Bio of STRONG, Charles Dibble (b.1808 d.1890), Ramsey Co., MN ========================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, 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. If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find the submitter information or other files for this county. FileFormat by Terri--MNArchives Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: C heffler Submitted: July 2006 ========================================================================= Charles Dibble Strong, son of John and Elizabeth (Furzer) Strong, was born in Middle Chinnock, Somersetshire, England, June 19, 1808, and died at St. Paul, Minnesota, January 7, 1890. He was brought to Canada by his parents in 1819, and in 1825 all of the family, with the exception of him and his brother, James D., went to New York City. Charles D. Strong, being then an apprentice with H. H. Cunningham, to learn bookbinding and selling business, remained in Montreal for about three years longer, and then removed to Boston, Massachusetts in 1828. Here he continued working at his trade, becoming in time foreman of a shop. In 1830 he established an independent business as a bookseller, stationer and publisher, and specialized in the line of Methodist literature. He had become a member of this denomination while residing in Montreal, and was during his entire life a most earnest adherent to its faith. For many years he was the manager of the Methodist Book Rooms in Boston, and published the "Zion's Herald," the official Methodist church journal. One of his publications was entitled "A Pictorial Geography of the World" (Boston, 1856), which was issued in two large volumes, edited by the celebrated author, Samuel G. Goodrich, better known in those days as "Peter Parley." In 1858 at the age of fifty years, being in poor health, he removed to St. Paul, Minnesota. Not long afterwards he estab lished himself in the hardware business on Third street, and had gratifying success. The house subsequently became the well known firm of Strong, Hackett & Company, which has been at the head of the hardware trade in the Northwest for many years. Mr. Strong continued his interest in it until his death, though for some months prior to that event he had withdrawn from the active duties of mercantile life, and by successful and prudent management closed his days in affluence. The "Northwest Odd Fellow," Vol. I, No. 4, St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, February 1 1890, in it''s Memoir of Charles Dibble Strong, P. G. M.," by J. Fletcher Williams, say's Bro. Strong joined the Order of Odd Fellows in Boston about 1840 OT 1841, the records giving the exact date having been destroyed by fire. The lodge into which he was initiated was Massachusetts Lodge, No.1, the pioneer organization in New England, and he soon after joined Massasoit Encampment, No.1. He was subsequently prominent in organizing Bethesda Lodge, No. 30, in South Boston, December, 5843, which was instituted this own house, and he was its first N. G. He was admitted a member of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in May, 1844, and after wards aided to organize Washington Encampment, No. 6. He also organized a joint stock company to build a hall in that city. On removal to St. Paul, Brother Strong at once became actively identified with the order in Minnesota. He joined Hennepin Lodge, No. 4, by card, on Dec. 23, 1860, and in June, 1864, was elected Grand Master of Minnesota; in June, 1867, was elected Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of the United States, also in j868. In 1863 he was appointed District Deputy Grand Sire of Minnesota, and as such took an active part in organizing encampments in this State, of which six were instituted by him, one of which, "Strong No. 6," at Hastings, was named in his honor. In 1870, there being then seven encampments in the State, Brother Strong was commissioned by the Grand Sire to organize a Grand Encampment, which he did, and it was duly instituted by him at the session of the grand Lodge at Saint Paul, in June, 1871. He was elected its first Grand Patriarch. This was the last grand office which he accepted, as age and feeble health admonished him to leave active work to younger men. During all these years he had been a working member and regular attendant of Saint Paul Lodge, No. 2, and of Minnesota Encampment, No. i, in this city. He served on the board of trustees of St. Paul Lodge for many years, giving most valuable service in the management of its fiscal affairs, and also in the erection of its splendid hail, and the care of its widows and orphans. Much of the solidity and prosperity of that successful and enterprising lodge is owing to his sagacious counsel and his disinterested labors in its behalf. He was also, for many years, a director and president of the Minnesota Odd Fellows Mutual Benefit Society, and its gratifying success in the benevolent work for which it was or-ganized is largely due to his ability and his careful oversight of its management. I do not believe that in all my acquaintance with Odd Fellows, for thirty-four years, I never met one who was so thoroughly and completely devoted to our Order, and imbued with its principles as Brother Strong, and who loved it so ardently. He never wavered in his loyalty to it in all his nearly half a century of membership. Its success and prosperity seemed to lay always near his heart, and he never shrank from any labor or outlay for its promotion. Mr. Strong, upon arriving at St. Paul, Minnesota, joined by letter the Jackson Street Methodist Episcopal Church, was a staunch supporter and a very liberal contributor to the church finances, and helped in every way to support and maintain its mission churches. This church finally outgrew its membership and a larger church, the Central Park Methodist, was erected to meet the requirements of a growing congregation, of which church he was a member until his death, January 7, 1890, aged eighty- one years, six months, arid eighteen days. Charles Dibble Strong married (first) August I, 1828, Frances Wymond Gill, born at Torpoint, Devonshire, England, August 1, i8io, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Hill) Gill, and granddaughter of Nathaniel and Mary (Spare or Spaer) Gill, of Cornwall, England; (second) Abigail Spurr (Jefferson) Fitzgibbon, daughter of Robert and Sarah Jefferson. Children of first marriage, all born in Boston, Massachusetts: Emeline Frances, born July 3, 1829, married Cornelius Hardenburg Brown (see Brown line) ; Elizabeth Mary, born February i, i8 ; Charles Hoisington, born July i8, 1832; George Gill, born April I, 1834; Sarah Jane, born September I I, 1835; Josephine Wymond, born September 10, 1837; Caroline Amelia, born December 22, 1839; Benjamin Franklin, born October 28, 1841; James Henry, born September 9, 1843, died next day. Children of second marriage Robert Jefferson, Freeman Poole, Abby harris, Cyrus Dearborn, and Antoinette Madora. ***St. Paul City Directory - 1863*** **Board of Education** Strong C.D. Second Ward Index of members of the St. Paul Lodge # 2, IOOF, Ramsey Co., MN International Order of Oddfellows (IOOF) LAST NAME FIRST NAME PAGE JOINED DIED STRONG Charles D. 12 ========================================================================= Copyright C heffler 2006. 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