Excerpts From the Strangite Collection - Part One - Letters From Clement Strang

James Jesse Strang, a leading figure in the Church of Latter Day Saints, eventually led a splinter group, known as "Strangites." Not only did Mr. Strang become the group's religious leader, he envisioned himself as their king. Strang is often called the "King of Beaver Island."

In order to complete some reciprocal research, I perused the Strangite files housed at the Clarke Library***.

The Clarke Library at Central Michigan University is a repository for Strang items. Included in the Strangite Collection are letters from Clement Strang (b. Dec 1854), son of James J. & Elvira E. (Field) Strang, who married Nevada Sutherland on 21 Feb 1894 in Ingham County, Michigan. He (Clement Strang) may have also been married to Rosabelle N. Rider in 1881 in Cass County and married to Marietta Francis in 1890 in Eaton Co., Michigan.

From the Collection:

Strangite Collection at the Clarke Historical Library, Box 3 Items 6-12

"Old letters to Mr. Stanley Johnson 1936-1942 from Clement Strang." Beacon Hill Cottage - Benzonia, Michigan

Wrote to Joseph H. Hickey (three years old when Clement talked to L.D. (Lorenzo Dow Hickey*). Joseph's older two brothers and Clement's brother** were at that time serving out a stiff sentence for horse-stealing in the Ohio Penitentiary.

**Gabriel, son of James J. Strang & Betsey McNutt, robbed horses in southern MI and was sent to Ionia (he also stole horses in Ohio)

Other information in the file:

Clement Strang's brother Charley [adopted by David Grier - see bio here and gravestone here]

Moved to Jackson County, near Warren's Mills

In Brookfield Township, Eaton County, Michigan lived with mother's brother Albert Field

*From this post:

***My interest in the Jehiel Davis family began with Ann...whose first husband was Lorenzo Dow Hickey... . Lorenzo Dow Hickey (who was in Lapeer County in 1850 with his then wife, Ann (Davis) Hickey) was the ancestor of Judy in Arkansas, whose relative, Nancy Bridger, married my great-grandfather's brother, Isaac Garrett, in 1880 in Craighead Co., Arkansas.