Mathew Harvey Strain, who appears as Harvey in the diary of his brother-in-law, William Bowie, was the 5^th and last child of Robert and Mary (Wilson) Strain. He was born in Abbeville, SC, and after both parents died, he lived with his grandfather Matthew Wilson. He and his other minor brother, James Madison Strain, are mentioned in Matthew Wilson’s will as the 2nd Item. In addition, I feel certain that he is named for his mother’s youngest brother, Matthew Harvey Wilson, an attorney and soldier in the Mexican War.

Matthew migrated with his brother, and perhaps with his uncle Matthew Harvey Wilson, to MS during the 1840s. He appears one time in the records for Yalobusha County immediately prior to his wedding in Itawamba Co., MS to Mary Eliza Kyle, in 1851. He also appears as a teacher, residing in the MEANS household in the 1850 census for Itawamba. Matthew Harvey Wilson is known to have spent just a few years during the 1840s in Pontotoc Co., MS before returning to Abbeville.

Matthew Harvey Strain was said to have been born in KY, which led to the supposition that his unnamed father was perhaps from KY, according to one family group sheet, or, family tradition. This is, of course, in error. The same sheet says that he was a Capt. in the Civil War, and is the only place that identifies his middle name, and the name of his spouse, that was passed to me within my family. A Mathew Harvey Strain served as a Captain in Company H, 3rd Florida Infantry Regiment, and in researching him, it is clear this is the correct person. Online marriage records for MS provided the date of marriage in Itawamba. FamilySearch.com lists M. H. Strain m. Mary E. Kyle in 1851, also, which is the name of his spouse as passed to me by my grandfather.

After being married in MS, Matthew and Mary (Kyle) Strain evidently move to LA for a brief period of time before relocating to Jefferson Co., FL, where they are found in the 1860 and 1870 Censuses. Mary’s parents and other family also are located there, and there is record of their church membership, as well as dismissal to move to TX in 1873.

From census records we see that Matthew Harvey Strain was a teacher in 1850, a Probate Judge in 1860, and a Druggist in 1870 and 1880. It is also known that he worked for the Freedmen Bureau after the Civil War. A distinguished record as a Capt. in the Civil War earned him mention in the Official Records. I have not researched any property or deed records for Matthew Harvey Strain in MS, FL, or TX, although his Will describes his property in Van Zandt county.

1) Lela J. Strain m. David M. George

2) Harvey R. (O.) Strain (I only know two census facts regarding him, and he does not appear in his father or mother’s will.)

3) William "Will" T. Strain m. Ella E. Mallory, daughter of Daniel H. and Rebecca Mallory.

(Ella E. Strain m. W. H. Paul after the death of Will Strain.)

Children of Will and Ella Strain are:

Martha Myrtle Strain m. Wm. H. Spears

William Norman Strain

Lela Ann Strain (never married)

Daughter of Ella Mallory Strain and W. H. Paul is:

Monica Bernadine Paul

Matthew Harvey Strain, along with his wife, son, and daughter-in-law, are buried in Union Grove Cemetery, Van Zandt Co. TX, adjacent to each other. Wm. T. Strain and Ella E. Strain Paul are on a double stone.

PAUL-STRAIN ELLA E. 1862 1916

STRAIN Dr. Wm. T. 1860 1891

STRAIN M. H. 1823 1895

STRAIN MARY E. 1831 1890

Mary Eliza Strain’s Will is signed 27 December, 1889, and filed with the court 25 May 1893. Her son is appointed executor in her will, but dies before he probates her estate, so Matthew Harvey Strain, her husband, administers her estate.

Matthew Harvey Strain’s Will is signed 5 Feb 1890, and probated 20 Jan 1896 by his son-in-law David M. George. He left his property on "McBee Creek" to his daughter, Lela J. George, which was "owned jointly by her husband & myself & on which they now reside."

At the death of Dr. Will Strain, Ella E. Strain files for guardianship in Van Zandt county 16 Sep 1895, showing her three minor children to be 11, 6, and 4 years of age. Subsequently, one finds a marriage of PAUL, W. H. to STRAIN, ELLA E. on 01/06/1898. Later court documents identify Ella E. Strain as Ella E. Paul, and require her and her husband, W. H. Paul, to post bond as guardians to her children’s estate valued at $1500.00, and then to her alone for not returning an estate inventory on her deceased husband William T. Strain.

Later court records show a mortgage on property owned by Wm. T. Strain’s heirs consisting of 1280 acres in the Wesley Fitzhugh survey, about 10 miles from the corner of Hunt County, in Van Zandt Co., TX. This property was valued at $10,000 in 1900. Although Ella E. and W. H. Paul wanted to sell the land, the court ordered them to renegotiate the mortgage and do all possible to rent the land in the best interest of the minors. They ultimately do sell the ½ undivided interest in the land to John C. Cowan, of the County of Dallas, TX for $1750.00. By 1901, it appears that W. H. Paul is missing from the picture, and Ella E. Paul again files for bond as guardian of her own children on 21 September. She is shown as a widow in the 1910 Census, with her four children.

