John C. Stroup, M.D., Elizabethville, Pennsylvania, was born in Elizabethville, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 8 January 1859. He is a son of Dr. John B. Stroup and Saloma [Shellenberger] Stroup. Peter Stroup, grandfather of Dr. John C. Stroup, was a native of Juniata County, Pennsylvania. He was a farmer and blacksmith; he died at the age of forty. His wife lived to be eighty-two years of age. Their children are: Samuel Stroup, was a farmer and blacksmith in Turkey Valley, Juniata, County, up to 1889, when he removed to South Bend, Indiana, and worked at his trade until 1894, then returned to Pennsylvania and resides with his sons – he is seventy-six years old; Nathan Stroup, a farmer in Juniata County; two daughters; John B. Stroup; Peter Stroup, a blacksmith, met his death at forty years of age riding across a bridge in Juniata County – he was a soldier in the late war [Civil War], was wounded in the leg. The majority of the family are Democratic in their political views. The maternal grandfather of Dr. John C. Stroup was Christian Shellenberger. He and his wife were natives of Juniata County, and both died at Richfield, in that county, the grandfather aged seventy-six, the grandmother seventy-eight years. They left a family of nine sons and three daughters, most of whom are now living in Juniata County.
John B. Stroup, M.D., father of Dr. John C. Stroup, was born in Juniata County in March 1831, and was reared there. His father died young and left him a poor boy, dependent on his own resources for his education. He worked by day and applied himself to books at night, and in this way prepared himself to teach. At the age of sixteen he took charge of a school in Juniata County, and subsequently taught school in Oldtown, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, finally locating in Richfield, Juniata County. Here he began the study of medicine under Dr. Werner, with whom he continued three or four years. He then entered the University of Pennsylvania, from which he subsequently graduated. He located at Richfield and assisted Dr. Werner for several years, after which he came to Elizabethville, and was the first physician to locate in that town. He was also the only surgeon of prominence in that part of the county, and was frequently called into consultation with Dr. Rutherford and Dr. Dunott, both eminent surgeons of Harrisburg. He was often invited to locate in larger places, where there would be a wider field for the exercise of his professional ability. He was noted as being skillful in operating on cancer, and was also very successful in other critical cases. Dr. John B. Stroup was married in Juniata County to Saloma Shellenberger. Their children are: Mary Alice Stroup, wife of Edwin Swab, Lykens, Pennsylvania; Fanny Catherine Stroup, wife of William Reitz, Rebuck, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania; Dr. John C. Stroup; an infant, died unnamed; Salome Stroup, wife of Charles Lenker, Halifax, Pennsylvania; Dr. Clement B. Stroup, druggist, Elizabethville, married in March, 1885, Lizzie A. Bonawitz.
John C. Stroup first attended the common schools of his native town, and was subsequently a pupil in the Berrysburg Seminary, from 1878 to 1882; he was also at school at South Bend, Indiana, for eight months. In 1883 he entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, and was graduated in the fall of 1885, after which he located at Elizabethville, where he has built up an extensive practice. In 1887, in connection with his brother Clement B. Stroup, he bought the drug store of Jonas Gorman, a continued a member of the firm until June 1895, when he sold the interest in the store to his brother, the growing demands of his practice not leaving him time for other business. Dr. Stroup is a Democrat. He is at present Postmaster of Elizabethville, having been appointed to the office 20 April 1894. On 1 April of the same year he was appointed county physician for the poor, which office he held for one year. He served as first judge of elections for the poor, which office he held for one year. He served as first judge of elections of the borough. He belongs to the Jefferson Alumni Association. For three years he was a member of the Patriotic Order Sons of America.
Dr. Stroup was married in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, 31 March 1891, to Miss Mollie E. Deppen, daughter of William Deppen, deceased, and his wife Elizabeth Deppen, and a native of that county. They have two sons: Bryant DeCosta Stroup, born 28 July 1892; and Paul Eugene Stroup, born 25 March 1894.
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The above information was modified/edited from Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, published in 1896 by J. M. Runk and Company of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. A free download is available from the Internet Archive.