Elvira Lawrence and Sarah Strong
- Jan 5
- 3 min read
Francis Elvira Lawrence was 27 and visiting (or residing) in River Philip when she received this letter from her 23-year old neighbor, friend, and cousin Sarah I. Strong. The letter was sent "In care of J. H. Gilroy". McAlpine's Nova Scotia Directory 1868-69, for River Philip lists John H. Gilroy, merchant.
Elvira and Sarah were daughters of neighboring farmers in Lakeville and Brooklyn, small farming communities in King's County, Nova Scotia. McAlpine's Nova Scotia Directory 1868-9 for Lakeville Settlement, King's County lists Charles Lawrence, farmer, David Lawrence, farmer, David Strong, farmer, Henry Strong, farmer, and William Strong, farmer.
Sarah was writing to tell Elvira she would not be able to rendezvous with her as previously planned because Sarah's younger sister, Julia was ill.
The letter's recipient, Francis Elvira Lawrence was born May 8,1840, the daughter of David Lawrence and Lydia Pearson. On June 15, 1870, she married Joseph Melbourne Marchant (1840-1916). They had three daughters and one son. She died 16 Jan 1937 in Lakeville, Kings County, NS.
15 June 1870, Bridgetown, Francis Elvira Lawrence, 25, dau. of David and L. Lawrence, farmer, of Brooklyn, Kings Co, married Joseph Melbourne Marchant, 30, bachelor farmer of Brooklyn, Kings, son of W and E Marchant, farmer.
Elvira's great-grandfather William Lawrence (1742-1822) was a New England Planter from Bristol, Massachusetts who settled in Sackville, New Brunswick where he married on August 27, 1766, Sarah Huldah Seamans (1745-1803). They had 5 sons and 4 daughters. Elvira's grandfather, James Lawrence (1788-1847) was their youngest child. He married Roseanna Bulmer on January 5, 1808. They had 7 sons and 7 daughters. James and Rosanna moved to the Annapolis Valley where James died at Billtown in 1847. Elvira's father, David Lawrence (1809-1893) was born in Sackville, New Brunswick. In 1837, he married Lydia Pearson (1811-1891) in Lakeville, Nova Scotia. They had 3 sons and 3 daughters. Elvira was their second child.
The letter's sender, Sarah I. Strong was born April 29, 1844, the daughter of Abel King Strong and Ann Lawrence. On May 11, 1885, she married Elisha Moody Kempton of Claremont, NH. The couple removed to Newport, New Hampshire where she died May 28, 1912.
1871 census for Lakeville, Kings Co, has Able Strong, 75, Annie Strong, 69, Eliza A Strong, 45, Sarah Strong, 25, Julia Strong, 22.
May 11, 1885, in Cornwallis, Sarah I. Strong, spinster, 41, dau. of Abel and Annie Strong of Cornwallis married Elisha M Kempton, 53, widower, of Elisha and Harriet Kempton of Claremont, NH
Sarah I. Kempton, born 29 Apr 1844, Nova Scotia daughter of Abel Strong, died 28 May 1912 in Newport, NH. She is buried with her husband Elisha Moody Kempton. in Maple Street Cemetery, Newport, NH
Sarah's great grandfather, Stephen Strong, Jr. (1724-1787) was a New England Planter from New London, Connecticut who settled in Cornwallis, Kings County. He married Elizabeth Barstow (1727-1772) on May 28, 1747 in New London, Connecticut. Sarah's grandfather, Abel Francis Strong (1762-1844) was born to Stephen and Elizabeth in Halifax prior to the family moving to Cornwallis. He married Sarah Elizabeth Eaton (1762-1827) on September 20, 1784 in Cornwallis. Sarah's father Abel Strong Jr. (1796-1874) was their second son. He married Ann Lawrence (1802-1888) on September 30, 1818. Ann was the granddaughter of William Lawrence and Sarah Huldah Seaman, Elvira's great-grandparents. So the letter's sender and recipient were first cousins once removed.
The invalid referred to in the letter, Julia Etta Strong, recovered from her illness and died of paralysis on June 17, 1914 at the age of 67, having remained single all her life.
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