Author: James Edward Mitchell
John Strode of Culpeper was a son of Edward Strode III (1683-1749) and Eleanor Shepherd d. 1794. In 1729 this family’s farm home was situated logically in Spotsylvania County, (Co.) that formed Orange in 1734 and Culpeper in 1749. The family tract would have been incorporated variously as new counties were formed.

John married at Culpeper Co. on Nov 25, 1758 to Mary Boyle, a dau. of James and Sarah Boyle of Berkeley Co. The Town of Culpeper was first called Fairfax, before an Act of the Virginia Assembly changed the name on Feb 22, 1759.

Daniel Boone after a 1760 Indian raid in NC resettled his family near Culpeper, VA, where he sold his services was a wagoner carrying tobacco to the market at Fredericksburg. Boone logically became associated with a Culpeper neighbor, John Strode and his son John, b. 1768. Before 1769, George Washington had made an acquaintance with Boone, over a personal interest in the Yadkin Valley and peace between the Cherokee Indians. Kentucky became the 15th state in 1792.

Mary Stevens Jones compiled a record that the Transylvania Company speculating in land sales, engaged Daniel Boone and a (Culpeper) scouting party to trail blaze from Bedford, VA near Lynchburg through Moccasin and Cumberland Gaps to Kentucky in the spring of 1775: source, “An Eighteenth Century Perspective: Culpeper County”, copyright 1976, published by the Culpeper Hist. Society Inc. This book’s separate, Appendix, “Culpeper County, Va.”, identified John and William Strode as Culpeper taxpayers. Captain John Strode is recorded upon a Kentucky Historical Marker near Winchester, Clark Co., to have travelled from Virginia down the Wilderness Trail i.e., Transylvania Trail arriving at Fort Boonesborough, 1776. During 1779, John Strode built an important fortified station serving settlers during the Revolutionary War and Indian conflict of 1781. This Commonwealth of Kentucky historical marker stipulated that during 1965 the old burial ground was unearthed and the remains (?), reinterred in the Winchester Cemetery at Clark County.

A search of Virginia ‘Publick’ Claims Culpeper County, compiled by Abercrombie and Slatten copied from original Revolutionary War claims within the Library of Virginia at Richmond, revealed, John Strode supplied 800 pounds of flower, 115 pounds of beef during Sept. 1780; 400 pounds of flower, 135 pounds of beef, and 70 bushels of oats to the VA militia agents in Nov. 1780; and, he produced a wagon masters certificate dated June, 1781 for 51 days - ‘waggonage’.

Strode wrote a letter in 1797 to the Virginia Gov., James Wood, Jr., proposing that George Wheeler’s Culpeper manufacturing works might easily supply arms for the state. Strode’s last written reference, in 1801 certified to the governor that he (Strode), Captain Edward Pendleton and Thomas Patton, a respected gunsmith, had inspected and proved 313 gun barrels at Wheeler’s gun works according to Mary Stevens Jones’ publication, above. George Washington died at “Mount Vernon,” Dec 14, 1799 at the age of 67. Virginia ranked first in wealth, population and influence among the 16 states at the close of the century.

Jefferson was elected President in 1800 and his reelection in 1804 was practically unopposed. The ”Second Census” of Kentucky 1800 Tax lists John Strode, Sr., and, John, Stephen, Jeremiah and James Strode in Clark County and Samuel Strode in Mason County. Captain John Strode, age 76 died Aug 18, 1805 at Strode Station, Clark County, KY. Left behind, within the 1810 US Census at Clark County, Kentucky is his son, John Strode shown at home: one male and one female between ages 26 and 44, with a family for a total household of 17 members.

An upright, new granite headstone appears inscribed “Capt. John Strode 11 Jan 1729 VA - 18 Aug 1805 Founder of Strode Station, Wife Mary (Polly) Boyle 1734 – 1829 Fought In the Revolution” at (1854) Winchester Cemetery at 625 West Lexington Ave., Winchester, Clark County, KY; Latitude: 37.996307 and Long.: -84.189692

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