The following is from: A History of The Middle New River Settlements and Contiguous Territory^nrs

by David E. Johnston
Commonwealth Press Incorporated, First and Berkley Streets, Radford, Virginia 24141

The New River Straleys

Jacob Straley (German, Strahle) was a German, born at Frankfort-on-the-Main, in Germany; his wife was Susan Barbor, whom he married in Germany, and came directly after his marriage to America, in 1758, and found his way to James River, where the city of Lynchburg now stands. Jacob Straley had a brother John, who came over to America with him, and they are supposed to have landed in New York; John had a wife and several children (author's note:  it is widely believed that this "John" is the father of Christian Straley who sired the other major Straley lineage in the US).

Jacob came South with other emigrants to Virginia, and John went into Pennsylvania; separating, they lost sight of each other and seem never to have heard of each other after their separation.

Jacob, as before stated, found his way to where Lynchburg now stands; there he bought land of his brother-in-law, Jacob Lynch, and here the children of Jacob Straley and his wife, Susan, were born, to-wit: Andrew, Elizabeth, Catherine and Jacob Jr. Jacob Straley and his wife Susan both died and were buried at Lynchburg. Andrew was twice married, but had no family; he was a soldier of the American Revolution, and Jacob, his brother, a youth of about sixteen at the close of the Revolution, served in what was called the Reserves, or Home Guards. Elizabeth married a man by the name of Caldwell, by whom she had two or three children; her husband died, she then married a man by the name of Marshall Burton, by whom she had a son called Isaac, who married a Snodgrass, and who left a son, Green, living now in Giles County, and three daughters, Lucretia, who married McCauley; Sallie, who married Albert, and the name of the husband of Jane is not known. Catherine Straley, daughter of the elder Straley, went to Kentucky.

Jacob Straley, son of the elder Jacob, was a brick mason by trade, and about the year of 1782 came to New River, in what is now Giles County, and in June, 1785, married Martha French, daughter of Matthew and Sallie Payne French, by whom he had nine sons and two daughters. His sons were: James, Daniel, John, David, Charles, Jacob, French, Joseph and Leland; the daughters were Sallie and Nancy. James married Betsey Vaught, Daniel married Mary French, John married Betsey Wilson, Charles married Betsey McComas, Jacob L. married Eliza Bergen, French died unmarried; Joseph married Jane Brown, David married Elizabeth Perkins, Leland died young and unmarried, Sallie married Isaac French, and Nancy married Edward Morgan.

James Straley and his wife had one son, Madison, and six daughters: Martha, who married Joseph Summers; Talitha, who married Hampton Brown; Almira, who married George C. Stafford; Rebecca, who married James H. Wilburne; Serilda, who married John Stafford, and Maharald, who married James P. Thorn.

Daniel Straley and his wife, Mary, had two sons and two daughters; the sons were James F. and Jacob C., both of whom died childless; Julia T. married Colonel James M. Bailey, of Mercer County, and by him had five children, two sons and three daughters. The sons, Gaston C. and Daniel M., and daughters, Lizzie, died unmarried; Belle, married James D. Honaker, and Alice married a Mr. Lee.

Sallie F. married Elijah Bailey and had two children, Robert H. and Mary J.

John Straley and Elizabeth, his wife, had two sons and six daughters; the sons, Charles D. and Harrison W.; the daughters, Louisa, married Claudius Burdett; Araminta, married Elijah Bailey; Dorcas, married Benjamine Tinsley; Martha, married Andrew J. Davis; Harriet, married J. McThompson; Valeria, married John Q. Spangler. Charles D. Straley died in 1890, unmarried; Louisa has a large family; Dorcas, Araminta and Martha have no children; Harriet has two children; Valeria has three living children. Harrison W. Straley, now dead, married Delia A. Byrnside, who died in May, 1888, and by her he had four children who reached their majority.

Charles Straley, by his wife Betsey, had nine children, and by his second marriage with Miss Warneck, whom he married in the state of Illinois, had one son, Hugh. Charles Straley removed to Texas, where he died.

Jacob Lynch Straley and his wife, Eliza, had three children, all daughters. Margaret married a Mr. Eldridge, of Tennessee; Caladonia married Joseph Taylor, and Sallie married David C. Straley, son of Joseph. Jacob Lynch Straley was a minister of the Methodist Church.

Joseph Straley and his wife Jane had but two children, William D. and David C.

David Straley and Elizabeth, his wife, had two sons and three daughters. The sons were: Granville P. and David B., the latter dying young; the former is a lawyer by profession, and lives in Maury County, Tennessee. The daughters, Martha T., married Dr. George A. Long, now dead; Mary, married Girard Willis, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, both being now dead. Sallie married Mr. Anderson, and they live in South Carolina.

Sallie Straley married Isaac French, and had two children: Harvey and Elizabeth, both dead. Harvey never married; Elizabeth married Oscar F. Johnston.

Nancy Straley, who married Edward Morgan, had four sons and three daughters; the sons are, Rufus, John, Newton, and Joseph; and the daughters, Martha, who married Mr. Noffsinger; Virginia, who married Richard Gilliam, and Sallie, who died young and unmarried.

The Straley people have been quiet, law-abiding and unpretentious, never seeking public position, always ready and serving their friends, especially their relations. Three of the sons of Jacob Straley and his wife, Martha French Straley, served in the war of 1812; they were James, Daniel and John. Our Civil War, 1861-5, produced from their ranks some magnificent soldiers, among them Captain Jacob C., son of Daniel, who led, as Captain, a company in the 17th Virginia Regiment of Cavalry; he was bold and fierce on the field of battle, and rode boldly in to the thickest of the conflict and abreast the storm as if on parade. His courage was not exceeded by that of any man who ever drew sabre. There is presented opposite this page the photograph of Harrison W. Straley, the great-grandson of the emigrant.