Susannah Stratton, a daughter of Mary (née Elkinton) and David Stratton, a Quaker couple, was born on 14 October 1739 in Evesham Township, Burlington County, Province of New Jersey.

Susannah Stratton married John Painter, junior, in November 1759 in the Haddonfield Monthly Meeting, Burlington County. The couple afterwards migrated to near Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, where a Quaker community had formed, and there were received into the Hopewell Monthly Meeting. The couple's nine children were born in Frederick County, Virginia, their dates of birth in Quaker records:

• David Painter, b. 11 Jan 1761
• Sarah Painter Holloway, b. 25 Aug 1762
• Elizabeth Painter Faulkner, b. 9 Oct 1764
• Jacob Painter, b. 31 Aug 1766
• Phebe Painter Oglesby, b. 30 Jun 1768
• Mary "Polly" Painter Fawcett, b. 21 Nov 1769
• John Painter, b. 18 Jul 1775
• Robert Painter, b. 17 Jul 1778
• Susannah Painter Curle, b. 14 Apr 1780

(Joint Committee of Hopewell Friends, Hopewell Monthly Meeting (Society of Friends), Hopewell Certificates of Membership and Removal, 1759-1776, Frederick County, Virginia (Strasburg, Va.: Shenandoah Pub. House, 1936), p. 494.)

Around 1806, Susannah Painter moved with her daughter and son-in-law, Sarah and Jesse Holloway, to the vicinity of Salem, Columbiana County, Ohio, where a Quaker community was forming. Her son Jacob also settled near Salem in 1802, and her daughter Susannah was married there in 1809.

There is no record of her death or burial. It is likely that she was buried in the first Friends burial ground near Salem.

Notes

Dates of birth for John and Susannah Painter and their children from: Iona Lupton, A Record of Birth and Burials for Crooked Run Monthly Meeting 1785 (manuscript), p. 15. Written above the years of birth for John and Susanna Painter are the letters "O. S."—Old Style, referring to the Julian calendar, in which the new year began on 25 March. It was used through 1751 in England, Wales, Ireland, and the British colonies. Thus, in 1739, the 14th day of the 8th month was 14 October 1736. Their children's years of birth are marked "N. S."—New Style, the current Gregorian calendar in which the new year begins on 1 January.

Susannah Stratton and John Painter, junior, were half second cousins; Timothy Hancock (1653 - c. 1713) was a great-grandfather to both.

Will of "David Strattan of Evesham in the County of Burlington in the Western Division of the province of New jersey Taylor," 1771: "I give and Bequeath into my Daughter Susannah Painter one shilling." (Harriet Russell Stratton, A Book of Strattons, vol. 1 (New York, The Grafton Press, 1908), pp. 254-55.)
• Will dated 20 May 1771; proved 11 June 1771. Executrix wife Mary.

Mary (née Elkinton) and David Stratton, children born in Evesham: "Susannah, b. Aug. 14, 1739; m. John Painter in 1759, and moved to Frederick Co., Va. He was son of John Painter the emigrant." (Stratton, p. 254.)

At the Women Friends of Haddonfield Monthly Meeting on 10 Sep 1759: "next John Painter & Susanna Straten declared their intentions of taking each other in marriage friends appointed to make the usual inquirrie are Ann Cattel & Rachel Dudly & report accordingly to next mtg." (Haddonfield Monthly Meeting, Women's Minutes, 1705-69, p. 344.) In a 12 Nov 1759 meeting it was reported that the marriage "was orderly accomplished." (Haddonfield Monthly Meeting, Minutes, 1731-1935, p. 419.)

"The first burying ground established by the Friends about 1805 was abandoned in 1817 or 1818. About 1818 a lot of about two acres on Deposit street [...] was used as a [Friends] burial place more or less for 60 or 70 years [...]" (History of Columbiana County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, William B. McCord, ed. (Chicago: Biographical Publishing Co., 1905), p. 325.)

Contrary to many online family trees, Susannah Painter (née Stratton) had no middle name.

Regarding the children of Mary (née Elkinton) and David Stratton—
"At least five of this family went to Virginia. Joseph and Susannah were already there at the time of their father's death [in 1771].
"The length of their sojourn in Virginia however was limited to a generation, or less. These Strattans were Quakers, and as Quakers they were opposed to slavery. For a while there was a large Society of Friends in Virginia, but their antislavery views caused bitter feelings against them, and many of them after a few years sought homes in the free states. Most of these Strattans moved from Virginia to Pennsylvania and Ohio between 1800 and 1812." (Stratton, p. 254.)

Great-great-great-great-great-grandmother of submitter.

Reviewed 3 September 2023.