The Stroples of Guysborough


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The Stroples of Guysborough:    

A Loyalist Soldier's Heritage

 

We would like to welcome all of our visitors.  What unfolds in the pages to follow is one of the many stories to be found across the continent of North America.  We are still involved in the ongoing process of tracing our roots.  What we have discovered thus far has provided us with the vision of a rich historical tapestry.  We want to share that with you and invite your comments and suggestions.  We'd like to hear your stories and, most of all, we want to reestablish bonds and reconnect with our cousins who descend from the Loyalist Soldier--George Strople.

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Beginnings in North America

 Guysborough, Nova Scotia, Canada

 

            The purpose of this web page is to assemble information currently available on the beginning of the STROPLE family in North America.  The original Land Grant for property in Guysborough, Nova Scotia was granted to George Strople, a Loyalist soldier of the Sixtieth Regiment of the British Army in about 1783.  Research continues to determine the origin of George, the soldier, prior to his service in His Majesty’s Army.

             Two schools of thought address this question.  The first suggests that George Strople (German Speaking Person) was recruited from the German States in Europe by King George of England.  The second idea is that the family of George Strople was already in the United States and that George was recruited from the approximately one third of the US population that supported British Rule in the Colonies.  Although much research has been conducted on both sides of the Atlantic, no evidence has been found either way.

             The information in this web page traces the family for approximately one hundred years from about 1784 until the mid 1880’s when many of the STROPLE families had begun to migrate to other parts of Canada and to the United States.  Gloucester, Massachusetts provided a starting point for many of the families because of the strong link between Guysborough, Nova Scotia and Gloucester, Massachusetts in the fishing industry.  Three STROPLE mariners are remembered in the joint Guysborough/ Gloucester memorials of “THOSE THAT WENT DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS”.  A fishing ship,  the ALICE M. STROPLE also was launched from Gloucester.   Her captain, William Strople drowned in 1888.  The ship sank in a storm in 1890.

             Wehave made an attempt to blend the data from the Guysborough, Nova Scotia Censuses of 1817, 1838, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, and 1901 together with the Guysborough Church records available through the Latter Day Saints Libraries.  These sources of information supplement the family genealogy presented in the book, Guysborough Sketches and Other Essays  by A.C. Jost.  In addition,  US Naturalization Records and US Census records from 1860 through 1920 have also been incorporated.

             Family stories have been invaluable in tracing the family’s progress in the United States.  Many Strople descendents are cooperating with bits of knowledge and recorded records to help put it all together.  With the help of letters from Esther Strople Johnson (1902 – 1993), we have been able to correct the errors in the lost genealogy and begin to trace the movements of the Massachusetts Stroples after their emigration from Canada.

             Also included in this web page is correspondence from Joe Strople of San Jose, California.  Joe has been researching the Strople family for many years and has succeeded in capturing much information from family members both in the USA and Canada. 

            Our baseline work began with the research of my late father, Herbert Preston Strople, who was fortunate to have gathered information from his cousins.  We have been delighted to discover that my father’s cousin, Gerald Strople McMahon with whom my father’s generation shared many memories, is still pursuing the genealogy activities.  Together with Gerald and about eight other Strople descendents,  we  formed an eMail Exchange which Gerald has named “THE HUNTING PARTY”.  New bits of information are shared and newly discovered STROPLE descendents are added as they are located.

 

STROPLE DESCENDENTS contacted  -- by July 2000 

Ray and Elaine Strople

Portsmouth, Virginia

Chris Strople

Orange County, California

Mary Strople (and four sisters)

Gloucester, Massachusetts

Patricia Strople Winne (older daughter of Herbert Preston Strople)

Austin, Texas

Nancy Strople Whorley (younger daughter of Herbert Preston Strople)

Chester, New Jersey

Joe Strople

San Jose, California

Al Strople

Petaluma, California

Gerald Strople McMahon

Houston, Texas

Frank Johnson (Great grandson of Esther Strople Johnson)

Abilene, Texas

Alden Robert Strople

Fullerton, California

Arthur Wellington Strople

Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts

Fred Strople

Daytona Beach Florida

Ron Strople and Velma Austin , and Ron’s son, Ron

Ontario, Canada

Peter Strople (great grandson of George Robert Strople)

Austin, Texas

Steve Strople (University of New Brunswick)

New Brunswick, Canada

Darlene Andrews

Truro, Nova Scotia

Jeanette Robertson (niece of Alden Robert)

California

Steve Marshall

Ontario, Canada

 

In compiling this information,  I must extend heartfelt thanks to everyone mentioned above who has contributed to the wealth of knowledge about the soldier, George and his descendents. Special thanks to Mary Strople of Gloucester, Massachusetts who has combed through newspaper libraries, the Massachusetts Archives, and county records to help sort out all of the early Massachusetts Stroples.  Also special thanks to Elaine Strople and her son Chad Harris who worked very hard to turn this research into a web page.

Nancy Whorley

Chester, New Jersey
August 2000  

We bid you welcome.  Enter and enjoy!

 

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