Photos relating to Albert Strong
Albert as a young man
Albert was born in 1896. He grew up on the old family farm that was initially established by Alonzo in about 1830. He was one of the few men in the area that completed High School, as he boarded in Alliance, commuting home on weekends by train to the North Benton Station. His hair had a red tint, although he became bald in the mid 1930’s after 2 bouts with pneumonia and high temperatures. He was skilled in carpentry, mechanics as well as farming.
Christytown
Christytown Schoolhouse is about a half-mile East of the the old Strong farm. Albert and Ola attended this school. It was used as a community hall through 1940, but was then was sold to be used as a home. It is still standing.
Albert with Dan
Designer
Dan was Albert’s transportation as a teenager. The horse was fast but a bit larger than Throughbreds. My understanding is that he was part Morgan. He lived over 40 years and was Albert’s favorite animal. He was known to speed through North Benton as a teen, scaring all the women.
Albert as a teen
A posed image of Albert in his teen years. ca. 1912. The farm was prosperous until the 1930’s, when prices were low and farm products were overproduced.
Alonzo Strong
This is an etched image of Alonzo made for “the History of Mahoning County”. Alonzo was orphaned at age 9 but went on to become a prosperous farmer, Justice of the Peace, and raised a large family. Alonzo was Albert’s Grandfather.
Elizabeth Strong
Elizabeth Whinnery Strong was Albert’s grandmother. She was Alonzo’s second wife and mother to 9 of his children. Alonzo’s daughter from his marriage to Christine Lazarus married Elizabeth’s brother adding an interesting bond to the Whinnery family.
Clara and Ola at the Old Farm
The farmhouse build by Alonzo. His origional house was about 100 yards to the northest. It became Edward and Clara’s home ca. 1881. Clara appears to be holding Ola making dating the photo ca. 1891. the horses and the two men are not identified. The road originally turned North and went past the old house site and then went along Mill Creek to the Lazarus mill.
Edward Strong’s Farm founded by Alonzo Strong the original owner. Leffingwell road was not yet paved ca. 1940. This road between albert’s farm and the old farm was impassible by automobile at times. When Clara broke her hip about 1936, Albert used a sled and horses to get her to his place and then to a hospital. I made a lot of money dragging cars out of the mud holes on this road in the early 1940’s.
Berlin Lake looking toward the RR bridge under construction ca 1942. The gates became blocked and the lake flooded before construction was com
plete. The lake froze over. When water was released, the ground had a thick layer of ice. Made for great sledding. Dad and I ice skated from our place down to the rt 224 bridge and back before the water was released. The dam had a profound impact on the Albert, as the farm no longer had enough acreage to be viable. He used his skills as a carpenter during WW II and afterward, but did keep a few cows.
Farm buildings ca 1940. Note the big old oak tree. It was about 4 feet in diameter and probably was 300-400 years old. If you note the electric pole, we had electricity from about 1930. Prior to that, the house had pipes for acetylene to aid in lighting. The old acetylene generator parts were still around in the late 1930’s. This photo was one of a series taken for legal procedings to settle for land taken to build Berlin Lake.
Albert’s first Tractor
Albert working with his Minneapolis Moline tractor. Tractor attachments became part of the tractor. Belle once drove it around the barnyard and did not know how to stop it. Ca 1925.
Albert’s farmhouse ca 1930
The 1850’s farmhouse ca 1930. The yard was fenced in and there was a large tree in the front yard. Probably some sheep did the lawn mowing.
Farm outbuildings
The woodshop on the left kept firewood for the kitchen stove and housed a workshop. building on the right was the garage. ca 1940.
Albert & Ralph
Photo is from about 1943. The car in the background is Merle’s 1940 Plymouth.
The barn – The small building is the milk house where milk was cooled using well water. Building on the right is an old chicken coop. In the 1930s there were 2 chicken coops and 2 sheds to the right of the barn.
Albert’s first car ca 1920. The model is a 1918 Willis Overland
Albert, Belle, Ralph, Dora, Ruth, Merle, and David McConoughey in front of Albert and Belle’s home. ca. 1944, probably just before Merle went to Europe during WW II
Edward and Clara Strong, Albert’s parents, ca 1930. She never was very happy and Edward was very quiet. She fell and broke her hip a few years after this photo.
Portrait of Dora, Ralph & Merle ca. 1932
Richard Henry
Map of the Old Farm
Corner of Mahoning County in 1860. Note the road bending to the Northwest on A. Strong’s property. Alonzo was the original owner of this land.