84TH STROUP/STROUPE REUNION MINUTES

84th ANNUAL STROUP(E) REUNION of Descendents of Johann Jacob Straub (Stroup) Alexis, Gaston County, North Carolina August 4, 2013 The Stroup(e) Reunion was held on Sunday, August 4 in the Family Life Center of Alexis Baptist Church, Alexis, Gaston County, North Carolina. This was the 84th family gathering since 1925, with a 4-year interruption due to World War II. Approximately 110 family members attended this year. At 10:00am Mike Stroupe of Rock Hill and Linda Moss Ballard of Cherryville led a tour of the abandoned Stroup Family Cemeteries, located around the Alexis. About 20 people braved the heat (and the chiggers and yellow-jackets!) to walk among the old graves. James G. “Jim” Stroupe of Winston-Salem, President, called the meeting to order at 1:00pm and welcomed everyone to the event. Jim provided opening remarks, asked that each person “meet and greet” each other and that each officially registers in our Reunion Book. The lunch tables were supplied with the Minutes from last year’s reunion, a handout on the Jacob Stroup Monument, celebrating its 50th year, as well as the abbreviated “Straub/Stroup Family History.” The first order of business was to take group pictures: one picture of the 36 attendees who carry the Stroup(e) surname by birth and another picture of the entire family. Jim gave the invocation, which was followed by the traditional, bountiful, ”covered dish” meal. Following lunch, Jim commenced the Business Session, starting around 2:00pm: • The minutes and financial report from the 2012 Reunion were read and approved. • Jim publicly thanked our hard-working and dependable set-up committee, comprised of Alan and Maria Hipp, Mike and Ruth Hipp and Daphna Stroupe Shelton – all of Alexis. Every year their efforts are key to our hosting such a large, successful event. • The family agreed to donate $100 (includes rental) to the Alexis Baptist Church. • Collection. Alan and Maria Hipp passed the collection plate through the crowd. Our treasury is used exclusively for the Reunion-associated expenses. Beginning Cash on Hand $671.95 Contributions 2013 511.00 Less: 2013 Reunion Expenses* 483.78 Cash on Hand for 2014 $699.17 HISTORY COMMITTEE. Mike Stroupe of Rock Hill spoke on behalf of the committee comprised of David Bartlett Hanna of Charlotte, Carolyn Fogle Mullins of Panama City Beach Florida, Nancy Stroupe Morrison of Greeneville Tennessee, Mike Stroupe of Rock Hill South Carolina, and Linda Moss Ballard of Cherryville. Of special interest this year is the discovery of a family lawsuit, “Stroup Vs. Stroup”, filed in Gaston County around 1870. Mike stated that the official court record is over 300 pages long and provides a fantastic glimpse into the Stroup family ancestors living in/around Alexis during that time. Copies of the court documents are available on CD. This is the 50th anniversary of raising the Jacob Stroup Monument in Alexis. As a reminder there are many avenues available to view and research our family: - Updated biography of our shared immigrant Jacob Stroup. - “Descendants’ of Jacob Stroup and the US Civil War”. A 90 page booklet, documenting the descendents (grandsons & ggrandsons) of Jacob Stroup who participated in the US Civil War, Confederate States Army. - “Stroup Family Cemeteries of Gaston County”. This booklet documents the Stroup family ancestors who are buried (circa 19th Century) in the four private, abandoned cemeteries in the Alexis and Cherryville areas. Each cemetery has been inventoried, a brief bio of the deceased has been written and color photos of all legible grave markers are included. - A distant cousin, Diana Gale Matthiesen, has created a tremendous website, chocked full of very old Straub and Stroup(e) family history. - “Family Tree DNA” Project: At least two males in our local family have participated in the Straub/Stroup DNA project. Another male, descending from Michael Stroup (son of Jacob) will participate later this year. - The history committee will create a “lineage / family tree” document (free of charge) for any descendent. Just contact a Mike or Sid by email or phone. MILESTONES SINCE OUR LAST REUNION: Deceased: - Mary Bumgarner Stroupe, age 99 of Alexis; 12 July 2013. She was the wife of the late David Augustus Stroupe. - Fred Albert Stroupe of Morganton; 1 December 2012. Fred was a life-long Stroup historian, specifically tracing the descendants of his great-great (GG) grandfather Matthew Wallace Stroup. - Marian Frances Stroupe Wilson of Vila, NC; 11 January 2013. GG-granddaughter of Daniel Stroup. - Don Richard Stroupe of Cherryville; 18 February 2013. GGG-grandson of Daniel. - Ruth Beam