Descendants of Robert McCracken
Son of James McCracken and Rebecca Greenwood
obert McCracken Sr. is the second son of James McCracken Sr. coming to Clearfield County at the turn of the century (1800/02) with his parents. He married Rachel Straw, a daughter of Nicholas Straw about 1806 in Clearfield Co. “To Robert and his wife, a daughter of Nicholas Straw Sr., one of the most numerous progeny of any family in Clearfield County was produced." - A. Y. Straw 1931-
We first find him in 1806 when he was assessed in the first count of Clearfield County as a freeman. On the 1810 census he has 3 males under 10, William, John Nicholas, James and himself 26 to 45. His wife was 16 to 26. He is again found in the first count of Penn Township in 1814.
On the 1820 Pike township census he has four males under 10 (James, David, Cornelius and Robert), two 10 to 16 (William and John Nicholas), and himself 45 or older and the females were one under 10 (Sarah) and his wife 26 to 45.
In 1830 in Beccaria Township he has males, one 5 to 10 (George), two 10 to 15 (Cornelius and Robert), two 15 to 20 (James and David), two 20 to 30 (William and John Nicholas) and himself 50 to 60. The females are two under 5 (Rachel and Catherine), one 5 to 10 (Sarah) and one 40 to 50 his wife.
Then in 1839 he is assessed in the first count of Ferguson Township and on the 1840 Jordan Township census he has males one 15 to 20 (Levi) two 20 to 30 (George and Robert) and himself 60 to 70 and the females are two 10 to 15 (Rachel and Catherine) one 15 to 20 (Sarah) and his wife 50 to 60.
The 1850 census of Ferguson Township shows Robert McCracken as age 72 and a farmer. His wife Rachel is 63, Levi age 26 and Rachel age 22. It was about this time that he sold his property in Ferguson Township to George Williams from Centre County and moved his family to Knox Township about a mile above New Millport, Pa where he raised a family of 8 sons and 3 daughters. He lived here until his death in 1852. His wife, Rachael Straw was a daughter of Nicholas Straw and Mary Catherine Dale. Rachel was born in 1789 and died in 1857. She is buried with her husband in Fruit Hill Cemetery. Robert McCracken and Rachel Straw were married in 1806 and were the parents of eleven children.
Christian Dale Family: Mary Catherine Dale is a daughter of Christian Dale and Rachael Krebs (See Krebs below) of Germany and Centre County Pa. She was christened as Maria Magtsalena into the Lutheran Church in Centre County, Pa. Christian Dale came to America September 15, 1749 on the ship "Edenburg", landing at Philadelphia from Franconia. In Philadelphia he met and married his wife on March 12th 1754. They later moved to Upper Saucon Township in Northampton County, where they remained until 1772. They then moved to Union County where he was involved in clearing a tract of land owned by Ludwig Derr. That property was later laid out in lots for the town of Lewisburg. Bucknell College now occupies this land.
During the Revolutionary War Christian Dale lived in Buffalo Valley then in 1790 they again moved to College Township in Centre County where he built a gristmill and a sawmill in 1796. He and his wife are buried in the old Dale burying grounds on the hill back of Lamont, PA. - A. Y. Straw page 10
Christian Dale‘s parents are Alexander Diehl born about 1710 in Württemberg, Germany and Elizabeth Flor born about 1715 in the Duchy of Württemberg, Germany. Alexander’s father was Jacob Diehl born about 1689.
Notes from Bessie Dale Rhea, referring to Alexander Diehl.
"At his father's death, he neglected to claim his share of the estate which was placed in the English Treasury. His share amounted to about £200,000. He came to the U.S. locating in Union County, Pennsylvania."
"In 1797 the name was spelled Diehl. I have not discovered that it was ever pronounced so, nor when it was changed back to Dale." (Signed) Elizabeth Dale (daughter of George Dale) October 8, 1902 Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Michael Krebs was born in Germany in 1677 and died February 21, 1744/45 in New Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pa. His wife Margaretha Barbara (unknown last name) was also born in Germany in 1676 and died in New Hanover Township on September 24, 1751. Michael Krebs came to America in 1734.
Rachael Krebs was the sixth child of Michael’s son John Heinrich Krebs (April 18, 1711 – Jan 19, 1771) and his wife Barbaria Maria Krim (April 1, 1715 – Dec 16, 1778) of New Hanover Township. She was born 1736 and died 1808 in College Twp. Center Co. PA.
The children of Robert McCracken and Rachel Straw are: (John3, Robert2, James McCracken1)
ohn Nicholas the second son of Robert McCracken Sr. was born in 1809 in Clearfield County where he lived his entire life dying in 1888 he is buried in Fruit Hill Cemetery. He married first Margaret Hazlet daughter of William Hazlet of Bower, Pa. in 1838. William Hazlet came to the Clearfield area with his family in 1828 from Clinton County. There are several McCracken-Hazlet unions. His second wife was Sina, widow of Amos, Read of Lawrence Township; there were no offspring from this marriage. He preferred to be called Nicholas as shown by the census reports.
In 1840 he is in Bell township and listed as Nicholas with one son and one daughter both under 5 years. He is listed between 30 and 40 and his wife between 20 and 30. The 1850 census also in Bell Township has his name spelled Nicholas McCrackin age 41 and a farmer. His wife is Margaret age 38 and children David W. 12, Sarah R. 10 and Elizabeth J. 7.
The 1860 census shows him still in Bell Township at age 52 and a farmer, wife Margaret 48, David 22, Sarah 21 and Elizabeth 18. In 1870 Nicholas is 61 and Margaret 58 and their daughter Sarah, who chooses the name Rachael age 21. David and his wife and children also live in the home.
By 1880 J. N. McCracken, 70 is married to Sina age 60. She has brought with her into the home two children Mathew W. Read, 23 and Margaret M. Read age 21 and an older lady Susan H. Flemming a widow age 79. (Her mother?)
(David4, John3, Robert2, James McCracken1)
David was born January 19th 1838 and his wife Emma Nicholson born October 1834, a daughter of Joseph Nicholson, she died in 1909. Her parents were born in N. J. In 1870 David uses the name Wilson at age 32 and is married to Emma age 34 with two daughters Mary E. age 3 and Alice M. 8 months. David suffered for two years with Palsy and died December 18, 1899. He is buried at Grampian. They had the following children: