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, on February 23, 1864.  He was 33 years old at the time, and listed his occupation as a cooper.  He was described as having brown eyes, black hair, and 5 feet 11 inches tall.[14]  In his military records his name also appears on a Descriptive List of Deserters Arrested, which says he "deserted from Camp Copeland sometime in May '64, went to his home in Indiana Co., PA, where he remained until arrested May 17, 1864, by the Pro.Mar. 21st Dist. PA."  Deserters were apparently returned to camp with no further action taken.  A notation in his records says he was in action at Snicker's Ferry, VA,  July 23 or 24, 1864.  The Civil War ended in April 1865, and he was mustered out in Lynchburg, Virginia, on July 1, 1865.[15]

In May 1890 Peter applied for an Invalid Pension, stating that "while a member of Company D, 4th Regiment of Pennsylvania Vols, in the front of Petersburgh, VA, on the 15th day of March 1865, his horse was shot from under him, and he was thrown over his horse's head, thereby injuring his back, resulting in piles and rheumatism."  Further information in that declaration was that since leaving the service he had resided in Ninevah, PA, Westmoreland County in 1868, and in 1879 moved to Cambria County.  After Peter's death in 1897, Elizabeth applied for a widow's pension.

This family seemed to move around a bit more than the average, according to these records:

1852  Cambria County - Peter and Elizabeth married

1857  Blair County - Marietta claimed to have been born in Altoona, Blair Co.

1860  Cambria County - they appear in this census.

1864  Indiana County - this was Peter's home while he was in the Army

1870  Westmoreland County - they appear in this census

1880  Cambria County - they appear in this census.

The 1870 Westmoreland Co., PA, p. 691 census shows this family as follows:

Peter Strausbaugh, 31 (?)

Elizabeth 22 (?)

Wm. G. 17

Charlie 14

Mary E. 13

Sadie 5

The 1880 Cambria Co., PA census shows the following:

Peter Strausbaugh, age 49, cooper, father  b. MD (?), mother b. PA

Elizabeth 49, b. PA, father b. PA, mother b. Germany  (the opposite is true)

Charles 23,  repairs on PRRC

Mary E. 22

Sarah E. 15

John L. 8

Walter, Daniel, 20, boarder, repairs, PRRC

 According to the 1880 Cambria Co., PA census, Peter and Elizabeth's oldest son William, who had married in 1878, was no longer living at home, but the other children were.  Their son Charles' occupation was listed as "repairs on PRRC," which I believe to be the Pennsylvania Railroad.  In addition, the family had three boarders living in their home, young men who were also working on the railroad.  One of them was Daniel W. Walter, and the following year, 1881, he married their daughter Marietta[16]. (See WALTER).  At the time of his death, December 18, 1897, Peter and Elizabeth Strausbaugh were living in the Township of Blacklick in Cambria County, PA.  He died without a will, and his son William G. Strausbaugh was named administrator of his estate.  A lot of real estate was sold at auction to pay his debts, and his adopted son John L. Strausbaugh was the highest bidder[17].

          Peter was buried in Belsano Faith United Methodist Church Cemetery.  His gravestone reads 1832-1897, PVT 4 PA CAV.[18] 

          Elizabeth lived with her daughter Sadie Miller during her last illness until her death on 29 January 1923 in Jackson, Cambria Co., PA, and was buried 31 January 1923 in Belsano, PA.[19] [20] Following her death, an Application for Reimbursement was filed with the Commissioner of Pensions by her son-in-law J.C. Miller for expenses connected with her last sickness and burial.  The application stated that Elizabeth was cared for by Sadie Miller, Christina Miller, and Eva Strausbaugh.[21]  (Sadie was her daughter, Christine probably a granddaughter, and Eva was probably her son William's wife).

          Sue Lyn Price, great-granddaughter of Sadie, sent me the following emails in February 2000:  "I guess we are related.  Our great-grandmothers were sisters.  Do you know if your Marietta had a German accent?  My aunts insist that my Sadie had one.  I guess it's possible if their parents spoke German.... When I read the description of Marietta you sent me, it brought back what my mom said about Sadie.   She too was 'short, plump, and possessed quite a temper.'"

Further information on this family:

William George Strausbaugh (1851-1931) married on 19 Jul 1878 Eva Sarah Harding (1860-1938), daughter of Madison Harding and Charlotte M. Rogers Harding of New Hampshire.   Census records show this family as follows:

1880 Westmoreland Co., PA census, St. Clair Twp:  W.G. Strausbaugh 27, works on RR; Eva Strausbuagh 21, Alace M. Strausbaugh 1, Adda M. Rager 18 servant.

1900 Cambria Co., PA census, Blacklick Twp:  William G. Strausbaugh 47 b. Mar 1852, wife Sarah E. 21, Mar 1879; John R. 19, Aug 1880, Nellie C. 17, May 1883, Kate C. 14, June 1885, Emma 12, Nov 1887, Gordon 6, Nov. 1893.  [Wife Sarah is obviously not 21 born 1879; that age and date should be for oldest daughter Alice M.]