Other marriages shown online are:

SIDES J.M. to STRAIN L. L. 02/24/1895 (Don’t believe this is closely related.)

SPEARS Wm. H. to STRAIN MYRTLE 10/14/1914

(Kaufmann County History book mentions that Wm. H. Spears moved first to OK, then to Farmington, NM.)

On 4 Jan 1917, Myrtle Spears, nee Myrtle Strain, applies for letters of administration for on her mother, Ella E. Paul, who died 28 Dec 1916. Myrtle is living at this time at Mill Creek, Johnson Co., OK. Ella E. Paul’s Will is dated 1 Aug 1907. Here, a child, Vernadine Paul, is named, who must be the child of Ella and W. H. Paul. Vernadine is expressly given to the care of Myrtle Strain, her half-sister. A separate guardian bond names this child as Monica Bernadine Paul, when W. H. Spears and Myrtle Spears are appointed guardians.

There are three tracts of land mentioned in Ella E. Paul’s appraisal; one in Dallas, TX (lot #5 in Block F of the University annex addition, 241.4 acres in Rains Co., TX, and a third 12-acre tract in Van Zandt Co., TX all totaling $6310.00 value. D. M. George is an appraiser on the estate, as is C. S. Rhodes and John E. Owens. It is possible that there is an Owens connection to the Strains, through marriage. By December 1917, Bernadine Pauls one-fourth undivided interest in the property in Rains Co. is sold to D. B. Corley. This appears to be rental property of some kind.

Wm H. Spears and his wife Myrtle Strain Spears move from OK to Farmington, NM, where they reside until their death from what I am able to determine. Myrtle’s sister, Lela Ann Strain never marries, and is found in the W H and Myrtle Spears household in NM. It is also possible she moved to Durango, CO, but I believe this is merely because of the use of the funeral home services there at her death. It is also possible that Myrtle Strain Spears moved to CO, based on the SSDI listing.

Sent to me from a person doing a lookup:

On the 1860 Jefferson Co FL Census found the following:

Monticello Town, done 23 Aug 1860

Pg 939A

605/603

M H STRAIN, 36 M, Probate Judge, SC

Pg 939B

Mary E STRAIN, 30 F, SC

Lela J STRAIN, 5 F, FL

H O STRAIN, 3 M, FL [maybe O is R?, see 1870]

William STRAIN, 6/12 M, FL

Mary EDWARDS, 12 F, FL

Does not show relationship of Mary Edwards to the family.

Have a copy of this from microfilm:

1870 Census, Monticello, Jefferson Co., FL 16 Aug 1870:

Page No. 20, 192/192

Mathew H. STRAIN, 45 M W, Druggist, SC

Mary E. STRAIN, 38 F W, Keepinghouse, SC

Lelia J. STRAIN, 14 F W, at school, FL

Harvey R. STRAIN, 12 M W, at school, FL [maybe R is O?, see 1860]

Wm T. STRAIN, 10 M W, at school, FL

Louisa J. KYLE, 17 F W, lives in family, MS (11 maybe?)

1880 Census, Kaufman Co., Tx (Familysearch.com):

M. H. STRAIN Self M M W 54 SC, Druggist Fa: SC Mo: SC

M. E. STRAIN Wife, F M W 50, SC, Keeping House Fa: SC Mo: SC

W. T. STRAIN, Son, M W 20 FL, Physician Fa: SC Mo: SC

In Kaufman, Co. TX, Kemp Cemetery:

Strain, Amanda E. 1849 06 Sep 1895

Strain, James M. 03 Sep 1845 18 Jun 1888

J. M. Strain is on the voting list in 1885 in Kaufman, Co.

[This J. M. and Amanda Strain do not seem to be related, but I’m unable to identify them as being attached to any other Strain branch so far.]

Kaufman Co. Times/Star (From Kaufman Kounty Konnections):

11 Jan 1890: Mr. Strain's brother died on January 8th

8 Jan 1890: Dr. Strain's father Died on Jan 8th also

10 Mar 1890: Pleasant Grove - Dr. Will Strain has been quite sick.

2 Jul 1899(1889?): Dr. W. T. Strain attending ill

25 Jan 1890: Dr. W. T. Strain to Dallas

These above dates are quite confusing to me as I'm unaware of how the dates in the paper correspond to known deaths. Dr. Will Strain is the son of M. H. STRAIN, per 1880 census and will. M. H. Strain's online cemetery transcription shows a death year of 1895. Unaware of whom "Mr. Strain" is, or what brother there may have been that passed away. M. H. Strain's only living brother near this time, James Madison Strain (my ancestor) died June 26, 1896. I believe I may have transcribed 1889 mistakenly as 1899. This does not appear to be just one family of Strains in Kaufman/Van Zandt Counties. I'm fairly (100%) sure this is the same family in TX as in FL. Also, there is a Gaston Kyle that appears in FL and TX, related to M. E. (Kyle) Strain somehow, I believe her youngest brother.

