Family Tree

All of my research results and conversations are now on FamilySearch Family Tree. Come and participate.

To learn more about Family Tree click here:

Eilsha Cragun and Mary Polly Osborne Marriage

On the Virginia Wiki page there are several sources to find Virginia marriages. As of this date I have searched in all of the Virginia Digital Collections with no positive results. I am moving on to searching for other Elisha Cragun research. The link below takes you to the Wiki page for Virginia.

https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Virginia

All sources that I find I post on FamilySearch Family Tree which is now open to everyone and it's free.

Simeon Cragun Homestead Document

Simeon Cragun, Elisha Cragun's Grandson married my grandmother, Blanche Bingham in 1906. He was 46 and she was 20 years old. In 1920 he moved his family to Idaho and this is a homestead document.

A Research Plan Should Be Small Enough To Manage Easily

Bite size is the way to describe the scope of an ideal research plan. The one below is too large: Patrick and all his children, and their downline descendants. What a huge project. I have been drowning in confusion. I will reassess my priorities and return with a managable plan. In the meantime - if you  have any knowledge or know of  someone who has proof of any part of Patricks history, please let me know.

Cragun Research Plan

This is a large sweep I know, covering one large family as a goal. I will systematically go through Patricks Children. Each is likely to become a research plan of its own. You are welcome to help. I can be reached by your leaving a comment of emaling me at larry@cragun.net.

Pc1 from Larry Cragun

Pc2 from Larry Cragun

Blanche Rebecca Bingham Death Certificate

Important Change In Publishing Style

As you start to study successful genealogists, take classes from them, etc. you begin to develop improvements in your skills and effectivenss. That's a natural thing.
Beginning about the 5th of August this site will change in it's publishing style. It will make this blog more valuable to those who want to research the Cragun line. I am embracing the "Plan Your Way to Research Success", a better way to to focus our research, and to manage it, by Marian Pierre-Louis.

As I introduce this to you, you may decide to help achieve the plan. The plan will be right there, the task items to do will be visible. This plan, being posted on line becomes a perfect collaboration tool.

Then, as Family Search Family Tree becomes available you can link your research results to that cool tree.

Moving Forward On Patrick Cragun Research

ARE YOU A DECENDENT OF PATRICK CRAGUN'S CHILDREN THAT DID NOT JOIN THE MORMONS AND GO WEST?  IF SO, WE I WANT YOU! (See who went west at end of the article)

I have spent hours, even days in researching Ireland, looking for Patrick and his father, Caleb (we think that's his name). This has probably been wasted to a great degree as I don't know how he spelled his last name back then. Cragun is not  the way I am sure.

I also don't know what County he lived in. We are told, Dublin, and that is possible. But was it really? I spent all day yesterday on my research day looking at at Dublin records. I write that research in the previous article.

For quite some time I have felt that Patricks children that did not join the Mormons and move west would have clues and answers. The photo below my be wrong, but it shows Patrick and Rose Hannah Alley had 12 children. Only three went west. My Grandfather, Elisha, died on the plains in the trek west. Most of those pioneers lost almost everything and their heirs are relying on word of mouth stories for most of their facts. His son Simeon was my great grandfather. Simeon made it to Utah.

With that in mind, It seems to me if you are related to those that stayed in Indiana, Tennesse, even Virginia might hold the clues in your records. You might have stories passed on that confirm or change the stories we know.

Regarding Patricks children going to Utah:
Enoch started and diverted to Missouri.
Hiram did not go.
Rebecca Cragun Beemer made it to Council Bluffs and aborted, ending up in Inidana.
James, Simeon, Mary, Tyresha, and Tabitha made it.
His other children died.

Elishas Siblings Elizabeth and Syren joined the Mormons, I have not yet determined if they went west.

My Next Effort = Find Caleb In England

Archives and Libraries Census Church History Church Records Civil Registration Court Records Description and Travel Directories Emigration and Immigration Genealogy History

Cragian???? Abt 1700  - Huntingdonshire, England

Maps Medical Records Memorial Inscriptions Military Records Names (Personal) Newspapers Occupations Poorhouses and Poor Law Etc Societies Taxation

Sullivan County, Tennessee

Caleb had a son named Patrick who was born c1745 in Ireland, perhaps in County Armagh, Ulster. However, Heiner reports that a book entitled, History of Cass County, Indiana found at the Indianapolis Library states on page 214 that, "the family of CRAGUN was founded in America by Patrick Cragun who came from Dublin, Ireland prior to the Revolutionary War and who took part in the struggles of the American Colonists that resulted in the winning of Independence.'' She also reports that a genealogical history of South West Virginia states that one Patrick Cragun had been arrested for the fourth time by the King's officers for his revolutionary tendencies. The identity of his wife, Rose Alley (or Abby) or Hanna Elsy (perhaps a second marriage) is unclear as is the date (1780's) and place of marriage. They are however, tied to Russell County, Virginia located in the extreme southwestern part of the state 20 miles north of Bristol, through the record of their eldest son Isaac as recorded in the Cass County history. Otherwise the family is more closely identified with Sullivan County, Tennessee which borders Virginia and shares the city of Bristol.The first record of Patrick known to exist is his listing in 1779 as a taxable in Washington County, N.C. which became Sullivan County, TN after 1780. In this record he is entered as Patrick Craguner where he is shown to have been assessed on: 170 acres of land, value L100; four horses, value L510; three cattle, value L30; and ready money, four shillings; for a total taxable estate of L640 and four shillings. While Negros were taxable property at that time, none were taxed to Patrick.
A 1784 listing of 5,486 North Carolina land grants in the new state of Tennessee shows at page 47, grant #1274 to be a general purchase grant to Patrick Cragon for 170 acres on Indian Creek, Sullivan County, Tennessee, a tributary of the Holston River. This farmsted was located only a few miles from Booher Creek, a tributary of Indian creek and the likely location of members of the Booher family. The Cragun and Booher families were later near neighbors in Boone County, Indiana. Patrick's greatgrandson, S. N. Cragun married Adelaide Booher at Worth Township, Boone County, in 1883, nearly one hundred years following their familiy's neighboring settlements in Tennessee.
The last known listing for Patrick was in 1812 showing that Patrick Creggon sold 164 acres on Indian Creek to Charles Barnette on Feb. 19, 1812. However, a bit earlier he is found as Patrick Cragun of record in Russel Co., VA in 1806, about 30 miles North of the Indian Creek farm, when he was exempt from County levies on account of age and bodily infirmity.

