Strang met Elsie Whipple in a bar in Albany. Elsie was the daughter of Abraham Lansing and Elsie Van Rensselaer and wife of John Whipple. Strang fell in love with Elsie and took a job as a handyman under the name of Joseph Orton in Cherry Hill, the Van Rensselaers' residence. Elsie in turn fell in love with him. Elsie tended to be grumpy, irksome, and prone to hysterics and violent shouting fits. She felt dominated and controlled by her husband. The lovers kept in touch with the help of members of the household who passed letters between them.
