Journal of Rev. D. I. Craig
The following Journal of Rev. David Irving Craig was
downloaded from [email protected] thru the kind donation of
the material by [email protected]. Due to the size of the
complete document, it was downloaded in several parts. I
reassembled and formatted the document for my own convenience.
Rev. Craig had cross-referenced names or events in several places
in his original typed version by citing page numbers. In converting
the text for electronic media and re-printing after downloading,
his page numbering was inadvertently changed. I did not attempt to
make the cross-references compatible with the new format. However I
did insert an occasional reminder that the cited pages may not be in
their original place.
I hope that others find David Irving Craig's Journal
interesting and genealogically rewarding.
Nat Blackwood
{NOTE: Text formatted for HTML by Larry Noah}
Origin and History of The Craig Family in Orange County, N. C.
This Book Is most affectionately Dedicated to my Dear
Children and Posterity
-------
Reidsville, N. C. D. I. Craig
January 6, 1899
----------------------
In making my Will (Jan 1915), I did not designate
this Book. I would suggest that my Son Carl be the custodian of
this Book.
D. I. Craig
Introduction
I have always entertained very little respect for
the man or woman who neither knows nor cares to know who their
ancestors were.
When God said in Covenants Promise, "I will be a God
and Father unto thee, and to thy seed after thee", he certainly
expected us to know who our Father's were, else we certainly
could not know that His promises were true.
I have always taken the deepest interest in this
subject, and for the sake of my own personal satisfaction, and
for the sake of my Children and Posterity, I propose to write in
this little Book what I know of the origin and history of my
Ancestors.
Therefore, to my dear and beloved, and loving
Children and to their posterity, this book is most
affectionately dedicated by their devoted Father.
D. I. Craig
Reidsville, N. C.
January 6th, 1899
Origin
The original home of the Craig's was Scotland.
There are hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of Craig's in
Scotland today. The name is old in Scotland.
It is a fact worthy of note, that the famous "Solemn
League and Covenant", or the first "National Covenant of
Scotland", of which the whole world has heard, and which has
been the foundation of religious and civil liberty all over the
world - this famous document was first framed and written by
John Craig of Scotland. It was first called "Craigs
Confession". It was signed by the people in 1557. It was
signed by King James and his household in 1581. It was enlarged
and signed again in 1588. It was again enlarged and resigned in
1638. It now consisted of three parts:
(1) The old Covenant by John Craig
(2) The enlarged edition by Mr. Johnston
(3) The again enlarged and revised edition by Alex Henderson. This
last edition was adopted and signed in 1642 by the English Parliament,
and in the same year (1642) by the Westminster Divines. Thus it seems
to me that the Standards and Symbols of the Presbyterian Church had
their origin with John Craig.
Whether my ancestors, in the far back, were in
anywise connected with this man, I cannot say; but it is certain
that they were Scotch, and they always spurned the slightest
intimation that they were Irish, nowithstanding the fact that
they came direct to America from Ireland.
Sometime during the 17th Century, our family of
Craig's, with many others, were either transferred or banished
from Scotland to Ireland. But just when this occurred, or where
they lived in Ireland, I am unable to say. Probably their home
was in North Ireland. The names of Coleraine and Londonderry and
Ulster were familiar to me as a child, having often heard the old
people speak these names. And yet, I am almost sure that they
embarked from Ireland at Cork, where they left for America, at least,
that is the tradition I have received.
I have never been able to find a scrap of paper or
any mark or positive evidence to tell me where the Craig's lived
in Ireland. I have often heard that my Great-Grandfather, James
Craig, received letters from Ireland, and he was importuned to
return with the promise of those writing to him, that they would
"make a man of him" in the way of wealth. The reason why he was
written to and not his elder brothers, was explained on the
ground that he bore the family name of "James" through whom the
property must descend according to the laws or customs of
Ireland. I suppose his Grandfather's name was James, and I was
told that he greatly desired to return in answer to the letters,
but that his wife was violently opposed to his ever crossing the
sea again, as it meant weary weeks or months on the sea, and
attended with great dangers and hardships. No trace of these
letters can now be found.
In September, 1898, I received a letter from Miss
Anna M. Craig of "Marine Parade Hollywood" - "Belfast" -Ireland.
She is a daughter of Rev. William Craig, a Presbyterian
Minister. She speaks of the county of "Antrim" as a house of
the Craig's, and of many of them being buried in the Churchyard
of "Ahoghill". She sends me a Chart or Tree of her family which
I append to this Book - but I cannot connect the Tree to our
original ancestor, William Craig, who must have been born not
far from 1700, or most probably some years before 1700. It
might be possible that he was an elder brother of the James
Craig who stands at the head of this Tree.
It is altogether probable that one or two
generations of our Craig's were born and reared in Ireland
before coming to this country; for it is certain that some of
the old Scotch Craig's married Irish women.
It would be a matter of profound joy to me, if I
knew the ancient home and history of my people in the old world,
but I suppose this will always be denied me. All that I do know
is from dim and shadowy traditions, which have been handed down
from generation to generation: Namely - That they were a
suffering and persecuted people in Scotland: That their
persecutions were on account of their religious principles:
That for some cause they were either transferred or banished to
Ireland: That in Ireland they suffered untold hardships and
trials: And that all these trails were laid at the door of
Popery.
As an evidence that these traditions are absolute
facts, I now have in my possession many old Books which were
brought by my Ancestors from the old world to this Country.
These Books are Presbyterian, "to the very core", such as the
"Solemn League and Covenant", "The Touchstone of Sincerity" by
Flasel, "The Cabinet of Jesus Sermons", and "Catechisms and the
Confession of Faith" in abundance. These books are
"finger-worn", as well as "time-worn", and show that they were
faithfully studied. These were the books which Papists hated,
and still hate, and through their teachings, in former days,
thousands went to the stake!
The Craig's, in those days, were certainly
Presbyterians - "deep dyed in the faith" - although some of
them, I am sorry to say, in latter days, were not very pious
people. The older Craig's, as I remember them, were a Stern
race, especially the men, and their very countenances were
indicative of great determination and willfulness - rather than
the gentler virtues. Many of them had the long upper lip, and
the broad chin, characteristic of the Scotch race, and, also the
keen penetrating and fearless grey eye of the Scotch. This was
exactly the eye of my Grandfather, D. W. Craig, and as a
child I thought he could see through me - though he
had but one eye, as I remember him, the other having been
consumed by a cancer.
The early Craig's were not an educated people, in
the modern sense; but they possessed good hard sense, and were
sufficiently educated and cultivated to meet the demands of
their age. One of the chief acquirements in the education of
their day was penmanship, and some of the old Craig's excelled
in this gift - especially my grandfather: my Father also wrote a
beautiful hand.
The name "Craig", was originally spelled with a
final "e", and some of the family still retain the "e", but most
of them have dropped it. It is the euphonious name for "Cragg"
or "Crag", which is pure Scotch and means a "mountain" or
"hill"- "rough" or "rugged". The character and disposition of
some of the older Craig's always seemed to me, to be well fitted
to the name.
Thus I have given, as best I can, the origin of the family.
I will now enter upon a more voluminous task - the
history of the family.
The Craig's in Orange County, N. C.
The original Father of all the Craig's in Orange
County, N. C., and of scores of families in the western States
and far South, was William Craige.
This man was born in Scotland, I suppose, though
possibly in Ireland, somewhere about the date 1690 or 1700. I
have no record concerning his birth or death, and very little
data concerning his life. The maiden name of his wife was
Margaret Logan. She was the widow of George Long when he
married her, and she had one child by George Long whose name was
also George Long.
The Children of William Craige by this widow Long
were:
John Craig
David Craig
Isabel Craig
Samuel Craig
James Craig
These children were, doubtless, all born in Ireland.
James was "an infant in his cradle when they came over the sea".
This was the original family of Craig's in Orange County, N. C.
Now arises two questions over which I have labored
hard and long, but without satisfactory answers: vis When and
Where? did this man and his family first arrive and settle on
American soil?
I have tried hard to fix, definitely, these points,
but it seems now only possible to approximate them. In all my
notes and dates on Family History heretofore, I have put the
time of his landing in this Country, 1741 - and I know of
nothing now to cause me to materially change that date. If I
were to change it now, I would say - 1747, and it is possible
that this is the correct date. One thing of which I am sure, it
was not later than 1747.
I have in my possession two little wooden
comb-cases, with the date 1747 cut into them. But these relics
belonged to Mrs. "Rebecca Ball" whose name is also inscribed on
them, and who became the mother in law of the above James Craig.
I do not doubt that these ancient trinkets which "came over the
sea", and which so carefully present the date and name of the
owner, was intended to mark and preserve the time of the
emigration of the "Ball" family; and they being so early and
intimately connected with the Craig's might naturally raise the
presumption that they came over together in 1747.
I think I have been told that the coming of the
"Ball's" to this Country and possibly the Craig's too, was the
immediate result of the disastrous battle of Collodon in 1746.
It is possible that both families came over together in 1747,
and it is certain that both families landed and lived for a time
on Pennsylvania soil.
All that I know of the early history of the "Ball's"
is that they were the members of some Church of which the Rev.
James Campbell was the Minister. I suppose this Church was in
Pennsylvania. Mr. Campbell's ministry was in Pennsylvania and
in North Carolina. He came to N.C. in 1757 - See Footes
Sketches of N.C. I have in my possession the original Church
Certificate of James Ball and his wife Rebecca Ball, given under Mr.
Campbell's own hand and signature, and dated, July 26, 1756. I
prize this paper very much, but the heading or place where it
was issued is wanting, for which I am so sorry.
Here is a copy of it:
"That James Ball, his wife, Rebeckah, are free,
together with their family, from any scandull known to us, only
sayd James hath not supported the Gospel while among us, but
sayd Rebeckah hath enjoyed full communion with us, and may be
admitted to Christian Privilege where God may order their lot."
Attested this 26th July, 1756, by
James Campbell, V. D. M.
So, it is evident that the Ball family lived in
Pennsylvania prior to 1756 and so did the Craig family. I have
a vague recollection of being told that the Ball's lived a short
time in Virginia before coming to N.C. This name still abounds
in Va. The mother of George Washington was a Miss Ball.
The above named "Rebecca Ball" was the owner of the comb cases
marked 1747, and her daughter "Rebecca", also was married to
James Craig, the son of William above mentioned, my
Great-Grandfather, April 26, 1763.
I cannot say positively whether there was any
intimacy or connection between these two families prior to this
marriage in 1763 or not, but from this time forth the history
and traditions of the two families are very much mixed in my
mind. The influence of the Ball blood on the Craig's must have
been very great, and seems to have left a lasting impression,
both for good and bad. It is said of "Granny Ball" - the owner
of the comb cases, that she was an "Irish woman", and somewhat
of a "terror", possessing a violent temper; while it was said of
her daughter - Rebecca, the wife of James Craig, that she was a
most lovely and sweet tempered woman, and of noted and devout
piety. I have heard her son, Isaac Craig, who was born in 1779,
say that in his young and wild days, in the late night hours, he
had often heard his Mother earnestly praying for him.
