Letter No. 1
Vaiden, Mississippi,
Rt. 2
May 27, 1927
Mrs. Sallie Murff
West, Mississippi
Dear Sallie:
Bessie told me to write you what I know about grandpa and grandma Strahan's.
families She said you had asked question's and she could not answer them
Bessie was named for grandma so she got the family Bible and let her children
tear it up.
Grandpa Strahan was named Andrew Jackson and grandma was Nancy E1izabeth
Lock. Grandma came to live with us when my father, James Willis Strahan died
the 16th of August 1900. I was 20 and the oldest of the children. There
were 7 of us and the baby, Grady, as 5 years old. Grandma was a help to
mother and we all felt better with her there, She liked to talk about the
olden times and I enjoyed hearing her talk. It bothered her that you were raised
away from our family and that we did not know each other. She said that you
are four days older than me.
Grandma's mother was Rosie Morris. Aunt Rosie (Pa's sister, yourfather's
sister too) was named for her. Aunt Rosie married Billy Murphy. Grandma's
father was John Lock. Pa's oldest brother, William Preston Strahan was
killed in the Civil War at luka.
Your father, John Moses Strahan was named for both his grandfathers
his Great grandfather was aso named Moses Strahan. Moses Senior was our Great-
Great Grandfather.
Pa's brother, our unce Wes Strahan was named Jonathan Wesley for great grandpa John Lock's father,
Jonathan, and grandma's brother, John Wesley Lock.Grandma said the Locks came from Georgia to Alabama and onto Madison County Where she played up and down the Pearl River hurting mussel shells. She was about 13 when they all moved to Attala county about 1836. It as a new county.
Grandma Rosie Lock died when our grandmother was small and her sister Betty was 2 years younger. Their oldest sisters, Marthy and Marandy took care of them and took them to their houses when they married. Grandma said they loved Aunt Marthy but Aunt Marandy was impatient with them.
Our Great Grandpa John Lock, married again to a woman named Rebecca, Grandma said they left Zilpha before pa was born I can remember grandma talking about her 2 brothers there was Wesley who was the grandfather of Cousin Eula Trotter and George Willis who went to Texas. Her Sister Minerva, married Dade Morgan, Betty married Dudley Harvey and Marthy married Austin Harvey. Her brother, George Willis married a woman named Emmaline. John Wesley married Miss Martha Green and all their children were girls. He died before he was 40 years old and his widow married Ira Tyler.
The Locks and Strahans all lived on, or near, Zilpha Creek and the Big Black River
There is a piece of land in the fork of Zilpha and Big Black still called Locks Flat.
Grandma said, grandpa Strahan rode his fine saddle horse from Copiah County to
Attala County and brought all he owned in his saddle bags. She said his parents
dled not too far apart and that all the children had a hard time. He was 16
and the oldest boy. His uncle Asa Strahan took two of the little children in his
home and I can't remember their names. Grandpa's uncle Neal Strahan took some
of the children for a time and they followed him to Louisiana. Grandpa went
twice to Louisiana but he did not like it there. He and grandma went on horse
back for a visit when uncle Wes was just beginnng to walk and he rode in grand
ma's lap. She rode a side saddle. She also told of how she and grandpa went in
a cart soon after they were married to see some of her folks in Alabama. At
that time Mississippi was almost a wilderness and there were many Indians about.
Grandma also had Lock kin near Columbus, Mississippi that she visited.
I remember grandpa had sisters Lucy, Rebecca and Margaret. There may have been
others. Margaret married Dr. Huffman. Lucy lived in Louisiana. Grandpa had a
brother Manuel who went to Texas. His brother James went to Louisiana. He also
had a brother Frank or Franklin.
Grandpa's grandpa was Moses Strahan. He and his brother John Strahan came from Georgia before Mississippi was a state. Grandma said grandpa talked so much
about his folks after the war and after their son was killed. She knew her father
in-aws brother and sisters. Elijah and Neal went to Louisiana. John went to
Texas and Asa stayed in Copiah county. She never saw her father in law. He died
before she knew grandpa.
Grandma said grandpa's father, Moses Jr., had land in 3 counties, he had more land than any of the others and some people said his uncle Asa beat them out of it.
She said grandpa always said he guessed it took it all to raise the little children.
I might remember more about the Locks and Strahans if I could talk to you.
Your cousin,
Preston Strahan,
Letter No. 2
Vaiden, Miss.,
Rt. 2
May 29, 1927
Dear Salle;
Two days ago I mailed you a long letter about our Strahan and Lock
folks. Last night I lay awake and remembered much I did not tell you. In her
last years Grandma Strahan talked so much about hers and grandpa's folks and I
must have been her best listener,
I was seven years old when Grandpa Strahan died and I remember grandma
putting a silver dime, a little gold ring and a lock of red hair in Grandpa's
breast pocket. She said the dime was a keepsake Uncle Preston gave his pa when
he left for the war. The ring and the hair also belonged to Uncle Preston. I
was named for Uncle Preston and grandma always said I was just like him but I
don't have red hair.
I forgot to tell you about some sisters great grandpa Strahan had. One was Temple and she married Seth Corley. He had a sister Mary who married a Graves There may have been another sister. Last night I thought of the name of grandpa's mother. She was Lucy Cassandra Cottingharn. She was called Cassie. Aunt Cassie Strahan Briscoe was named for her. Great Grandma Cassie was kin to the Cottinghams in Kilmichael and she had a sister living there, Aunt Rebecca. This Aunt Rebecca helped her ma and pa raise Aunt Margaret who married Dr. Huffman. Grandpa also had a sister Rebecca. Grandma knew all of them, If I could see you I could explain
all this better.
Grandma said her mother-in-law Lucy Cassandra died just before she was
was 35 years old and left a house full of children. If I understood It right
Great Grandpa Moses (his father was named Moses and your father was named Moses) died about the same time, Grandma said there was a big family of Cottinghams and all of them were kin to us. I remember an Aunt Betty and a cousin Betty visiting Grandma, Grandpa had an uncle Turbin, an uncle James, uncle Giles and an uncle Francis who was Grandpa's age. They were good friends and after Uncle Francis went back to Copiah County they visited him.
Many of our Lock and Strahan kin are buried at Providence Church
Cemetery near Uncle Wes Strahan's. Pa is buried there. Grandma and Grandpa
are buried there. She was born August 7, 1823 in Alabama, She told us many
sad, strange and funny things about Madison, Copiah and Attala counties when
she was young and this part of Mississippi was almost a wilderness.
Let me hear from you.
Your cousin
Preston Strahan.
The original letters from Luther Preston Strahan were written on plain paper in pencil, these letter were in my possesion at one time and I may have returned them to Thema Murff Johnson even though she had given them to me, regardless all I have now are the photocopies, and these are none to good. Regardless the authenticity of these letters were sworn and exhibited before the following notary on Feb 2, 1978 in Holmes County Ms. " Ms. Eula Lee Stevens" if I am reading the name correctley where she signed it her commission expired on Jan, 1 1981
Charles A. Strahan
Grandson of Luther Preston Strahan
