Vesta "Queen" (Harkness) Stroup
Born April 13, 1906 in East Ridge, Indiana County, PA at her great, great uncle Jacob R. Lute's house, and died March 20, 1983 in McKean County, PA

Daughter of Thursie Irene (maiden name unknown) and Francis "Frank" Harkness.
Francis "Frank" Harkness did not marry Thursie because he was already married to another woman and had a family. He never acknowledged his daughter Vesta.

Step-daughter of Ellrie Ingram Morgan after he married Thursie in 1917. Ellrie tried to raise her as his own child but Queen wanted nothing to do with that.

Vesta was nicknamed Queen as a little baby and preferred to be called that her entire life.

Queen grew up believing her father (Frances "Frank" Harkness) was a Colonel in the Civil War, from a well-to-do family who were traveling musicians and that his family would not allow him to marry her mother Thursie because she was poor. None of this was true. He was just another married man cheating on his wife. Because of this story, Queen refused to take the name of Morgan when her mother married Ellrie Ingram Morgan and really thought she was something special because she was a Harkness and she let everyone know it. It's a shame she wasn't told the truth about her father.

Half-sister of (children by her mother before her marriage to Ellrie Ingram Morgan)
1) Kenneth Fredrick or Frederick (correct spelling unknown)
2) Anna Kimball or Kimble (correct spelling unknown)

Half-sister of (children by her mother's marriage to Ellrie Ingram Morgan):
1) Ellrie Morgan Jr
2) Alice Morgan
3) Lawrence Morgan
4) Harold Morgan

Step-sister of (children of Ellrie Ingram Morgan by his 1st wife):
1) William Clarence Morgan
2) George Walter Morgan
3) John Alden Morgan

Wife of Daniel Arthur Stroup.

Queen and Dan Stroup had 11 children but raised 12. They are in order of birth:
1) Thursie Louise Stroup; b) Aug 18, 1925; married 1st Donald Paulson; married 2nd Jerome "Jerry" J. Rigard on Aug 14, 1976.
2) Dulcie Amarylis Stroup; b) Sept 14, 1927; d) Sept 13, 2010; married Philip Eugene Kahle.
3) Shirley "Peaches" Stroup; b) Aug 29, 1930; d) Sept 14, 2021; married Donald James Whiteman Sr on Sept 11, 1948 in Olean NY.
4) Daniel Arthur Stroup Jr; b) Jan 4, 1933; d) Apr 14, 2019; married Kathryn "Arlene" Weany.
5) Kenneth Marvin Stroup; b) Dec 29, 1934; d) Jun 9, 2015; married Carol Irene Raught on Oct 4, 1952.
6) Gail Lynn Stroup (a son); b) Aug 19, 1937; d) Sept 5, 1995; married Nellie Elizabeth "Betty" Gross on Apr 11, 1970 at Ft Belvoir in Springfield, VA.
7) Karen Nancy Stroup; b) Feb 10, 1940; d) Jan 23, 1998; married Albert Louis Owoc.
8) John Douglas Stroup; b) Apr 17, 1942; d) Dec 14, 2005; married Louisa (maiden name unknown).
9) David Hugh Stroup; b) Jun 15, 1944; d) Oct 5, 2011; married 1st Mary Shrillo; married 2nd Nancy Perry.
10) Steven Brent Stroup; b) Jan 29, 1947; d) Aug 29, 2011; married Linda Diane Ellenberg in 1967.
11) Brian Christian Stroup; b) Dec 3, 1949; d) Jul 1, 2003; married 1st Patricia Rice; married 2nd Grace (maiden name unknown).

Queen's first born child:
Wade Arthur Stroup (biological father's surname unknown) b) Sept 30, 1923; d) Aug 24, 2013; married Margaret Graham from Brooklyn NY. She was born Jun 25, 1923 and died Mar 10, 2003.

Wade was actually the son of a Clymer, PA town policeman (name unknown to me). Queen was 15 years old when she became pregnant. Her future sister-in-law (Goldie Stroup who at the time was dating George W. Morgan) mentioned the situation to her brother Dan. Dan said he would marry Queen and he did. Dan raised Wade as his own first-born child and gave him his name - Stroup. The fact that Dan Stroup married Queen knowing she was pregnant with another man's child is a true testament of how wonderful Dan really was. This is one of many family "secrets" that everyone knew but wouldn't talk about.

Additionally:
Queen thought she was part Indian (today called Native Americans) because her mother, Thursie told some of her children she was Irish and told her other children she was Indian. Queen's great grandmother Matilda was pure Irish, specifically Scots-Irish, so that part is true. DNA testing has confirmed she is not part Native American. For the true story of why all of Thursie's siblings and then all of their children thought they were Native American, please read Matilda's Find A Grave memorial. She was Matilda (Glenn) McCall Lute Westover and you can click on the links below to get to her.