Family tradition as expressed in Heiner, ( Patrick Cragun Descendants in America

Family tradition as expressed in Heiner, ( Patrick Cragun Descendants in America, 1744-1969 ) holds that Caleb Cragun was born in England in 1700 and lived at Huntingdon, Huntingtonshire until he relocated to Ireland perhaps as a part of the Plantation Movement to settle lands forfeited to the British Crown by deposed Irish nobility. This settlement effort was being made using English and Scottish workers at the same time that other settlements were being established in Colonial America. However, another tradition in the family of Jean (Cragun) Tombaugh, tells that our ancestor was originally of Scotland and the name was McCRAGUN.

Caleb had a son named Patrick who was born c1745 in Ireland, perhaps in County Armagh, Ulster. However, Heiner reports that a book entitled, History of Cass County, Indiana found at the Indianapolis Library states on page 214 that: “the family of CRAGUN was founded in America by Patrick Cragun who came from Dublin, Ireland prior to the Revolutionary War and who took part in the struggles of the American Colonists that resulted in the winning of Independence.” She also reports that a genealogical history of South West Virginia states that one Patrick Cragun had been arrested for the fourth time by the King's officers for his revolutionary tendencies. The identity of his wife, Rose Alley (or Abby) or Hanna Elsy (perhaps a second marriage) is unclear as is the date (1780's) and place of marriage. They are however, tied to Russell County, Virginia located in the extreme southwestern part of the state 20 miles north of Bristol, through the record of their eldest son Isaac as recorded in the Cass County history. Otherwise the family is more closely identified with Sullivan County, Tennessee which borders Virginia and shares the city of Bristol.

The first record of Patrick known to exist is his listing in 1779 as a taxable in Washington County, N.C. which became Sullivan County, TN after 1780. In this record he is entered as Patrick Craguner where he is shown to have been assessed on: 170 acres of land, value £100; four horses, value £510; three cattle, value £30; and ready money, four shillings; for a total taxable estate of £640 and four shillings. While Negros were taxable property at that time, none were taxed to Patrick.

A 1784 listing of 5,486 North Carolina land grants in the new state of Tennessee shows at page 47, grant #1274 to be a general purchase grant to Patrick Cragon for 170 acres on Indian Creek, Sullivan County, Tennessee, a tributary of the Holston River. This farmstead was located only a few miles from Booher Creek, a tributary of Indian creek and the likely location of members of the Booher family. The Cragun and Booher families were later near neighbors in Boone County, Indiana.

Patrick's great-grandson, S. N. Cragun married Adelaide Booher at Worth Township, Boone County, in 1883; nearly one hundred years following their family’s neighboring settlements in Tennessee.

The last known listing for Patrick was in 1812 showing that Patrick Creggon sold 164 acres on Indian Creek to Charles Barnett on Feb. 19, 1812. However, a bit earlier he is found as Patrick Cragun of record in Russell Co., VA in 1806, about 30 miles North of the Indian Creek farm, when he was exempt from County levies on account of age and bodily infirmity.

The various spellings of his surname were characteristic of the times when clerks and recorders often wrote what they thought they heard without knowing whether the name was being spelled correctly or not. Doubtless these records all refer to the same individual.

Patrick and Rose (Alley) Cragun had eleven children
as follows:
Isaac , b. 1785. Immigrated to Indiana and settled in Cass County. His line spells the name CRAGAN.

Another Day Searching For Caleb Cragun In Ireland

The bad news is at the bottom. In Ancestry.com there is a tree http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/195701/person/-2111813003?ssrc= that shows Patricks birth in Abt 1700in Huntingdon, Huntingdonshire, England near the home of OLIVER CROMWELL.. I have heard this before.

It also shows Spouse & Children

Hannah as Spouse 1726 –

• and children
  Joshua Cragun – 1847 Patrick Cragun1745 – 1825

One of the better websites for free Irish church records is http://www.irishgenealogy.ie

Aside from the info below there wasn't a record of Patrick or Caleb under any spelling. There were enough not Patrick or Caleb to make it interesting, see comments below.  I followed every trail I could to no success.

These are Catholic Churches in Dublin. If Patrick came to Ireland as part of the plantation movement, it seems he would be Protestant.  Although legends say he was born in Dublin, that in fact may not be correct.

I am using the websites listed in the right sidebar of http://larrycragunfamily.blogspot.com/
I am searching the names that the website http;//www.IrishTimes.com/ancestor lists as most common: cregan, creaghan,creegon, creegan, creighane, creagin, cregin, creigan, Mac Creigain, Creagon, Creagone, Creegon, Creighan, Creggan.
I will be focused on Limerick, Galway, Monoghan, and Dublin as these are the areas with the most families with these names.

Nothing found in the site: http://digital.ucd.ie/ or The National Library of Ireland

http://www.irishgenealogy.ie/ = FOUND a baptism of a Patrick Joseph Creagan June   21, 1852: Father George Creagan, MOther Rose Murray: June 21, 1852: Spsonser Maurice Crehan in DublinParish Church: St Nicholas

There were many Creaghan, Cregan, and some Creagan in the mid 1700's found on the Irish Genealogy Site - In Dublin.

The Churches were St Nicolas, St Andrew, St Audoen, St Catherine, St Michan, and St Mary Pro Cathedral

I was able to do a  thorough name search of all names, only coming up with these mentioned.

I did find 1 Patt Cregan of Ormond Key who was baptized 9 July 1738. His father was James and mother Mary Duffe.

Searched FindMYPast.com for Caleb with name variants to no success.

Also Searched FamilySearch.org for:
Caleb *cra and *cre in London 1700 - 1799 with no results. 

