▁sides ▁of ▁his ▁family ▁( es pecially ▁his ▁mother ' s ) ▁were ▁among ▁the ▁First ▁Famil ies ▁of ▁Virginia ▁and ▁included ▁prominent ▁political ▁and ▁military ▁leaders ▁even ▁before ▁successful ▁participation ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution ary ▁War . ▁His ▁grand father ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁n avy ▁then ▁army ▁during ▁that ▁conflict ▁before ▁moving ▁to ▁Ber keley ▁County , ▁and ▁his ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 2 , ▁then ▁led ▁the ▁Ber keley ▁County ▁milit ia ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁served ▁as ▁ran ▁a ▁hotel ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁first ▁assistant ▁cl erk ▁to ▁his ▁father - in - law ▁( then ▁cl erk ▁of ▁the ▁county ' s ▁circuit ▁court ) ▁and ▁eventually ▁county ▁cl erk , ▁all ▁for ▁many ▁years ▁( although ▁at ▁least ▁once ▁defeated ▁by ▁Dem ocrat ▁Harrison ▁Wa ite ). ▁His ▁mother ▁attended ▁the ▁local ▁Pres by ter ian ▁church ▁and ▁his ▁father ▁the ▁local ▁Epis cop al ▁church ; ▁as ▁an ▁adult ▁St ro ther ▁lost ▁interest ▁in ▁sect arian ▁religion . ▁ ▁Over ▁his ▁father ' s ▁ob jection , ▁ 3 2 ▁year ▁old ▁David ▁St ro ther ▁married ▁ 1 9 ▁year ▁old ▁Anne ▁Do y ne ▁Wol fe , ▁daughter ▁of ▁a ▁Mart ins burg ▁s add ler ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 9 , ▁and ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁they ▁had ▁a ▁daughter , ▁Em ily , ▁who ▁surv ived ▁to ▁ad ul th ood ▁and ▁became ▁wife ▁of ▁John ▁Br is ben ▁Walker . ▁On ▁May ▁ 6