James Robert Strain, son of James Madison Strain and Caroline C. Robinson, was born December 27, 1867 in Air Mount (Airmount), Yalobusha Co., MS, and died January 04, 1910 in Derma, MS. I know very little about him, other than he was in partnership with his father as the owner of the "Democatic Banner" newspaper for the County of Calhoun, MS from June 1892 to 1900, and after that taught school in Sarepta, Calhoun Co., MS, and then in Derma, Calhoun Co., MS, where he died from tuberculosis just after winning the bid to establish the Calhoun County Agricultural High School. As one son was born in Buena Vista in 1903, he must have been teaching there at that time.

J. R. Strain died prior to the birth of my father, so what little information I have has come from the memoirs of my grandfather, as well as factual documents, and a few stories passed down to his other lineal descendants.

J. R. "Jim" Strain was married first to Naomi Ruth Allen, daughter of Rev. Montecue Cuthbert (M. C.) Allen and Narcissa Dunn. They married on 10 March 1895 in Slate Springs at the home of Rev. M. C. Allen. Naomi died 24 Nov 1895, just two weeks after giving birth to their only child, my grandfather, Allen Elmo Strain, on 7 Nov 1895. Jim Strain then married Edna Lourinda Smith (1878-1938), on 21 Oct 1896.

Jim and Edna had three children, which were half-siblings to my grandfather:

(1) Lenore Pauline Strain, born December 10, 1898 in Sarepta, MS; died September 25, 1964 in Grenada, MS; married Morgan Peyton Byars.  They had two sons, and three grandchildren.

(2) Amy May Strain, born August 26, 1900 in Pittsboro, MS; died 1970 in Jackson, MS; married William Granville Byars. They had one daughter and two grandchildren.

(3) Kenneth Murdock Strain, born May 29, 1903 in Buena Vista, MS; died December 1980 in Jackson, MS; married Evelyn.  They had one son and one daughter, whom I am unable to locate.

It is my understanding that William Granville Byars and Morgan Peyton Byars are cousins, not closely related, even though they married sisters. After J. R. Strain died, Edna was a schoolteacher, and active member in her community. Allen Strain also felt a great obligation as a young adult to help support his younger brother and sisters, although he was still in high school and just 15 years old.

J. R. Strain is buried in the Pittsboro Cemetery located on the south side of town on the highway, between his two wives, all in line with his father. A Masonic emblem appears on his monument, and in checking with the Grand Secretary of Mississippi, I was told that James R. Strain was a member of Pittsboro Lodge #155, he received all his Masonic degrees in1892 in Pittsboro Lodge #155, and that he was reported suspended for non payment of dues, reinstated 4/18/08 and died 1/4/10.

The two most factual documents I have regarding James Robert Strain (other than his appearance in the 1870, 1880 and 1900 Censuses) are his obituary and two copies of his newspaper, which you can see by clicking the link at the bottom of this page. There is much factual information obtained by reading them, notably that J. R. Strain served as a law partner with Judge A. T. Roane (descendent of a Governor of Tennessee), and continued to operate the drug store that his father had owned.

From The Calhoun Monitor, Oct. 11, 1906 regarding the Sarepta community (posted online at the Calhoun Co. USGenweb site):

"Source Materials for Calhoun County" compiled by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1938. Located in the Mississippi Dept. of Archives and History.

Page 196:

Cora Bailey, Ada Vreeman, and Jim Strain [J. R. Strain] were among the teachers of these early schools.

As a teacher, Jim Strain is mentioned in the recollections of Governor Dennis Murphree with a humorous story as follows:

Jim Strain, father of Amy Byars, who was my secretary when I was Governor, was another one of the teachers. Jim was a fine fellow but somehow peculiar. He was "Giving out" the Dictionary lesson. Immediately after recess, we all stood in a long class and spelled the words given out to us from the dictionary. Jim rested himself on a bench and leaned backwards as he gave out the lesson. The bench turned over and Jim fell backwards over it and sprawled on the floor. Dock Hollis who was feebleminded but who came to school religiously with nothing but a slate and pencil shouted to him "Come here, Mr. Strain, and I will help you up." This almost broke up the school for that day.

Dennis Murphree’s father, Thomas Martin Murphree, had previously owned the county newspaper, sold it to J. R. Strain, and then ultimately purchased it back from him. In addition, the extended Murphree family had lived at Airmount near J. R. Strain’s father, James Madison Strain, prior to their move to Pittsboro in Calhoun Co., MS.

The Dixie Herald, Pittsboro, Calhoun Co., MS, Thursday, September 27, 1906 (Vol. 3/No. 37) page 4:

The following teachers stood the examination here last Friday and Saturday for 1st grade license:

Among the 9 women and 6 men listed: J. R. Strain.