He married twice. He married Margery DEANE in Bridport, Dorset, England, 15 Dec 1630. Margery was born in Chard, Somerset, England abt 1606. Margery died abt 1635 in Dorchester, Suffolk, MA. He married Abigail FORD in Dorchester, Suffolk, MA, 30 Dec 1636. 'Elder' John Strong Sr. was the progenitor of a very large family that remained prominent in the Northampton area for years. Other sons and daughters remained in Windsor and all seem to have had large families. Elder John was a tanner by trade, and passed on a successfuly operating tanyard to one of his sons in Windsor, when he removed to the struggling town of Northampton in 1659. John was enticed to go to Northampton by the promise of land grants from the Rev. Eleazer Mather, the new minister of the Northampton Congregational Church, and others in that town. He immediately became a prominent figure in that community, was elected Elder in the church, in 1663, and has been known by that title ever since.
There have been several variations printed about Elder John's arrival in New England. One states that he arrived on the "Mary and John" in 1630, and returned to England shortly thereafter, returning with a wife, Margery Deane 1635, on the "Hopewell". They had a son, John Jr., in England, before 1634, and another child who died young in Massachusetts, in 1635. Margery also died that same year, and John immediately remarried, to Abigail Ford, who was the mother of the remainder of his large family.
John had originally settled in Hingham, MA where he took the freeman oath, later going to Taunton, MA., and few years later, to Windsor, CT where he was operating a tannery by 1647. In about 1659, he was granted "46 and a half acres, twenty-six rods and eleven foot more or less" in Manhan meadows of Northampton by the Rev. Mr. Mather. In addition, he was granted a home lot of four acres, located on Main & West Streets. All of this land had been contributed to Mr. Mather by the earlier settlers in an effort to persuade him, and others, to re-locate to Northampton.

HINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS: Land granted, 18 September, 1635, for five acres of land on North Street near Ship Street, Hingham, Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts. Freeman on 9 March 1636/37
TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS:House lot on Dean Street west of John Dean house. Freeman of Plymouth Colony 4 December 1638 First Constable, 1638 and 1639, juror 1645.
WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT: 4 February 1647 - "Thomas Thorton al his land formerly recorded in figures is sold to Thomas Ford and John Strong where the particulars fully apperar…."
This included a house, out house, yards, orchards and gardens containing about two acres, more or less, bounded north and west by the land of Walter Fyler, south by the rivulet, on the east by the highways, and adjoining at the foot of the hill, in the great meadow, one acre and three quarters more or less bounded north by the land of John Mason and east by the land of William Hill [Windsor Register of Deeds]
Freeman 15 May 1654 of Connecticut.
NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS:John Strong was ordained and Elder of the church in 1663.
Lands -
14 October 1660 - John Strong bought from John Webb, a parcel of land lying in the Third square and bounded by land of Richard Lyman on the north and the highway on the south and on the sides bordering the land of David Wilton on the east by Samuel Allyn on the west - Seven acres .

John Strong bought another parcel from John Webb, a home lot bounded on the highway east and north and the mill trench on the west containing two acres. Part of this was given to his son Samuel.
John Strong bought another parcel from John Webb, which lies on the south side of Mill River and bounded by the highway east and west, the sides bordering the highway south and Mill River north containing - two acres.
15 October 1660 - Northampton granted to him several parcels of land including a tan yard which was bounded on the east and west by the highway, north by Ralph Hutchinson's land and the common land, and the meeting house hill on the south. John gave this to his son Ebenezer, on 15 December 1688.
The original tan yard contained one quarter acre. It was on King Street Brook a little north of Hampshire Marble Works. The town by vote directed all hides be taken to him to be tanned at his own price because of his reputation for honesty.

15 October 1660 - Northampton granted to him his home lot which was bounded on the highway north and Mill River on the south and bounded on the sides by the land of Capt. Aaron Cooke on the east and Alexander Edwards on the west. John Strong conveyed these parcels to John Webb 18 October 1660.

The home lot granted to him by Northampton on West Street was nearly opposite the Parson's Homestead. He sold it to John Webb, and purchased John Webb's home lot at the corner of Main and South Streets. The property remained in the family for 103 years.

Northampton granted John Strong another parcel of land in Manham Meadow which butts up on the Great River on the east and Mill River on the west containing four Six acres plus. John gave half of this lot to Ebenezer, 15 December 1688.

From Bridge St Cemetary site: ELDER JOHN STRONG
b. 1605, Taunton, England m. in England, wife’s name unknown m. Abigail Ford of Dorchester d. April 14, 1699
Because of his strong Puritan sympathies, John Strong set sail for America from England on the ship Mary and John, arriving on May 30, 1630 at Nantucket, Massachusetts. After helping to found the city of Dorchester, Massachusetts, he moved to Northampton in 1654, and lived here for forty years. He was a leader of the town and a successful businessman. A tanner by trade, he was also ruling Elder in the church. Married twice, he lived with Abigail Ford for 58 years, the mother of sixteen of his children. At the time of his death at 94 years old, he had 160 descendants, 18 children, 15 of whom had families, 114 grandchildren, and 33 great grandchildren. This marker was erected by his descendents.

• Married: 30 DEC 1636 in Dorchester, Suffolk, MA
• Married: ABT 1635 in Dorchester, Norfolk, Ma

1. Ebenezer Strong I b: 1643 in Taunton, Bristol, Mass
2. Elizabeth Strong b: 24 FEB 1647/48 in Windsor, Hartford, CT
3. Mary Strong b: 26 OCT 1654 in Windsor, Hartford, CT
4. Josiah Strong
5. Thomas Strong b: 1636 in Hingham, Mass
6. Jedediah Strong b: 1637 in Hingham, Mass
7. Abigail Strong b: 1645 in Taunton, Mass
8. Experience Strong b: 1650 in Windsor, Hartford, CT
9. Joseph Strong b: 5 AUG 1652 in Windsor, Hartford, CT
10. Samuel Strong I b: 5 AUG 1652 in Windsor, Hartford, CT
11. Sarah Strong b: 1655 in Windsor, Hartford, CT
12. Hannah Strong b: 1657 in Windsor, Hartford, CT
13. Hester Strong b: 1661 in Northampton, Hampshite, MA
14. Thankful Strong b: 1663 in Northampton, Hampshite, MA
15. Jeriah Strong b: 1665 in Northampton, Hampshite, MA