These points concerning the Ball family do not
settle the question - When did the Craig's come to America? but
at the same time they do help to approximate the time.
Now to go back to this question - here is a
tradition which has been handed down from generation to
generation as absolutely true - viz "That James Craig, son of
William, was an infant in his cradle (about two years old) when
they came over the sea". Now taking this as a fact, and knowing
that he was married Apl. 26, 1763, and died July 21, 1821 - "a
very old man" - "he was about or quite 80- years old". If he
was 81 years old when he died, it would fix his birthday in
1740- one year previous to 1741: or, if he was 75 years old when
he died, it would fix his birth in 1746 - one year previous to
1747- (i.e. allowing one year for his infancy in Ireland. And
in the one supposition he married at the age of 23, and in the
other at the age of 17. If we allow the tradition of his
infancy in Ireland to be exactly "two years old", then he was
either 82 or 74 when he died and was married at the age of 24 or
18. - I cannot say which is right - it is not possible for
either to be far from right. In favor of the latter view, I
will here say that I think I have that he married quite young.
I think I heard this in connection with the fact that his son
Isaac married at the age of about 17 or 18: and to a woman of
perhaps twice his age. If the latter calculation is correct
(and it does seem rather more reasonable than the other) then
the Craig's landed on American soil in the year 1747.
Now, where did they land? Where did they live? If
I could definitely settle these questions, it would no doubt
throw light on the others; but here too I am left in doubt for
lack of data. If I knew the name of the vessel that brought
them to these shores, or the name of the Church with which they
first worshipped, or any other such like key, I might be able to
unlock many mysteries, but I am deprived of all of them. I only
know this one thing - that they landed in Pennsylvania and lived
there for a time. I am also almost sure, from various
circumstances which I will not here mention, that the place of
landing was Philadelphia. It is a well known fact that they
lived for a time in Pennsylvania - but where? Was it in
Lancaster or Dauphin County?
The "Strayhorn's", otherwise known as "Strean's" or
"Streaughn's", lived in Dauphin County, about 12 miles east of
Harrisburg. It was here that my Great-Grandfather, Gilbert
Strayhorn, on my mother's side, was born in 1715. He was
intimately associated with William Craig the Patriarch in N.C.
about 1750, and tradition says that they knew each other before
they met in N.C. If this was true, they must have known each
other in Dauphin Co. Pa.
And again, the name of "Craig" - has been identified
with the town of Derry in Dauphin County from away back, and it
is probable that acquaintance or kinship in the old country
would lead families of the same name to seek the same point in
the new country. There are numbers of Craig's living in Derry,
Pa. at the present time. I had a letter some time ago from Dr.
Thomas C. Craig, Assist. Secy. of the Navy at the New York
yards, and he says there was an Alexander Craig who died in
Derry in 1754: and also a John Craig who died there in 1801. He
does not know if they were kinsmen or not, but says a son of the
said John whose name is William and who was born there in 1794,
was his Grandfather. His suggestion that the above Alexander
and John were, either one or the other, or both, brothers of my
ancestor, William, is at least possible if not probable. I have
never heard a word from any of the older Craig's on the subject
as to whether William Craig had brothers who came with him to
this country or not - I cannot speak on this point, but it does
not seem improbable. At any rate Dauphin County, Pa. seems to
have been a home for the Craig's since 1754 and before.
J. N. Craig, D. D., Sec. of Home Missions in the
Southern Presb. Church, told me that he only had tradition for
his ancestry. As follows: James Craig was born in Scotland
about 1694. - Came to Philadelphia about 1714. - Had three sons-
William, Thomas and Robert. One of these settled in the valley
of Va. from whom Dr. Craig sprang.
There was also a Col. Thomas Craig who lived in
Philadelphia in 1728, and there was a Rev. John Craig, member of
Hanover Presbytery in 1758.
All these facts show that Dauphin Co. and
Philadelphia have been a home for the Craig's a long time, but
they do not prove the William lived there; although it seems
highly probable.
Let us now turn to Lancaster County. Just across
the river between York and Carlile. The only supposition that I
have that he may have lived here is the connection between the
Craig and Ball families. The "Ball" family evidently lived in
this county, for Mr. Campbell's Churches lay in this region,
from which the Ball's received the certificate which I have
already mentioned. But this does not prove that the Craig's
lived there. Mr. Campbell's charge was on the Conococheague
River, and I have often, as a child, laughed at the names,
called by the older Craig's, "Connewegocheg" and
"Connewegohog". I think the familiarity of these names came to
the Craig's through the Ball's. One of the Churches which Rev.
James Campbell served in these olden days, is now known as the
"Robert Kennedy Memorial Church" and was formerly known as
"Welsh Run". I have received some kind letters from the present
Pastor of this church, but no trace of my people from the
existing records.
I am inclined to the opinion that William Craig
located and lived for a short time, perhaps not longer than a
year, in Dauphin County.
At that time the Tuscarora Indians were a terror to
the people, and the continued French and Indian wars, attended
with all manner of dangers and hardships, determined the old man
Craig and his family to seek for a more quiet house further to
the South, and whether he left brothers in Pennsylvania I cannot say.
He left Pennsylvania during the winter, perhaps, of
1750, and came direct to North Carolina. It was a very cold
winter, for I have often heard the story that the rivers in
their way were so completely frozen up that they drove their
teams over them on the solid ice, and they suffered intensely
from the cold on their journey. He did not stop in Virginia,
and the reason I have always heard assigned for this, was the
fact that the "Established Church" was in full force in
Virginia, which was not the case - and never was - in North
Carolina. This fact shows where the old man stood in religious
matters. He had had enough of a State Church, and of all that
savored of popery, and he remembered the "Solemn League and
Covenant of Scotland".
He stopped in the "Hawfields" in Orange County, and
settled the place known to this day as the old "Strewick place",
where Addison Wilson recently lived and died; and near the site
of the old Hawfields Church and Graveyard, where scores of the
early settlers lie buried, and among them - William Craige and
his Wife.
No stone marks their grave, and a few years ago the
grounds were plowed over and planted in corn by Mr. A. Wilson,
who was indicted and punished in the Courts for the deed.
I do not know how long William Craig lived at this
place, but perhaps not more than two or three years. The title
to his lands under the Earl of Granville, was questioned as to
its genuineness, having been sold or transferred to the
"Strudwicks" in London, before his entry and settlement upon
them. So he determined to move again, and he pulled up and came
to the waters of "New Hope", in the same County of Orange, and
entered new lands, and called his new possessions and home
"Richland Fork".
This move occurred in the year 1752 or 1753. (The
oldest deed or grant of land is 1744.) Orange County was formed
in 1752, and of course there are no County records prior to that
date, and I do not think any Deeds were recorded prior to 1754.
The oldest Deed of William Craige in my possession is dated
1754, and it reads - "adjoining his own line" - showing that he
had made land entries prior to 1754. I have in my possession a
Tax receipt given to William Craige in 1758, covering "four
years" in the past, which would be 1754.
By the way, some time ago, I sent this old Tax
Receipt to Mrs. J. H. Gray of Georgetown, Texas, as a proof of
her ancestry to the Members of the Order of the "Dames of the
Revolution". She had the receipt beautifully photographed and
sent me a copy, which I now have, on the return of the original.
The next oldest receipt in my possession is dated
1762, and calls for the past four years from 1758. This receipt
is given to James Craig, son of William.
The old name "William" now drops out of view, and
perhaps out of earthly life. The change in the name of the
receipts would indicate that he died somewhere between 1758 and
1762. This is altogether probable, for James was not married
until 1763, a year after the receipt in his name, and it is not
probable that the old man would have turned over his lands to
him before his marriage. Thus, I suppose that William Craige,
the founder of the Family, died about the year 1760. (Yet, I
find in Colonial Records, Vol. 9. p 94 - that William Craige,
with other of his neighbors, signed a petition for the life of
John Fruit "an outlawed regulator" - in 1772.
His residence, or rather house, in which he lived
and died, I suppose was a very ordinary log building; and it was
located about a quarter of a mile directly north of the place
where Thomas R. Cole now lives. It was very near to a Spring in
the bend of New Hope Creek, on the South side of the creek, and
opposite the Fork on the north side. This "Fork" of the Creeks
originated the name - "Richland Fork" - which appears in all the
old Deeds. I say here that he "lived and died" at this place,
but I am not altogether sure that he died there, but I suppose
he did, and I think my Father so understood it. But the next
oldest settlement I know of was hardly a mile east of this place
and known as the James Craig settlement or place. The first house
stood just west of the fork of the creeks, and in my day and long
before, it was called the "Old Orchard". I do not know whether
James Craig first built here or within the Fork of the creeks.
The "Old Orchard" house may have been built by William and if so,
he died there.
I have been told this old man William, the Father of
the family, was a sturdy and somewhat stern, old Scotsman. A
man of determined will, honest and upright, and unyielding in
his principles. His education was very limited, though he was
endowed with a strong mind and practical good sense. Of course
he was a Presbyterian and he was "very old" when he died. His
body, and that of his wife also, were both carried back to the
Hawfields and buried there. I do not know which died first. I
know nothing of his wife, save her name - "Margaret Logan" "who
was the Widow Long".
Thus ends the Chapter of William Craige, the Father
and Founder of the Name and Family, in Orange County, North
Carolina.
George Long
This foster son of William Craige evidently settled
west of the Craig lands and in the neighborhood, and on the same
land now owned by his descendants, and where some of the Long's
still live. I do not know whom he married, nor how many
children he had; but he had a son by the name of "George", who
married Isabel Craig, a daughter of the aforesaid John Craig son
of William. The children of the union were: Anderson, Thomas
and "George". This last named George married a Miss Latta, and
their sons were Thomas, Robert, John and James D. The last
named (James) still lives on the original lands, and perpetuates
the name, and is a stance Presbyterian. This is the origin of
the Long's in Orange County, N.C.
I will now take up the history, as best I can, of
William Craige's Children.
By reference to page 11 (no longer on page 11), it
will there be seen that the Children of William Craige, the
Patriarch, consisted of Four Sons and One Daughter - not
including George Long, his wife's Son, who, however, was reared
and treated and shared alike with the other Craig children.
The following is the order, perhaps, in which these
Children were born: John, David, Isabel, Samuel, James.
I know John was the eldest, and if they were all
born in Ireland - and I have no doubt they were, then I am sure
James was the youngest.
John Craig
This man was the eldest child, and must have been
quite a lad of some twelve or fourteen years old before he left
Ireland with his father.
