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Eva Lee Strain

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Eva Lee Strain

Birth
Rockbridge County, Virginia, USA
Death
30 Oct 1939 (aged 78)
Raphine, Rockbridge County, Virginia, USA
Burial
Raphine, Rockbridge County, Virginia, USA Add to Map
Plot
151, next to driveway
Memorial ID
View Source
Eva Lee Strain, was the daughter of Dr. David E. Strain and Margaret Jane Dunlap Strain. She never married, was close to her father and was the last Strain, to reside in her parent's home. She was a teacher at the Bellevue School for girls, in Rockbridge County, Virginia. She loved Latin, Shakespeare and Robert Lewis Stephenson, 1850-1894.

Somewhere along the way, her middle name changed.

The 1861 Rockbridge Co., VA Birth Register states on line 1, born 4 Sep 1861, Eva Hannah Strain, born in Rockbridge to physician David E. Strain and Margarate J Strain. Her father reported it. (p 106, 404 of 595, original on Familysearch)

Miss Eva Strain, the daughter of Dr. Strain, near Brownsburg, has been visiting Mrs. J. A. R. Varner. Per the Rockbridge County News dated 29 May 1890. (That's Martha A. Smiley Varner, 1856–1894, a McKee cousin)

April 16.—Mrs. D. E. Strain and her daughter, Miss Eva, were on their way to see Mr. Adam M. Brown, who is quite sick, were driving a very driyrog(?) a very safe and gentle horse and on a nice piece of road, when the horse by some means stumbled and fell, breaking the shafts of the buggy and for some time could not be gotten up. Finally they received assistance and the horse was gotten upon his feet. The buggy was a good deal shattered and Mrs. Strain pretty well shaken up. Per the Rockbridge County News dated 19 Apr 1900.

Her father died in 1904, so Eva is listed as the land owner on a 1908 survey map for Ashable G. Beard, on the NE of his land (see her uncle James A. Strain's FaG site). It is surrounded on the west and north by Eva's Aunt (widow) Eglantine N.L. Strain's land. It was formerly her husband James' and originally his father David's. North of AGB's lot is former (late) Dr. Strain's land, now owned by Chas. R. Whipple.

1939: EXECUTOR'S NOTICE. The undersigned qualified November 1, 1939 as Executor under the will of Miss Eva L. Strain, deceased, and hereby gives notice and requests that all parties to whom she may owe debts will report the same in writing. verified by affidavit to him,. and any parties owing her debts will call and settle same. JOSEPH E. SEEBERT, Executor. Eva L. Strain, dec'd. nov. 23-2t. Per the Rockbridge County News, Vol 56, #5, dated 30 Nov 1939.

According to Dave who lived with Eva from about 1932-39: "Aunt Eva used to talk about the soldiers – Confederate soldiers – would be coming up the road with injuries and sick, and what not. They would take care of them for weeks, and get them back in shape and off down the road they'd go. There'd be more coming. Apparently for a good while, they were, you know, when the war was over, they would have said, "Go home." And a lot of them didn't have homes to go to. But she used to talk about David Eldred (her father) taking care of them. There – that was the road that went in by the Wade's, you know [Beard Road]." Refers to her father's home, on his late father's farm, across from New Providence Presbyterian Church.

Per Dave (Mar 2007), Aunt Eva's right leg had been amputated, due to gangrene and Uncle John (Eva's brother) had both lung and heart problems (like his father). The Moores (Dave's aunt and uncle) had been there for a period to care for them, and went back, just out of Lexington, where they had a dairy farm, on the old Morrison place. After they left, Eldred Strain McCorkle (son of Lula Dunlap Strain McCorkle) and his family moved in with Eva and John, in about 1932, to care for them Eva died in 1939 and she left the house to Eldred. They would remain there until 1941.

Stories heard about Eva: She used to dance with the inmates (in her own words) when her dad worked at the Western Lunatic Asylum AKA Western State Hospital in Staunton for about 15 years. "... she always would say that the people there were very smart, brilliant." That Dr. Strain practiced Medicine until the day he died. One time she held him up so he could shoot a steer with rabies (DM and others shared).

Eva told the story about a huge blizzard of about 1888 or later. Her younger brother, David E. Strain, Jr., had gone to the Moffett's to see (his future wife), Evelyn. Her mother became worried about David and sent Eva's brother John, out in the blizzard to find him. When John got over to the Moffett's, traveling by horseback, David had decided to stay. John rode all the way back home, thorough the blizzard to his home.

