An Additional Helping of "Pi on the Floor" August 1968

[Property of Gertrude Clawson George, West Lebanon, PA]

Page 1

After many months of research in an effort to produce somewhat of a genealogy of four families we are now convinced a course of study on the subject should be made available to those who have such ambitions.. Such a course should provide information regarding the tracing of ancestral lineage, etc. and help avoid errors and omissions. It is our hope that this supplement .wilt prove to be the epilogue to a work time has been most interesting and gratifying despite many errors and omissions.

In this last effort we arc indebted ro our mother and her thoughtfulness in leaving notes which have recently been discovered among our filed papers, but not catalogued. We also refer to notes mailed to us by the Librarian of the Indiana County, Pa library and the Samuel Craig, Senior genealogy, including his descendants as compiled by Jane Maria Craig and published tor private distribution in 1915.

The Craig Genealogy goes back to when they moved from their original home in Scotland to England where they used their education to advantage and after reading "Calvin's Institutes" soon imbibed and openly professed the Protestant doctrines. The date 1684 is given as the year Andrew Craig arrived in this country and settled in New Jersey.

Our Grandfather Joseph Moorhead's mother was a Craig and. a descendant of Samuel Craig, senior.

Our friend the County Librarian wrote us as follows - "Your Grand father's history, is correct as you have it in your "Pi on the Floor." [Viola Clawson wrote some of this]

Both paternal and maternal lines from North of Ireland ancestry. Revolutionary stock through Grandmother Agnes Craig. Samuel Moorhead's Grandfather was born in Cumberland County Pennsylvania in 1769. He was a tanner by trade and became quite wealthy. Was the owner of eight or ten large farms. He died in 1853 at 84 years of age.

Honorable Samuel Moor Moorhead, born in Derry Township (our neighboring township). Married to Martha Bell in 1812 (no date of birth). Spent most of his life farming. He also built a dam below Blairsville on the old Penna. Canal. Was Associate Judge of Courts in Indiana County. Was appointed by Governor Wolfe in 1830. Served very creditably for a period of six years. His keen perceptions and remarkable good judgement making him a valuable man in that position. He was a Democrat and a Presbyterian. (Our Librarian friend lists nine children while the Craig genealogy lists eleven - we will continue to quote) Nine children were born to this union: - Agnes, Elizabeth, Samuel V., Rebecca, John, Joseph, Myrtella, Wallace and Alexander. The eldest son, Samuel helped capture the City of Mexico under General Winfield Scott in 1815. Of the five sons, four, including himself, were in the Union army. (Grandfather Joseph Moorhead had four brothers.) Joseph Moorhead got his education in schools of that time and worked as a farmer. Entered Union Army July, 1863. Honorably discharged April, 1865 at Camp Reynolds in Allegheny County. Returned home to farm until 1866 when he m9oved to Blairsville and took over the Enterprise (with an eight column quarry) which under his direction acquitted a high reputation as a well conducted sheet. He pursued a clean independent policy which won him the respect and admiration of his fellow citizens. He was a Republican. On July 24, 1890, under Harrison's administration was appointed Postmaster and served for four years. Our Librarian friend then lists the children which we list elsewhere. She then continues, "I found in another book a Dr. Thomas Moorhead, native of White Township (Indiana suburb now) educated at Indiana Academy, studied medicine with Dr. Stuart, practiced in Indiana and Clearfield counties - no dates given.

You have your Judge, Doctor and Postmaster all in your family."

Found a small item - in 1823 Nancy Moorhead - no parents or family mentioned - taught first grade of school - was quite religious and one Sunday recited 767 verses of scripture and 193 hymns.

*We now go to Craig Genealogy for information on Grandfather Joseph Moorhead's brothers and sisters, etc.* - The list is a little different than that offered by our librarian friend:

- Nancy Moorhead, married Martin Braided. 13 children. Page 124.

- Martha Moorhead died when seven years of age. Page 125.

- Agnes Elizabeth Moorhead born August 29, 1817, died September 6, 1903. Married Joseph Shields of New Alexandera, PA. Grandson of Col. John Shields, the settler of the name in this locality in 1765.

Eleven children. Pages 125-126.

Samuel C. Moorhead served in the Union Army in the Civil War, Page 126.

Rebecca Jane Moorhead, married John W. Shryock. Lived in Philadelphia, Pa. Died many years ago.

Three children, Page 126.

John Moorhead, married Sarah Earhart. Six children. Page 126.

Joseph Moorhead (our grandfather); Full information Page 126, also pages 34, 35 and 36 of "Pi on the Floor."

Myrtilla Moorhead, married Dr. James McClure. One son Charles McClure. Page 127.

Rev. William Wallace Moorhead, D. D., pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Greensburg for over 25 years. An able preacher and highly esteemed by his people. Married first Martha Donaldson, three children: - Paul deceased. Alexander, Minneapolis, Minn. Martha, a physician, Minneapolis, Minn. Page 127

Alexander Cunningham Moorhead married Mary Hazlett. Four children. Page 127. This page also lists John Moorhead, born April 23, 1793, died December 8, 1858. In 1848 an Associate Judge of Westmorland County, PA. Married Margaret Hill, daughter of Rev. George Hill.

Page 129 lists Jane Moorhead, sister of Grandfather Joseph Moorhead, born 1795 and married Major John Hill. This page also lists Rev. George Hill, D. D., first cousin of Grandfather Joseph Moorhead.

Page 133 lists Elizabeth Moorhead, born 1801 as sister of Great Grandfather Moorhead. She married l. Amos Ogden 1818.

Rev. James D. Moorhead, D. D., full cousin of grandfather Joseph Moorhead. Page 137.

Sarah Coe. Married Rev. D. J. Irwin, D. D., a Presbyterian minister - her grandmother and our Grandfather's grandmother were sisters. Page 142.

Exeter, California, May 31, 1968

Explanatory note by W. S. Clawson, author of "Pi On The Floor."

A few years prior to the death of our mother we read a copy of "The Rolling Years" by Agnes Sligh Turnbull, a story of the people and the way they lived in Western Pennsylvania (Indiana and Westmorland Counties when we were boys.) This being the home of our ancestors and as the book was dedicated to James Lyall Turnbull and the authors uncle, Rev. S. D. McConnell, D. D., we felt that surely some of our mother's relatives must have been characters mentioned, even though other names were given by the author. We sent mother a copy of this book and asked her to comment on it. This she did and also made marginal notes in her book - which since her death has not turned up and we would like very much to own it, as two other copes we purchased have failed to turn up after bing loaned to sick friends. We did purchase a copy of the original first six printings made in February of 1936. This was accomplished at an old book sale conducted by the Tulare County Free Library Saturday, October 15, 1966 and the price of 50 cents was not much to pay for so valuable a book.

When a copy was prepared for the book "Pi on the Floor," mother's notes had been mislaid and were not included, however, a short time ago they came to light and we now prepare them for our book as they provide a valuable insight to other members of the Moorhead family.

Notes as provided by our mother Jessie Mildred Moorhead Clawson, born April 14, 1867, Blairsville, Penna.:

Major James Moorhead was married to nice of my great, great grandmother, Nancy Craig.

The "Bridge" was at New Alexandera and these folks crossed it going to New Salem.

Nancy Craig, the great grandmother of Andrew, brother of Nancy Jane Craig, sister of great grandfather, married Peter Wallace - her daughter, Rebecca, married Wilson Knott - their daughter is buried in Blairsville. "I remember the funeral - she was a pretty young woman."

Clark Knott and sisters, Mary and Sarah were grandchildren of Jane Craig, sister of our great grandmother.

Rachel Wallace married John Cunningham and their children were Miss Marry Cunningham. Rev. William Cunningham, who was father of J. J. and William, Jessie and David, as well as several others.

"Jane Wallace married Milton Gutherie. James Wallace's granddaughter Emma went to Blairsville Ladies College with me."

Joseph Craig, brother of our Great Grandmother married Nancy Moorhead, sister of Paul Moorhead , our Great Grandfather.

Grandfather's brother John married Margaret Hill, daughter of Rev. George Hill. One of their daughters married William Peoples and one married Major John Hill and they were parents of Rev. George Hill, father's first cousin.

Joseph Moorhead, brother of Grandfather, learned tanners trade with him in Ligonier and visited him after he married.

Rev. James Moorhead, D. D., was from Beaver Falls.

Sarah, sister of Grandmother's married Joseph Shields - daughter Nancy married Berry Coe, daughter Rebecca Coe Married Benny Howe, daughter Harriett married John Dawson.

Lucinda Moorhead was daughter of John Moorhead, Grandfather's brother.

Joseph Craig, brother of Great Grandmother, married Nancy, sister of our Great Grandfather and he was one of three men who built first bridge over Lithuania river (spelling?) At New Alexandera. One of their granddaughters was married to Rev. Hunter Corbett and they were missionaries in China.

"Rachael, daughter of Jane and Peter Wallace married Judge John Cunningham. Their children were Mary, Davis, Jessie and William. By this you can see that the Knotts and the Cunninghams had as their grandmother, Jane Craig Wallace, sister of father's grandmother, Nancy Craig Moorhead and I suppose that made Cunninghams and Knotts second cousins of my father Joseph Moorhead and they having mothers as sisters would be first cousins of each other."

"Jane Wallace, daughter of Jane and Peter Wallace married Milton Gutherie. They had a son Spear Gutherie who married a sister of our uncle Wallace's first wife, who was Martha Donaldson. I know the Gutheries must have been pretty closely related to Paul and Alex as they lived with them so long."

"Through Grandfather Moorhead's brother John, we are related to the Ogdens, Peoples, Updegraphes, McClures and both families of Grahams."

"Grandfather Moorhead's sister, Jane, married Major John Hill and Rev. George Hill, D. D., was their son, therefore father Joseph Moorhead and Rev. Geo. Hill were first cousins."

"Great Grandfather Samuel Moorhead (see page 34, "Pi on the Floor" -, was a tanner and an active and energetic business man who accumulated so much property that after his death each of his 10 or 11 children who survived inherited a farm and I suppose the Johnson farm is the one our grandfather inherited, but it originally took in a good part of South Blairsville and I know he gave Aunt Nancy Brainerd that brick house next to the school building and I know he gave the ground that the school building is on. "I think that must be in a history of Blairsville which I have someplace, probably in my trunk."

The above has been transcribed from long-hand notes by Mrs. Jessie Mildred Moorhead Clawson and sent to her son Watson Swartz Clawson, author of "Pi on the Floor." The history of Blairsville referred to apparently has been lost to the present generation. It must be kept in mind that our mother's notes were dictated in her generation, which means one generation back to our (1968).

Additional noted by Mother Clawson: -

A Rattlesnake Flag was presented to Alexander Craig's mother or our mother's great grandmother in 1775.

Before Pittsburgh was laid out in lots the first sale of land was to a Craig from Fort Pitt. Across the river in Allegheny he owned the first salt works and the first glass works. A Craig was on the first board of trustees of the Presbyterian church in Pittsburgh and he was the editor of the Pittsburgh Gazette in 1833 and started the first daily paper in that city.

Mother's great, great grandfather Craig was captured by the Indians near packsaddle, east of Blairsville, on way to Ligionier for supplies for Fort Shields near New Alexandra.

Some of these are notes taken from the book, "The Rolling Years," by Agnes Sligh Turnbull. By W. S. Clawson.

Among many other regrets regarding our relatives is the fact that we did not ask mother for information regarding her father's brother's and sisters. There were several and her notes mention none of them in much detail.

[NOTE: This is what has happened to the FLEMING traditions and history. Information, data & old photographs, I fear has been lost to the grave. Frank, Hannah, Hayes, Charles, Harold, Bertha -- all gone now. Only the young remain. It is my prayer that maybe just one of them remain that had good sense to be interested in who they were, what they did and some of the things in their lives that they enjoyed. They don't have to had been a Judge, Dr or Rev. Just that they were once there, pored out their sweat and blood on the land -- it is important!]

Back to the book.

We had once heard that the sons who took a college education instead of cash as their inheritance had gone far as Ministers of the Gospel, medical doctors, etc. We also heard of one brother who took the cash and following his service in the Civil War never returned to him home town and for reasons unknown to us, corresponded with our mother as the only member of the family. When Aunt Alice Moorhead made her first visit to California she had heard this Uncle was in an old soldiers home in Sawtell, California and looked him up. If we remember correctly Aunt Alice stated his greeting on seeing her indicated his original decision was still to be honored.