Elisha And Caleb Cragun Familly Story

Elisha is believed to have been born at either Russell County, VA or Sullivan County, TN on February 22, 1786, the second child of Patrick and Rose Alley Cragun. While Elisha's birthplace may have been in doubt, his Virginia connection was certain through his wife. In 1811 he married Mary (Polly) Osborn, daughter of James and Mary (Whitaker) Osborn of Castle's Wood, then in Washington County, Virginia (now Castlewood in Russell County, Virginia). The Osborn's are recorded as being wealthy slave and land owners of the area.
Polly's father, James Osborn(e), was a member of the second group of settlers to reach the Castlewood area of Russell County Virginia shortly after 1769. It was a part of the Clinch River settlements in extreme southwest Virginia. His father, Caleb, was owner of a plantation of over 579 acres in the area of Cedar and Dutchman's Creek at the Forks of the Yadkin, Rowan County, North Carolina. James' wife, Mary Whittaker, was (probably) the daughter of one of the Whittakers whose land adjoined that of the Osborn's.
James Osborn was listed as a soldier at Moore's Fort in 1777. It was located at Cassell's Woods and until 1775 had been under the command of Daniel Boone who at that time departed the area to make his second entry into Kentucky. The story of Moore's Fort and the names of its' soldiers on June 30, 1777 can be found in the Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia, Pub#4, 1986, of the Historical Society of Southwest Virginia. James died on Dec 14, 1821 leaving to his widow the dwelling house, 1/3 of that tract of land and two Negroes. The remainder of his farm and eight Negroes were left to his son, Solomon. His other children, including Polly Cragun, Elisha's wife, were each bequeathed a certain undisclosed sum of money.
Polly was born in 1790, the youngest of nine children. Married at age 21, when Elisha was 25, they moved the fifty miles or so to join Patrick and the family in Sullivan County, Tennessee, where Rebecca was born to Mary in 1812 after Elisha had departed for army service.
Polly's older brother, Jonathan, migrated along with members of the Alley family to the area that became Franklin County, IN in 1811, the same year that the land was opened for settlement having been obtained from the Indians in 1809 by the Twelve Mile Purchase treaty. In 1813 he was among the first to draw land. The next year, in 1814, Elisha and Polly left Sullivan County, TN with their daughter, Rebecca, and on September 16th. entered four surveys of land near Jonathan's property and adjoining property of Peter Alley along Pipe Creek, at the junction of Metamora and Butler Townships in Franklin County, IN. Apparently, Elisha's entry into Indiana was delayed by service in the war of 1812 in which his brothers Isaac and John also served. Both John and Elisha are said to have served with the troops of General Andrew Jackson; however, Elisha's service can not be verified through records at the National Archives.
Later, on March 2, 1819, Elisha's younger brother, Caleb, twin of Joshua, entered a survey in the same area in Franklin County as Elisha and married the widowed Sarah (Alley) Jones with two children. By 1828, Joshua Cragun also settled in Franklin County; however, sometime between 1825 and 1827, Elisha and Polly moved on to Noble Township near Richland in Rush County after that land was opened for settlement following the St. Mary's Treaty with the Indians.
One can only be impressed with the way Elisha and his family kept following the frontier. As new lands were opened for settlement, they moved into them and developed farms bringing civilization along with them. They settled land and cultivated it in contrast to speculators of the time who claimed and simply held land against the hope of increased prices thus retarding both settlement and development of the frontier as it moved west.
With the exception of Rebecca, who had married and established her own home with Aaron Beeman in Rush County, in 1835 Elisha, Mary, and their nine other children claimed land in Boone County, cleared it of growth including the black walnut trees which grew in abundance and began to farm near what became known as the Pleasant View Community in Eagle Township between Zionsville and Whitestown. Not much is known about the family during this period. The record indicates that Mary died December 14,1844 at age 54 and daughter Abigail died three days later on December 17 at age 21. They were buried side by side on the farm in an otherwise unmarked grave where a large black walnut tree then stood.
Heiner described the land in 1965 as being lush and green with a stream called Jackson's Run flowing through the Pleasant View Church yard. This is now the location of Hutton Memorial Cemetery East of Whitestown where several family members have been buried. Heiner also reports that Elisha sold all or part of his holding to Washington St. Clair on September 8, 1845. This perhaps marks the breakup of the homestead done in preparation for the next shift to the west, which is explained by Heiner as follows: "During their moves from one county to another, Elisha encountered two Mormon missionaries - Nathan T. Porter, and Wilber Earl. Their doctrine appealed to Elisha and his wife, Mary. A very good friend, Henry Mower, a Methodist minister, had been converted to the Latter-day Church of Jesus Christ and he also influenced their faith and baptized Elisha 15 March 1843 at Jackson's Run."
After the death of his wife and daughter and sale of his property, Elisha made his way to Nauvoo, Illinois, to be near the head of the church there receiving a Patriarchal Blessing on November 10, 1845. Heiner also reports that Elisha was accompanied by several members of his family. With him at Nauvoo were his sister, Elizabeth, and brother, Syren. The record also shows that all of his surviving children except Hiram departed for the west. Two sons, James and Simeon and three daughters: Mary, Tyresha, and Tabitha ultimately completed the treck and settled in Utah. Rebecca Cragun Beeman and her family were reported by her son, Elisha, living in 1909 near Elizaville, Indiana, to have gone as far as Council Bluffs, Iowa, and then turned back for unknown reasons.
Elisha Cragun's fifth child, Enoch, and his wife, Molly (Peters), got as far west as Missouri then went north to Minnesota establishing a branch of the family which still lives in the area of Brainard, Minnesota.
Sara Jane, Elisha's youngest child, is reported to have died in 1847 or 1848. Nothing further is known of her.
Elisha is believed to have departed with a party from Nauvoo headed for Utah and got as far as Council Bluffs, Iowa or Winter Quarters, Nebraska where he died during the winter of 1846-47 at age 61. No record of his grave has been found, but he may be burried in one of the nearly 800 unmarked graves at the cemetery near the encampment at Florence, Nebraska on Rt.#75, north of Omaha, a victim of a cholera epidemic that winter.