Stroup of Cherryville, 26 August 2012. Wife of the late Kenneth E Stroup a descendent of both Daniel and John Stroup. - Retired US Army Colonel Ray B. Stroup, age 96 of Lafayette, Louisiana; 11 May 2013, a descendent of Philip. Also a “Texas Stroup”. - Ambrose “Abe” Rhyne Stroupe of Gastonia; 16 April 2013. GG-grandson of Philip. - Margaret P. Stroupe Fraley of Cherryville; 27 April 2013. GG-granddaughter of Daniel Stroup - Jonathan Keith Stroupe of Gastonia, 16 March 2013, a descendent of Daniel. - Edgar Eugene Thomas, age 85 of Los Angeles, California; 2 January 2013. Gene descended from the Cherryville branch of the family. - Charles Franklin Stroupe of Conover, 28 September 2011. - Joseph Daniel “JD” Sellers of Cherryville, 3 February 2006, Descended from Daniel. - John Logan Harrelson of Charlotte. 29 December 2012. John was the great-grandson of Nancy Tlitha Cuemimoody Stroup Harrelson of Cherryville. Births: Caleb Matthew Laughter, 13 June 2012, grandson of Susan Stroupe Laughter and great-grandson of Rachel Brown Stroupe. Caleb, seventh generation, descends from Philip Stroup, son of Jacob. Marriages: Dustin and Heather Holbrook, grandson of Mrs. Margaret Stroupe of Morganton and son of Tom and Diane Stroupe Holbrook. 27 April 2013. ELECTION OF OFFICERS for term 2013-2014 - President. Jim Stroupe of Winston-Salem was nominated by Martha Daniel of Charlotte; seconded by Nancy Stroupe Morrison. Unanimously re-elected. - Vice President. Nancy Quesada of Austin Texas was nominated; Linda Moss Ballard seconded. Nancy unanimously elected Vice-President. - Secretary. Sid Stroupe was re-nominated by Bob Stroupe; seconded by Jon Stroupe of Aiken, South Carolina. Group unanimous vote “yes”. - Treasurer. Maria Hipp of Alexis nominated by Sid Stroupe; Rita Quesada Rodgers of Charlotte seconded. Group unanimous vote “yes”. - Family Historian. Mike B. Stroupe was re-nominated and elected. RECOGNITION, DOOR PRIZES AND OTHER. - Robert “Bob” Edwin Stroupe of Colfax celebrated his 90th birthday and the reunion committee presented him with a personalized Stroup Family History Book. Bob was born in Guilford County and is son of the late Grady Vance Stroupe who was born in Alexis. Bob was asked to speak to the group and he cheerfully agreed, talking of “times gone by” for he and the Stroups of Alexis. Bob’s three children and many grandchildren joined him at the Reunion this year! - Carolyn Stroupe Stambaugh of West Palm Beach has been recognized by the University of Florida as celebrating the 60th anniversary of her coronation as the First Homecoming Queen at the University. Carolyn has been invited to crown this year’s King and Queen in early November 2013. Congratulations Carolyn! - Oldest Female Attending: Rachel Brown Stroupe of Alexis, Age 91 years. Mrs. Stroupe is the widow of the late Ivy Lee Stroupe of Alexis. - Cindy Stroup, our cousin residing in Arlington Virginia, created and mailed all of the invitations to this year's reunion. Great job Cindy and thank you! - Oldest Male Attending: Homer A. Orren of Cornelius, Age 94 years. Homer is the spouse of Ann Abernathy a descendant of Jacob’s son Philip Stroup. Coincidentally, Ann and her second cousin Bob Stroupe of Colfax, celebrating his 90th birthday, share the same lineage and they enjoyed visiting with each other during the Reunion! - Youngest Boy: Caleb Matthew Laughter of Hickory, age 1 year. Caleb, seventh generation descendant of Jacob Stroup, descends from son Philip. - Youngest Girl: Kinley Grace Stroupe of Morganton, age 2 years. Kinley is also a seventh generation descendant of Jacob, through three of his sons - Adam, Philip and Michael. - Traveled Farthest: Several family members attended from out-of-state: Nancy Quesada of Austin, Texas Jane Stroupe Hornsby of Panama City, Florida Carolyn Fogle Mullins of Panama City Beach, Florida Carolyn Stroupe Stambaugh of West Palm Beach, Florida Jim and Mary Ellen Manning of Edgewater, Maryland Jason and Michele Speed of Kalispell, Montana Joe Recinos of Guatemala Ed Stroupe and family of Cotopaxi, Colorado Jared and Ashley Hein of Coulterville, California Mary Ann Stroupe and Jon Stroupe, Aiken, South Carolina - $20.00 Door Prizes: Joe Recinos of Guatemala; Charles Phillips of Alexis; Jane Stroupe Hornsby of Panama City, Florida. - $50.00 Grand Prize: Kenny & Donna Mauney of Iron Station. With the business meeting closed, the Reunion was adjourned. If there are any corrections to this draft document, please forward to GWALSS@NC.RR.COM. The next Stroup(e) Family Reunion meeting will be held, as is custom, on the first Sunday in August 2014. Hope to see you then, Sid Stroupe III, Secretary / Treasurer