Biography of William Strother - Montgomery County, Illinois The following is the Biography of William Strother of Northumberland, England. William was the maternal 9th great grandfather of Olin Clayton of Raymond, Il. Biography of William Strother William Strother was born 1597 in Northumberland, England and died in 1667 in Virginia. William Strother, son of the above mentioned William Strother, was born 1630 and died in 1702 near Richmond, Virginia. William married Dorothy Savage in 1651, daughter of Captain Anthony Savage and his wife Alice Stafford. About this time (1650-1651), William Strother emigrated to Virginia and settled near Richmond. William Strother, son of William and Dorothy Strother, was born about 1663 and died 1726. He was High Sheriff of King George County, Virginia and a vestryman of Handover Parish and was called "Captain Strother". He was Gentleman Justice of King George County. On March 6, 1723, a meeting of the Justice Court was held in King George County, with the following members present: William Strother Joseph Strother Samuel Skinker Benjamin Strother Thomas Vivian Meredith Price Roland Thornton William Strother III Anthony Savage was son of John Savage and Alice Stafford (?). Alice Stafford, wife of Anthony, was daughter of Sir Humphrey Stafford. William Strother, son of the above William Strother and Dorothy Savage, married his first cousin, Margaret Thornton. Their mothers, Dorothy Savage Strother and Alice Savage Thornton, being sisters and daughters of Captain Anthony Savage and his wife, Alice Stafford. William and Margaret Strother were close friends and neighbors of Augustine Washington, father of George Washington. Their farms adjoined and after the death of William Strother in 1726, two hundred eighty acres of this homestead with its two-story (8 bedroom) house was sold to Augustine Washington and became a part of Ferry Farms, recently restored as the birthplace of George Washington. A placque is in place there to commemorate the Strother Heritage. All of the information so far documented is on file with the William Strother Society in Virginia. Anthony Strother, son of the above William and Margaret (Thornton) Strother, was born 01 August 1710 in Richmond, Virginia. He was a planter and died 10 December 1765 in Albion, Stafford County, Virginia. He was first married to Behethland Starke, born 27 December 1716 and died 30 December 1753. They were parents of: William Strother Anthony Strother Elizabeth Strother Margaret Strother John Strother Francis Strother Alice Strother William Strother Betty Strother Benjamin Strother Behethland Strother Anthony Strother's wife Behethland, was the daughter of William and his wife Elizabeth Hart, daughter of Edward Hart and his wife, Margaret (Field Cossum, daughter of Abraham Field of Westmoreland County and his wife, Mary Ironmonger (who was of Royal descents, see Field Excursus to the Compilers part 2 of the Descendants of Robert Behethland of Jamestown in the William & Mary Quarterly for July 1929. Part I appeared in the January number). William Starke was the son of Nehemiah Starke (D1693) and his wife, Behethland Gilson (d1693), daughter of Major Andrew Gilson and his wife, Behethland (Bernard) Dade, widow of Francis Dade (1621-1663) and daughter of Captain Thomas Bernard, Burgess for Warwick County in 1642 and earlier, by his wife, Mary Behethland, daughter of Captain Robert Behethland who came to Virginia in 1607 with Captain John Smith. Anthony Strother's second wife was Mary James, born 28 December 1736, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Bruce) James. After Anthony's death, Mary married Colonel Henry Smith. Anthony and Mary (James) Strother had four children: James Starke Strother, born 19 November 1755 in Elk Garden, Stafford County, Virginia and died 31 October 1819 in Russell County, Virginia. James served in the Revolutionary War in Virginia, achieving the rank of Sgt. Mary Strother, sister of the above James Strother. George Strother, brother of the above Mary Strother, was born28 April 1760 and died 01 September 1840. He was a Minister and a Pvt in the Revolutionary War in Virginia. He married