John Strong was born in Coventry this State and was the fourth in descent from Elder John Strong of Dorchester, Mass. He married Agnes, the daughter of John M^cCan a refugee from the Scotch rebellion of 1715: he was a wealthy landowner and received income from property which he had deeded to a friend to avoid confiscation, as long as he lived—but after his decease the remittances stopped—his only other child John, was killed in a naval engagement. In 1797 Mabel Strong, Lucy Case and a Miss Dwight, all of Addison, Vt., made a start for Litchfield, Ct., to attend Miss Pierce’s School—They made the journey to Bennington on horseback, and from thence the Rev. Mr. Dwight drove them to Litchfield—the latter part of the journey was made in a wagon. Mabel Strong made her home during the years of her stay in Litchfield, with Mrs. Brace, a sister of Miss Pierce, and the mother of John P. Brace—her wardrobe was made up after her arrival. The Brace house stood on the site now occupied by the Congregational parsonage—it was painted red when I remember it, and had a long roof on the rear reaching nearly to the first story. Many of Miss Pierce’s young ladies found their future husbands in Litchfield: Lucy Case, married Horatio Seymour, who had removed from Litchfield, and was a practicing lawyer in Middlebury, Vt., afterwards U. S. Senator from that state. He was very much interested in having a school for young ladies established in Middlebury similar to that of Miss Pierce’s of Litchfield—My grandfather Moses Seymour Jr. drove from Litchfield, with a sleigh and pair of horses in Feb. 1800, to bring home Mabel Strong as his bride; Miss Pierce and Idea, daughter of Hon. Jedediah Strong, whose house stood where the M^cNeils[72] now live, and whose name, then as now, was graven on the white mile stone, accompanied him as far Middlebury; where a School was established for Miss Strong, and countenanced and encouraged by the presence of Miss Pierce. This School had an existence for several years; Miss Strong fell a victim to the rigors of the Vermont climate, and was succeeded by Miss Emma Willard, who eventually removed it to Troy, N. Y. Miss Pierce returned with the wedding party. General Samuel Strong was a brother of Mabel and was a frequent visitor at Litchfield: he commanded a military force at the battle of Plattsburgh, which he raised by his individual exertions—and was thanked for his services by the Legislatures of the states of Vermont and New York. He also received from the state of New York a sword of honor, which is now in possession of the Vermont Historical Society. The General was wounded at the battle, and feared consumption. He visited Litchfield on his way to the South, to spend the winter, and called in Dr. Sheldon for advice. The Doctor told him to spend all the time on horseback, that the weather would permit—The advice was followed, and the General lived to be old. This Doctor was wise beyond his generation.