Using The Website Roots Ireland To Search For Patrick Cragun

With my using my 43 different spellings of Cragun form I was tediously but fairly quickly able to search this website, as I do others, for variations of the name Cragun. Most of the time I search using the first initial and the last name. I entered C for Caleb and the spellings, using 1750 as a target date. Patrick was supposedly born in 1740, so I used a year within 10. The spelling Creagh is interesting, I also had a positive response when using that spelling.

On 10 of those versions they say they have records for those spellings. You get 10 free page results then have to pay.

I used 1 of those pages and the photo below is the result for C Cregon. Note the results came up Creagh,. This is helpful. It names counties I have searched: Limerick and Cork. Other research suggested I look in Limerick.

Being cheap, I didn't buy credits to view the documents. I am more likely to spend money when I have an idea these are relevant. 

In the meantime, they are clues.

Isaac and Caleb Cragun

Brothers Isaac and Caleb Cragun were found in Brookville, Franklin, Indiana 1820 Census. We are told that Caleb was also the name of their grandfather.

Elisha Cragun

I suggest you go here for an update on Elisha Cragun:

http://larrycragunfamily.blogspot.com/2012/12/there-is-lot-to-know-about-elisha-cragun.html


Info From Ancestry.com

Birth 22 February 1786. Sullivan County Tennessee

Died 1847 as a Mormon Pioneer in 1847. Age 61.

Mary had died 3 years earlier in after giving birth to a daughter who died 3 days later.

You can double click this photo to enlarge it.

Mary Polly Osborne

Mary Polly Osborne Married our grandfather Elisha Cragun in 1811. She was born in Russell Country Virginia Dec 17,1790 and died in Eagle, Boone County, Tennessee 14 Decembr 1844. Her parents we Janes Osborne and Mary Whittaker.

Glenn Samuel Cragun Obituary

Glenn S Cragun Obituary

To see the text in larger print click the slideshare logo.
Note, Glen was my Uncle - He only was married to Mrytle and they had no children. 

Searching for Isaacs wife, Esthers birth

1850 census shows born in VA. Is she Cornwell or Cornwall, that is my focus this afternoon:
Family Search: No results
FindAGrave: Searched Cass County Esther: Cragun, Craigen, Craigan, Cragan, = no results.
  Did Find via a search in Cass County a memorial for Caleb J Cragan, "the aged and well known citizen, died at his home at 722 Race street this morning at 9:30 o'clock, aged 73 years."

Isaac and Esther Cragun and Family and Spouses

The above is a photo off of Family Tree.Isaac is Patrick Craguns oldest son.

These are close descendants to Patrick Cragun. I am hoping that someone in Isaacs descendants, also then a descendant of Patrick might have a record confirming any detail of him. For example, Patricks Father is also a Caleb, we think. Can we confirm that? Who was Calebs wife? We have no details. I know it's a long shot, but there are 7 married children from Isaac. Maybe they will stumble along and be able to help.

Below are some of the fables or facts I would love to document:

• 
  The family of CRAGUN was founded in America by Patrick Cragun who came from Dublin, Ireland prior to the Revolutionary War and who took part in the struggles of the American Colonists that resulted in the winning of Independence. History of Cass County, Indiana p. 214
  Genealogical history of South West Virginia: Patrick Cragun had been arrested for the fourth time by the King's officers for his revolutionary tendencies.
  The identity of his wife, Rose Alley (or Abby) or Hanna Elsy (perhaps a second marriage) is unclear as is the date (1780's) and place of marriage. They are however, tied to Russell County, Virginia located in the extreme southwestern part of the state 20 miles north of Bristol, through the record of their eldest son Isaac as recorded in the Cass County history. Otherwise the family is more closely identified with Sullivan County, Tennessee which borders Virginia and shares the city of Bristol.

Isaac Craigen

This is a photo of the 1850 Census of Isaac Craigen Family. The 1820 Census spells it the same.

Data from this census: Esther not Esher
Both Isaac and Esther born in Virginia
Patrick age 23, Caleb age 21, Martha age 15, Esther age 13 confirms new family search data: all born in Indiana: Interestingly shows Caleb and Martha attending school that year.

Looking for Craigan records

Having found a census spelling Isaac the son of Patrick, with a spelling of C R A I G E N, I searched findagrave.com for any deaths with the same spelling. Many were cited, none who I am familier with.

Same no results on Billion Graves.com

Same no results on FamilySearch.org

Found 1850 and 1820 Census through Ancestry.com Both spelled CRAIGaN. The indexing doesn't match the image. The indexing shows it spelled CRAGAN.

Searcing Craigan:
Findagrave.com by Bart Flowers: Also reported as: Issac Craigan, Issac Cragan

Born: about 1785 Virginia/Tennessee
Died: prior to 11 May 1857, Cass County, Indiana
Buried: Olive Branch, southwest corner of Methodist Episcopal church, Mill Creek, Murphy's farm family burial ground.

click here for full article: 

Utah Pioneer Biographies

I had found a reference to the book series Utah Pioneer Biographies. FHL US/Can Book 979.2 D3u that had suggested their were life history stories of Families Cragun, Porter, Bingham, Freeman, and Osborne. Some of these families were not in this series and those that were included were not of our Family lines.

Patricks Son Caleb - Franklin County Indiana

Caleb Cragun, twin son of Patrick Cragun took up two tracts of land in twp 11, Range 13, in Franklin Co., Ind., in 1819; and another, a (40 a.) tract in 1835.

Birth:	1796 Sullivan County Tennessee, USA
Death:	unknown
Marrie: SARAH JAMES, 1820, Franklin County, Indiana Died: by 1838, " Killed in Mexican War - explosion breast works

Before his death, Caleb had sold two pieces of property, and then his admr. sold the remainder 9 Feb 1841 to Francis H. Schrader.

He appears in tax lists: Calip Cregin, Brookville twp, 1822; Caleb Cragen & Joshua Craigen, Brookville twp, 1828;
Caleb Cragan, Brookville twp 1831; Caleb Creggan & Caleb Creggans, 1837.

Caleb Cragun, his wife and two children (twins) are included in the 1820 census, for Franklin County, town of Brookville, Indiana; also in 1830 Franklin Co. Indiana Census.

