ROBERT DAVID CRAIGHEAD Atlantic Co NJ
(BIOGRAPHY)

Information located at http://www.rootsweb.com/~njatlant/
On a USGenWeb/NJGenWeb Web site
TRANSCRIBED BY JANICE BROWN, County Coordinator in 2006 
Please see the web site for my email contact.
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The original source of this information is in the public domain, 
however use of this text file, other than for personal use, is 
restricted without written permission from the transcriber 
(who has edited, compiled and added new copyrighted text to same).
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SOURCE: SOUTH JERSEY, A History, 1664-1924, edited by Alfred H. Heston; Vol 1, 1924,
 Lewis Historical Publishing Co Inc., New York and Chicago

pages 14
ROBERT DAVID CRAIGHEAD [excerpts only]--The death of Robert David Craighead at Atlantic
City, NJ on May 19, 1922 ended a career of marked success and great usefulness... He was
born in London, England, March 26, 1873, where his parents resided while his father,
Dr. Robert Craighead, did post-graduate work in the great hospitals of the metropolis.
Dr. Robert Craighead was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, of Colonial ancestry, and his
wife, Louisa Alma (Ray) Craighead, was also a member of an old colonial family, a
descendant of James M. Ray, one of the founders of Indianapolis, who ranked with Stephen
Girard as one of the seven great bankers of his day. James M. Ray was born in the old
parsonage in Caldwell, New Jersey, in which Grover Cleveland later began his existence,
and during the Civil War rendered notable financial service to Indiana by his wife
custodianship of the public school funds.
  Until he was twelve years of age, Mr. Craighead attended the public schools of
Dunreith, Indiana, but his father's appointment as house physician in the famous
sanatorium of Dr. Sylvester Strong, his brother-in-law at Saratoga Springs, New York,
made it necessary that the family should change its place of residence, and the boy,
Robert D., completed his education in the public schools of Saratoga Springs. From the
time he was eight years of age he had been an enthusiastic collector of stamps. The
change in place of residence offered new opportunity for stamp collecting, and the young
philatelist employed a force of fifteen schoolmaters to sell his stamps. The proceeds he
devoted to the purchase of desired stamps for his collection. Upon his graduation from
the Saratoga High School, he prepared for an active career by taking a course in a
business college in Albany, and then became associated with Dr. Strong's Sanatorium. His
natural business ability became apparent and later he was made manager of the 
institution, which responsible position he efficiently filled until 1898. In that year,
when he was about 25 years old, he decided to engage in the hotel business for himself.
He moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey, and in partnership with his father, opened a
hotel on Ocean Avenue. It soon became apparent that the hotel was too small, so in 9
months time the partners removed to Pennsylvania Avenue, and opened a hostelry known as
the Lehman-Craig Hall, on the present site of the St. Clare Hotel. In three years the
business outgrew the hotel and a large one across the street, known as the Altamont,
was engaged. For a year it was known as the Altamont-Craig Hall, but in 1904 the
Altamont was dropped, and as Craig Hall, the establishment soon became noted for its
efficient management.
  As the years passed, it became evident that the expanding business would require still
larger quarters, and Mr. Craighead looked about for a suitable building. The old Garden
Hotel, on the corner of Pacific and Illinois avenues, which had been dismantled during
the period of its idleness, had deteriorated sadly. It was built by John Wyeth, a
prominent drug manufacturer of Philadelphia, PA, because he had grown impatient with the
lack of hotel accomodations when he visited Atlantic City. The structure is said to have
been erected in 72 days, and became one of the most prominent of its time. It was
distinguished for its roof garden, its up-to-date equipment, and its tally-ho coach which
met the trains, and, during the life of its builder, attracted a large and exclusive
patronage. After the death of Mr. Wyeth, however, change of ownership brought change of
management. As one after another tried the task and failed, it rapidly lost its
distinction and went "from bad to worse" until the last owner before Mr. Craighead
dismantled it completely and it remained closed for over 3 years. In 1910 it was sold
at auction to Samuel Croft of the firm of Croft & Allen, chocolate manufacturers. Mr.
Croft persuaded Mr. Craighead to buy the hotel, even though it had proved a white
elephant to all of its owners since John Wyeth. Mr. Craighead combined "real estate
sense" with good "hotel sense" and realized that because the hotel was not located on the
boardwalk it could not command the high rates which former owners had charged. He
therefore reduced the prices to equal those of avenue instead of beach front hotels, and
the venture was a success from the start. Since the death of Mr. Craighead, Mr.
Everett J. Higbee, who was trained by Mr. Craighead, has efficiently managed the concern,
Mrs. Craighead, widow, and James Ray Craighead, brother of the deceased and as associate
owner by inheritance, being directors. James Ray Craighead is an electrical engineer,
associated with the General Electric Company of Schenectady, New York. He is a graduate
of Williams College and of Cornell University.
  Meantime, through winning success in so marked a degree, Robert David Craighead had not
only found time for active civic service, but had diligently continued his boyhood
pastime--the collection of stamps. Along with this enthusiasm there developed a love for
travel. He visited practically all parts of the civilized world, and everywhere he
went he collected stamps. It was much more exciting to purchase an Italian stamp for
use abroad in Peking, China, than to buy from prosaic approved sheets, or dealers' stocks.
Mr. Craighead was a general collector, caring less for minor than for the more
representative major varieties, and at the time of his death his collection numbered over
33,000 different stamps, about sixty-five countries being complete in their major
varieties. .. After the death of the collector the entire collection was sold, and with
the proceeds the "Robert Craighead Eye Clinic" of the Atlantic City Hospital was founded.
  Mr. Craighead was president of the Atlantic City Hotel Men's Association, and of the
Publicity Bureau, and a member of the board of directors of the Atlantic City National
Bank. He was a Kiwanian, and a member of the Atlantic City Yacht Club. He was very active
in the affairs of the First Presbyterian Church of Atlantic City, which he served for
many years as a member of the board of trustees, his father, Dr. Robert Craighead having
been an elder in the same church.
  Robert David Craighead married, on September 26, 1907, Naomi Caldwell, a descendant of
old colonial stock, who was born near Hammonton, New Jersey to which locality her
people had removed from New Haven because of the ill health of her father. It was in the
"study" in the home of an ancestor of Mrs. Craighead, at Brandford, CT (near New Haven)
that Yale College (now Yale University) was founded.
  Mrs. Craighead attended the public schools of Philadelphia, and at her graudation 
from the Girl's High School received a scholarship for a four-years course at the
Philadelphia School of Design for Women. She then engaged in teaching, and for four
years was director and special teacher of drawing in Woodbury, New Jersey. At the end of
that time she came to Atlantic City, and in 1907 married Mr. Craighead. She is active in
political and social affairs and exerts a strong influence for progress in her
community. She is an active member of the Fortnightly Club, a member of the Current
Events Club, and of the Woman's Foundation. For three years she was president of the board
of directors of the Travelers' Aid Association. She was one of the ardent supporters of
the Woman's Suffrage movement, and since obtaining the franchise has been very active
in the affairs of the Republican party. She has been her county's representative in the
State WOman's Republican Club, and until the time of the death of her husband was
president of the Atlantic City League of Women Voters, which she served as president of
for two years. Since the death of her husband she has assisted in the supervision of
Craig Hall, and has devoted a very large proportion of her time to civic and philanthropic
as well as political affairs. She is held in very high esteem in Atlantic City, as well
as among her great number of personal friends.

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