He married Mary Blackwood, a daughter of William
Blackwood one of the old Patriarchs of the new country, and they
reared a family of twelve children, or at least ten of them
lived to be grown. He settled the place where he lived and
died, and which has been successively owned by William Brown,
Isaac Craig, J. N. Craig and J. W. Cole the present owner. I do
not know just where stood the first house he built, but I think
it was directly east of the present place, and not far west of
the grave of Isaac Craig and one of his wives. It is said that
he was a most excellent good man. He was one of the founders of
New Hope Church, and one of its first Elders. The date of his
birth is not known. The date of the birth of no one of William
Craige's children is known; but this man died February the 6th
1816. And it is said that he "was past 90 years old when he
died". If this was true, it would seem to corroborate the view
or theory on page 15 that he came to this country with his
Father in 1747. From this man and through his numerous family,
learning various names, there have sprung a host of people which
are now scattered far and wide. I do not know if this man was
at any time in the Revolutionary Service or not. The names of
his Children were as follows:
(This is not the order in which they were born)
1 James Md Nellie Turner
2 David Md Betsy Boroughs
3 Alexander Md Ginny Strayhorn
4 Abram Md Ginny Murdock
5 Samuel Md Unmarried
6 John Md Unmarried
7 Isabel Md George Long
8 Betsy Md Alexander Russell
9 Peggy Md Unmarried
10 Mary Md Charles Freeland
A brief history of this family of children is as
follows:
1. James: Settled near Chapel Hill, to the west, and
was one of the land donors of the University when it was
founded. Some of his children were Annie, John and Dr. James A.
Craig. John was the father of James F. who still lives at the
old place and of William, a lawyer in Texas. Dr. James A.
graduated at the University in 1816, and was a Teacher and
Physician of considerable note in his day. He died without
children.
2. David: This man had four children - all daughters:
Mrs. William Brown - moved away, Mrs. Johnston Blackwood, Mrs.
A. C. Murdock, and Mrs. "Squire" John Freeland - the mother of
Dr. Charles Freeland and Johnston Freeland: all gone. I do not
know where David Craig lived.
3. Alexander: B 1773, D June 7, 1855. This man lived
and died at the place where his son Gilbert lived and died. He
was the father of Mrs. Caleb Wilson; Mrs. John Baldwin; Mrs.
Samuel C. Kirkland; John Craig; the Grandfather of Thomas and
Edwin Kirkland and Carman Craig; the father of Sandy, Johnston
and William and David Craig (Born June 16, 1812 D Sept 30, 1893.
For 52 years Elder in N. Hope Ch. A good man and my uncle by
marriage. His son Nettleton G. Craig, also Elder in N. Hope Ch.
was born Jan. 16, 1849 and died May 2, 1879 - I loved him as my
brother. A noble man. See my Diary's also page 878.) the father
of Mrs. Martha Blackwood and Gilbert Craig, the father of Leroy
and William who died Sept. 25, 1896.
4. Abram: The father of John and Andrew. John was
the father of "Abe" & c in the Hawfields and Andrew was the
father of Locke & Braxton & c. Locke is a prominent lawyer &
politician of today, and Braxton is a Baptist Minister. The
place where Abram Craig lived is the place where John Baldwin
now lives.
5. Samuel: Died unmarried.
6. John: Died unmarried.
7. Isabel: Married George Long, see page 23.
8. Betsy: Married Alexander Russell and moved away
west. She had a son - G. C. Russell who was a Presbyterian
Minister.
9. Peggy: Died unmarried.
10. Mary: Married Charles Freeland, who was the
father of Capt. Fletcher Freeland, Mrs. Katy Fancette & c.
Such is a brief history of John Craig and his
Children.
I have never heard of any one of this branch of the
Family arising to great prominence in wealth, position or
learning, and yet we here find Lawyers, Doctors, and Ministers,
and perhaps many professional men of whom I have no knowledge.
And I can testify to the fact that among this man's descendants
there were many brave soldiers during the Civil War. In some
instances the perpetuation of the names was stopped, because all
the sons were swept away in the war. For example Joseph Craig,
the only son of John the son of Alexander, died in the war. And
Samuel and William Craig, the sons of David, the son of
Alexander, both died in the war, and in these cases there was no
one to perpetuate the name. The greater portion of this branch
of the Craig Family have always been, and still are small
farmers and tradesmen - honest and hard-working Christian
people. It has always been noted for intermarriage among
themselves, and perhaps this is one reason for the slow progress
in getting away from the customs and aspirations of the long
ago. For example, here is a case of this sort of alliance
coming down to the present generation:
William Craige
__________|___________
| |
John (Brothers) James
| |
Alexander David
| |
David (Wives,Sisters) Newton
| |
(Blackwood) Martha --- cousins --- Alice
| |
Robert --- married ------
Here are the 5th and 6th generations still coming
together in different lives from the one and same source, and
this has been repeated so often that nearly everybody in the old
neighborhood are kinspeople. And it may be said, comparatively
speaking, that the descendants of John Craig have clung more
closely than the others to the old haunts and homes of North
Carolina. This will be strikingly apparent, as we consider
next, the history of David and his descendants.
It is impossible to say whether this man was the
second child of William Craige or not, for judging from the date
of the birth of his first child (1769), he must have been
married about five years after the marriage of his brother James
(1763) who is set down as the youngest child. But of course
this proves nothing for he may have been about 30 years old when
he married, while it is supposed that James was about 18. This
is the mark on his grave:
"D.C. No.2,1785"-"Died".
If it means that he died November 2, 1785, and no
other interpretation seems possible, then it seems that he died
before the birth of his last child - Dec. 25, 1785. He must
have died comparatively a young man - perhaps not more than 50
years old. His grave is in the old Graveyard at New Hope
Church, and so is the grave of his brother John, as well as the
other two brothers - Samuel and James. Their graves are all
near each other, within a radius of twenty feet, I suppose John
is to the east of the others who are nearly in a row - All, near
the grove of Cedars, which my Father planted.
David Craig married Eleanor Johnston of the
Hawfields. I do not know her Fathers name or family; but I will
call attention here to a mistake or error in my "Sketch of New
Hope Church", were it is written that David Craig married
"Nellie Turner". It should be Eleanor Johnston. The mistake
was made by confounding the name with the wife of James Craig,
son of John, who was Nellie Turner.
This man David, seems to have been of different
mettle from that of John, and indeed of all the others. I have
heard my Grandfather say that he was, by far, the most
intelligent and best educated of all the sons of William Craige.
And this seems to be confirmed by the energy, progress and
prosperity of his descendants. But I am inclined to the opinion
that the success of his posterity, which seems to be greater
than the others, is owing largely to his wife, Eleanor Johnston,
who is said to have been a woman of remarkably fine qualities.
The descendants of David Craig, bearing the name
Craig, are entirely absent from North Carolina. They are
numerous, however, in the Western States - especially Tennessee,
and the far South. His only descendants in North Carolina are
those who came through his daughters - Eleanor, who married John
Blackwood; and Isabel who married James Johnston of the
Hawfields - the present I. C. Johnston of the Hawfields is a
Great-Grand-Son of David Craig. Four of his children married
Blackwoods: two sons and two daughters - all brothers and
sisters on both sides. All his children moved away from North
Carolina except Mrs. J. Blackwood and the Mrs. Johnston's.
The old place which David Craig settled, and where
he lived and died, is known to this day as the "Currie Place" It
was once owned by my Father, J. N. Craig - and it is now the
property of J. W. Cole. It is on the old Chapel Hill Road
leading from Hillsboro, and on New Hope Creek. The old site
where David Craig lived, is about a quarter of a mile to the
west of his fathers (William Craige) old settlement, but on the
north side of the creek, and a few hundred yards east of the
public road. I remember, when I was a boy, some of the old
apple trees which stood near the old site where David Craig
lived.
He had a large family: there were nine children:
five sons and four daughters - and most of them were married
before they left North Carolina: and also, most of them,
together with their mother "Eleanor", went to Maury County,
Tennessee.
The names of his children were as follows:
B. Aug 15, 1769 1 Margaret Md James Johnston
B. Mar 9, 1771 2 Mary Md James (?) Mitchell
B. Mar 18, 1773 3 William Md Mary Blackwood
B. Nov 19, 1774 4 Johnston Md Martha Blackwood
B. Dec 6, 1776 5 Isabel Md John Johnston
B. Jan 13, 1779 6 John Md Mary Woods & Mrs. Cox
B. Mar 25, 1781 7 Eleanor Md John Blackwood
B. Aug 15, 1783 8 David Md Nancy Stockard
B. Dec 25, 1785 9 Samuel Md Delphia Gordon of Tenn.
From these children there have sprung a host of
people, scattered over many states, and many of them have
attained wealth and prominence in the world.
The question might be asked here, why did David
Craig's wife Eleanor go together with her sons, after her
husbands' death, to Maury County, Tenn.? "Hereby hangs a tale"-
I once thought, when I wrote my "Sketch of New Hope Church",
that William Craige was perhaps the Father of all the Craig's in
North Carolina - the family known as the Salisbury Craige's not
excepted. But this was a mistake. The family of Craige's in
Salisbury, N.C. and my family are distinct and no kin. - They
claim to have come through Archibald Craige from England, and
they are Episcopalians. But I desire to place here on record
for future generations my solemn and earnest protest to a gross
error, that has crept into North Carolina history by Mr.
Wheeler, who wrote "Wheeler's History of North Carolina". He
says: -
That "David Craig, appointed April 16, 1776, 2nd
Lieut in Capt. Cole's Company, in the Salisbury District, (See
Colonial Records, Vol. 10. P 518) was the father of the Hon.
Burton Craige of Salisbury".
This is positively false. He was none other than
the David Craig of whom I am here writing - the son of William,
of Orange County. The Hon. Burton Craige was not born until
1811! And his son, the Hon. Kerr Craige, admits to me, in a
letter, that this is an error; but that it was Burton Craige's
Grandfather, whose name was also "David". He also admits that
there is no proof of this except tradition. He says that his
father (Burton) left no record of Family History, and seemed not
to know a great deal about his ancestry. It just seems to have
been an unquestioned fact with Burton Craige that his
Grandfather (not father, as Wheeler has it) was the
Revolutionary soldier spoken of - and that is about all that can
be said in proof of it. I suppose Wheeler knew only of this
family in the State, and his friend Mr. Burton Craige was a man
of prominence, and as a matter of course his ancestor was the
Revolutionary Soldier. And besides, this Lieut. David Craig was
of the "Salisbury District" - of course he was, for every
student of history knows that the "Salisbury District" comprised
the three counties of Anson, Rowan and Orange. This was the old
"Court" district, and it was the "Military" district during the
entire war. As a resident of Orange County, David Craig lived
and died in the "Salisbury District", and of course his command
as a Soldier was in the same.