On 4 Jul 1933, Eva wrote a letter to John Lansdale, Sr., who was searching for his family. His grandfather, Allen Strain, 1786 - 1858, is from a different Strain family, the son of Jas Strain, died 1789 in Augusta Co. Eva knew nothing about him. She described her family "tradition" as passed down to her. She wrote: "David Strain came to U.S.A. from County Down Ireland and settled in PA, I don't know any dates, or as to whether he married in Ireland or here. During the War of Revolution he was drafted to haul supplies for the army and died while doing so. I do not know as to his family except three sons came south, one David married Elizabeth Allen in Penn. and settled in Augusta County, Va." This same data is from her father's written Strain history on the back of a large 1899 calendar page. She ends the long letter with the following: "My brother, John and I are all of my father's family who live, except his grandchildren. My brother is in very poor health, only able to sit on the porch and await the end. I had the misfortune to lose my right limb 18 months ago. I am 71 years old but can walk a little on an artificial limb. If you ever come to Virginia again I hope you will come to see us." Based on this her leg was amputated in about Jan 1932.

Her small flat stone grass marker is partially covered by soil, in the Apr 2010 photo, on the right. I requested her marker be lifted and reset. It is beside her brother John's small flat marker and their parent's shared headstone. See photo. Transcription below.

Photos to the right are in my personal collection: 1) Eva in oval frame was taken by Miley & Son, Carbon Studio, Lexington, VA. Michael Miley's son joined his dad in business in 1895. 2) Undated, sometime after her leg amputation in Jan 1932. 3) On sibling John's site is a photo of Eva and siblings Mattie Strain Seebert, and John Madison Strain, taken before Mattie's 1928 passing.

Not on this site (due to limited free room), is a college age photo off her with bangs marked on back in an black ink "Eva Lee Strain." Taken by G.W. David, 925 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. and 827 Broad Street, Richmond, VA.

Eva Lee Strain was born 4 Sep 1861 in Rockbridge Co., VA, to David Eldred Strain and Margaret Dunlop (sic). Her residence was on RFD, Raphine, VA. She died on 30 Oct 1939 at 3:30 a.m., in Rockbridge Co., VA from: Bronco. pneumonia (20 days), chronic myocardial degener(ation) (6 days) and chronic nephritis with kidney failure (unknown). She was seem by her Dr. H Jos Williams, for the last 30 days. E S McCorkle was the informant (kin, Eldred Strain McCorkle, and his family lived and cared for her). VA Death Certificate #23105.

Researched and written by LSP. Do not reproduce this or attached photos.
Eva Lee Strain, was the daughter of Dr. David E. Strain and Margaret Jane Dunlap Strain. She never married, was close to her father and was the last Strain, to reside in her parent's home. She was a teacher at the Bellevue School for girls, in Rockbridge County, Virginia. She loved Latin, Shakespeare and Robert Lewis Stephenson, 1850-1894.

Somewhere along the way, her middle name changed.

The 1861 Rockbridge Co., VA Birth Register states on line 1, born 4 Sep 1861, Eva Hannah Strain, born in Rockbridge to physician David E. Strain and Margarate J Strain. Her father reported it. (p 106, 404 of 595, original on Familysearch)

Miss Eva Strain, the daughter of Dr. Strain, near Brownsburg, has been visiting Mrs. J. A. R. Varner. Per the Rockbridge County News dated 29 May 1890. (That's Martha A. Smiley Varner, 1856–1894, a McKee cousin)

April 16.—Mrs. D. E. Strain and her daughter, Miss Eva, were on their way to see Mr. Adam M. Brown, who is quite sick, were driving a very driyrog(?) a very safe and gentle horse and on a nice piece of road, when the horse by some means stumbled and fell, breaking the shafts of the buggy and for some time could not be gotten up. Finally they received assistance and the horse was gotten upon his feet. The buggy was a good deal shattered and Mrs. Strain pretty well shaken up. Per the Rockbridge County News dated 19 Apr 1900.

Her father died in 1904, so Eva is listed as the land owner on a 1908 survey map for Ashable G. Beard, on the NE of his land (see her uncle James A. Strain's FaG site). It is surrounded on the west and north by Eva's Aunt (widow) Eglantine N.L. Strain's land. It was formerly her husband James' and originally his father David's. North of AGB's lot is former (late) Dr. Strain's land, now owned by Chas. R. Whipple.

1939: EXECUTOR'S NOTICE. The undersigned qualified November 1, 1939 as Executor under the will of Miss Eva L. Strain, deceased, and hereby gives notice and requests that all parties to whom she may owe debts will report the same in writing. verified by affidavit to him,. and any parties owing her debts will call and settle same. JOSEPH E. SEEBERT, Executor. Eva L. Strain, dec'd. nov. 23-2t. Per the Rockbridge County News, Vol 56, #5, dated 30 Nov 1939.

