Johann Jacob Straub

I wanted to update everybody on what I’m doing currently. I am now rewriting Jacobs’s book that I wrote in 2007 with a lot of new updates. In 2007 I was excited and in a hurry when I wrote this book and I used Ethel’s notes with some corrections. Some of you may know that I am a “type a” and do things with a great sense of urgency and not a whole lot of thought. In retrospect I did a poor job on the first book. Now that my health has slowed me down I have plenty of time for thinking. Since that time we have discovered a lot of new information, including German church records and a diary from the voyage to the New World. I have also expanded the chapter on Jacobs’s life in Maryland and Pennsylvania. In my haste to get this book done in 2007 I omitted a lot of good material. This new version will be at least double if not more in size.

Some of you may not be aware of this but my ancestor Daniel (son of Jacob) first settled in the Cherryville area in 1814. So 2014 will be the 200th anniversary of this event and for his descendents a reunion will be held in Cherryville. Daniel is buried at Mount Zion in Cherryville and his headstone is lying on the ground and in need of repair. We are tentatively planning a big reunion in Cherryville for this event. For this event we have planned to have his headstone repaired and preserved also we want to erect a monument for him. As all of you know I hate to charge for any of my material. I do my best to make them available for free. However I am considering selling this new book maybe even on Ebay to reach some of our northern cousins and all proceeds will go to preserving Daniels headstone and the new monument. The selling of the book is something that I am just considering to defer some of the cost. Currently all of this is tentative.
Mike Stroupe

Mrs. Aileen Sellers Stroupe (1913 - 2009)

BESSEMER CITY - Mrs. Aileen Sellers Stroupe, 95, of St. Mark's Church Road, died Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009, at Carolina Care Center. She was born on Sept. 21, 1913, a daughter of the late Cletus Andrew and Fannie Mauney Sellers. Aileen was a home maker, a lifetime member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church where she was chairman of the bereavement committee for 50 years, charter member of Cherryville Senior Citizens and a member of Shady Grove Senior Citizens.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Thamer Stroupe in 1993; an infant son ; two brothers, Ralph and Cline Sellers; an adopted grandson, Joey Ginn; and special friend and caregiver, Ann Ferrell.

Surviving are her loving son and daughter-in-law, Tony and Patsy Stroupe; several nieces and nephews; and her caregivers, Debra Prestwood and Janice Ballard.

A special thanks to the staff of Carolina Care Center, Dr. Thomas White, Cheryl Baxter and Hospice Cleveland County.

Visitation: The family will receive friends Friday, Aug. 28, 6 to 8 p.m., at Carpenter's Funeral Home and other times at the home of Patsy and Tony Stroupe.

Funeral: Saturday, Aug. 29, 11 a.m., St. Mark's Lutheran Church

Burial: St. Mark's Lutheran Church Cemetery

Officiated by: The Revs. Marty Ramey and Lane Lavender

Memorials: St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 1203 St. Mark's Church Road, Cherryville, NC 28021; or Hospice Cleveland County, 951 Wendover Heights Drive, Shelby, NC 28150

Funeral home: Carpenter's Funeral Home