Complete Write up on FindAGrave.com, click here

Mary Cragon and Joseph Hill Marriage Cert

Isaac Craigan Cragun Cragan

From FindAGrave.com Isaac Craigan

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Birth:  1785 Death:  unknown Also reported as: Issac Craigan, Issac Cragan Born: about 1785 Virginia/Tennessee Died: prior to 11 May 1857, Cass County, Indiana Buried: Olive Branch, southwest corner of Methodist Episcopal church, Mill Creek, Murphy's farm family burial ground. Married: ESTHER L. CORNWELL Date: 7 May 1817 Location: Russell County, Virginia Children: (?) (William F. Cragun, b.1819 Va/TN; or could be son of Patrick, Sr.?) (A) Susannah Jane Craigan Born: 1825 Married: Jonathan SHIDLER Date: 1847 (B) Patrick S. Cragan Born: 1827 Indiana Married: 1st Lydia V. LAMBORN Date: 1857; Married: 2nd Lucy C. FELLERS, Date: 1883 (C) Caleb J. Cragan Born: 1829 Indiana Married: Margaret HUMES Date: 1871 (D) Mary Cragan Born: 11 June 1831 Indiana Married: Joseph W. HILL Date: 8 May 1849? (E) Martha Craigan, Born: 1835 Indiana Married: James MONTGOMERY, Jr. Date: 1857 (F) Esther L. Craigan Born: 1837 Indiana Married: James G. KENDRICK Date: 1860 Family links:  Parents:   Patrick Cragun (1745 - ____)  Children:   Mary Cragun Hill (1832 - 1875)* *Calculated relationship Burial: Unknown Created by: Bart Fowers Cragun Record added: Sep 11, 2010 Find A Grave Memorial# 58526211

Headstone Mary Cragun Cragen Craigan Hill ??

From FindAGrave.com

Birth:	Jan. 18, 1832
Death:	Jan. 24, 1875
Mary (Cragun) Hill was a dau of Isaac & Esther L. (Cornwell) Cragun; and a granddaughter of Patrick Cragun who came from the northern part of Ireland to settle in Virginia. Eva L. Cragun Heiner [Source: Patrick Cragun Descs in America 1744-1969 and Ancestors & Desc of Edmund Ellis 1718-1969, 1969] Mary Cragun married Joseph W. Hill, a blacksmith, on May 8, 1849, Cass County, Indiana. Soon after their marriage they removed to Fulton County, Indiana; two years later they returned to Cass County, and remained until 1863. They then returned to Fulton County, remaining there thirteen years before moving once again, to Starke County, Indiana where he died. They had twelve children.

Isaac And Esther Craigan, Cragan, or Cragun?

Isaac Cragun is said to have married Esther L Cornwall. I am looking for records that confirm anything about her, including her parents. The information below shows a different spelling for Isaac.

Perhaps the spelling of Esthers family name is wrong. I am having difficulty finding her in any census or on line searches.

From FindAGrave:

Isaac Craigan

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Birth:  1785 Death:  unknown Also reported as: Issac Craigan, Issac Cragan Born: about 1785 Virginia/Tennessee Died: prior to 11 May 1857, Cass County, Indiana Buried: Olive Branch, southwest corner of Methodist Episcopal church, Mill Creek, Murphy's farm family burial ground. Married: ESTHER L. CORNWELL Date: 7 May 1817 Location: Russell County, Virginia Children: (?) (William F. Cragun, b.1819 Va/TN; or could be son of Patrick, Sr.?) (A) Susannah Jane Craigan Born: 1825 Married: Jonathan SHIDLER Date: 1847

Cragun Cousins In Pleasant View Utah

I was fun today to have a missionary in our zone had found a picture of children of my fathers brothers in Pleasanat View. These are Craguns I have never met, nor am I aware that I have met any of  their childeren. For those who might be a Cragun and come across this article: My grandfather was Simeon Cragun and my grandmother was his second wife, Blanche Rebecca Bingham.

Levi and my father had the same father but different mothers.

New Article on The Cragun Name

It is on the Larry Cragun Family and Genealogy Blog: Click here

So Patrick Was Likely Scots-Irish

With the outbreak of the Revolution in 1775 the Scots-Irish, in interesting contrast to many of their Scottish cousins, were among the most determined adherents of the rebel cause.  Their frontier skills were particularly useful in destroying Burgoyne’s army in the Saratoga campaign; and George Washington was even moved to say that if the cause was lost everywhere else he would take a last stand among the Scots-Irish of his native Virginia.  Serving in the British Army, Captain Johann Henricks, one of the much despised ‘Hessians’, wrote in frustration ‘Call it not an American rebellion, it is nothing more than an Irish-Scotch Presbyterian Rebellion.’  It was their toughness, virility and sense of divine mission that was to help give shape to a new nation, supplying it with such diverse heroes as Davy Crocket and Andrew Jackson.  They were indeed God’s frontiersmen, the real historical embodiment of the lost tribe of Israel.

Two Stories About Patrick That Make Sense

1- He left with 40 others. 
2- He had heard how great it was in America.

In the paragraph below, taken from

THE SCOTS-IRISH
THEIR CHARACTER AND PATTERNS OF MIGRATION by David Strong

We can notice that there were several migrations from Ulster and that large groups and many ships left. I see it as likely Patrick, as claimed by some left with a group. It is also likely that stories of America got back to Ireland.  

Migrations from Ireland: In 1717, more that 5000 Ulstermen left for America. There followed five great waves of migration to the thirteen original American Colonies, in 1717-18; 1725-29; 1740-41; 1754-55; and 1771-75. In the period 1714-1720 alone, some 55 shiploads of immigrants sailed from Ireland to ports in New England.

The City of Londonderry

The City of Londonderry was the jewel in the crown of the Ulster plantation. It was laid out according to the best contemporary principles of town planning, imported from the continent (the original street lay-out has survived to the present almost intact). More importantly, the city was enclosed by massive stone and earthen fortifications. It was the last walled city built in Ireland and the only city on the island whose ancient walls survive complete. Among the city's new buildings was St. Columb's Cathedral (1633). This is one of the most important 17th century buildings in the country and was the first specifically Protestant cathedral erected anywhere in the world following the Reformation.