According to Dave who lived with Eva from about 1932-39: "Aunt Eva used to talk about the soldiers – Confederate soldiers – would be coming up the road with injuries and sick, and what not. They would take care of them for weeks, and get them back in shape and off down the road they'd go. There'd be more coming. Apparently for a good while, they were, you know, when the war was over, they would have said, "Go home." And a lot of them didn't have homes to go to. But she used to talk about David Eldred (her father) taking care of them. There – that was the road that went in by the Wade's, you know [Beard Road]." Refers to her father's home, on his late father's farm, across from New Providence Presbyterian Church.

Per Dave (Mar 2007), Aunt Eva's right leg had been amputated, due to gangrene and Uncle John (Eva's brother) had both lung and heart problems (like his father). The Moores (Dave's aunt and uncle) had been there for a period to care for them, and went back, just out of Lexington, where they had a dairy farm, on the old Morrison place. After they left, Eldred Strain McCorkle (son of Lula Dunlap Strain McCorkle) and his family moved in with Eva and John, in about 1932, to care for them Eva died in 1939 and she left the house to Eldred. They would remain there until 1941.

Stories heard about Eva: She used to dance with the inmates (in her own words) when her dad worked at the Western Lunatic Asylum AKA Western State Hospital in Staunton for about 15 years. "... she always would say that the people there were very smart, brilliant." That Dr. Strain practiced Medicine until the day he died. One time she held him up so he could shoot a steer with rabies (DM and others shared).

Eva told the story about a huge blizzard of about 1888 or later. Her younger brother, David E. Strain, Jr., had gone to the Moffett's to see (his future wife), Evelyn. Her mother became worried about David and sent Eva's brother John, out in the blizzard to find him. When John got over to the Moffett's, traveling by horseback, David had decided to stay. John rode all the way back home, thorough the blizzard to his home.

On 4 Jul 1933, Eva wrote a letter to John Lansdale, Sr., who was searching for his family. His grandfather, Allen Strain, 1786 - 1858, is from a different Strain family, the son of Jas Strain, died 1789 in Augusta Co. Eva knew nothing about him. She described her family "tradition" as passed down to her. She wrote: "David Strain came to U.S.A. from County Down Ireland and settled in PA, I don't know any dates, or as to whether he married in Ireland or here. During the War of Revolution he was drafted to haul supplies for the army and died while doing so. I do not know as to his family except three sons came south, one David married Elizabeth Allen in Penn. and settled in Augusta County, Va." This same data is from her father's written Strain history on the back of a large 1899 calendar page. She ends the long letter with the following: "My brother, John and I are all of my father's family who live, except his grandchildren. My brother is in very poor health, only able to sit on the porch and await the end. I had the misfortune to lose my right limb 18 months ago. I am 71 years old but can walk a little on an artificial limb. If you ever come to Virginia again I hope you will come to see us." Based on this her leg was amputated in about Jan 1932.

Her small flat stone grass marker is partially covered by soil, in the Apr 2010 photo, on the right. I requested her marker be lifted and reset. It is beside her brother John's small flat marker and their parent's shared headstone. See photo. Transcription below.

Photos to the right are in my personal collection: 1) Eva in oval frame was taken by Miley & Son, Carbon Studio, Lexington, VA. Michael Miley's son joined his dad in business in 1895. 2) Undated, sometime after her leg amputation in Jan 1932. 3) On sibling John's site is a photo of Eva and siblings Mattie Strain Seebert, and John Madison Strain, taken before Mattie's 1928 passing.

Not on this site (due to limited free room), is a college age photo off her with bangs marked on back in an black ink "Eva Lee Strain." Taken by G.W. David, 925 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. and 827 Broad Street, Richmond, VA.

Eva Lee Strain was born 4 Sep 1861 in Rockbridge Co., VA, to David Eldred Strain and Margaret Dunlop (sic). Her residence was on RFD, Raphine, VA. She died on 30 Oct 1939 at 3:30 a.m., in Rockbridge Co., VA from: Bronco. pneumonia (20 days), chronic myocardial degener(ation) (6 days) and chronic nephritis with kidney failure (unknown). She was seem by her Dr. H Jos Williams, for the last 30 days. E S McCorkle was the informant (kin, Eldred Strain McCorkle, and his family lived and cared for her). VA Death Certificate #23105.

Researched and written by LSP. Do not reproduce this or attached photos.

Inscription

EVA LEE S____
SEPT

Gravesite Details

Her small flat marker, partially covered by earth (in the photo) is on the right of her parent's headstone.



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  • Created by: LSP
  • Added: Nov 14, 2007
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22904441/eva_lee-strain: accessed ), memorial page for Eva Lee Strain (4 Sep 1861–30 Oct 1939), Find a Grave Memorial ID 22904441, citing New Providence Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Raphine, Rockbridge County, Virginia, USA; Maintained by LSP (contributor 46860931).