1910 Dist. 74, East Wheatfield Twp, Indiana Co., PA, p. 41B, Ancestry.com  image 4:  William G. Strausbugh 56, married 31 years PA PA PA; wife Eva S. 52, 6 children, 6 living ME ME ME; son John R. 29, dau Emma I. 22, single; son Gordon A. 16, granddaughter Verna M. Huffman 13, grandson Alvin R. Huffman 11, granddaughter Eva C. Huffman 9, grandson William C. Huffman 6; grandson Ray  Clowan 7; grandson William Strausbaugh 2.

1920 Westmoreland Co., PA census:  Strausbaugh, Wm. G. 68, Sarah wife 60, Clair Huffman 15 grandson, Glen Baird, 3, great-grandson.

William and Eva are buried at Armagh, Indiana Co., PA.

Charles L. Strausbaugh (1854-1931) married Mary A. Kaylor in 1890, (License book 6, p. 462).  They had 4 children, but Mary died at or soon after the birth of the youngest in 1896.   The 1900 Cambria Co., PA census, Blacklick Twp shows this family as follows:  Charles L. Strausbaugh 45, b. Sept 1854; Gretta 10 b. Dec 1889; John 8 b. Oct 1891, Pearl 6 b. Oct 1893; Lewis R. 4 b. Feb 1896.

In 1902 Charles married Elizabeth Roland, according to the Cambria County Marriage index on Cambria County website.  It was the 2nd marriage for both.  Elizabeth is probably the daughter of David and Christeann Bracken; her first marriage was in about 1883 and she was a widow in the 1900 census, living with her father and married sister.

1910 Jackson, Cambria Co., PA census, p. 19A, Ancestry.com image 37:  Charles Strasbaugh 55, 2nd marriage, 10 years; Lizzie 55 2nd marriage, 0 children; John 17, Pearl 16, Raymond 14.  [next door to Charles' daughter Greta and her husband Eugene Lynch]

1920 Cambria Co., PA census, Jackson twp:  Charles L.  Strawsbaugh 66, Elizabeth 67, Raymond 23 son.

1930 Cambria Co., PA census, Jackson, p. 16A, Ancestry.com image 31:  Charles L. Strausbaugh 77, first married at 25; Lizzie wife 77, first married at 30; Ray L. son 34 married at 24 (no wife listed) all b. PA.  [still living next door to Charles' dau Greta and her husband Eugene Lynch & family]

Charles Strausbaugh died at the age of 77, according to Cambria Co. Obituaries online, which did not give a date.  His wife Elizabeth died in April 1937.

Sarah  E. (Sadie) Strausbaugh (1864-1946) married in about 1887 Joseph C. Miller (1857-1930).  Joseph had a first marriage but his wife’s name is unknown; they had 2 sons, Charles C. b. 1883 and Jesse b. 1885.  Joseph and Sadie had 5 children.  They appear in the census as follows:

1900 South Fork, Cambria, PA census, ED 157, sheet 11:  Joseph Miller 43, Jan 1857, md 13 yrs, PA PA PA, coal miner; wife Sadie 35, Dec 1864; 5 children, 4 living; Charles 17, May 1883, coal miner; Jesse 15, Mar 1885; Nannie 11, Nov 1889; Lizzie 8, Dec 1891; Joseph 4, Dec 1895; Reva 3, Apr 1897; Elizabeth Strausbaugh, 68, Jul 1831.

1910 Cambria Co., PA census:  Joseph C. Miller 53, Sadie E. 47, Annie I. 21, Elizabeth M. 19, Joseph C., Jr. 15, Myron R. 13, George W. 6, Elizabeth Strawsbaugh, 79, mother-in-law.  (Joseph's 2nd marriage, married for 22 years)

1920 Indiana Co., PA census, East Wheatfield twp:  MILLER, J.D. 63, Sadie 52, George 15 son, Elizabeth Strausbaugh 89, mother-in-law.

Joseph died in 1930 and is buried at Wesley Chapel Cemetery in  Cambria Co., KY.   A photo of the tombstone is on the Cambria County website.

1930 Cambria Co., PA census, Jackson, p. 16A:  Sadie Miller, 64, widow, first married at 22, living next door to her son Joseph & his family.

Sadie died in 1946 and is buried beside her husband.

John L.  Strausbaugh (b. 1872) was apparently a constable of Blacklick Township for a period of time:  Cambria Freeman, Ebensburg, PA, FRI 15 JUN 1900, Volume XXXIV, Number 24.  "On petition of citizens of Blacklick township the court on Monday appointed Ellsworth Rowland constable of that township to fill the vacancy caused by the removal of John L. Strausbaugh from the district."

J. L. Strausbaugh and Florence Stephens married in 1903 in  Cambria County.

They appear in the census as follows:  1910 Jackson, Cambria Co. PA census, p. 18B, Ancestry.com image 36:  John Strausbaugh 35, 1st marriage 7 years; Florence 34.  No further information found.

Information also from:

Letters from his granddaughter Sarah Margaret Walter Hopson (1884-1971)