History of the Scotch-Irish or Ulster Scot

From  - History of the Scotch-Irish or Ulster Scot

By Linda Merle

Scotland

Most Ulster Scots were in Scotland before they migrated to Ireland. MOST but not ALL! 

Most of them were in areas of Scotland adjacent to Ireland. The largest migration of Scots to Ireland was in the early 1600's. Due to lack of definitive records, we do not have exact numbers, but in the early 1600's 120,000 are believed to have migrated -

In the early 1600's Ireland was the primary destination for migrating Scots because it provided opportunities that Scotland couldn't offer-- and Scots were not welcome in English colonies. Protestants were welcome. Catholic Scots, of which there are many, were not welcomed by the government in Ireland, though some did come, largely at the behest of Scottish Catholic lords, on whose lands in Scotland they may have already been living. But the bulk were Presbyterian lowlanders. They include a group of Protestant lowlanders that the Scottish government settled in Kintyre.

An unknown number of Scots fled back to Scotland in the 1630's to avoid religious persecution in Scotland.

Ulster

The Ulster Irish spoke of course Irish, which was simply a different dialect of Gaelic. Scots and Irish could communicate without difficulty. This isn't surprising since the Scotti, an Irish tribe, moved from Ireland originally. They also followed similar naming patterns to the Irish. There were sons of Hughs, Johns, and James everywhere. So they sometimes ended up with the same or similar surnames as the incoming Scots.

In 1641, many Ulster Scots were killed by the Irish in the Rising, but we are not sure how many. 

In the 1680's more Scots came to Ireland, fleeing the Killing Times in south western Scotland.

In the late 1690's, another period of enhanced Scots immigration to Ireland occurred after King William secured his throne. Apparently, whole new towns and villages sprang up at this time. There is also evidence of a famine in Scotland which caused increased migration.

After the Williamite Settlement, there were no large movements of Scots to Ireland because economic conditions in Ireland were not good. Sometimes, they fled to Ireland to avoid religious persecution, though sometimes they fled back to Scotland to escape it in Ireland. People also moved in both directions at various times to avoid political problems. People also migrated seasonally to Scotland to work on farms.

The surnames of the non-British settlers rapidly became anglicized so that they can be difficult to identify by surname alone.

Finally, Irish assimilated into the Ulster Scots ethnic group. As Irish converted to Protestantism, descendants assumed their families came from Scotland as they adopted the myths of the Ulster Scot as their own. However some don't! Surnames were fluid. Adopting a new ethnic identity was very simple: drop the O. Some Irish surnames began with Mac as well as Scots. By dropping the Mac, the name was anglicized and indistinguishable from English surnames.

In the 1600's, there appears to have been an ethnic fluidity in Ireland. Your "ethnicity" was determined more by your choice of religion rather than your ancestrage.

Ulster is adjacent to Scotland -- so that's where many Scots went. It was easy to go over and come back again.

Often, it was difficult to tell a Scot from an Irish because in many cases, they shared a common culture and spoke a common tongue. They had similar cultures.

In the late Middle Ages, a new phenomena began to occur that would have a massive impact on Ireland. Irish lords began to hire Scottish mercenaries to help fight their intertribal and wars with the English. They were called Galloglass soldiers from the Irish gall oglaigh or stranger soldiers. They were apparently from the western Scotland and of mixed Scots and Viking origin. They changed the course of history in the 1500's. Through one dynastic marriage, an Irish lord got 10,000 of these soldiers. Some of them settled down in Ireland and established clans of their own. The McSweenies are one example of a galloglass clan who assimilated into the Irish. If they stayed Catholic, they assimilated into the Irish and lost their ethnic identity as Scots.

As mentioned, the majority of the Ulster Scots came in the Ulster Plantation period. They came willingly, recruited by their lairds, many of whom were also acquiring Irish estates. Their forte was not only farming but also the skilled labor required to create a colony. They could build homes, raise livestock, blacksmith, and so on.

Colonial United States

Many other peoples came to the new world before the Ulster Scots. They did not begin coming in large numbers in 1718.

New England

The first to emigrate came to Boston. Their ministers were invited by the Rev. Cotton Mather. In 1781, the first five ships arrived in Boston harbor. However, they did not receive a warm welcome since they were very different from the ethnocentric Massachusetts Bay Colony. Massachusetts was a theocracy aimed at a homogeneous society.

The Ulster Scots attempted to set up insular, isolated colonies in which they could be themselves, but the New Englanders literally tore down their meeting houses. Hence, the Scotch Irish moved to the frontier in search of places beyond the control of Massachusetts. As Massachusetts moved in to control them, they moved on. Hence, they are to be found in New Hampshire, Connecticut, Western Massachusetts.

They continued to migrate westward to New York (Newburgh area) and beyond to Pennsylvania. Then they joined other newcomers in the Great Migration southward and westward.

The first five ships who brought Ulster immigrants are know as the Five Ships.

Southern Colonies

The Scotch-Irish, moving down the Wagon Road from the north, were joined by countrymen arriving from Ulster. They moved southward and settled the inland Great Valley of Virginia first, then moved to the hilly Carolina Piedmont area to the south. In the 1750's and later, the Scotch-Irish were still arriving via Philadelphia and then traveling by land up to 700 miles southwest to the Carolinas. However, they also entered through Charleston though almost none are known to have entered ports in North Carolina. 

In 1761, the colony offered to pay passage for these poor Protestants but required a certificate from their church testifying that they were of good character. These terms expired in 1768 though the Council ruled that poor Protestants would still be given land free of charge but still were charged various fees. They, also, had to travel to the land and to appear in person before the Governor in Council to request land.

Thus the names of grantees appear in the Council records.

Families from Ulster and elsewhere (Pennsylvania, Scotland) began to flood in. In the 1750s, while still more came in the 1760s and even after the bounties expired. They continued to come after the Revolution. Note that, some Catholics also came from Ireland, including a few that were granted land though their religion was known.