I do not blame the present generation of the
Salisbury Craige's for believing that the Revolutionary Officer
was their ancestor, but nevertheless they are mistaken; and I do
not write this on the ground of tradition only - for as far as
tradition is concerned, I have always heard, from my childhood
that David Craig, son of William, was a daring and conspicuous
Revolutionary Soldier and I think I can prove my position that
he was the officer in question. We find him and his Father,
William, and other neighbors in Orange County, signing a
petition and taking an active part in the liberation of John
Fruit, an outlawed Regulator, in 1772 (See Colonial Records. Vol
9 - P.94) - and during the whole Regulator period, I have
understood that he was a leading figure in his neighborhood.
But my tale is not yet told, and the question is not
yet answered - Why did his children move to Maury County,
Tennessee?
Herein lies the proof of his identity as the
Revolutionary Officer.
In an old book now obsolete and hard to find, the
title of which is, "Edward Scott's Laws of Tennessee", and which
treats of Tennessee while it was yet a part of North Carolina,
and before the State of Tennessee was formed. In this Book can
be found "Certain Laws Enacted at Hillsboro, N. C. in 1782".
One of these laws is - "An act for the Relief of Officers and
Soldiers in the Continental line, - and for other purposes".
Section 6, under this Act provides "permanent reward" for the
"single braving and zeal" of each officer and soldier in the
State. This reward was designated as the Tennessee "Lands".
The Secretary of State was directed to make the "Grants" which
must be authenticated by the Governor, and countersigned by the
Secretary, and Recorded. All rank of Officers are named together
with the number of acres of land allowed to each. A Captain was
entitled to 3840 acres, and a Private to 640 acres. Now then:
In Nashville, Tennessee, in the Register's Office, may be seen a
Grant of lands to David Craig for Revolutionary Services, by anyone
who may take the trouble to see it. This Grant is by virtue of
"Warrant, No 706", and dated "July 10, 1784" - Signed and Sealed
by Secretary Graham and Governor McMissem, and Registered (not until)
May 9, 1821. This Grant calls for and designates 3200 Acres of land in
Maury County, Tenn. This may have been the allotted amount to a
2nd Lieut. but I have evidence of another Grant to the same man
for 640 acres in Greene County, Tenn., which added to 3200 would
be 3840 acres - the amount allowed to the rank of "Captain".
Now comes the clinching proof that David Craig of
Orange County, was the Revolutionary Officer. He died Nov. 2,
1785. The year or about 1820 - his wife, Eleanor Craig and her
sons and families, all left old Orange and went to Maury County,
Tenn. and took possession of these lands and lived and died in
possession of them, and their descendants still live upon them.
These are facts which cannot be disputed. Now what becomes of
the claim of the Salisbury Craig's that their ancestor was the
Revolutionary Officer, of whom Mr. Wheeler so confidently speaks
and gives to the world as History!! - And this answers the
question, Why the children of David Craig went to Maury County,
Tennessee.
I will here state that I was led to know these facts
concerning the Grants of land, and of which I now have a copy,
by Mrs. J. H. Gray of Georgetown, Texas. She was a Miss Cowan
of Miss., and a Great-Granddaughter of David Craig.
I also learn from Sidney A. Craig of Nashville,
Tenn., that the old place, where his Great-Grandmother, "Eleanor
Craig" lived and died, is near "Mt. Pleasant" in Maury County,
and is now known as the "Granberry Place". And it is not far
from here, in the old "Hunters's Graveyard", where she lies
buried with many of her people - far from the bones of her brave
and noble husband.
I will now attempt a brief history of the Children
of David Craig, in order, as given on page 30 (no longer page
30).
1 Margaret: Married James Johnston
2 Mary: This woman married James Mitchell, about the
year 1789, in the County of Orange, N. C. She was long
afterwards well known as "Polly" Mitchell. She is said to have
been a most remarkable woman, and possessed many strong and
noble traits of character. Her husband was perhaps a son of the
old New Hope Elder, who was a Revolutionary Soldier. This woman
and her family moved to Maury County, Tenn. I do not know if
her husband died before or after her departure from N. C. It is
said that she was very strict in training and disciplining her
children, especially in the doctrines of the Bible and of the
Presbyterian Church, and her labor was not in vain. Her family
has perhaps outstripped all the others in attaining unto
honorable positions, reputation and wealth in the world.
She had four sons and one daughter - David, James
and William were prominent men in their day, and all Ruling
Elders in the Presbyterian Church. And, her son George is
perhaps still living at Pulaski, Tenn., a beloved and honored
Minister of the Presbyterian Church. And two of the sons of
William (her Grandsons) are at present prominent Ministers in
the Synod of Missouri.
Her only daughter - Betsey, married a Mr. Neeley, by
whom she had eleven children, one son (William), and ten
daughters. One of these daughters married a Mr. Buckner, the
father of Bruce Buckner, a retired merchant of Nashville, Tenn.
I am also informed that Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston of
"Confederate War" fame, and who was killed at Shiloh, on his
Mother's side, was a descendant of "Polly" Mitchell. I have
never met a representative of this family - I wish I could; for
they are evidently a people of respectability and considerable
prominence and note. None of them live in North Carolina.
3 William: Married Mary Blackwood, in Orange County,
N. C., and moved to Maury County, Tenn. I know scarcely
anything of this family. He had a son whose name was David
Craig, and this David also had a son whose name was John Craig.
I suppose the family and name are still perpetuated in
Tennessee. (Later) I learn there were 13 children.
4 Johnston: Married Martha Blackwood, in Orange
County, N. C. and moved to Maury County, Tenn. This man had a
numerous family, and many of his descendants are in Tennessee
and other states today. They are all substantial, well-to-do,
and prosperous people. The name "Craig" has been wonderfully
increased and multiplied through this man, for all his eight
children were sons - David, William, John, Samuel, Johnston,
Charles, James and Newton. And, to follow the line, some of the
children of
David, were: William, Newton, David, Samuel
William: Peyton and Royal
John: Brantley, John H., Newton, Mrs. Sidney H.
Samuel: Mrs. Ada Campbell
Johnston: John, Joseph, Edward, Brown
Charles: Henry
James: Johnston, Sidney H., Millard, Walter
Newton: Porter, McRady
In the above list, Sidney, son of James, married a
daughter of John - his cousin, and he (Sidney) has a most
interesting family. Two sons and two daughters. His son
Charles was married a few weeks ago, and his daughters (Ada and
Nettie) are very beautiful girls. They live in Nashville and I
was their guest some few years ago, and I had a delightful
visit. I also met in Nashville two daughters of "John H.", son
of John, - Ida and Bertha - beautiful girls. And in the above
list, I have had considerable correspondence with Mrs. Campbell,
daughter of Samuel. She is now dead, having died three or four
years ago. She lived at Middleton, Tenn. and was evidently a
very noble and smart woman. I am indebted to her for much of my
information concerning David Craig's family. She wrote me
several long and interesting letters on the subject, which I
have preserved and which will throw much light on what I have
written. I wish very much I could have met her before she died.
She had no children, and was a staunch Presbyterian.
5 Isabel: Married John Johnston of the Hawfields, N.
C. Though this family and their progeny have always lived in a
neighborhood not more than fifteen or twenty miles from where I
was born, yet I have never known scarcely anything at all about
them. I do not know the number of "Isabel's" children, whom
they married or where they live. I have met once or twice T. C.
Johnston one of the grandsons, who still lives in the old
neighborhood and who is an Elder in the Hawfields Church. I do
not think these families are any relation to the Johnston's on
New Hope, but I am not sure of it.
6 John: This man was twice married, once in Orange
County, N. C. to Miss Mary Woods, and afterwards in Florence,
Ala. to Mrs. Susan Coxe - nee Miss Thompson. By Miss Woods he
had six children, and also five by Mrs. Coxe. He married Miss
Woods about 1808, and lived near Chapel Hill, to the east of the
town, where at least four of his first children were born. This
man was a member of the N. C. Legislature in 1812-15. About
the year 1816 he left Orange County and went to Mt. Pleasant,
Maury County, Tenn. He lived here one or two years, and then
removed to Florence, Alabama, where his wife died - and where he
was married the second time. His home was about five miles from
Florence on the Hunterville Road. For many years he was the
Editor of the principal newspaper in Florence, and he
represented his people in the State Legislature several times.
He seems to have been a man of considerable wealth, culture and
influence.
His children by Miss Woods and who were born near
Chapel Hill were:
1 Martha, who married twice, a Mr. Buiford and a Mr.
Hilliard.
2 Peyton, who died young.
3 Selina, who married J. R. Henry and left two
daughters, Mrs. Gibbons, a wife of a wholesale merchant in
Knoxville, Tenn., and a splendid woman with a lovely family Mrs.
E. P. Manning and Mrs. Hugh McClung are daughters of Mrs.
Gibbons in Knoxville - they are noted people; and Mrs. Trust of
Morristown, Tenn.
4 Ellen, who married Dr. Reuben Thornton Maury of
Ala. (1st cousin of old Commodore M. F. Maury of Va.). She left
one daughter - Mrs. A. C. Mintor of Sharon, Miss.
5 Rebecca, who married J. P. Hicks, a teacher, and
highly cultured man. She left two sons, who are also teachers
in Sharon, Miss.
6 John J., who married Mary Lyons of Knoxville, Tenn.
He was a Banker in Knoxville, and died in 1892. He left several
children - Mrs. Mary McMullen of Knoxville - Mr. McMullen was a
cousin of Rev. T. D. Witherspoon; William of Atlanta, Ga, and
John of Knoxville, Tenn.
John Craig's children by Mrs. Susan Coxe were:
1 Quincey, who died in California, bearing no
children.
2 Elmira, who married a Mr. Chapman of New Orleans,
and afterwards, a Mr. Walton, a lawyer.
3 Maria, married Mr. J. J. Cowan, a cotton merchant
of Vicksburg, Miss. and by whom she had a large family. Among
them is Mrs. J. H. Gray of Georgetown, Texas; James Craig Cowan-
who married a Miss Henry, direct descendant of "Patrick Henry"-
she lives in Washington, D. C. - her husband is dead; Mr.
Charles Cowan, cotton merchant of Memphis, Tenn; and also John
Cowan of Vicksburg in the same business with his brother Percy;
and Mrs. Cattell Calhoun of Montgomery Co., Va.
4 Mary, married a Mr. Hill and is a widow with three
daughters, near New Orleans.
5 George, who lives somewhere in Ohio. He was in the
"Northern Army" and became estranged from his father.
7 Eleanor: Married John Blackwood, in Orange County,
N. C. where they lived and died. He was married the 2nd time to
Mary McCauley by whom he had seven or eight children; but by
Eleanor Craig he had twelve children - eight sons and four
daughters. Most of his children married and moved away, but
quite a number of his descendants still live in the bounds of
New Hope, Orange County, N. C. I do not know just where he lived, but
somewhere near to the Blackwood Mountains, where his posterity
still live. He was known as "Squire" John Blackwood, and was
quite a prominent man in his day.
These are the twelve children by Eleanor Craig,
daughter of David.
