Captain Phineas Strong

Captain Phineas (Phinehas) Strong was a farmer in Hebron, CT, where he was born in 1756.  After the Revolutionary War, in 1796, he moved to Belchertown, MA where he continued to farm.  He was 6'2" in height and weighted 235 lbs., was very strong and had dark hazel eyes and a somewhat dark complexion.

Wrestling was a favorite amusement with our Puritan forefathers.  Many came at different times from the neighboring towns, and assembled in the simple courtyard of Phineas' house to witness wrestling matches appointed with him, in which he always came off victor.  He would jump over a string as high as his head. 

Once during the Revolutionary War, he was chased by some British cavalry soldiers and stopped to put up some bars that were down, in order to hinder them, and heard one of them say--he was so near-"he might have killed that cuss as well as not, but he hated to see the great long fellow die."  Schools were poor and books few in his early years, but in his later years, he was very fond of reading. 

HISTORY OF THE DESCENDANTS OF ELDER JOHN STRONG, VOL. II,1871. p.823.

Findagrave.com

Birth:  unknown

Death:  May 1, 1827 in his 71st year

Family links:

Spouse:

Anna Filer Strong (____ - 1815)

Burial:

South Cemetery

Belchertown

Hampshire County, Massachusetts

Mass Find A Grave Memorial# 125697756 

 Patriot of Betsy Pessetto