Margaret Jane "Maggie" Dunlap was the daughter of Madison Dunlap and Martha Hanna McKee. On 26 Aug 1856, Rev. Jas. B. Ramsey married Margaret to David Eldred Strain, at her parents home, in Rockbridge County, Virginia.

They had 5 known Strain children (all connected below):
Lula Dunlap, 4 Jul 1857 (Samuel White McCorkle)
Eva Lee, 4 Sep 1861 (unmarried)
John Madison, 29 Nov 1864 (unmarried)
Martha Maria, 10 Jan 1868 (Calbert Trent Seebert)
David Eldred, Jr., 8 Mar 1873, (Martha Evelyn Moffett)

On the 1850 Dist. 51, Rockbridge Co., Virginia, I found farmer Madison Dunlap, 42 with $13K in real estate; other Dunlaps: R.K., 15; John M., 13; Samuel M., 7; Wm M., 3; Mrs. M., 38; MARGARET, 11 and Nannie, 5, plus 3 workers, all Virginia born. He was not a slave owner.

On the 24 Jul 1860 5th District, Kerrs Creek, Rockbridge Co., Virginia census. I found physician David Strain, 31 with $3K in real estate and $5145 in personal property; M JANE Strain, 20; L Delila Strain, 3 and male medical student E Henderson, 23, all Virginia born. They lived close to Madison Dunlap's family.

David first lived in a house on his father's homestead before marriage. Their 5 children were most likely born there: Lula Dunlap, Eva Lee, John Madison, Martha Maria and David E., Jr. All of her children stayed in the area.

On the 1870 Walker's Creek, Rockbridge Co., Virginia census, I found physician D.E. Strain, 41; MAG J, 30; Lula D, 13; Eva L, 8; John M, 5 Martha M, 2 and at home Lucinda Payne (unknown), 20, all Virginia born.

In 1878 they purchased their second and final home on Rt. 252. At a later date, the main road was moved, to cut through their property, so it was close to the road, as it is now. I understand that David and Margaret held parties at the house and they danced at them. Wish I had a photo of that.

On the 1880 Walker's Creek, Rockbridge Co., Virginia, I found farmer D. E. Strain, 51; wife MARGARET J. 45; son/dau: teacher Eva L. 18; John M., 15; Mattie M., 12 and David E., 7, all Virginia born.

On 10 Nov 1897, son David Eldred Strain, Jr. was married at New Providence Presbyterian Church, where his parents are buried.

On the 1900 Walker's Creek, Rockbridge Co., Virginia census, I found Physician Eldred Strain, 71, Mar 1829; married 44 years to wife MARGARET J., 62, Apr 1838, had 5 kids, all living: single dau Eva, 38, Sep 1861 and single son & farmer John, 35, Nov 1862, all Virginia born.

1905: "Moffatt's Creek Items. Mrs. Samuel McCorkle and son, Eldred, of Lexington, are visiting the former's mother, Mrs. D. E. Strain." Staunton Spectator and Vindicator dated 10 Mar 1905.

1905: "Moffatts Creek Items, Mr David Strain and wife of Lexington, are visiting the former's mother Mrs. Maggie Strain." Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, dated 4 Aug 1905.

1905: All the Dunlap siblings got together, except Walter: A family reunion of the Dunlaps, a well known family of Rockbridge, was held Tuesday at the home of the oldest brother, Mr. Robert M. Dunlap, on Whistle Creek. There were present Mrs. MARGARET Strain, of near Brownsburg; Messrs. Samuel M. Dunlap, Milton P. Dunlap, William M. Dunlap and O. B. Dunlap, all of Rockbridge. The 30 Dec 1905 issue of the Times Dispatch, p 4; Family Reunion. (Special to The Times Dispatch.) Lexington, Virginia., dated 29 Dec 1905 and similar in the Times Dispatch of Richmond, Virginia, dated 1 Jan 1906.

On the 1910 Walker Creek, Rockbridge Co., Virginia census, I found widow MARGARET J Strain, 71, had 5 kids, all living; daughter Eva L Strain, 48 and son and farmer John M Strain, 45, all Virginia born. Her farm was on Brownsburg and Middle Brook Turnpike

She last appeared on the 1920 Walker Creek, Rockbridge Co., Virginia census, I found farmer John N (sic) Strain, 55; widowed mother MARGARET Strain, 80 and sister Eva Lee Strain, 58, all Virginia born.

"Mrs. David E. Strain Died Near Brownsburg. Mrs. Margaret Strain, widow of Dr. David E. Strain, died Tuesday night at her home near Brownsburg. She had been ill for sometime from the infirmities of age. Before marriage Mrs. Strain was Margaret Jane Dunlap of Kerrs Creek. She was the eldest daughter of Madison Dunlap and his wife Martha McKee. The date of her birth was Sept. 30, 1838. She married Dr. Strain, then a physician on Kerrs Creek, in 1856, and a few years afterwards they moved to the vicinity of Brownsburg. Her life was one of great usefulness. There survive her four children, Mrs. Samuel W. MeCorkle, Mrs. C. Trent Seebert of near Lexington and John M. Strain and Miss Eva Lee Strain who live at the home place. Of Mrs. Strain's father's family there survive "her four brothers, Messrs. Samuel M. Dunlap, M. P. Dunlap, and O. B. Dunlap of this county and William M. Dunlap of Bristol." Published in the Rockbridge County News, Vol 37, #1, dated 4 Nov 1920.

Her recipe for Spanish Pickle "from Ma. Strain," is in her daughter in law Martha Evelyn's Moffett Strain's handwritten cookbook, begun by Martha's mother. A photo of the recipe is on her daughter, Lula's Findagrave page, #22904939.

Widow Mrs. Margaret J. Strain, was born on 30 Sep 1838 in Kerrs Creek, Rockbridge Co., Virginia, to Madison Dunlap (born Augusta Co.) and Martha H. McKee (born Rockbridge Co.). She died in Walkers Creek, Rockbridge Co., Virginia on 3 Nov 1920 at 8:30 am of general senility and softening of the brain for 8 years. She was attended by her grandson Dr. J.E. Seebert (Joseph Eldred) of Lexington, from 12 May to 3 Nov 1920. The informant was O. B. Dunlap (her brother Oklela B. Dunlap). She was buried on 5 Nov at New Providence Cemetery. VA Certificate of Death #27358.

There is believed to be a photo of an older Margaret and all her living Dunlap siblings (in two to 3 rows) that I saw in the late 1990's that was given to the Rockbridge Co. Historical Society collection at Washington & Lee University Library, Special Collections, following my cousin's death. No idea IF it was labeled with their names.

Bio researched and written by LSP