1 Mary Blackwood- who married James Strayhorn, the father of
Calvin and Robert Strayhorn, both of whom have families, and also the
father of Mrs. John T. Hogan and Mrs. Maggie Dickson. Mr. Hogan has two
sons and two daughters, and is a successful farmer and a Ruling Elder
in New Hope Church.
2 David Blackwood- married Tabitha Minor and was the
father of John M. Blackwood of Durham, N. C.; of Samuel D.
Blackwood who married Martha Craig; of Mary who married her
cousin William Blackwood; of Harriett who married a Mr. Ward,
and of Julia who married Joseph Kirkland, the father of a large
family of sons and one daughter. The above named Samuel D.
Blackwood was the father of a large family - and his son Robert
married my sister Alice Craig.
3 William Blackwood- married Martha Minor and he was
the father of John T. Blackwood and William, both of whom have
families. One of his daughters married a Mr. Andrews and one
still abides unmarried. He was a Ruling Elder in New Hope
Church in his day.
(The remaining ones moved away, and I know little of
them.)
4 Isabel Blackwood- died unmarried.
5 Samuel Blackwood- died unmarried.
6 Jackson Blackwood- died unmarried.
7 John Blackwood- married Laura Springs of South
Carolina. This Laura Springs was a daughter of Tinzah Craig a
daughter of William Craig (and Mary McBride) a brother of my
Grandfather. A daughter of Laura Springs (and John Blackwood) is
Mrs. R. M. Oates of Charlotte, N. C.
8 Nathan Blackwood- married Mary Jones and moved
away.
9 Alexander Blackwood- married Helen Horton. He was
a Baptist Minister and lived in the eastern part of the state.
10 Robert Blackwood- married Susan Stanley and moved
to Georgia. He still lives.
11 Johnston Blackwood- married a Miss Teel of New
Jersey and moved away.
12 Margaret Blackwood- married John McCauley the
father of David and James McCauley and whose families live east
of the University Station, N. C.
8 David: This man was married twice; first to Nancy
Stockard and afterwards to Mrs. Isom. He is said to have
founded and named Oxford, Miss. where he lived and died. He had
a son whose name was David, and this David had a son whose name
was John, but I understand that the name is extinct at Oxford.
There is a Dr. Isom, a son of his second wife, who lives at
Oxford, and he seems to know a great deal of the Craig ancestry.
He has the old Bible of David Craig and Eleanor Johnston.
9 Samuel: This man married Delphia Gordon of
Columbia, Tenn. He lived and died at Ripley, Miss. where he is
buried. He left one daughter who married a Mr. Kemball the
father of Gilbert Kemball of Pontotoe or Ripley, Miss.
This ends the history, as I have learned it, of
David Craig the son of William, and his descendants. I will
now turn to the next in order (Isabel) (see page 11) (no longer
page 11) and try my hand on the Nelson Family.
Isabel Craig
This woman was the only daughter of William Craige
the Patriarch, and it is impossible to say whether she was older
or younger than some of her brothers, but judging from the age
of her family, she must have been among the eldest. I have
heard that she was a very beautiful woman, of exceedingly fair
complexion, deep blue eyes, and golden hair. I have also been
told that she was a very pious woman, and one of the leading
women in the old Hawfields Church. She must have been quite a
girl during the time her father lived in the Hawfields before
coming on New Hope, and perhaps her acquaintance with her
husband began at that time. She was doubtless born in Ireland,
but I do not know the date of her birth, marriage or death.
She married David Nelson of the Hawfields, N. C., by
whom she had a large family. Her mortal remains together with
her husband, in some unknown spot, lie buried in the old
Hawfields burying ground.
I do not know the number of their children, nor the
place just where they lived in the Hawfields.
The only children I have any knowledge of were:
1 Samuel Md. A Miss Tate
2 Lettie Md. Samuel Tate
3 Margaret Md. James Tate
4 John Md. Jennie Tate
I suppose these Tate's were brothers and sisters.
The Nelson's and Tate's have always been closely connected both
by marriage and blood relationship. It has always been a sort
of puzzle and muddle with me to separate a Nelson from a Tate.
The aforesaid Tate's were also closely connected with the early
Strayhorn's on New Hope, as well as with the Craig's. The
mother of my Grandfather (Samuel Strayhorn) was Mary Tate, who
possibly may have been a daughter of the above James Tate, son
(in-law) of Isabel Craig. There is a large connection of the
Tate's in the Hawfields, and they are all "kin" to the Nelson's
and Strayhorn's.
Of the above named children of Isabel Craig, I can
only speak in a very limited way for lack of data.
1 Samuel Nelson: Married a Miss Tate. I have no
knowledge whatever of this man and his family. I am under the
impression, however, that he moved away to the west - either to
Missouri or Arkansas.
2 Lettie Nelson: Married Samuel Tate.
3 Margaret Nelson: Married James Tate of the
Hawfields, and great numbers of here descendants still live in
the Hawfields. I do not know the connection, and cannot trace
the families.
4 John Nelson: This man married Jennie Tate of the
Hawfields. He lived and died in the Hawfields. He was a Ruling
Elder, and ruling spirit in the old Hawfield Church. He was a
very prominent and influential man in his day. He was a
"Captain" in the 4th Regiment of N. C. Troops in the
Revolutionary War; commissioned by the Provincial Congress,
April 22, 1776 - See Colonial Records. His descendants, as well
as the Tates, have always been a military people, which I
suppose they have inherited from their forefathers. In his old
age, I think he was known as "Colonel" John Nelson.
He had a numerous family of children - thirteen!
Nine sons and four daughters. Most of them married and moved
away, to the west. Their names were as follows:
1 William - He was an eccentric old bachelor, and
was known as "Uncle Buck". He lived for many years alone, and
died in Greensboro, N. C. an old man. He had considerable money
before the Civil War. My Father settled his estate.
2 George - Was also an old bachelor. I remember
seeing him once.
3 David - went west.
4 John - went west.
5 Alfred - went west.
6 Josiah - went west.
7 James - went west.
8 Janette - died unmarried.
9 Samuel - Married Sarah Burnsides, and lived in
Guilford County. He had large cabinet and machine shops in his
day. He had two children - sons (Benjamin and John). John died
in the Civil War, and Benjamin died without children. Rev W. F.
Thom, a Presbyterian Minister, married his widow.
10 Mary - married John Paul of the Hawfields. I
remember her well, when I was a child. They lived about twenty
miles from us, and I remember riding - "behind" my Father on
horseback to their house, at one time; and the long ride cramped my
legs, and that night I cried bitterly, and she (Aunt "Polly") bathed
my legs in hot water and put me to bed.
She had two Sons - Alfred and David Paul - both of
them went west. Her daughters were Mrs. James Tate - moved
west; Mrs. James Squires who has a family; Mrs. George Miles;
and perhaps one daughter still live unmarried. Two of the
daughters were twins.
11 Margaret - who married John Hart and moved to
Little Rock, Ark. She had a large family in Ark.
12 Isabel - Married David Wilson Craig, my
Grandfather. I think she was the eldest child of John Nelson.
I have not observed the order in which they were born. My
Grandfather D. W. Craig and John Nelson were first cousins, or
brother and sister's children: so it will be seen that my
Grandfather and Grandmother (his wife) were first cousins, one
step removed. He was a son of James Craig, and she a
Granddaughter of Isabel Craig, who were brother and sister.
This woman, Isabel Nelson - my Grandmother, was married to my
Grandfather, D. W. Craig, April 28, 1814. I do not know the
date of her birth, or the exact date of her death. She died,
however, soon after, or perhaps at the time, of the birth of her
last child - Wiley, which was Sept. 1, 1823.
She only lived about nine years after her marriage,
and within that period she gave birth to six children, one of
whom was my Father. These children will be noticed at the
proper time under James Craig's line. My Grandmother is said to
have been a very delicate, as well as beautiful woman. Her
complexion was fair and her eyes blue. She is said to have died
from pulmonary troubles or weakness about her lungs, but perhaps
it was rapid child bearing. She is said to have been an
exceptionally gentle and good woman, but her children were
bereft of her influence, and grew up practically without her
impress and training. My Grandfather never married again. They
both lie side by side in the old New Hope graveyard under the
Cedar Trees.
13 Paisley - He was the youngest child of John
Nelson. He was only a very little older than my Father who was
his Nephew, and they were great cronies and friends. He married
Margaret Smith and lived and died in the Hawfields, where his
son Samuel still lives. I am not sure, but I think this is the
old Nelson settlement. He left three children - Samuel,
Umstead, and Margaret.
The latter married a Mr. Thompson and has a large
family, and lives in the Hawfields. Umstead died in the Civil
War. Samuel married and has quite a family, and lives at the
old house in the Hawfields. I have not seen him in many years,
and do not know his immediate family. He alone, of all the male
line of this once large family of Nelson's, has lived to
perpetuate the name in North Carolina.
Thus ends my story of the Nelson Family. Many of
them are, no doubt, in the Western States, but they are unknown
to me.
I have often heard of "Uncle John's" and "Uncle
Alfred's" families "in the West". I think I have some old
letters from them written a long time ago, and I think their
house was in the state of Arkansas. I am quite sure the "Hart"
family lives in that state, and it is probable that they all
went to the same point. Wherever they are, I have no doubt they
are a respectable and substantial people, for such they were in
North Carolina, and they come of a good stock.
Samuel Craig
This man is placed as the fourth child of William
Craige the Patriarch, see page 11 - but I cannot certainly say
just where his name should come. I have never been able to get
a very full and satisfactory history of him and his children.
He married Mary Johnston of the Hawfields, and settled near the
place where his Father William lived, and where Thomas R. Cole
now lives. He died Sept. 21, 1790, and his grave is near his
other brothers in the old New Hope Graveyard. I suppose that
his wife, Mary Johnston, was a sister of his brother David's
wife, Eleanor Johnston, and also that the husbands of their
sisters Isabel and Margaret (NOTE: These are actually David
Craigs daughters - RGP), James Johnston and John Johnston were
brothers. These Johnstons all lived in the Hawfields. I do not
know whether this man - Samuel, was a Revolutionary Soldier or
not, neither do I know whether his brother John was in the
Service, but I think he was: but I am certain that David and
James were.
So far as I have been able to ascertain, he was the
Father of eight children. Their names were as follows:
1 William Md Sarah Woods
2 Samuel Md Martha Kirkland & Martha Easters
3 David Md Drowned - unmarried
4 Martha Md Andrew Burns
5 Sarah Md George Mitchell
6 Jane Md John Mitchell
7 Betsey Md William Kirkland
8 Isabel Md Joseph Kirkland
These all lived and died on the waters of New Hope,
except the first named (William) and perhaps one of the
Mitchell's. There is no representative of this large family by
the name of "Craig" so far as I know in North Carolina. The
descendants of Samuel Craig, at the present time, are almost
exclusively confined to the names of Kirkland and Freeland.