a Mary Duncan on 18 February 1796. Elizabeth Strother, sister of the above George Strother, was born 1763 and married a Robert Hughes in 1791. James Starke Strother, the maternal 5th great grandfather of Olin Clayton of Raymond, Il, was born 19 November 1755 in Elk Garden, Stafford County, Va and died 31 October 1819 in Russell County, Va. He served in the Revolutionary War with the State of Virginia, with rank of Sgt. James married Elizabeth Battle Morton, who was born 1768 and died 27 April 1844 in Marion, Smyth County, Virginia. Elizabeth was the daughter of a Parson Morton. James and Elizabeth Strother, had the following children: Nancy Morton Strother, born 1794 and married a Thomas S. Witten in 1812. Jane Strother Elizabeth Strother James Payne Strother Elizabeth Battle (Morton) Strother, received a pension resulting from her husbands service in the Revolutionary War on June 24, 1842. She was then a resident in Smyth County, Va. Elizabeth Strother, daughter of the above James and Elizabeth Strother, was born 1800 and died about 1834 in Edgar County, Il. She married Thomas Vermillion of Virginia and they had the following children: James Strother Vermillion born 20 December 1820 in Russell County, Virginia and died 18 December 1906 in Jacksonville, Morgan County, Il William Vermillion born 1826 Harvy Vermillion born 1828 Wilson Vermillion born 1831 and died 1832 Mary Vermillion born 1835 and married Richard Bringle on 04 November 1857 in Edgar County, Il. Richard Bringle was the executor of Thomas Vermillion, James Vermillion's father's will in Edgar County, Il. Will on file in Edgar County, Il, estate file #88. Thomas Vermillion was the brother of John Wilson Vermillion, better known as "Texas Jack Vermillion". He rode with Wyatt Earp's immortal posey. Margaret S. Vermillion born 1812 and married a Joseph H. Purcell, 21 December 1841 in Edgar County, Il. James Strother Vermillion married Elizabeth Curnutt, daughter of Bird and Mary (Romine) Curnutt, who were married 02 May 1814 in Montgomery County, Virginia. They were early settlers of Montgomery County, Il. On the Vermillion, Marion County, Il census of 1860, states James as 40 years of age, born in Virginia, his wife Elizabeth is listed as 37 years of age, also born in Virginia. Their children were all born in Illinois and are listed as follows: Mary E. Vermillion, listed as 15 years of age on same census William T. Vermillion, listed as 12 years of age on same census Luenda Vermillion, listed as 10 years of age on same census Rebecca Ann Vermillion, listed as 8 years of age on same census female unreadable, listed as 6 years of age on same census John Vermillion, listed as 3 years of age on same census female unreadable, listed as 1 year of age on same census Another record sent this writer from a Richard Vermillion, lists James and Elizabeth (Curnutt) Vermillion's children as follows: Mary Ellen Vermillion born 08 November 1844 Thomas William Vermillion born 01 September 1847 Margaret Vermillion born 25 March 1849 Lucinda Vermillion born 19 September 1850 Rebecca Ann Vermillion born 14 September 1852 Jemima (Minnie) Vermillion born 27 October 1854 John Charles Vermillion born 12 February 1857 Sarah Emily Vermillion born 15 June 1859 Wilson Vermillion born 10 April 1861 Louise Josephine Vermillion born 22 January 1864 Rebecca A. Vermillion was born 11 September 1852 in Kansas, Il. On 14 September 1871, she was united in marriage to John Taylor Armentrout. John's great grandfather was a German born immigrant named Christopher Ermentraudt. His grandson Christopher Armentrout (Americanized spelling), settled in Witt, Il just before 1840. John Taylor Armentrout was born 09 May 1849 in Witt, Montgomery County, Il. He served as Town Clerk, Tax Collector and Supervisor of Witt Township. On 27 October 1887, John T. Armentrout died from milksickness and was buried in the Armentrout Family Cemetery located on the old homestead in Witt, that his father settled. In 1914, Rebecca married Fred Mitchell, English born son of William and Ann (Simmons) Mitchell and grandson of William and Jane (Hockey) Mitchell. Fred Mitchell was born in Somersetshire, England