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.NEW "The Families of James McCracken" .pdf ebooks ~~~~ . ** line of Erie McCracken . ** JAMES McCRACKEN the subject of this study was born about 1753 en route to America, and died probably in December of 1813 in Clearfield County, PA. His sons Joseph and William took out letters of administration on 7 Jan. 1814. He married SARAH REBECCA GREENWOOD in Cumberland County, PA and their first son was born in 1775. Rebecca is the daughter of JOSEPH GREENWOOD and his wife MARY. She was born July 11, 1756 in PA, and died some time after 1806 in Clearfield County, PA. (More about Rebecca under the Greenwood family) My mom had mentioned on several occasions that she thought she had heard that the land that James and Rebecca settled on was a grant from the Penn's. If you check out chapter 3 of Swoop's history you can see the document where William Penn bought the land from the Five Nations and all that happened after that. Chapter 4 for the early jurisdictions. "Prior to the year 1804, what is now the great and rich County of Clearfield
was a part of Lycoming and Huntington Counties. These counties were divided by
the West Branch of the Susquehanna, those living on its Northern or Western bank
being located in Lycoming county, while those who settled on its Southern or
Eastern bank became citizens of Huntingdon county."
. Abstract from the Administration bond on the estate of James McCracken decd No. 3256 in Center county, PA January 7, 1814. . We Joseph McCracken and William McCracken, Roland Curtin and Benjamin Fenton, of the counties of Centre and Clearfield, administrators of the goods and chattels and credits of James McCracken late of the township of Pike in Clearfield county, deceased….do cause to be made to the said orphans court by decree of law now in force in this commonwealth…do make a true and perfect inventory. If it shall appear that any last and will and testament by the said deceased be found…it shall be submitted to the registers office making a request to have it allowed and approved accordingly. Signed by Jos McCracken, Wm (his + mark) McCracken, Roland Curtin, and Benjamin Fenton Among his possessions were the following in addition to the normal household goods and farming implements. 1 horse, 1 cow and calf, 9 sheep, 1 hog, 7 geese, 100 small apple trees, 1 windmill, canoe, 2 crooks and shoemaker hammer, 14 yards of tow cloth for a total of $694.67 Signed by Arthur Bell and Robt Maxwell the Jan 21, 1814. |
. From the list of his possessions we can tell he probably grew flax and wove it into tow cloth for work clothes. Cotton material was probably hard to come by, as they would have to get it from the nearest settlement where they would have gone at least once a year when they had to take the grain to the mill to have it ground into flour. They would also have to get sugar and salt and have the plow repaired or any number of conveniences not available to them. We can see that he had at least planed on having an apple orchard. They made their own shoes, had milk and eggs and a variety of meat to eat. With 12 children to feed they must have had a good-sized garden. From the History of Clearfield county, PA - Aldrich - 1887 We learn "The McCracken’s, were numbered among the pioneers of Clearfield county, PA, and who had a large family in the area. They came to the, then unsettled, river country about the beginning of the 19th century, soon after the arrival of 'Squire' Arthur Bell, who was a brother-in-law of James McCracken. James is remembered as having been a man of great physical strength and activity..." Some Genealogies and Family Records -1931 Albert Straw says he came to Clearfield from Huntingdon county. We did find a James McCracken listed on the 1800 Census in Warriors Mark, Huntingdon county, PA with 6 sons, 2 daughters, himself (over 45) and his wife age (26 to 44). Caldwell’s 1878 Atlas of Clearfield County Pennsylvania Names Daniel Ogden and Arthur Bell as two of the first settlers followed by Paul Clover and James McCracken then John Ferguson and Thomas McClure. They all settled on the west Branch of the Susquehanna river between Clearfield and Lumber City and are credited as the hardy stock that paved the way for the following generations. The move to this untamed wilderness was difficult and wrought dangers. The nearest settlement was at Bald Eagle some 140 miles away by water. They would bring in their provisions by canoe, poling their way upstream from Bellefonte or Milesburg. The overland route was via the old Indian path by Snow Shoe to Milesburg. They would have brought their livestock via this route carrying their household goods and farming tools on packhorses. We can see James McCracken with his older sons going into the wilderness to clear out some land and begin building some kind of shelter, and probably turning the soil for a garden. They would have then returned home for the winter and bring the family to their new home in the spring. The Raftsman’s Journal reports the story of a surveyor wading across the river from McClure’s place to McCracken’s in 1802 in which he met and named James McCracken and 4 or 5 of his sons. . Some Genealogies and Family Records A. Y. Straw - 1931 "James, first located with his family on the river above Curwensville, Pike township, on a farm owned later by George Addleman. He then moved on the ridge where Bloomington is located, (Ferguson township) The land was later owned by the Peal Coal Company." 1938 NSSAR record of Thomas McCracken of Mahaffey, PA (provided by Philip McCracken III) As proof he sites Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series, Vol., VI, Page 353 & 442 1) Capt. Samuel Lemon’s Co. 5th Battalion, Cumberland county Militia, Col. Mitchell, Year 1780- James McCracken 6th Class. 2) Thomas Askey’s Company of the 8 Class of the 6th Battalion of Cumberland county Militia, Col. James Dunlap, Aug 14 1782. (Casper Hockenbury Class 3, Same Company, brother-in-law of James McCracken. James McCracken and his wife are buried in McClure’s cemetery in Curwensville, PA. 
Photo by Philip McCracken III - 2006
Children of James McCracken & Rebbeca Greenwood 1) Joseph McCracken + Margaret Jordan ** 2) Robert McCracken + Rachina Straw 3) James McCracken + Mary Jordan 4) Thomas McCracken + Rebecca Bell 5) Daniel McCracken + Elizabeth Ann Corrigan 6) Mary E. McCracken + William Hepburn 7) Margaret McCracken + John P. Dale 8) John McCracken + Mary Bell 9) William McCracken + Rachel Bell 10) Nancy McCracken + James Clark 11) Sarah McCracken + James Fleming 12) Greenwood McCracken + Mary
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