A brief history of his children are as follows:
1 William: who married Sarah Woods and it is my
impression that he moved to the state of Alabama. I do not know
scarcely anything of him and his family. I think he had three
sons - Dick, Allen, and Samuel, and one daughter, and perhaps he
had a son named John. It is my impression also, that he was the
father of Richard, known as "Dick" Craig of Alabama. I remember
seeing "Dick Craig" once in my life. He then lived in Ala. and
was considered quite rich. I think he was a son of the above
William Craig. I also once met in Nashville, Tenn., Mr. Edward
Craig, the State Treasurer. He told me that he knew nothing at
all of his ancestry - and that he was born in Alabama, and he
thought his forefathers were originally of N. C. It is possible
that he sprang from the above source.
2 Samuel: Died Sept. 20, 1816. This man was twice
married, and lived on the old place of his fathers, just a
little south of were Thomas Cole now lives. His first wife was
Martha Kirkland, and his second Martha Easters. I do not think
he had any children by the second wife, but I am not sure of it.
By the first wife he had at least three children - William
"Little Bill Craig" - he went to Ala., Mary and Martha. If
there were others I do not know it. This man Samuel was known
as "little Sam Craig", and he died suddenly, having dropped dead
while walking through the yard with a "turn of fodder". Mary or
"Polly", his daughter, married George Freeland by whom she had
one son (George) and two or three daughters. One of the
daughters married a Mr. Ivey and has a family. The son George
Freeland, has a large family, and a number of Grandchildren. He
married Sarah Craig, the daughter of Cameron, the son of
Alexander, the son of John, the son of William Craige, the
Patriarch. Martha married late in life - John Paul, and had no
children.
3 David: This man died unmarried. He was drowned in
crossing a river.
4 Martha: Married Andrew Burns and had four children.
Anderson, the eldest, went to Texas. The others all died
unmarried.
5 Sarah: Married George Mitchell(?). I know nothing
of them.
6 Jane: Married John Mitchell. I do not know where
they lived or how many children they had. One of their children
was named "Jane", who married Samuel Faucett, the father of John
M. Faucett who died unmarried, and several daughters. One of
these daughters married John Weaver near Chapel Hill, and
another Edmund Chambers, whose son "John Mitchell Chambers" is
at present a Quaker Preacher in Indiana. And still another
daughter, I think married a Mr. Lloyd.
7 Betsey: Married William Kirkland who lived on or
near the old Chapel Hill Road to the southwest of New Hope
Church. Her sons were William S. Kirkland and John. William S.
married Sallie Hart and had no children. He was an Elder in New
Hope Church. John married Mary J. Strayhorn by whom he had
three sons - Richard, Irvin, and John - Richard has two sons
(children) at the Presbyterian Orphan House at Barium Springs
at the present time - he being dead. There was also another son
besides William S. and John, whose name was Samuel. He had two
children (Samuel and Mrs. Harvard) but I have lost sight of
them. I went to school with "little Sam", as he was called,
and he was a brave Soldier during the whole four
years of the Civil War - His mother was a Davis, and his mind
seemed to be somewhat weakened by the terrors of the war. If
the above "Betsey" had any daughters, I don't think they married.
8 Isabel: Married Joseph Kirkland, and lived directly
on the old Chapel Hill public road, not far from his brother
William and Betsey. Isabel had a large family - five sons and
several daughters. The names of her sons were: John, Samuel,
Joseph, James, and William, and two of the daughters (Betsey and
Ibbey) became a member of New Hope at the same time I did. The
generations of these children are:
John Kirkland- lived in the "big meadows" and had no
sons. One of his daughters married James Bishop who was killed
in a cyclone - he left one son - Milton Bishop.
Samuel Kirkland- married Martha Craig, daughter of
Alexander, and had only one child - Laura. She married Oscar
Hogan and has a large family. Samuel was an Elder in New Hope
Church at one time.
Joseph Kirkland- married Julia Blackwood, daughter
of David, and had eight sons and one daughter. The sons are all
hard working and nice boys. Joseph died as a Deacon in New Hope
Church.
James Kirkland- never married. He was afflicted
with "Hair lip".
William Kirkland- is now an old man and the only one
living. He is a Deacon in New Hope Church. He has four
children - Thomas - who married and has children; Susan married
Irvin Kirkland, and has no children; Edward and Nancy are
unmarried - Edward is a Young Elder in New Hope Church.
These are the generations of Samuel Craig.
This man ends the list of William Craige's children-
see page 11 (No longer page 11). I have put him down as the youngest,
but I am not absolutely certain that this is true. I suppose the
exact order will never be known, as I have no recorded dates upon
which to proceed to absolute accuracy. This is the man whom tradition
says was "about two years" and "an infant in his cradle when
they came over the sea". I have no doubt that this was true,
and this settles the question as to his having been born in
Ireland. As I have already written (see pages 11-15) (no longer
correct page numbers) the date of his birth must have been
somewhere between 1740 and 1745 or 6. If the Craig's came to
this country in 1741, he was born about 1740. If they came in
1747, he was born about 1745. And this latter date seems rather
the more probable, for he was married April 26, 1763, and died
July 21, 1821. These dates correspond with ancient "tradition",
that "he was very young when he was married - about 18; and very
old when he died - about 80". I have heard my Father say that
he, as a little child, remembered seeing him once, sitting on
the side of a bed drinking a cup of coffee, and that he was
impressed by his snow white beard. He lived and died not far to
the east - about a half mile, from his Father's original
Settlement, and at the place where his son David W. Craig lived
and died, and which is still owned by David W. Craig's
grandchildren. His first house or settlement was located just
west of the fork of the creeks, in what was once known as "the
old orchard". I remember some of the old "longlimb" apple
trees, and I also remember a spring at the south west corner of
what once was an old meadow. The next house or settlement was
located just across the "west" creek, and in the fork of the
creeks. This house stood about twenty feet to the southwest
from the present building, in which David W. Craig and his
children (Wiley and Ibbey) died. The present building or house
was built by David W. Craig, my Grandfather. The third old
house or settlement was to the north of the second about forty
or fifty yards and a portion of the wall of this old log house
is still standing. It was built, I think, in the year 1800. I
have heard my Grandfather name the men who "carried the
corners", and he said each one of them wore a long "cue" of
hair, platted, and hanging down their backs. It was in this
house that James Craig died, July 21, 1821. It was occupied
afterwards by his wife and daughter Rebecca, the two adjacent
houses, constituting one family, as long as they lived.
James Craig, like his brother, David, evidently was
in the Revolutionary service.
Among his old papers, yellow with age, I have found
and have in my possession this paper, to wit -
"These may certify (i.e. these lines, I suppose)
that James Craig is one of the ten men who hath enlisted x
William Gibbs to serve in the Continental Service during the
present war (X there is a word missing here which, I suppose
should be "with" or "under"): So that in pursuance of an act of
Assembly in that case, made and provided, the said
James Craig is therefore discharged."
"Given under my hand, this 30th Jan'y 1779."
"Thos Taylor"
I also found among his papers, this one -
"James Craig had a hearing at a Court of Inquiry,
and was cleared by age and infirmity."
"Oct 22, 1785." "Thos Taylor, Pt"
The "age and infirmity" in this last paper must
refer to some law-limit as a soldier, for he could not have been
more than 40 or 45 years old. It will be noted that the two
papers were given nearly six years apart, and signed by the same
man. At present, I am not posted as to who Thomas Taylor was,
or what his office was, as indicated by "Pt". At any rate,
these papers show that he was an enlisted Soldier of the
Revolutionary War.
I have also found his name in the "Colonial Records"
as a "Juror of Court" Sept 22, 1769. (Vol 8, p 72). And
presenting a claim, in conjunction with a Jas. Walker, for an
"outlawed Negro wench" - which was not granted. Nov. 3, 1769 Vol
8, p 138. These old Craig's lived in the formative period of
the country, and it required a vast amount of endurance, pluck,
energy and patriotism to meet the demands of their time. In
their day, it was usual for a true man to be farmer, soldier,
tradesman and everything else that was necessary to meet the
times. The old Craig's were not found wanting in facing and
sharing the heroic trials which laid the foundations for far
easier and greater things which their descendants now enjoy. I
doubt very much if the present generations, with their vastly
increased advantages would or could endure what their
forefathers did with a like spirit. They were a manly and noble
set of old men.
It is my impression that James Craig was not a very
pious or religious man. He has been represented to me as a man
of heavy build, and rather stern and commanding in manner. His
bones lie buried in the old New Hope Graveyard, under the Cedar
Trees, and beside his wife and children. His wife lived a
number of years after he died, and was well remembered by my
Father.
As I have remarked elsewhere, he married "Rebecca"
Ball (Died Aug 16, 1830 - aged 90 yrs) - see, what I know of her
and the Ball family, on pages 12 - 14 (no longer correct page
numbers). She is said to have been a most excellent woman, and
very pious, and strict in rearing her children. She and her
daughter "Rebecca", were among the reorganizers of New Hope
Church in 1820.
The children of James Craig and his wife Rebecca
Ball, were as follows:
Name Born Died Married to
1 William Mar 12, 1764 In S. Carolina Mary McBride
2 Agness May 28, 1766 Jul 28, 1767
3 Agness May 6, 1768 ? Joseph Marlette
4 Rebkah Jun 15, 1770 Mar 14, 1846
5 James Sep 10, 1772 Oct , 1846 Sarah Burns
6 John Dec 26, 1774 Aged about 25
7 Margrat Nov 1, 1777 In Arkansas Robert Nickols
8 Isaac Feb 10, 1779 Apr 4, 1859 Betsey Murray & N. Jacobs
9 David W. Oct 12, 1786 Nov 12, 1862 Isabel Nelson
I have copied the above birth dates from an old
paper, yellow with age, which I found recently among James
Craig's papers, after the death of his Granddaughter - "Ibbey
Craig". The spelling of the names is as I find it, and the two
"Agness'", I had always been told were "Nancy's", but it does
not so appear in the old paper, and it is right - no doubt.
It is now in order to trace the history of the above
children and their generations as best I can.
1 William: Born in 1764, was for a short time, in the
military service of his country, at the close of the
Revolutionary War. He married Mary McBride who lived in Orange
County at the place where David A. Clayton now lives. There was
no vestige of a house there in my boyhood, and it was known as
"McBride's old field". I know nothing of the McBride family
they were all gone long before my day. It was here that William
Craig was married to his wife - "Mary", and soon afterwards they
moved to "York County", South Carolina. I doubt very much if he
ever visited North Carolina again except one time. He was then
getting old, and his Mother was very old, and as he came in (a
stranger) and sat by the fire and talked, it was noticed that
the old lady became nervous - and would stare at him and finally
she said - "Is that my Billy?" - They tried to keep her quiet,
and she resumed her composure, but not long: She suddenly
screamed - "It is my Billy!" and rushed into his arms. The
absence of Rail Roads, and the modes of travel in those days,
made it almost impossible for families at long distances
to visit each other. His brother Isaac and sister Rebecca once
visited him in South Carolina, and they made the journey on
horseback. I have in my possession a number of letters written
by "William and Mary" to the old people. These old letters
might be of great interest to some of his descendants, if I knew
who they were or where to find them. I have never been able to
meet a single one of his descendants or to find out a word about
them. I have often tried but always failed. From some of these
old letters, it would seem that he had at least two sons - James
and David, and some of the old people thought he had a daughter
by the name of "Tirzah". (So I have recently learned from Mrs.
