History of John Craig family of Ireland

1. There is not much known about the Craigs other than they came from Ballyroney, County Down Northern Ireland about 1773. John Craig,having come from Ireland in 1773 served as an apprentice cabinet-maker with
his brother,Henry, who had come over from Ireland a short time previously,
and had settledin Philadelphia Pa.

2. When the Revolutionary war began Henry enlisted in the Penn's Line,
but owing to the fact that he had a family,John took his place and served seven
years under Mad Anthony Wayne as Pvt. 4th Pa. Btn. and was wounded at Three Rivers Canada. After John had gone to war Henry Craig reinlisted and after going to the front was never heard from again. There was also another brother who served in the the Rev. war, Alexander who later settled at Starnina near Charleston,South Carolina where his descendants still live.

3. After the war John Craig came to Westmoreland County and married
Betsy Atkinson and had five children: Nancy,Peggy,Alexander,James and Samuel.John settled in Fairveiw Township,Butler Co in 1796.
About one mile south of what is now Karns City on the left of the road.
John and Betsy had two more children: Elizebeth(Betsy),and George.
James Craig b.1786,the eldest son of John and Elizabeth(Betsy)Atkinson Craig had six children: Elizabethb.1810,George N. b.1822,James b.1817 d.1877, Mary b.1825,Susan b.1830 and John Craig b.1823 d.1888.

Samuel Craig 1796-1870 son of John and Elizabeth Craig had five children:
William H.1830-1897,James Henry 1832-1899,Sara J. 1834-1876,George 1840-1858 and Rebecca A. Craig 1842-1916.

John was a large man physically and his sons were all men of great size. One of them, George , was very tall and though not fleshy weighed 250 lb..
The Bear Creek Neighborhood was settled quite rapidly. Among the pioneers were John Craig, William Wilson, William Ray, Paul McDormott, John Cambell and Alexander Storey. Most of them located within the territory now comprised in FairviewTownship Butler Co. Pa.

About 1800 Samuel Kincaid , Joseph Smith , and John Craig constructed the
first church building , which was a small unplastered log structure that could
be used only in summer. It was located about a mile east of the town of
Fairview in the present lower Bear Creek Cemetery , known as the Beer
Creek Presbyterian Church.

Of John Craig , the following anecdote is related: He remained away from church one sabbath , and the preacher , Mr. Johnson met him afterwards and inquired the reason he missed. John explained that he had to watch the cattle to keep them from his grain, But asked the preacher "Could you not trust that matter to providence?" "What" exclaimed Craig in astonishment" Would you have me make a cow-herd of providence?"In plowing John used a cow and a horse hitched side by side.

When George came of age he left home and came to Madison Township. Armstrong Co. around 1831. George married Mary M. Conrad of Harmony Butler Co. and settled on a farm near Tidal about a mile from what is now known as the Craig Reunion grounds. George Craig help build the first industry in Madison Twp. a gristmill. It is interesting to note that the first gristmills built by a colored man ,Thomas Ramsey who sold it to Samuel T. Crow in 1832. Big George Craig aided in the erection of the mill, whitewalls a log one with two runs of stone.

It is related that he carried the summer beam 25ft long and 18 inches square, on his shoulder up the side of the building , the others steadied it with pike poles
and set into position.The ruins of the old mill still stand near the village of Hooks.
George and Mary Craig had Twelve children: Samuel H. Craig,John A. Craig,
James A. Craig,George W. Craig,Thomas G. Craig, William H.H. Craig, Elizebeth Craig,Margaret Craig, Nancy Ann Craig,Mary Jane Craig,Nancy Elizabeth Craig,and Alexander T. Craig.

When George died his son Alex and his wife Mary M. took care of Georges wife on Georges farm near Tidal Pa. Alexander and Mary raised twelve children.
The children were: Clara Jane,George Lincoln,John Sherman,Mary Louise,Caroline Catherine,Nancy May,William Augustus,Thomas Fred,Annie Priscilla,William Charles Alexander,Ethal Nora Sophie,and Elizabeth Dale. Thomas Craig married Urdie Minick and they had eight children; Frederick Thomas, Clyde, Clara H., Ann V.,Dorthy T. ,Ruth E., James, Alexander L. Alexander Craig 2nd son of John C. Craig and the executor of Johns will lived at Fairview Butler Co.( no other information at this time).
Also no other information on their sisters;Nancy, Peggy, and Betsy at this time.

NOTE: William H.H. Craig the son of big George Craig, died in the Civil War. William was mustered into service on Nov 13 , 1861. He was captured at Plymouth, North Carolina on April 30,1864 and died at Andersonville Ga. Sept 1,1864.
George's other son Samuel H. Craig was mustered into service Nov. 31,1861
and discharged on a surgeons certificate Feb. 1862.

The information on this page was researched from talking to the older
relatives and from the Westmoreland,Butler,and Armstrong County History books, Historical Society at Kittanning Pa.and the Will of John Craig who died in Butler Co. Fairview Twp. near the towns of Fairview and Karns City.

Researched by David J. Huffman
Husband of Sondra Mawnee Craig
daughter of Alexander(Bud) Craig.