I have no proof that Henry had a prior wife, but the age difference between Henry and Melinda, the youth of Melinda, and the age gap between the second and third child all suggest he did.

— born in OH, possibly in Lykens Twp., Crawford Co., OH:
6.  Sarah Ann STRAUB, b. 1855/6
7.  Martha J. STRAUB, b. Mar 1860

1.  LDS.  Family Search: Internet Genealogy Service: IGI - International Genealogical Index (online at FamilySearch.org).

Henry STRAUB Marriage: <1849> Snyder, Pennsylvania Spouse: Malinda SWINEFORD Birth: Before 1828 Father: George SWINEFORD; Mother: Susan FREED Source: patron submission

More like 1839, but if it was 1849, then the first wife was the mother of William and possibly Rosa.

2.  1840 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com):  our subject is said to be from Washington Twp., Union [now Snyder] Co., PA, and there is a Henry STRAUB (æ 30-40) in that location in the 1840 census.  Melinda's alleged father, George SWINEFORD, is also in Union [now Snyder] Co.  There is also a Henry STRAUB (æ 20-30) in the 1840 census of Chapman Twp., Union [now Snyder] Co., PA, but he appears to have too many children to be our subject.  I don't know the identity of the parents of the Henry STRAUB in Washington Twp., but the parents of the one in Chapman Twp. are most likely Johann Heinrich STRAUB & Barbara __?__.

3.  1850 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #8 of 35):  North Bloomfield Twp., Morrow Co., OH, Roll M432_716, p. 398B, 698/708, enumerated 5 Aug 1850, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1850 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤•

Henry Stroup	34	M		Farmer		Pa
Malinda Stroup	25	F				"
Eve Stroup	9	F				"
Adam Stroup	7	M				"
William H Stroup	3	M				O
Rosa Stroup	1	F				"

4.  1860 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #28 of 32):  Lykens P.O., Lykens Twp., Crawford Co., OH, Roll M653_951, p. 235B/510, PN 70, 505/488, enumerated 20 Jun 1860, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1860 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤•

Henry Straub	40	M		Farm hand		100	Pa
Melinda    "	36	F					Do
William H  "	13	M					O
Rosa Ellen "	11	F					O
Sarah Ann  "	4	F					O
Martha J   "	2/12	F					O

5.  1870 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #28 of 29):  Poplar P.O., Lykens Twp., Crawford Co., OH, Roll M593_1186, p. 519B, PN 28, 206/206, enumerated 15 Jul 1870, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1870 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤•

Straup Henry	60	M	W	Day laborer	250	350	Pennsylvania
______ Malinda	45	F	W	Keeping house			Pennsylvania
______ Sarah A	14	F	W	At school			Ohio
______ Martha J	10	F	W	At school			Ohio

Their son, William, is also in Lykens Twp.  Their son, Adam, is in Texas Twp.

6.  1880 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #16 of 25):  Lykins [Twp.], Crawford Co., OH, Roll T9-1004, p. 499D, PN 16, SD 6, ED 105, enumerated 15 Jun 1880, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1880 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤•

1880:  for an explanation of the column headings, please see What the Numbers in the Federal Census Mean (missing columns contained no data).

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

9

10

13

24

25

26

132

138

Straub Henry

W

M

66

/

Laborer

PA

PA

PA

______ Melinda

W

F

55

Wife

/

Housekeeping

PA

PA

PA

______ Adam

W

M

36

Son

/

Laborer

PA

PA

PA

______ Martha

W

F

20

Dau

/

Servant

OH

PA

PA

7.  1890 Census:  the 1890 Census Population Schedules were destroyed.