Some early day Moorheads and their cousins the Brainerds went to Minnesota following the Civil War and it is our understanding the cities so named were in honor of these people. Moorhead Minnesota was named for William G. Moorhead of Pennsylvania when he was a director of the board of the Union Pacific Railroad. We have no information as to his relationship to mothers family, if any.

By Mrs. Adam (Moorhead) Clawson

"Notes regarding '"The Rolling Years" are of especial interest to those of us who once lived in Indiana County as written by our mother, Jessie Mildred Moorhead Clawson.'

Page 21: "Bob Forsythe harvested his wheat on Sunday because of threatened rain and it did rain the following day and would have ruined it. He stood trial before the session but was acquitted."

"Pages 25, 249-250 Mentions Blairsville Seminary." Page 27 Mentions Dr. Shields, my Mother's Cousin." Pages 44 and 114 mentions Eldersridge Academy." Pages 45 and 62 mentions Greensburg, the County Seat of Westmoreland County." Page 48 mentions New Salem." Page 54 mentions, Pittsburgh-Philadelphia Turnpike." Page 55 Mentions Major Moorhead, a cousin of my grandfather, a Legislator. "Page 66 Mentions the Confluence Presbyterian Church." "Page 138 mentions the Blairsville Tavern once owned by great grandfather Moorhead." "Page 264 Mentions Barn Dance at Blairsville." "Pages 282 and 327 mention chicken and waffle suppers at Blairsville."

The reader should keep in mind that where mother mentions grandparents, it means our great grandparents [OR IN OUR CASE IT MAY WELL BE OUR GGG,GRANDPARENTS (2001)]

Our Grandmother Moorhead, Mother of Our Grandfather Joseph

Moorhead, was the Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Craig. Her Name

is listed as Nancy (or Agnes) Craig.

[It would seem here that there is a missing page in that we come in with an incomplete sentence]

--and as we assemble some historical facts we continue to come across many items of interest regarding this family. In June of 1934 the Pittsburgh, Pa., Press published a feature article titled "Pioneer Hunter Owned Land on Which New Alexandria Stands Now," and contains many interesting items about the Craig family. We select a few in condensed form.

As Col. Bouquet's troops were returning east in 1764 after a campaign against the Indians, William Burbridge, a hermit and a hunter, had stacked a "Tomahawk Claim" and built a cabin on the banks of the Loyalhanna where New Alexandria now stands. On his first contact with people in many months, he meant and proposed to Patience Bickerstaff, an orphan, and was accepted. The Indians killed this man a short time later and while the widow's claim was only a squatter's right, the newly opened land office allowed such claims to become valid. She remarried by did not get this land as she learned her first husband had transferred title to his brother before his death. Little did this second Burbridge realize the value of this land as he was a hunter and a trapper and when he had a chance to sell the property to Samuel Craig he made a quick sale, not realizing the value of the mineral wealth beneath it.

Samuel Craig and his three oldest sons, John, Alexander and Samuel, Jr. fought in the Revolution. The father lost his life, like William Burbridge, through the perfidy of the Indians. He was appointed a lieutenant and commissioner at Fort Ligionier and his duties required him to procure salt for the garrison. He was waylaid. His mare was found pierced by eight bullets but Craig was never heard of again nor his body found.

John Craig, the oldest son, when scouting gin the vicinity of Fort Wallace, near Blairsville, was pursued so closely by Indians that he had to throw away his gun to outrun them. After the Revolution he moved to Freeport.

Gen. Alexander Craig, the second son, was with Washington when he crossed the Delaware. He fought at Princeton and Trenton. Samuel, Jr. had harrowing experiences when he was captured by the Indians and thrown into the river, being pushed under the water repeatedly but finally won the admiration of the braves, and his singing voice finally won him a right to live while other prisoners were killed with the tomahawk. Craig was sold to the English for a gallon of whiskey and finally exchanged to the Colonial Army as a prisoner of war. He returned to the Loyalhanna farm.

One of the treasured possessions of the family for years was the celebrated rattlesnake flag which was adopted as the banner of the men of Westmoreland County who fought in the Revolution. It was six feet, four inches long by five feet ten inches wide, made from an English ensign. It was of crimson silk, having in a corner of a blue field the red and white cross of St. George and St. Andrew. In the center was a rattlesnake, ready to strike, above the words, "Don't tread on me." worked in gold. The flag was carried by Lieut. Samuel Craig when the battalion was called to the defense of Philadelphia in 1???. Above the snake was the initial "P" for Col. Thomas Proctor and just below the initial appears the letters "I.B.W.C.P." Independent Battalion, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

On the death of Colonel Proctor, the flag passed to General Alexander Craig. It stayed in the family until 1914, when it was bequeathed by Jane Marie of New Alexandria to the state museum at Harrisburg, and was escorted east by a State Police Guard of Honor.

The people of New Alexandria played an important part in the Whiskey Insurrection and when William Findley, a member of State House of representatives went to Redstone Old Fort (Brownsville) to attend a meeting designed to seek repeal of the excise tax, he was afraid that only violent people would attend and radical resolutions be made so he asked John Moore, a justice of the County Court of Westmoreland, John Shields, great grandfather of Mrs. Cook and Captain Samuel Moorhead to accompany him. The Presbyterian church split on the question of the Whiskey Insurrection.

The members of the Presbyterian church later were ordered not to take part in the slave question, however, many did and some became members of the "Underground Railroad" which helped southern slaves to escape north.

Miss Janet Sligh has compiled a history of this section of Pennsylvania.

Appendices

Publisher's note*--"Final Verdict" by Adela Rogers St. John, chapter 48, pages 367-368 and "High Tension" by Bailie confirm what we published in "Pi on the Floor" concerning her father Earl Rogers. Hugh Bailie stated in his book "Earl Rogers saved the great Darrow from ending his career prematurely within the walls called in Darrow's closing address to the jury. "The Great Gray Walls of San Quentin." If the story of Clarence Darrow had ended the day he pleaded James B. McNamara guilty of murder in the Times dynamiting, he would have gone down to his grave in failure, traitor to his cause, a bumbling poseur. If he had not been acquitted on the odious charge of jury bribi8ng Darrow would never had a chance to win the moral vectores of the Leopold-Loeb, Scopes, Scattsboro and Massey trials, all of which of course he lost in court. Let's face it, he would have been disbarred, in the penitentiary or in his grave. "The Great Defender" came after and sprang from the acquittal Rogers won for him on a charge of which we believed he was guilty."

Page 19-- Dianne Louise Boggs, daughter of Robert S. Boggs and Louise Lona Morgan Boggs was married May 11, 1968 to Mr. John Richard Cribbs in St. Catherine of Alexandria Church, Leechburg, Penna.

Erratum

Page 46: -- Re: -- family of Evin Crookshanks. Where the name "Beice" appears it should be spelled "Boice". Correct spelling of Boice Wilson Crookshanks. Issue III Ervin Kenneth Crookshanks was born June 27, 1916 instead of 4-27-16. Inez Addie Ferril born January 12, 1915 in Dawn, MO. Instead of Ludlow as listed.

To this union was born Inez Ann Crookshanks (Correct). II Martha Jane Crookshanks, correct except Terry Lee Lewis was born in Brookfield, Mo., instead of Linneous as listed. III Donna Rae Crookshanks, born March 19, 1956, not "66" as shown.

Issue V. James Loren Crookshanks, correct except Mary Kathryn Howard was born July 11, 1923.

NOTE: -- James Howard Crookshanks, born June 9, 1950, Chillicothe, Mo. is listed as Issue VI, however he is the son of Issue V. James Loren Crookshanks. Issue VII. Clair Lucile Crookshanks should be ISSUE VI. The name Stedgell should read "Stodgell". Pamela Paulette Stodgell '(spelling) Paul Gail Stogell should read (Paula). These are daughters of Clair Lucille Crookshanks and Kenneth Paul Stodgell. Pamela Kay Stodgell was married May 26, 1968 at Dawn, Mo. to Robert Luther Skinner of Ludlow, Mo.

Page 60 -- Janet Mixter was married November 9, 1963.

Place folder in book by fastening to blank page between pages 62 and 63. [?]