They Came From Ulster

The emigrants who left Ireland prior to the American Revolutionary War came solely from the province of Ulster. More than five thousand people emigrated from Ulster in 1717-1718. Those families sent back favorable reports, which helped to pave the way for future migrations. Between 1725 and 1729 there was another wave of emigration from Ulster, again induced primarily by the suffering caused by rack-renting. During that migration it was estimated that over six thousand people left Ulster in 1728 alone. In 1740 a major famine devastated Ireland and brought about the third major wave of emigration from Ulster. The fourth wave emigrated in 1754-1755, partly as a result of hardships occasioned by drought and partly because of an effort made by the governor of the province of North Carolina to attract settlers to that colony. Governor Dobbs had left Ulster himself, and his call was answered by many other Ulstermen. The last major wave of emigration occurred between 1771 and 1775. At least twenty-five thousand people are believed to have emigrated during this period. That great wave of departure from Ireland was motivated primarily by the eviction of so many families from county Antrim when the leases on the estate of the Marquis of Donegal expired and the settlers could not comply with the rack-renting demands. Altogether, approximately 200,000 people, primarily of Scottish descent and Presbyterian faith, left Ulster and sailed for America between 1717 and 1775.

Scotland, at the start of the 1700

Scotland, at the start of the 1700s, was a very poor country. The best farmlands were in the Lowlands, but those farmlands were overrun by the Highlanders and the English so often, that the Lowlanders were not motivated to work very hard to make their farms profitable. They simply did as best as they could to keep alive. In addition to that, the Scots were overall ignorant of "modern" farming methods. They knew little about the value of crop rotation. They tended to plant the same crop year after year until the ground was practically depleted of any nutrients. An English traveler who visited the Lowlands of Scotland in the early 1700s noted that, for the most part, the countryside was so barren that grass did not even grow there.

Patrick Was Likely From Ulster When He Ran Away

In the northern counties of Ulster, however, a different attitude (than very hesitant to leave family) held sway with a sizeable proportion of people.

Presbyterians, most of whom had Scottish ancestry, had also suffered discrimination in Ireland but they were not inhibited to the same degree by 'ancestral' connection with the soil. They sincerely believed they would find tolerance, freedom and happiness in North America.

They were also, to varying extents, more economically independent than their Catholic neighbours. Many were artisans, shopkeepers, or young professionals, and some worked in the Irish linen trade. These early waves of Irish emigration were often in response to economic peaks and troughs.

Up to 1720, when New England was the destination of choice for most, the flow was steady but numbers were not large. Numbers rose at the end of that decade and then dropped again.

A famine in the early 1740s saw renewed interest in Atlantic passage, and Irish emigration never really subsided afterwards. In 1771-1773, more than 100 ships left the Ulster ports of Newry, Derry, Belfast, Portrush and Larne, carrying some 32,000 Irish immigrants to America. Meanwhile, a similar number set sail from Dublin, Cork and Waterford alone. Some of these would certainly have been Catholics. By 1790, the USA's Irish immigrant population numbered 447,000 and two-thirds originated from Ulster.
Back in Ireland, the population had grown from only 2.3 million at mid-century to as much as 5 million by 1800. The vast majority lived in poverty.

No Caleb Cragun in these lists

In 1740 a list of Protestant Householders was compiled for Ireland. Within Ulster transcripts of  names and places are available for counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, Donegal, Londonderry and Tyrone. The transcripts are arranged by county, barony and parish. As far as I know, townlands are not given except for the baronies of Keenaght and North West Liberties in County Londonderry.

The Plantation Movement in 1745 Timeline

I had a few minutes today to ask a Family History Library Consultant a question on trying to locate our grandfather Caleb Cragun. He only had a few minutes but was able to provide some info and  will give me more later. He coincidentally has been searching for 20 years on a similar family story: From England to Ireland and Originally from Scotland. I think there is a high probability our Family follows this heritage back to Scotland.

There were companies of guilds that were sent from London called the London Company. There were more than one. The second apparently were those of Scottish heritage.

He told me that there were patterns of movement for these families. Ours likely ended up in Ulster. From Wiki:

The Plantation of Ulster (Irish: Plandáil Uladh) was the organised colonisation (plantation) of Ulster – a province of Ireland – by people from Scotland and England. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606,^[1] while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609. All land owned by Irish chieftains of the Uí Néill and Uí Domhnaill (along with those of their supporters) was confiscated and used to settle the colonists. This land comprised an estimated half a million acres (2,000 km²) in the counties Tyrconnell, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Cavan, Coleraine and Armagh.^[2] Most of the counties Antrim and Down were privately colonised.^[1]
The "British tenants",^[3] a term applied to the colonists,^[4] were mostly from Scotland and England. They were required to be English-speaking and Protestant.^[5] The Scottish colonists were mostly Presbyterian^[3] and the English mostly members of the Church of England. The Plantation of Ulster was the biggest of the Plantations of Ireland. Ulster was colonised to prevent further rebellion, as it had been the region most resistant to English control during the preceding century.

That movement of people, when in America, tended to move South into Virginia. This again gives a  hope we have corroboration coming on Patrick as he did go South.


He is beginning to upload his 20 years of research into the Family Search Wiki.

I next am trying to locate the names if published of people in this company.

Ireland Conditions When Patrick Cragun Was Born

The Irish Famine of 1740–1741 (Irish: Bliain an Áir, meaning the Year of Slaughter) in the Kingdom of Ireland was perhaps of similar magnitude to the better-known Great Famine of 1845–1852.



Creggan Parish Church, Armagh


Today was another interesting day learning about a piece of Irish history. I have to go there some day.

I carfully went through a journal looking for Patricks family. There has been some who say he was born in Dublin, other references Armagh, where this Parish is.

It was more interesting than productive, click here for the story.

A complete list of parish members in 1766 was in the journal, no Craggens of any spelling were on it.

There is a town it serves called Craggenduff.

The Big Challenge

Big Challenge: What was Patricks Fathers real name spelling, even verify his first name as Caleb- What county in Ireland did he live in?

Searching Through Books In the Sale Lake City Family History Libraries

The Salt Lake City Family History Library has from 10 to 30 historical books and reference books on the areas Patrick Cragun is believed to have lived: Boone County Indiana, Sullivan Tennessee, and Russell County Virginia.

It has been said he was arrested 4 times for civil disobedience in Virginia. Was it there? I see no records of his being there, as incomplete as the books coverages is.