on 04 August 1844 and died 29 August 1920. Mr. Mitchell was the founder of Witt, Il and is buried in St. John's Cemetery in rural Witt, Il. Rebecca Armentrout Mitchell died 25 February 1930 in Santa Ana, California. John and Rebecca (Vermillion) Armentrout had six children and no children were born to Fred and Rebecca (Armentrout) Mitchell. Those children are listed as follows: Clarence Lincoln Armentrout Elva Armentrout Augusta Armentrout Gertrude Armentrout Howard Armentrout Lee Armentrout Stella Armentrout Clarence Lincoln Armentrout, son of John and Rebecca (Vermillion) Armentrout, was born in Witt, Il on 10 July 1872 and married Ida Emma Towell, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth Jane (Chapman) Towell and the grandaughter of William M and Martha (Stark) Towell. Both Isaac and William M Towell Sr., served in the Civil War with Company A, 3rd Illinois Cavalry, both served in the Battle of Vicksburg, as did William's sons John and William Towell Jr. Clarence and Ida (Towell) Armentrout were married 16 August 1893 in Witt, Il. Ida was born 04 March 1872, also in Witt, Il. Clarence Lincoln Armentrout died 03 July 1925 from a ruptured appendix, his wife Ida died 20 May 1954, both died in Montgomery County, Il and are both buried in the Witt Cemetery in Witt, Il. Clarence and Ida were parents of: Inez Armentrout Chester and Lester Armentrout twins that died at birth John Thomas Armentrout Lethia Armentrout Dorothy Armentrout Velma Armentrout Homer Armentrout John Thomas Armentrout, son of Clarence Lincoln and Ida Emma (Towell) Armentrout, was born 11 November 1898 in Witt, Il. John married Myrtle Alice Eddington, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Sophia (Eddington) Eddington on 24 December 1922 in Witt, Il. Myrtle Eddington was born 16 July 1899 in Montgomery County, Il. John Armentrout died 27 October 1979 and his wife Myrtle died 30 November 1981, both died in Montgomery County, Il and are buried in Witt Cemetery in Witt, Il. They had the following children: Lavonne Merle (Armentrout) Clayton born April 22, 1925 Imogene (Armentrout) Durbin Juanita Faye (Armentrout) Casebier Lavonne Armentrout was born 22 April 1925 in Witt, Il and married Dale Everett Clayton, son of Charles "Leo" and Suavilla Isadora (Hulbert) Clayton. Dale was born 01 August 1924 in Nokomis, Il. Dale and Lavonne Clayton were married March 1, 1945 in Witt, Il on the Armentrout Homestead. Dale married Lavonne soon after his return from WW II, where he served as a Radarman Second Class aboard the carrier, S.S. Nehenta Bay. Dale and Lavonne Clayton have lived and farmed in Witt all their lives and are parents of nine children: Kenneth Melvin Clayton Merle Everett Clayton Olin Dale Clayton Anita Elaine Wahlsmith Yvonne Marie Hicks James Dean Clayton Lester Norman Clayton Gail Irene Kessler Janice Eileen Volentine Olin Clayton was born 20 March 1951 in Hillsboro, Il, the son of the above Dale and Lavonne (Armentrout) Clayton. Olin married Barbara Elaine Hays, daughter of Dewey and Florence (Altevogt) Hays on 06 August 1976. Barbara was born 23 June 1958 in Springfield, Il. Barbara's paternal 4th great grandparents were William and Elizabeth (?) Hays, who settled in Macoupin County, Il in 1830. William's son Samuel donated the land where Union Chapel Cemetery is located in Girard, Il and Union Chapel Church was erected. Logs that support the structure were donated and hewn by Eli and Samuel Hays, both William's sons. William's grandson Henry Hays served in the Civil War with Company E, 32nd Illinois Infantry and is buried in the Hays Family Cemetery in Moweaqua, Il. William's great great grandson Otis Dewey Hays, served in WW II in the US Army and was buried in Camp Butler National Cemetery in Riverton, Il, with full military honors in 1976. Olin Clayton is employed with Bridgestone/Firestone Tire in Decatur, Il with USWA Local 713 and Barbara is a traveling RN. Olin and Barbara are parents of two children: Belinda Suzanne Clayton born 27 June 1979 in Litchfield, Il Andrew Olin Dale Clayton born 08 August 1980 in Hillsboro, Il ------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Barb Clayton