R. M. Oates of Charlotte, N. C. - Tirzah is a Granddaughter
(1902)). By a close search and rereading of these old letters,
I am almost sure I could fix a date of his death - but they are
not at hand. The last letters were written by his wife after
his death, and judging her by them, she must have been a very
intelligent and thrifty woman.
2 Agness - this one seems to have been a child who
died at a year and two months old.
3 Agness - Until recently I was under the impression
that these names were "Nancy". I think my Grandfather thought
so, and so informed his children - It may have been "Nancy
Agness". I always heard there were two of the same name. This
woman married Joseph Mallette - or "Marlatt", as it was often
spelled. He was a "Hatter" by trade, and came from the "North".
He was not a native of N. C. I have been told that the old man
James, her father, was bitterly opposed to the match, while her
mother, "Rebecca", favored it. The result was an elopement.
She left the house by way of a window, and it was the second
house described on page 56. Joseph Mallette lived and died a
few hundred yards to the southeast from the base of the
"Scarlett Mountains", and about a half mile to the north of
where I was born. A few piles of rock and the old spring are
the only marks, at present, of the old settlement. I do not
know how many children they had, but I never heard of but three
daughters and one son. The son - Isaac Mallette - went away as
a young man, and have no knowledge of him whatever. The names
of the daughters were Nancy and Rebecca. Nancy married a man by
the name of Tinnin in the Hawfields, and had a family. I never
knew them, but some of the family still live in the Hawfields, I
suppose. Rebecca married Thomas Jacobs, and afterwards, Charles
Freeland. By Mr. Jacobs she had two children - daughters, Nancy
and Harriett. Nancy married Isaac Craig, her great Uncle, in
his old age, and afterwards, Wm McCauley. She had no children.
Harriett married Cameron Craig (son of Alex, son of John, son of
William) by whom she had a large family - Nancy, Sandy,
Johnston, Sarah (wife of Geo. Freeland), Rebecca who
is Mrs. Hayse with a family, and William. All these
Craig's descendants of Agnes Mallette, have children except
Nancy. Sandy and Johnston live in Chatham County.
4 Rebecca: Lived and died unmarried at the old
Homestead. She lived to a good old age, and was a Mother for
her brother David's (my Grandfather) children. His wife (Isabel
Nelson) died at the birth, or soon after, of her sixth child,
and they were all little things - when she (their "Aunt Becca")
as they called her, took charge of them and reared
them. She also had the care of her aged Mother - Rebecca. My
Father loved her as his own Mother, and never ceased to speak of
her in the most endearing terms. She died suddenly - almost
dropped dead - at the age of 72. She, like her Mother, was a
most pious and excellent woman, and very industrious. She did a
vast amount of work on her "Flax Wheel", and made many beautiful
pieces of Bedding and other nice things. The remnants of her
handiwork were seen at the old place for a long time afterwards.
5 James: This man married Sallie Burns, daughter of
Andrew Burns "the Weaver". He lived not very far to the north
of where I was born on the land of his fathers, at the old place
known in my day as the "Barbee Place". He died Oct, 1846, and
his wife died July, 1824. They are both buried at the
old New Hope Graveyard, under the Cedar Trees, a
little to the east. I do not know the exact number of his
children - I have knowledge of only three or four: William, was
the only son, and he went away as a young man, and seems to have
been lost sight of by my branch of the family. I think I have
heard that he lived for a time somewhere on Haw River, and died
unmarried. Candis - was the name of one of his daughters, and one
of them married a Mr. Bachelor. It may have been "Candis" or
another, I cannot tell. The Bachelor's lived in Wake County, or
in the "Piney Woods" and were poor people. I know nothing of
them or the family. Mary - or "Polly" as she was called married
William Cheek, and lived in the "Cam Creek" settlement. I
remember seeing her and knew some of her children. She was a
nice good woman, and her husband was an excellent - hard working
man. He died at a very advanced age - a very old
man. Some of his children were Calvin (who was a Baptist
Preacher), Mrs. Murphy Smith, Mrs. Reeves, and Mebane and Merrit
who were twins - they are nice honest men, and live in Durham,
N. C. The above Mrs. Smith had a trifling husband who left her-
with two or three daughters. One of these daughters married a
Mr. Sharp, one married a Mr. Borland and one of them married
William Craig, son of Cameron.
6 John: This man never married. He was afflicted
with "white swelling", and was a great sufferer for many years.
He died at about thirty years old. He, being confined to his
room nearly all his life, became a very literary man - at least,
he is said to have read and mastered all the books within his
reach. He is also said to have been a constant
student of the Bible, and was a very good man and very
intelligent.
7 Margaret: This woman married a man named Robert
Nickols and moved to Arkansas. I know nothing of the Nickols
family. I suppose they had a family in Ark, but I know
absolutely nothing of them.
8 Isaac: I remember this man well, when I was a boy.
He died when I was about ten years old - Apl 4, 1859. He was a
stern, active and smart old fellow. He would have made a fine
lawyer. He was a good business man in his day. He never grew
old. I saw him walk across his room the day he died,
quickly and erect, to the door, and as he looked out,
he said - "Green world! I would live in it always if I could."
He was then 80 years old. He died at the old John Craig
settlement, now owned by J. W. Cole. He had no children, and
willed his land and two Negroes to my Father when he died. He
had two wives. He first married when he was about 18 years old
to Betsey Murray said to have been old enough for his mother.
She was also an invalid. Then on the other extreme, he married
Nancy Jacobs, his Grand-Niece who was comparatively young - see
page 62 (no longer correct page numbers). Both were strange
marriages, to say the least. His last wife was a very
intelligent woman, and highly respected by all who knew her.
She married the second time to Col. William McCauley. She was
born Jan. 22, 1820, and died May 16, 1891. She was buried near
by the grave of my Father - they were great friends. Isaac
Craig was buried with Masonic honor, and his grave is beside his
first wife across the meadow to the east from his house, where
he died.
9 David: This man, David Wilson Craig, born Oct. 12,
1786, and died Nov. 12, 1862, was my Grandfather. He got the
name of "Wilson", I am told through the Ball's. The wife of
James Ball (Rebecca) - his Grandmother, was Miss Wilson. My
Grandfather was the youngest child - and seven years younger
than Isaac, the last before him, and nearly twenty-two years
younger than the eldest child - William. Thus being born away,
in time, from the others, it more or less estranged him from the
others all his life. He was a petted and spoiled child, and I
do not think he ever got over it in after life. In his youth,
he was said to have been exceedingly handsome and fine looking.
He was naturally smart and intelligent, and received a better
education than the others, and he inherited the greater part of
his Father's estate. He was a favored child, in every respect,
over the others. He never was what is often called "a working
man", but he had the ability or management to have a lot of work
done. He was always a good provider for his family. I heard
him say in his old age, that he had never bought a bushel of
corn in his life. He managed, even in his old age, always to
have a plenty. If he had a profession at all, it was that of
"School Teacher". He spent a great part of his life in teaching
school. Among my first recollections of him were seeing him
teaching his last school, in 1855. He was a noted Scribe or
pensman, and wrote beautifully, and this was one of the chief
things taught in his day. He was also a good mathematician, and
upon the whole, stood high in his day as a Teacher of the common
"old field school". He was also much in and about the Courts as
Deputy Sheriff, Constable, Collector of Claims, Clerk. He was a
very prominent and useful man in his day. He was a passionate
man, and often showed a fiery temper. He was accused of being a
very proud man, in manner, learning and dress. In his prime, he
must have been of very commanding appearance, and fine looking.
As I remember him, he had but one eye, but I used to think that
eye could see through me. It was a keen - penetrating blue eye.
About ten or fifteen years before he died, there came a little
sore on the lower lid of his right eye, which he attributed to a
from a hot scale of iron in his Smith - Shop. It
continued to increase and grow and develop into a terrible
cancer. It finally consumed his entire eye, and the greater
part of the flesh on his cheek, and of course killed him. It
took it twelve or fifteen years to do its work, and he suffered
untold agonies in those years. But he had his rest spells
from the pain, and he loved "to fish" on the creeks and I was
often his companion. As a little boy, I loved him dearly; and
it is a strange fact that in those days he often told my Mother
that I was sure to be a Preacher someday. I was named for
him, and he often called me "little Dave", and he did
not like it that they called me "Irvin" instead of "David".
He married a daughter of Col. John Nelson, (Isabel)
Apl. 28, 1814. See pages 47 and 48 (no longer correct page
numbers). She was his first cousin, one step removed. She
lived only about ten years after their marriage. He never
married again but lived in the same old yard with his Mother and
Sister Rebecca; but in a separate house, which he built and
which still stands. After his Mother and his Sister died, he
continued to live at the same place until he died - Nov. 12,
1862. For twenty or more years, he and his two children - Ibbey
and Wiley - lived alone together. He was terribly exercised,
about the time he died, over the Civil War. When he heard of
the Secession of South Carolina, he exclaimed - "This Country is
forever ruined!" He was an ardent "Whig" in his
day, and opposed to the war, as most of the Whigs
were. He was the Father of six children, as follows:
1. Jennie Born May 7, 1815 Died Apr 2, 1828
2. James Newton Born Oct 14, 1816 Died Feb 12, 1879
3. Rebecca Born Apr 20, 1819 Died Oct 27, 1839
4. Isabel Born Oct 4, 1820 Died Jan 8, 1897
5. John Born Feb 3, 1822 Died In Childhood
6. Wiley Franklin Born Sep 1, 1823 Died Oct 21, 1890
It will be seen from the above that just one half of
them died very young. Jennie died at 13 - a lovely girl, almost
idolized by my Father. They were little companions after their
Mothers death, and he said, when she died it almost killed him.
He never ceased to remember and talk of his sister Jennie. Rebecca
was nearly or quite grown when she died - 20 years old. She is said
to have been a splendid girl and full of life and fun. She was the
fourth "Rebecca" in the family. There was "Granny" Ball, "Granny"
Craig, "Aunt Becca" and sister "Becca". The name "Rebecca" has
since dropped out of this branch of the family entirely.
