The William Strother Society, Inc.
The William Strother Society, Inc.

Welcome to The William Strother Society Web Site

The William Strother Society is a family association dedicated to perpetuating the memories of our ancestors and furthering fellowship among the descendants of William Strother, the immigrant.  Founded in 1986 as the Society of Descendants of William Strother, it was incorporated in Virginia in 1992 as The William Strother Society, Inc.  The first 'Strother Family Reunion' was spearheaded by Lloyd Oliver, an avid genealogist and Strother descendant from San Antonio, Texas, who identified 700 Strother descendants across the country and invited them to meet and share kinship in September 1986 in Fredericksburg, Virginia.  He was assisted by Marjorie Strother, from King George, Virginia, and George A. Fenwick, Sr, from Chester, New Jersey.  About 200 people showed up and from this reunion the William Strother Society was born.  These three forward-thinking 'cousins' are now considered the founders of the organization.    
 
                                             
                         Lloyd Oliver & Marjorie Strother       Marjorie Strother            George Fenwick, Sr
 
The Society's members include descendants of William Strother and their families, related families, and others interested in the Strother family, throughout the United States and Europe. In addition, we partner with the Library of Congress, State and local libraries, historical societies and genealogical societies, including the DAR and SAR.  Some of the more notable members of this amazing family are shown below.  
 
We appreciate your interest and invite you to enjoy the features of this web site.
 
To log in, go to Members' Section.

What's New....
2020 Conference - POSTPONED.  As it has become increasingly clear that the nationwide virus pandemic is not likely to diminish soon, your Society officers have reluctantly taken the following actions to address this very unusual situation.  The 2020 conference, originally scheduled for this July in Winchester, VA, is being rescheduled for July 14-18, 2021 and will feature the program already well organized by George Fenwick.  Thereafter, we will continue meeting at two-year intervals, moving to the odd-numbered years after 2021. Checks already received for registration at the conference and membership renewals will be returned to their senders uncashed. 
  • Elections - The terms of all current Society officers, board members and committee chairs will be extended for one year.  Elections will then be held at the next conference in 2021.
  • Membership - The terms of existing paid memberships will be extended until the next conference in July 2021.  Any membership renewals already paid for 2020-22 will be extended for one year at no additional cost.
Check the April 2020 issue of the Houses of Strother Newsletter for more details.
 
Second Vice President - We are happy to announce the selection of Ray Moot as the 2nd Vice President.  You may have met Ray and his wife Carol at the 2018 Conference - their first! He presents a strong interest in our family history and a distinguished career as an officer in the US Army (retired).  Ray is a native of Kansas City, MO, and, following assignments throughout the US, Germany, Italy, and Vietnam, currently lives in Fairview Heights, IL. He traces his ancestors through the William line -- his maternal great-grandfather was James William Strother Miles, whose mother was Mary Ann "Polly" Strother, daughter of Anthony Strother (Francis, William, William the Immigrant) and Frances Eastham.  Ray finds that the real treasure of the Strother Society exists in the dedicated  cousins and their families who make it such a vibrant and relevant organization.
 
New Members Since January 1:
Kelly Burchyett - Big Canoe, GA
Kim Carmichael - Somis, CA
Marilee & Michael Collins - Overland Park, KS
Karen Esberger - Midlothian, TX
Bonnie King - Weaverville, NC
Richard Myers - Longview, TX
Bradley & Amber Strother - Fletcher, NC
 
Recent Obituaries (in the past year):
(Note:  full text can be found in the Members' Section)
Nolan B. Hensarling - April 7, 2020
Janette Lamb Young - March 25, 2020

Our Family Database

The Strother Family Database
 contains our family lineage comprising over 79,000 individuals, including families, photographs, cemetery records, and more.  It is accessible only via this Web site and available to Society members as a tool for those searching for their ancestry. To access this database, click on the menu item Strother Database.

Biennial Conference

We hold a business meeting and "family reunion" every two years.  This is a time to meet new cousins and renew acquaintances from all over the country -- the emphasis is on having fun. The next conference is being postponed from July of this year to July of next year (2021) in Winchester, Virginia. Check out the details on the Events page.

Newsletter

Our "Houses of Strother Newsletter" is published quarterly.  It includes articles on the history of the Strother family, current activities, tips on genealogical research, queries from those seeking family information, and information and stories from our members.  Access to the newsletters is found in the Members' Section.
 
 

SOME STROTHER DESCENDANTS
David Hunter Strother
(1816-1888) Talented artist and draftsman from Civil War era. Worked for Harper's Monthly magazine using pen name "Porte Crayon".
Charles S. Robb
(1939- ) Former Governor of Virginia and U.S. Senator from Virginia. Married a daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Absalom Hall Strother
(1844-1926) Served in 161st Ohio Infantry Regiment in the Civil War. Was a postmaster and in the creamery business.
George S. Patton, Jr.
(1885-1945) Served in World War I and was one of the foremost American combat generals of World War II.