Eugene Adams Strickland was born on a farm in Louisburg, Franklin County, North Carolina, on November 12, 1893. Baby boy Strickland was the seventh child of Elizabeth Ann Coppedge and Sidney Nicholas Strickland. For three years, the large family met challenges together, then tragedy struck.
In February of 1897, the children lost first their father, then their mother to complications of influenza. Elizabeth’s mother, Laura Coppedge, struggled to keep the children together or at least with family. But within a short while, the large brood found themselves torn apart. Sixteen year old Cleo took five year old George (my grandfather) and three year old Eugene, and joined her grandma in the household of William Coppedge, Laura’s son. The four middle kids, Luther (15), Norman (11), Polly (9), and Laura (7), were admitted to the Mason’s Orphanage in Oxford, North Carolina. George also went to the orphanage when he was old enough; but Cleo and Eugene remained in their Uncle’s home at least until 1900.
When Eugene was old enough, he hired himself out to local farmers, living with these families as he learned the machinist trade, and eventually found his way to Washington, DC, where he worked for Cragg Manufacturing. In 1917, the handy mechanic found himself drafted into the United States Navy. During his service Eugene was gassed.
No record exists of what the veteran did between his discharge and his enlistment in the United States Coast Guard in 1924, but once there, Eugene served as Chief Machinist Mate until his discharge in September of 1926. In 1930, the single man was working as a machinist in a garage in Manhattan, living at 3155 Broadway.
My father (1928-2006) remembered Uncle Eugene visiting the Strickland farm outside Chase City, Virginia in the early 1930s. It seems that this visit was the last chance Eugene had to see his family before being admitted to the Veteran’s Field hospital in Castle Point, Dutchess County, New York, with tuberculosis, around 1934. By 1940, Eugene had been transferred to the Veteran’s Administration Facility, in Millington, Somerset County, New Jersey.
Eugene Adams Strickland remained in one of these two Veteran’s Hospitals, until his death from tuberculosis February 25, 1953. His brother, George, was notified of the loss, by the Quartermaster General, who requested permission to conduct an autopsy before having the body interred in a national cemetery. Having consulted with Cleo, Luther, Norman, Polly, and Laura, George gave the family’s consent to this request, and on March 3, 1953, Eugene Adams Strickland was buried in plot 24, lot 147 in the Raleigh North Carolina National Cemetery. A marble headstone from Vermont Marble Company was put in place by July of that same year.
Sources for this story available upon request.
Shoots, Roots, and Leaves 
I want to thank you for posting this information on the internet. As you may know, Anderson Perry Strickland married Julia M. Stone and they were the parents of Sidney Nicholas Strickland. Julia M. Stone was the daughter of Jonathan M. Stone and Rebecca Winston of Franklin-Nash Counties, North Carolina. Jonathan M. Stone was the son of Jonathan Stone and Felicia Cooke of Franklin County. Jonathan Stone was the first child born to Capt. John Stone and his first wife, Alicia Hurst of Bute-Halifax Counties in the Edgecombe District before moving to Franklin County, NC.,.. Capt. John Stone had Jonathan and Mary Stone by Alicia Hurst. After her death he married Pegee Merritt and had my fourth great grandfather, John Stone who married Sarah Walker, Elizabeth Stone who married John Hight, William Stone Sr. who moved with several of his children to Georgia and then later before his death to Rust-Smith County, Texas. Then Capt. John and Pegee had their last child, Merritt Stone who married Karenhappuch “Happy” Stallings. Your inforation has helped me very much with grandchildren of Jonathan M. Stone and Rebecca Winston. anything more you have on the children of Sidney N. and Elizabeth Ann Coppedge-Strickland would be very much appreciated. My mother was a Stone. My lineage is followed through John David Blackmon Stone, her father; through Neal Archibald Stone father of John D. Blackon Stone; through Archibald Stone, father of Neal A. Stone; through Samuel Hatton Stone, father of Archibald Stone; through to John Stone, father of Samuel Hatton Stone; through Capt. John Stone and Pegee Merritt-Stone, father of John Stone brother to Jonathan. Would love to stay in touch with you. Thanks again!!!
What an awesome way to start my weekend!! Thank you for leaving such an information-packed comment. I would love to correspond. Feel free to email me at dkaysdays AT gmail DOT com.
Looking forward to more family history exchanges!
Kay