Charles Strong was born in Ireland in 1713 and married Jennet Gaston. She was born in Ireland to William Gaston and Mary Olivet Lemon in 1726. Charles and his family arrived at Delaware Bay from Ireland in 1773. In the 1730s, the first Scots-Irish started arriving in South Carolina from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The first surveyor of the South Carolina colony was Florence O’Sullivan, an Irishman.

During the Revolutionary War, the British took control of Charlestown, South Carolina, on 12 May 1780. Afterward, Presbyterian preachers of the Fishing Creek area where Charles and Jennet Strong were living with their teenage son started arousing their congregation members by calling for liberty and religious freedom. As a result, the British became incensed at the preachers and by the raids of American troops under the command of Colonel Richard Winn and Captain John McClure.

In June 1780, British Captain Christian Huck was ordered to apprehend Reverend John Simpson, pastor of the Fishing Creek Presbyterian Church. On Sunday morning, 11 June, Captain Huck, with twelve soldiers, went to the Fishing Creek Meeting House to locate Reverend Simpson. Since the reverend was not present, Captain Huck ordered a search of the surrounding area. Since the Charles Strong farm was located across the creek from the church, Huck had his men ransack the barn, drag out sacks of grain and stick holes in the bags with their swords. After tame pigeons on the farm flew down to eat the grain on the ground, Captain Huck cut the heads off the pigeons as they rose in the air. William Strong, the teenage son of Charles and Jennet, was in the barn reading his bible. At that time, he was the only male on the farm. Since Captain Huck was infuriated not to locate Reverend Simpson, he ordered his men to kill William. After shooting the teenager, British soldiers dragged William’s body into the yard, where they slashed his body with their swords. To prevent further mutilation, Jennet threw herself upon her son’s body. A month after William’s murder, Captain Huck was killed in battle on 12 July.

To assist those rebelling against the British, Charles Strong provided provisions for men and horses in November 1780. 

Charles was in poor health when he wrote his Last Will and Testament, which was recorded in 1782. The Will listed his plantation on which he and his family resided, along with 250 acres of land on the north side of Fishing Creek, 100 acres on the north fork of Rocky Creek adjoining John Gaston Jr., and 100 acres on Rocky Creek adjoining Robert Strong. There was also a note for $740 from Robert Cooper and a 1000-pound note due from Jonathan Jones. Charles also listed horses, cattle, sheep, poultry, farm tools, wagons, gear, and furniture. He named his living children and son-in-law Richard Gladney, who was married to Jennet Gaston Strong.

Charles died at Camden, Kershaw County, South Carolina, in 1783, at about 70. He was buried in the Camden Revolutionary War Cemetery at Camden. Jennet died in South Carolina on 28 April 1801, and she was buried in the Gladney Cemetery in Fairfield County, South Carolina. They were the parents of six children.

Note: The Attakapas Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution placed a marker on 26 July 1997, honoring Jennet Gaston Strong for the “suffered depredations at the hands of the British.”

Their known children:

1. Robert Strong was born in Ireland in 1752. In 1779, his father bequeathed him one-half of the bounty of 200 acres and one-half of a 300-acre tract of land on which his father resided. Robert married Sarah Simonton. They resided on 580 acres located on the headwaters of Little River. He purchased the property from John Bell on 9 October 1801 and built a large two-story frame house. Robert died on 20 October 1824, at 72, and Sarah died on 19 April 1831. They were buried in the Hopewell Churchyard in Chester County, South Carolina. Robert and Sarah were the parents of two children, Robert S. Strong, and William Strong.
2. Jennet Gaston Strong was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1757. She married Richard Gladney 3rd in Chester County, South Carolina, in 1775. Richard was born at Kinbally, County Antrim, Ireland, to Richard Gladney and Jennett “Jane” Wilson in 1741. During the Revolutionary War, Richard served as a private in Captain Ed Martin’s Company of Colonel Richard Winn’s Regiment from 1776 to 1783. Jennet lived with their children on Jackson Creek in Fairfield County, South Carolina. Richard died intestate at Winnsboro in Fairfield County on 10 August 1793, at about 52. Richard owned property in Chester, Fairfield, and York counties at his death. Jennet died at Winnsboro on 22 September 1833, at about 76. They were buried in the Gladney Cemetery, nine miles from Winnsboro in Fairfield County. Richard Gladney and Jennet Gaston Strong were the parents of nine children, Martha Gladney, Joseph Gladney, William Gladney, Jane Gaston Gladney, Janet Gladney, Charles Strong Gladney, Samuel Strong Gladney, Richard Gladney, and Letisha Margaret “Letitia” Gladney.
3. Christopher Strong was born in County Antrim, Ireland, on 20 January 1760. He served six months as a Private in Captain Miller’s company, commanding Colonel Edward Lacy during the Revolutionary War. In 1778, he served three months in Colonel Richard Winn’s Regiment of South Carolina. In 1780, he served for three months under Captain Alexander Pagan and Colonel Neil. During that time, Christopher was in the “Battle of Rocky Mount.” During the battle, the British defeated the American troops near Rocky Creek, South Carolina. Christopher also participated in the Battle of Fish Dam Ford and Blackstock’s farm. Christopher’s first marriage was to Frances Elizabeth Dunn in Chester County, South Carolina, on 28 December 1782. She was born on 22 November 1750. Reportedly, Frances died in 1826. He married his second wife, Rosanna McCullough, two years later in Chester County, South Carolina, on 10 July 1828. She was born in South Carolina in 1784. Christopher died at Charlotte, Dickson County, Tennessee, on 22 November 1850, at the age of 90. At the time of his death, Christopher was a member of the Associate Reform Presbyterian Church of Charlotte, Tennessee. He was buried in the Strong Cemetery in Dickson County. Rosanna’s date of death and burial location is unknown. Christopher and Frances were the parents of three children, Jane Dunn Strong, Martha Strong, and Sarah Strong. Christopher Strong and Rosanna McCullough did not have any children. Note: The Christopher Strong Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution was charted on 15 April 2005 in Charlotte, Tennessee.
4. William Strong was born in County Antrim, Ireland, about 1765. During the Revolutionary War, he was murdered by British soldiers on 11 June 1780. His burial location is known.
5. Letitia Gaston Strong was born in County Antrim, Ireland, on 1 May 1766 and married James Strong. He was born in 1760. During the Revolutionary War, James served in the South Carolina militia.
6. James died on 5 November 1823, at about 63. He was buried in the Harrison Burying Ground Cemetery at Blackstock, Chester County, South Carolina. Letitia died at Charlotte, Dickson County, Tennessee, on 29 November 1837 and was buried in the Strong Cemetery in Dickson County. Their known children were Charles Strong, Christopher Strong, Elizabeth Strong, and Mary Strong.
7. Margaret Jeanette Strong was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1768 and married John Simonton Sr. He was born in 1760 and served in the South Carolina militia during the Revolutionary War.
8. Margaret died on 11 March 1828, at about 60. John died on 31 January 1841 and they were buried in the New Hope Associate Reformed Presbyterian Cemetery at Douglas, Fairfield County, South Carolina. They were the parents of six known children, John Simonton Jr., Margaret Simonton, Mary Simonton, Robert Simonton, Sarah Simonton, and William Simonton. 

Sources:

1. Family Das Collection - Births.
2. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s.
3. Scotch-Irish Migration to South Carolina, 1772.
4. South Carolina Archives, Accounts And #7483, Roll 142.
5. South Carolina, Find-A-Grave Index, 1729-2011.
6. South Carolina, U.S. Willis and Probate Records, 1670-1980.
7. The Strong and Allied Families, a book based on the papers of Miss Esther Strong, edited by Theresa M. Hicks, in the collection of the South Carolina Library, Columbia, South Carolina.
8. Ellet, Elizabeth F., The Women of the American Revolution, Vol. III, New York City: Baker and Scribener, 1850.
9. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900.
10. U.S., Find-a-Grave.