It is my hope that others will collaborate on our interesting Cragun family history.
I received this information from a distant cousin, Bart Fowers Cragun. You may have seen his work on
http://findagrave.com/ as he provided much on that site. Bart provided me the following. I had told him I would like to go deeper than our Aunt, Eva Heiner Cragun and to prove or dispel some of the Patrick Cragun fables and stories. I really wanted to prove them.
Even more, the trail with Patrick stops too soon. What about Caleb? Who was his mother?
From Bart:
I have been searching for more information on Patrick, but have yet to find anything concrete. The bulk of my information has come from the book written by my 2nd great aunt Eva C. Heiner.
The books that my grandfather, Earl B. Cragun, wrote also contain similar information.
Because there is no solid information available I have been researching for information on both Patrick and his father Caleb Cragun.
I would really like to know where the 'Cragun' name originated and how it was spelled. By doing so I hope to be able to solve some of our puzzle.
My grandpa Earl served his mission in Europe starting in 1927. Here are some of his writings concerning his genealogical research in Scotland & Ireland.
June 15th - I called at the Register House with Elder Duncan. A most marvelous collection of books is assembled here. Tens of thousands of well bound old records are on the steel shelves
in this massive fire-proof building, and adjoining buildings. My disappointment was a great one, in failing to find references to the name 'Cragun'. Craigen, Craig, Craigie, and almost a hundred
different forms of spelling of this name, is found in various parts of Scotland. However, the searchers of the records told me that most likely, possible, and very probable, that is came through a
succession of changes from the name more like M'Cracken, and that the M'Cracken's migrated to the Scottish West Coast at Wigtown, and then returned to Ireland. Many of them could have
dropped the 'Mac' (M'c) (Meaning 'son of') from their name. Thus, Cracken could be their new name. It may have been that the spelling was changed in Ireland or in America to Cragun. After
1600 A.D., the people in Scotland did less traveling about, than before that date. It was more usual for people to move westward. It was a very common thing for Scottish familes moving to Ireland,
to drop the Mac from their names.
June 22nd - Elder Royal Jensen and I, have spent the entire day in the Public Library in search for clues that will aid in tracing the 'Cragun' name preceding Patrick Cragun of 1726. After my findings today, I feel that most likely M'Cracken has no relationship to Cragun. The name Cragun, though varied in it's forms of spelling, is very much Irish. Many prominent citizens in this country are known by the names Cregan and Cragen. In the riots of 1922, the older records of the country were burned, and therefore, histories and genealogies are only obtainable as a rule, from the beginning of 1800. Churches and towns in Armaugh, and other counties, bear the name of Cragan, etc.
** (Interesting Note: My grandpa says 'Patrick Cragun of 1726', but for the most part all other information says Patrick was born around 1745/46)
June 25th - ... I rode along the border between Ulster and the Free State, for fifteen miles, to the Parish of Cragun, (spelled Creggan)....
June 26th - After a decent breakfast, I returned to the Creggan Parish Church by the way of this beautiful little road. I took a snap shot of the Creggan School, Church, and Rectory House. I made a special tour of the Cemetery and the gravestones. Both the Church and the Cemetery are very ancient in age and looks, and dates back to the Pre-Reformation days. Creggan means 'Little Rock'. The church stands on a rocky cliff which projects out into the gulch through which a stream called Creggan flows. The entire place is heavily wooded with beautiful trees, and covered with a blanket of grass and flowers. Some of the records in the church are very old, even dating back to 1780.
The Cragun name was not to be found on the records. The people in this part of the country are very curious. It's a question of death, when once they engage in fights and quarrels.
In Newry, I heard of a family of Cregans living there. I called at the home and as the woman (Mrs. Cregan) opened the door, she stepped back with great surprise, and stood spell bound. I told her my name and the purpose of my visit. I was invited inside. She said that at first sight she thought that I was her husbands cousin, who was killed in the war in a submarine, for I looked so very much like him. Upon the wall hung a picture of her husband, Mr. Cregan, and it looked just like my Uncle James Hyrum Cragun of Council Bluffs, Iowa. At last, Mr. Cregan arrived at the home, and an interesting conversation ensued. He owns a bus company bearing his name. He testified that hundreds of families of... (the page stops there, the next page being a different record. I will have to talk to my aunt to see if she still has the original record of this to search for my clues & information).
Please let me know what I can do to be of more help.
Thanks,
Bart Cragun > David Rhees Cragun > Earl Budge Cragun > Mormon Cragun > Wilford E. Cragun > Simeon Cragun > Etc.
