Life History

Notes

• 1870 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee, 2 August, 3rd Civil District, PO Trion, page 27 (340), Hse #178, Family #176
  Strange, William 49 M W Farmer TN
  Strange, Mary A 46 F W Keeps House  TN
  Strange, Sarah C 21 F W Tennessee
  Strange, Margaret A E 19 F W  Tennessee
  Strange, Rufus M 17 M W Farm Laborer  Tennessee
  Strange, Julia A C 15 F W  Tennessee
  Strange, Hugh N 13 M W  Tennessee
  Strange, Lucinda J 11 F W  Tennessee
  Strange, Rachel A 9 W  Tennessee
  Strange, Rebecca T 7 F W  Tennessee
  
  The child named Tursa in the 1880 census matches Rebecca T in the 1870 census, following Rachel.  Rebecca appears only once inthe family list, in the 1870 census, at age 7.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee, 17 June, Militia District 5, Enumeration District 179, page 39 (scan 516C), Hse #286, Fam #290
  Strange, William  W M   59 Farmer TN VA VA
  Strange, Mary A  F W 56 Wife Keeping House TN TN SC
  Strange, Jane   W F 19 Dau TN At Home TN TN
  Strange, Rachel W F 17 Dau At Home TN TN TN
  Strange, Tursa A W F 15 Dau TN TN TN
  Strange, James S  W M 13 Son Farm Hand TN TN TN
  Strange, William G  W M 10 Son  Farm Hand TN TN TN
  Hill, Florence I  W F 3 G Dau TN TN TN
  
  The name Tursa A appears only in 1880, in the same position where Rebecca A T appeared in 1870.  This leads me to suspect that Rebecca and Tursa are the same person.  The initial T for Rebecca could be for the name Tursa.  In 1880 the sequence of the names would be different with the A after Tursa.  There is a 2-year discrepancy in the reported age, but this is pretty consistent on all persons between the two census.
  
  The name Tursa is found in several families in the mid-1800s, sometimes spelled Thursa.  It appears to be a Scandinavian name (compare the current Danish name Thura), where it would be pronounced as a "hard" T, not as English TH.  In the 1880 census, her brother Rufus (Ruffus) is married to a woman named Thursa Rianhart.
  
  Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002
  R T Strange
  Spouse G W Hatley
  Marriage 30 Sep 1883 Cocke County
  
  ______________
  According to the information I have gathered in my family tree, Rebecca T. Strange was married to my great grandfather George (G.W. Hatley on Sept. 30, 1883) In Cocke County, Tenn.
  
  GW Hatley married again 10 years later, on December 19, 1893, to a Mary E. Dockins in Cocke County, Tenn. I presume that Rebecca died, but can find no records of that.
  
  Rebecca and George W Hatley did have a daughter, my grandmother Sarah Hatley Gann. I know this since my grandmother, Sarah E. Hatley Gann cited Rebecca Ann Strange as her mother in her obituary. She was buried in Rosemount Cemetery, Clinton, SC.
  
  Since Sarah E. Hatley was born on Sep. 28, 1886, we know that Rebecca Strange was alive until that date.
  --  Gail Seals, email to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 21-24 February 2014
  ______________
  

Sources

• 1. 1880 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee
• 2. Email Sources
• 3. 1870 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee
  • 2 August, District 3, PO Trion, page 27 (340), Hse #178, Family #176
• 4. Loretta Gregory Gay, Personal Communication
• 5. 1880 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee
  • 17 June, Civil District 5, Enumeration District 179, page 39 (scan 516C), Hse #286, Fam #290
• 6. Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002
• 7. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
• 8. Find a Grave Memorial Registry