Cass County was also referenced in those available books. I need to review them soon. I found a property even in Sullivan County using the name Patrick Craguner and a Patrick Cragon reference for both the purchase and sale of land in Sullivan County, a few miles from Booher Creek, near Booher Creek. The purchase was in 1784 and the sale in 1812, 164 acres. In 1806 he was exempt from taxes as Patrick Cragun due to age and infirmity, that was in Russell County, Virginia - 30 miles north of Indian Creek.

For those interested outside of Patrick there was a book, "The Cragun and Related Families in Boone County Indiana 1835 - 1988. The largest Cragun notation was to the local eduator and newspaper owner Strange Nathaniel Cragun, owner of The Cragun House.

Some of My Patrick Cragun Questions

View more documents from Larry K Cragun is on a family history mission .

Cragun Name Spelling Variations

This attached document will likely be revised over and over. It is posted on my http://slideshare.net/ account for easy downloading. You are welcome to use and or revise it. Click here

Cragun Name Spelling Variations

Slideshare is a handy website. It's early application was to upload power points, something like YouTube with videos. Now  you  can upload PDF or other documents.

In this case I scanned the form. That didn't come out in a format I could post on the blog, there for SlideShare fit the need.

Lebanon Indiana Library

The Lebanon Public Library apparantly has a vast amount of microfilm of old newspapers. Maybe about Craguns. Anyone able to research there?

Cragun House The Location of The Boone County Historical Society

Boone County Historical Society seems to have a library that includes Cragun Histories. Anyone able to go there?

More Questions Than Answers on Patrick Cragun, I Think

I guess we have a lot of answers, really, when we inventory what we know about the history of The Cragun family from Patrick down.
Today was another family history library day, half day actually.

I was focused on Patrick and Sullivan County Tennessee. The history of this area in the times of Patrick is fascinating. Patrick is found here in 1780 as Cregan. Pg 226 Index to Oliver Taylors Historic Sullivan County, land transaction.

We have undocumented, as far as I know of his children being born in Sullivan County or Russell County Virginia. In an earlier post I downplayerd the Virginia factor. Perhaps I am wrong in this although it is about 43 miles from one the Tennessee location to the Virginia location. The children possibly born in Virginia are in the middle of those born in Tennessee.


I have a form that says, "I want to know", "I already know", and "I conclude that" Here is one of the questions in my "I want to know column". You are welcome to help.

Did he serve in the revolutionary war? Here are reasons I would love to have this answer: Patrick is about 35 years old when he shows up in Sullivan County, Tn. Sullivan County is named after the Revolutionary War hero General John Sullivan. General Sullivan ended his career with his battle against the Iriquos in that area of Tennessee. Patrick would have been about 22 when the Boston Tea Party. If he participated in that, where was he between that Boston event and age 35 in Tennessee? Is it possible that as Sullivan served part of the war in Boston that Patrick was one of his soldiers, and followed him to Tennessee?

If you want a good Cragun history task, work on this question with me.

The answer to that might help fill in a lot of unknown.

Researcing Patrick Cragun At The Family History Library

I had time Friday to go through every book in the Salt Lake City Family History Library on the topics of histories of Virginia and Indiana.

The only references in any of them that I could find that mentioned Patrick, one in Indiana, his death and a reference to his son, Elisha, who is my 3rd great grandfather. Elisha is clearly in Indiana. I do plan on studying Elisha more.

Patrick Cragun Living in Virginia, Doubtful

Yesterday I spent several hours looking for grandfather Patrick in Virginia. No results. In looking back in new family search where data suggests he had children in Virginia it has become my assumption they were born in Indiana or not his children.

For that reason I am removing articles I have published here referring to Patrick living in Virginia. I am also going to edit the references in new family search.

Kingdom of Great Britain

This article is about the historical kingdom, before the Acts of Union 1800 with Ireland. For the modern state, see United Kingdom. For the island, see Great Britain.

Kingdom of Great Britain
← ← 1707–1801 →
Flag Royal Coat of arms
Motto Dieu et mon droit (English: "God and my right")2
Anthem None Official – Unofficially "God Save The King/Queen"
Territory of Great Britain
Capital	London
Language(s)	English (de facto official), Cornish, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Norn, Welsh
Government	Parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
Monarch
- 1707–1714	Anne
- 1714–1727	George I
- 1727–1760	George II
- 1760–1801	George III
Prime Minister
- 1721–1742	Robert Walpole
- 1742–1743	Earl of Wilmington
- 1757–1762	Duke of Newcastle
- 1766–1768	William Pitt the Elder
- 1770–1782	Lord North
- 1783–1801	William Pitt the Younger
Legislature	Parliament of Great Britain
- Upper house	House of Lords
- Lower house	House of Commons of Great Britain
Historical era	18th century
- Established	1 May 1707
- 1801 Union[1]	1801
Area
- 1801	230,977 km2 (89,181 sq mi)
Population
- 1801 est.	16,345,646
Currency	Pound sterling
Today part of	United Kingdom3
1Cornish: Rywvaneth Breten Veur; Scots: Kinrick o Great Breetain; Scottish Gaelic: Rìoghachd na Breatainne Mòire; Welsh: Teyrnas Prydain Fawr. 2 The Royal motto used in Scotland was In My Defens God Me Defend. 3 England, Scotland, Wales.

The Kingdom of Great Britain, described occasionally as the United Kingdom of Great Britain,^[2][3][4] was a sovereign state in northwest Europe, that existed from 1707 to 1801. It came into being on 1 May 1707, with the political union of the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England (which included Wales). With the 1706 Treaty of Union (ratified by the Acts of Union 1707), it was agreed to create a single, united kingdom, encompassing the whole of the island of Great Britain and its minor outlying islands, excluding Ireland, which remained a separate realm under the newly created British crown. A single parliament and government, based at Westminster, controlled the new kingdom. The former kingdoms had already shared the same monarch since James VI, King of Scots became King of England in 1603 following the death of Queen Elizabeth I, bringing about a "Union of the Crowns".
On 1 January 1801, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland united to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Most of Ireland left the union as the Irish Free State in 1922, leading to the remaining state being renamed as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1927