Rufus Morgan STRANGE1,2,3,4,5,6,7

25th Nov 18531,2,3,4,5 - 21st Jan 19221,6

Life History

25th Nov 1853	Born in Jefferson County, Tennessee.1,2,3,4,5
26th May 1879	Birth of daughter Mary Cordelia STRANGE in Jefferson County, Tennessee.2,8,9
4th Oct 1881	Birth of son William Isaac STRANGE in Tennessee
1887	Death of Thirza T RINEHART in Jefferson County, Tennessee.6,9
11th May 1890	Married Nancy HALE in Cocke County, Tennessee.6
about 1894	Birth of daughter Elizabeth STRANGE in Tennessee.4
about 1902	Birth of son Winfield STRANGE in Tennessee.4
about 1904	Birth of son George STRANGE in Tennessee.4
about 1906	Birth of son Mack STRANGE in Tennessee.4
about 1909	Birth of daughter Minnie STRANGE in Tennessee.4
10th Apr 1911	Death of Nancy HALE in Jefferson County, Tennessee.6
about 1912	Birth of daughter Grace STRANGE in Tennessee.4
21st Jan 1922	Died in Jefferson County, Tennessee.1,6
after 21st Jan 1923	Buried in Mount Zion Cemetery, Jefferson County, Tennessee.6

Other facts

Married Thirza T RINEHART

Notes

Rufus M shows up in the 1860 census as a child, age 8, of William Strange. He is listed there as R M. In 1870 he is listed as Rufus M, age 17. One genealogy appears to report family knowledge, though no documentation or Notes are provided. This gives us Rufus' middle name of Morgan. Few other family details are provided.

Rufus Morgan Strange
Birth 25 Nov 1855 in Tennessee
Death 21 Jan 1923 in Tennessee
Parents William Strange b 1824, Mary A. Strange b 1825
-- Waylon's Family, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/13302138/person/-87039682

1860 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee, 8 June, PO Not Stated, page 337 (scan 497), Hse #2385, Fam #2429
Wm Strange 39 M Farmer $2000 Real Estate $1000 Personal Tennessee [abt 1821]
M A Strange 34 F b Tennessee [abt 1826] Cannot read or write
R M Strange 8 M b Tennessee [abt 1852]

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, Rufus M 17 M W Farm Laborer Tennessee

In 1880 he has his own household with wife Thursa. Rufus (Ruffus) is 26 and Thursa is 20.

1880 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee, 16 June, Civil District 5, Enumeration District 177, 34B, Hse #279, Fam #283
Strange, Ruffus W M 26 Farmer TN TN TN
Strange, Thursa W F 20 Wife Keeping House TN TN TN Cannot write
Strange, Mary C W F 8 Months born May [Dau] At Home TN TN TN
Strange, Nicholas W M 23 Brother Farm Hand TN TN TN
Rianhart, Richard W M 27 Brother-in-law Farm Hand TN TN TN Cannot read or write

We know her maiden name was Thursa Rianhart, because her brother Richard Rianhart, age 27, is living with them. Thursa and Rufus have one child Mary C, born one month before the census.

We also see for the first time in this census the name of a brother of Rufus, Nicholas, age 23. This matches the child known to the Green-Gregory family in Oklahoma by the name Nick.

Thirza died and Rufus remamarried. Zack Taylor provided information on the second marriage, to Nancy Hale in 1890.

--------------------
Rufus M. Strange
Born 25 Nov 1853 Tn, Died 21 Jan 1922 Jefferson County, Tennessee
Married his 2nd wife 11 May 1890 Cocke County, Tn
2nd wife Nancy Hale
Born 22 Jun 1869 Cocke County, Tn
Died 10 Apr 1911 Jefferson County, Tennessee
Both are buried Mount Zion Cemetery, Jefferson County, Tennessee
1900 & 1910 Jefferson County, Tn
Census has both Rufus & Nancy with children
The 1920 has Rufus a widower with 7 children living at home.
-- Zack Taylor, Jr. Jefferson County, Tenn, email to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 14 December 2008
--------------------

Note that difference in years of birth and death from the genealogy cited earlier. I note that there is no memorial for their burials on Find a Grave. Mt Zion has only 4 burials reported on FAG. But fortunately, Jerry Bryan has published a full list of all burials in Mt Zion Cemetery, which does include Rufus and Nancy. This list, howevr, has Rufus' name as Rufus N Strange, rhather than Rufus M. They are the only two burials in this cememtery. Jerry notes that this cemetery is also called Schraders' Chapel.

Mt. Zion (Schraders Chapel) Cemetery, Jefferson County, Tennessee
Strange-Rufus N 25 Nov 1853 21 Jan 1922
Nancy H 22 Jun 1869 10 Apr 1911
-- Mt. Zion (Schraders Chapel) Cemetery list, Jerry Bryan, http://jerrybryan.com/cemeteries/mtzion.html

By 1920, Rufus is a widower. He is enumerated with manyof his children, still in Jefferson County, Tennessee

1920 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee, 2 January, Civil District 6, Enumeration District 65, page 5A, Hse #82, Fam #86
Strange, Ruffus Head Owns M W 66 Widowed TN TN TN Farmer [b abt 1854]
Strange, William I Son M W 33 Single TN TN TN Laborer [b abt 1887]
Strange, Lizzie Dau W 26 Single TN TN TN Housekeeper [b abt 1894]
Strange, Winfield Son M W 18 Single TN TN TN Laborer [b abt 1902]
Strange, George Son M W 16 Single TN TN TN Laborer [b abt 1904]
Strange, Mack Son M W 14 Single TN TN TN [b abt 1906]
Strange, Minnie Dau W 11 Single TN TN TN [b abt 1909]
Strange, Grace Dau W 8 Single TN TN TN [b abt 1912]

Sources

1. Ancestry Trees
2. 1880 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee
- 16 June, Civil District 5, Enumeration District 177, 34B, Hse #279, Fam #283
3. 1860 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee
- 8 June, PO Not Stated, page 337 (scan 497), Hse #2385, Fam #2429
4. 1920 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee
- 2 January, Civil District 6, Enumeration District 65, page 5A, Hse #82, Fam #86
5. 1870 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee
- 2 August, District 3, PO Trion, page 27 (340), Hse #178, Family #176
6. Email Sources
7. Mt. Zion Cemetery, Jefferson County, Tennessee
8. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
9. Find a Grave Memorial Registry