Online listing for Texas State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1892, R.L. Polk & Co.:

Strain, Mrs. M E, located at the Kemp Post Office

[I don't think this is related.]

Creasey, "1890 in Van Zandt County."

L. L. Strain, F, age 10 attending New Light School, T. R. Edwards, Guardian.

(Note the Edwards name in the FL census household of Strain, also. However, I can find no connection to M. H. Strain at present.)

Ware, "Abbeville District, South Carolina Newspaper Notices of Land Cases and Sales, 1836-1872" has two entries related to these people:

August 6, 1869: Bill to sell Land. Many people named including Mary Kyle, James M. Strain, M. H. Strain, F. A. Branch, J. O. Branch, who reside outside the state.

[Could be a different Mary Kyle, but the Branchs are half-first cousins by marriage of Franklin Branch, who married Matilda Vashti Wilson, sister of Mary (Polly) Wilson, mother of James and M. H. Strain. Matilda passed away, and F. Branch married again in Monticello, FL, the location of M. H. Strain.]

October 14, 1870: Proceedings to confirm Sale of Land. Names James W. Kyle, M. A. (H?) Strain and Mary his wife, John M. Kyle, Susan A. Kyle, Louisa J. Kyle, John F. Kyle and Ann Caroline his wife, George Kyle and Gaston Kyle.

1850 Census, Itawamba Co., MS, family 796, p. 360A/B

Willliam H Kyle, 43, SC

Nancy C Kyle, 40, SC

Mary E Kyle, 18, SC

William ", 14, SC

Augustin ", 11, SC

John ", 9, MS

Theodore ", 7, MS

Caroline ", 8, MS (6?, see below)

Susan ", 4, MS

George ", 2, MS

Jom? T ", 5/12, MS (hard to read, maybe is Jane L below?. I didn’t notate gender.)

1860, Census, Monticello, Jefferson Co., FL, family 446, p. 917B/918A

W H Kyle, 55 M, Farmer 2000/4380 SC

Nancy C ", 49 F, SC

Augustine ", 21 M, ALA

John M ", 20 M, Miss (Farm Laborer)

Ann C ", 16 F, Miss

Susan H ", 16 F, Miss (14?, see above)

Theodore ", 17 M, Miss (Farm Laborer)

George ", 12 M, Miss

Jane L ", 10 F, Miss (see above census)

Gaston ", 7 M, FL

I’m told that William H Kyle died in 1869 in FL. (See below.)

Theodore was killed in the Civil War on 1/20/63, explaining his absence from the land sale notice in 1870. Don’t know why Augustine isn’t listed there, though. (See below for Augustine’s death record.)

[Some numbers seem funny above, and I could have written them down wrong, as I was in a great hurry with limited time on these families in the library. Will have to double check when I have time, if it is necessary.]

Also in Itawamba, in 1850, is James W. Kyle family, with a daughter Louisa, age 3, and with a James Means living there. Two children of James W. Kyle (James R. and Samuel D.) file Civil War pensions in FL. Samuel D Kyle also has a son named Gaston Kyle. James W. and William H. Kyle are likely brothers, sons of James Kyle of Abbeville, SC.

Mathew H. Strain is living with a family named Means in Itawamba in 1850.

There are other Kyles that marry Means in MS, obviously related to these Kyles.

a probate file on W.H. Kyle listing account of sales of personal property (name of person and what they purchased); paper setting apart provisions to minor children of W.H. Kyle (names not listed);  letter of administration on W.H. Kyle; inventory of personal estate of W.H. Kyle

Also found that back in 1981, a Gene Ross Kellough, of Seneca SC, had written a letter requesting information on William Hunter Kyle who died on 10 March 1869 and on his wife Nancy C. (Turnbull) Kyle who died 19 March 1869

Male Kyle marriages: John M. Kyle and Fetnah E. Harley, 30 May 1867; William W.B. Kyle and Ann Elizabeth Rooney, July 26, 1854; no male Strain marriages.

Female Kyle marriages: Callie A. Kyle and George F. Ross, Feb 11, 1868; Louisa J. Kyle and Samuel E. Ross, Jan 25, 1871;

Baptisms at Monticello Presbyterian Church:

William Thompson son of M.H. & M.E. Strain, date of birth 4 Feb 1869 [1860]

Admissions to Monticello Presbyterian Church:

Wm. H. Kyle, Oct 15, 1853, received on certificate; ordained Elder January 18, 1857, died 10 March 1869

Mrs. Nancy C. Kyle, Oct 15, 1853, died 19 March 1869

M.H. Strain, April 2, 1855, received on certificate from Louisiana, removed to Texas Dec 5, 1873

Mrs. M.E. Strain, April 2, 1855, received on certificate from Louisiana, removed to Texas Dec 5, 1873

Augustine Kyle, July 26, 1856, died during the war

Miss Sue Kyle, Oct 16, 1869, received on examination, dismissed April 3rd, 1871 to join Presbyterian Church in East Texas

Miss Lou Kyle, (same as Miss Sue Kyle)