— born in Cherryville Twp., Gaston Co., NC:
  4.  John Michael STROUP, b. 1 Mar 1848 
  5.  James STROUP, b. 1849
  6.  Elizabeth "Lyza / Liza / Lizzy / Lizzie" STROUP, b. 10 Dec 1851 
  7.  Noah A. STROUP, b. 14 Dec 1854 
  8.  Mathew L. STROUP, b. 22 Feb 1857; d. 7 Oct 1875, Gaston Co., NC
  9.  Martha STROUP, b. 1857/8

Plus three additional children who died young.

1a.  Curtis Bynum.  1929.  Marriage Bonds of Tryon and Lincoln Counties, North Carolina.  Self-published (reprinted 1982/91 by Southern Historical Press, Greenville, SC).  In 1779, Tryon Co. was divided into Lincoln and Rutherford Cos., and Tryon Co. ceased to exist.

Groom	Bride	Surety	Date	Other
Stroup, Abner	Baker, Lidia	Jacob F Dailey (Daily)	2 Jan 1842	H Cansler Clk

1b.  Jordan R. Dodd, ed.  1993.  KY, NC, TN, VA, WV Marriages:  Early to 1850.  Liahona Research, Orem, UT (Broderbund CD-229):

Stroup, Abner

Baker, Lydia

2 Jan 1842

Lincoln Co.

2.  1850 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com):  can't find.

3.  1860 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #1 of 183 — Mathew is mis-indexed "Nathen"):  Craige Ville [Cherryville?] P.O., Gaston Co., NC, Roll 898, p. 1A, PN 1, 3/3, enumerated 11 Jun 1860, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1860 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤•

Abner Stroup	40	M		Farmer	500	115
Lydia     "	37	F
Mahulda   "	17	F
Christy   "	15	M
Jason     "	14	M
John      "	12	M
Lyza      "	10	M
Noah      "	6	M
Mathew    "	3	M

"Mathew" is definitely enumerated male (but see 1870).  Listed next to Christopher STROUP (æ 30).

4.  1870 Census Index/Images (online at Genealogy.com, Image #11 of 52):  Cherryville P.O., Cherryville Twp., Gaston Co., NC, Roll 1138 (Book 1), p. 661A, PN 275/11, 77/77, enumerated 11 Aug 1870, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1870 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤•

Stroup Abner	51	M	W	Farmer		100	NC
"   Lida	48	F	W	Keeping house			"
"   John B	33	M	W	Farmer			"
"   James	21	M	W	Tinner?			"
"   Elizabeth	18	F	W	at home			"
"   Noah	15	M	W	Farmer			"
"   Martha?	12	F	W	at home			"

John's middle initial should be "M" and his age should be 22, not 33.  "Martha?" is definitely enumerated female (see 1860).  Where did James come from?

5.  1880 Census (indexed at FamilySearch.org; page image online at Ancestry.com, Image #1 of 48 — mis-indexed "Shoup"):  Cherryville Twp., Gaston Co., NC, p. 1A, PN 1, SD 3, ED 85, enumerated 1 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

4

4

Stroup Abner

W

M

63

/

Farmer

NC

NC

NC

______ Lydia

W

F

59

Wife

/

House keeping

NC

NC

NC

______ Elizabeth

W

F

28

Dau

/

NC

NC

NC

______ Noah

W

M

22

Son

/

Farming

NC

NC

NC

6.  1890 Census:  the 1890 Census Population Schedules were destroyed.

7.  1900 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #26 of 46):  Cherryville Twp., Gaston Co., NC, Roll T623_1196, p. 13B, SN 13, SD 8, ED 74, enumerated 14 Jun 1900, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1900 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤•

1900:  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	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	19	22	23	24	25	26	27	28
219	220	Stroup Noah A	Head	W	M	Dec 1854	45	M	10			NC	NC	NC	Farmer	Y	Y	Y	O	F	F	36
		[Noah's wife and children]
		"   Lydia	Mother	W	F	Jul 1822	77	WD		12	5	NC	NC	NC		N	N	N

Listed between Joseph A. STROUP and widowed daughter-in-law, Sarah A. (BEAM) STROUP. 

8.  Sid Stroupe.  2007/2008.  Abner A. STROUP Family of Cherryville, NC (Public Member Tree online at Ancestry.com).

9.  WorldConnect / Ancestry World Trees (online at RootsWeb.com/Ancestry.com).