The digitization of this finding aid was made possible - in part or entirely - through the Canadian Culture Online Program of Canadian Heritage, the National Archives of Canada and the Canadian Council of Archives.
| Fonds/Collection Number: | F0550 |
| Title: | Stong family fonds |
| Dates: | 1840-2005, predominant 1840-1998 |
| Extent: | 0.20 metres of textual records ca. 80 photographs : b&w and col. ; 43 x 30 cm and smaller. |
| Biographical Sketch/ Administrative History: | The Stong Family are farmers of Pennsylvania Deutch descent who farmed lots 24 and 25 of concession 4 of York township, the land upon which the Keele campus of York University is built. The Stong family emigrated from Pennsylvania in 1800. Sylvester (Seward) Stong (1746-1834) and his wife Barbary Bolinger (1769-1863) established a homestead on lot 12, concession 2 in Vaughan township where they raised their family of 7 children. Their eldest son Daniel Stong (1791-1868) fought in the War of 1812 before he married Elizabeth Fisher (1798-1885), had 8 children and farmed lot 25, concession 4. There they built a two-story log house and two log barns. During the William Lyon Mackenzie Rebellion of 1837, Daniel and his eldest son Jacob sided with the Reformers. Daniel Stong was captured and held prisoner by the government. Daniel and Elizabeth's eldest son Jacob Stong (1821-1898) married Sarah Snider (1821-1900) and farmed lot 21, concession 4 at Elia. He later bought his fathers' farm in 1854, and in 1860 he built a two-story brick house on lot 25. He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1874 and in 1897 he was an original director and judge at the Canadian National Exhibition. Jacob Stong was known as a good judge of livestock and was also a local expert on roofing. He owned the local sawmill and was a member of the Methodist Church. Jacob and Sarah Stong had ten children. Jacob was killed while driving home when he was hit by a fast express train at Downsview crossing. Samuel Stong (1844-1930) was the eldest son of Jacob and Sarah Stong. He married Christina McNaughton (1847-1914) and farmed lot 24, concession 5, was a notable horse dealer and raised seven children. Alfred Wellington Stong (1859-1936) was the youngest son of Jacob and Sarah Stong. He married Jennette Elizabeth Jackson (1868-1935) and they lived and raised their five children on the lot 25 homestead. Oliver Wellington Stong (1897-1993) was the second youngest son of Alfred and Elizabeth Stong. He married Verona Bowes (1904-?) and farmed lot 25, concession 4 until 1952. Their son was Vernon Oliver Stong (1937-2005). Daniel Stong and Elizabeth Fisher's third son, Joseph Stong (1826-1904) was born on lot 25, concession 4, York Township. He married Elizabeth Snider (1833-1911). Their eldest son Jacob S. Stong (1851-1941) ran a grocery store and butchers on Queen Street East. His sons Ross Stong (1877-1943) and Joseph Perry Stong (1881-1955)would move to Seattle and later Vancouver where they established grocery stores. |
| Scope and Content: |
Fonds consists of photographs, legal documents, correspondence and news clippings created and accumulated by members of the Stong family, and preserved by Vernon Oliver Stong. Fonds also consists of photographs, news clippings and advertisements and promotional material regarding a branch of the Stong family that developed a chain of independent grocery stores in the Pacific Northwest, namely Vancouver, British Columbia and Seattle, Washington. |
| Custodial History: | Materials transferred to the archives by staff at Stong College. Much of the material appears to have been acquired and accumulated by Vernon Stong assisted by Olga Cirak, President of the Stong Historical society. |
| Restrictions on Access and Use: | No restrictions on access. |
| Finding Aid: | File list available. |
| URL of Finding Aid: | http://archivesfa.library.yorku.ca/fonds/ON00370-f0000550.pdf |
| Accruals: | The fonds comprises the following accessions: 2005-052, 2009-028. No further accruals are expected. |
| 2005-052 |
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| Related Records: | See also York University Historical Collection, Accession 1972-009 and 1980-027 for material relating to the Stong Family Historical Society and Stong Family Home located on York University's Keele campus. Additional genealogical information can be found in Daniel Alexander Stong's "The Stong Genealogy of Canada and the United States 1800-1958" (1958) and Jean M. Constable's "Stong Roots & Braches" (2001). |
| Physical Condition: | Some photographs are torn and stained with adhesive. Some legal documents are damaged and have been encapsulated for preservation. |
| Immediate source of acquisition: | Donated by the estate of Vernon Stong in 2005. Accession 2009-028 was transferred to the archives by Stong College staff. |
| Subject Access Points: | Stong (family) |
| Provenance Access Points: | Stong, Vernon Oliver |
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Date of creation: 2009/03/05 Date of last revision: 2011/06/13 |
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