John died as a little boy about ten years old - I
don't know the date. Wiley Franklin - while a youth and young
man, was like other men, but in after life he was "curious" and
"queer" in his ways. He was by no means a "non-campas-mintus",
for he was intelligent, a wide reader, a fine memory, and wonderful
conversational powers. His trouble seemed to be a total lack of will
power. When left alone he had no idea of time, and was unable to
accomplish his purpose. This was true of all work he attempted, or in
getting ready to go to Church or elsewhere. I have heard many theories
advanced as a cause for this defect - one was that a
horse kicked him in the head, in his youth - another was, that
it was caused by a terrible disappointment in a love affair when
he was a young man; but my theory is that it was the terrible
curse of self-abuse. A more generous, kind hearted and obliging man
never lived than he. His life was pitiful, for he was helpless, and
owing to his condition and surroundings, it was almost impossible to help
him. Of course he never married, and he died in misery and wretchedness
- See my diary of 1891 - page 336 (no longer correct page numbers).
He died about ten years after my Father, and about seven years
before "Aunt Ibbey". He and she (Isabel) always lived together -
twenty-eight years after Grandfathers death and when Wiley F. died
(Oct 21, 1890) she was left absolutely alone. Isabel, or "Aunt Ibbey",
as we always called (her) lived to be 77 years old. She died Jan 8,
1897. She lived alone and died alone. She was never married,
and had very little dealings with mankind. She was a strange
and eccentric woman. She would not allow any one of her people
to do anything for her - though they tried a thousand times and
in a thousand ways. She would seemingly always do just the
opposite to what she thought they desired her to do. If her brother was
"curious", she was equally so, but from an entirely different standpoint.
She was suspicious of everyone, and it was almost impossible to have any
friendly dealings with her. She would not react a foot of her
land, for many years, or do anything like other women.
She had a plenty to live on all her days, but it was
of no manner of use to her. She would (not) let us manage or
advice her in her affairs - and then she would occasionally have
about her were very unworthy people. She was a constant source
of grief and sorrow to my Father as long as he lived. And after
his death, she was the same for my Mother and all of us, as long
as she lived. Poor old soul, I so often felt so sorry for her,
and longed to help her, and could have made her condition so
much better, but she would not let me. She died in misery and
wretchedness (See Diary of 1897 - P 383)(no longer correct page
numbers), and is buried under the Cedars in the Old Graveyard,
at her own request, by the side of her sister Rebecca. Uncle
Wiley is buried in the New Graveyard at New Hope Church.
James Newton - My Father. He was always known as
"Newton" Craig. He was the only one of the six children who was
ever married. He was born Oct. 14, 1816 - married Emeline Moore
Strayhorn Dec. 15, 1842, and died February 12, 1879 - in the
63rd year of age. He, like his Father, was a handsome and fine
looking man. He was of very commanding appearance, very erect
and exactly six feet high, and weighed about 160 or 170 pounds.
His eyes were pale blue, and his hair so fine as silk, and dark-
but not black. He had a high forehead, and when he died he was
almost entirely bald on the top of his head. His hair never
became very grey, but his beard was very white. He always wore
side whiskers. He was a very high minded and proud man, and was
very neat in his dress, and liked to dress well. He was always
very particular about his hat and shoes. He used to say that
these two articles were the test of a man's personal appearance.
I remember when he wore a high silk hat and broad cloth clothes,
and he was indeed a fine looking man. During his latter life,
after the war, when he was burdened with cares and debts, and
not able to appear as he once did, I have known him often to go
to the field to work, and take with him an extra shirt and pair
of shoes and hide them in the bushes, and if any one came to see
him he would don his shirt and shoes and go to meet them. He
had a high sense of honor and integrity of character. He was as
far from stooping to a mean and dishonorable thing as any man I
ever knew. He scorned a liar and all men who were deceptive in
their dealings. He was a very intelligent man, but never had
the advantages of anything but a very limited education. For
many years he was a Magistrate, and was often spoken of as a
candidate for the Legislature, but was never elected. In his
youth he lived a few years with his Uncle Samuel and Paisley
Nelson, and learned the carriage making business; and following
this trade more or less, at times, up to the Civil War. He had
both a Wood Shop and a Blacksmith Shop, and he made some money
at the business. When he did a piece of work in wood, it was
always very ingeniously, carefully and honestly done. He had a
natural gift or talent in painting designs and letters, and
could cut the most beautiful letters and perfect letters in
stone with his knife - the letters at the head of Grandfather
Strayhorn's grave is a specimen of his work.
He was a victim of the Civil War. It left him care
worn by trouble, his property swept away, involved hopelessly in
debt - and largely security debt, and with a broken spirit, he
never rallied from its effects. For a time, he was a Soldier in
active service. I think it was in 1865 - about two months,
under the last conscript law, or call for men under 50 years
old. He did not shirk the duty, but went - and was stationed in
the eastern part of the state at Goldsboro and Kinston, with
what was known as the "Home Guards". It seemed to me that he
was never the same man afterwards. At that time he owned five
Negroes - (he had lost several by death, but had never sold one,
and would not) and at least one thousand acres of land - three
plantations: but the Negroes were freed, and he could not
extricate himself from his other monetary affairs. Gradually,
he saw it all going from him, and at the time of his death
everything was in the clutches of relentless creditors and
sharpers - and he died! Feb. 12, 1879.
He was a most devoted Father. He almost idolized
his children, and was proud of them. It was his life-long
desire to see them educated, and useful and honorable men and
women in the world. He set a high estimate upon education, and
he did all he could to that end, for his children. He was also
a companion and "a boy" with his boys, and entered, at times,
into all their fun and frolic. Moreover, he was a friend to the
very poor people about him, and helped them greatly during their
hard times of the War. He was buried in the new - New Hope
Graveyard, beside his little boy Vernon, in the spot which he
himself selected for his child. His funeral was conducted by
the Rev. P. H. Dalton. - See my Diary's.
His children, by my Mother - Emeline Strayhorn who
still lives, thanks unto the Lord - were as follows:
1 Milton Elwood Jun 10, 1844 Caroline Strayhorn
2 Mary Isabel Adeline Oct , 1846 W. J. Anderson
3 David Irvin Feb 11, 1849 Isabel G. Newman
4 Laura Emeline Apl 7, 1851
5 Jasper Newton Nov 26, 1853 Mollie Johnston &
Bertha Ratliffe
6 Samuel Lawrence Aug 13, 1856 Jan 3, 1857
7 Nancy Jane Florence Jan 6, 1858
8 Isaac Thomas Aug 17, 1860
9 Alice Moore Apl 7, 1863 Robt. P. Blackwood
10 Vernon Apl 20, 1868 Dec 31, 1868
The remains of Samuel Lawrence were transferred to
the New Graveyard, Feb 15, 1879 - see Diary.
John died as a little boy about ten years old - I
don't know the date. Wiley Franklin - while a youth and young
man, was like other men, but in after life he was "curious" and
"queer" in his ways. He was by no means a "non-campas-mintus",
for he was intelligent, a wide reader, a fine memory,
and wonderful conversational powers. His trouble
seemed to be a total lack of will power. When left alone he had
no idea of time, and was unable to accomplish his purpose. This
was true of all work he attempted, or in getting ready to go to
Church or elsewhere. I have heard many theories advanced as a cause
for this defect - one was that a horse kicked him in the head,
in his youth - another was, that it was caused by a terrible
disappointment in a love affair when he was a young man; but my
theory is that it was the terrible curse of self-abuse. A more
generous, kind hearted and obliging man never lived than he. His life
was pitiful, for he was helpless, and owing to his condition and
surroundings, it was almost impossible to help him. Of course
he never married, and he died in misery and wretchedness - See
my diary of 1891 - page 336. He died about ten years after my Father,
and about seven years before "Aunt Ibbey". He and she (Isabel) always
lived together twenty-eight years after Grandfathers death and when
Wiley F. died (Oct 21, 1890) she was left absolutely alone. Isabel,
or "Aunt Ibbey", as we always called (her) lived to be 77 years old.
She died Jan 8, 1897. She lived alone and died alone. She was never
married, and had very little dealings with mankind. She was a strange
and eccentric woman. She would not allow any one of her people to do
anything for her - though they tried a thousand times and in a thousand
ways. She would seemingly always do just the opposite to what
she thought they desired her to do. If her brother was
"curious", she was equally so, but from an entirely different
standpoint. She was suspicious of everyone, and it was almost
impossible to have any friendly dealings with her. She would
not react a foot of her land, for many years, or do anything
like other women. She had a plenty to live on all her days, but
it was of no manner of use to her. She would (not) let us
manage or advice her in her affairs - and then she would
occasionally have about her were very unworthy people. She was
a constant source of grief and sorrow to my Father as long as he
lived. And after his death, she was the same for my Mother and
all of us, as long as she lived. Poor old soul, I so often felt
so sorry for her, and longed to help her, and could have made
her condition so much better, but she would not let me. She
died in misery and wretchedness (See Diary of 1897 - P 383)(no
longer correct page numbers), and is buried under the Cedars in
the Old Graveyard, at her own request, by the side of her sister
Rebecca. Uncle Wiley is buried in the New Graveyard at New
Hope Church.
The remains of Samuel Lawrence were transferred to
the New Graveyard, Feb 15, 1879 - see Diary.
Milton, married Caroline Strayhorn, a daughter of
John Strayhorn and Eliza Cole. He has a large and interesting
family. He has spent most of his life in teaching school. The
names of his children are: Oscar, Clyde, Ada, Emma, Mary, John
died, - Albert and Allen - twins, Clifford, and Carrie.
Adeline, married late in life, Mr. W. J. Anderson a
prosperous farmer of Alamance Co. He had a large family by a
former wife: all grown. Irwin, married Isabel G. Newman of
Columbia, S. C. and has four children - Marion, Irvin, Carl, and
Louise. For more than twenty years he has been Pastor of the
Presbyterian Church in Reidsville, N. C. Casper, lives in
Reidsville, N. C. He has been married twice. His first wife
was Mollie Johnston of Caswell Co. who left him one child
Elizabeth. His second wife is Alberta Ratliffe of Wentworth, N.
C. Laura, Florence and Thomas still abide with our Mother at the
old home in Orange Co. - all unmarried. Alice, married Robt. P.
Blackwood (see page 27) and lives near by the old place. She
has a most interesting family of little children - Nettie,
Annie, Vernon, Albert - died, Samuel, Alice - died, and Florence
Belle.
Thus I have written the Origin and History of
William Craige and his generations, in a brief way, down to the
present time.
It may help future generations to see where they
came from, and their connections, and if like me, it will be a
great satisfaction.
It will be noted that very few of the male line of
William Craige's descendants, bearing the name Craig, are now to
be found in North Carolina and still a fewer number are to be
found in old Orange County, the original home.
It will also be noted that the line through "David",
has been the most prolific and prosperous, and is today the
representative of more wealth and position in the world than any
of the others. This line has no Craig representatives in North
Carolina; but they are to be found in Tennessee, Alabama,
Mississippi, Texas.
It will be noted, lastly, that in all lines, and
everywhere, they are a respectable, high-toned, and substantial
race of people.
D. I. Craig
Reidsville, N. C.
January 17, 1899
The End.
