i. Laura Ellen McCracken, was born September 11, 1853 in Clearfield County, PA, and died December 11, 1931. She married John S. Johnson November 21, 1872 in Clearfield County, PA, son of James Johnson and Sarah Stugart. He was born August 21, 1839 in Greenwood township, Clearfield County, PA, and died August 26, 1903.

 

Commemorative Biographical Record, page 900 - Beers 1898.

John S. Johnson was a member of the Society of Friends. He sold his interest in the woolen mill and operated his father's farm and later inherited 145 acres from his father's estate where he cultivated a fine farm and engages in lumbering.

 

Children of Laura McCracken and John Johnson

 

i. Gurtrude Johnson, b. February 26, 1873; m. John F. Mitchell.
ii. Dora Johnson, b. March 04, 1876; m. T. B. Gould.
iii. Sarah Johnson, b. January 02, 1878; m. Daniel Dunbar.
iv. Cora Johnson, b. March 02, 1880; d. December 06, 1882.
v. Elizabeth Johnson, b. April 01, 1882; d. March 1926.
vi. Garrison Johnson, b. May 03, 1884; m. Sarah Bloom. was born May 23, 1884 in Bells Landing, Clearfield County, and died June 22, 1949 in Ridgeway. He married (1) Claire Fannin. She was born in Ridgeway. He married (2) Sara Bloom. She died 1920. Four sisters are mentioned in his obituary. Mrs. Gertrude Mitchell and Mrs. Bernice McCracken, both of State College, PA; Mrs. Roxy Witherow, Altoona, PA and Mrs. Mary Ward, of Ebensburg. He was preceded in death in 1920 by his first wife Sara Bloom. Three sisters also preceded him in death.

vii. Hannah Johnson, b. March 26, 1886; m. Leslie Spencer.
viii. Roxanna Johnson, b. June 07, 1888; m. Henry Witherow.
ix. Bernice Johnson, b. December 25, 1893; m. William McCracken.
x. Mary Johnson, b. March 26, 1896; m. John Ward.
xi. Child Johnson, d. Infancy.

ii. Blake Wayne⁴ McCracken, (Thomas³, Daniel², James¹) was born December 29, 1857 in Lumber City, Clearfield County, PA, and died February 07, 1950 in Mahaffey, Clearfield County, PA. He married Annie I. Richards, daughter of Christian Richards and Mary Miller. She was born 1866.

 

Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania
Notes by Philip McCracken III (BURMAJAPAN@aol.com) for Blake Wayne McCracken.
REFN: 3259
Commemorative Biographical Records of Central Pennsylvania 1898 As a popular and influential citizen and a stalwart Democrat, Mr. McCracken has been called upon to serve in a number of official positions of honor and trust, having filled almost all of the offices in his borough. He was the first assessor of Mahaffey; was appointed by the court to fill a vacancy as tax collector; also served as member of the council, and is now justice of the peace. He takes considerable interest in civic societies, and holds membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, and Knights of the Golden Eagle.
----
Per the 1880 Census, Blake was listed, at age 21, as a servant along with Clara Ross age 15 for James S. Read and his family. James was age 32. The Reeds were neighbors on the same street as Blake's parents. But Thomas, Blake's Father had died when Blake was only 5 or 6 years old. It is apparent that Blake named his son James Reed McCracken out of respect for James S. Read. Treating his name as an ancestor's name and remembering the ancestor by naming a child after them.

1923, October 4th Clearfield Progress - Blake W. McCracken received 1,723 votes in the primaries. Second to Jesse E. Dale with 2,697 votes.
Blake, Jesse E. Dale and T.R. Weimer later served together as county commissions.

Acted as a delegate of the Clearfield County Manufacturing association at a State College commencement. One of his sons attended with him.

1952, November 13. Clearfield Progress, Public Notices:
Public sale at the farm home of Blake W. McCracken at Mahaffey on Saturday, November 15th, 12:30 p.m. Horse drawn equipment: grain drill, harrows, cultivators, etc. Bed room sets of beds and dressers, living room set, dinning room set, book case, cooking utensils, lot of cider kegs, jugs, Crockery, washing machine electric, electric vacuum cleaner and many other items not mentioned.
T.R. McCracken, Owner
Wyott Hileman, Auctioneer.

Clearfield Progress (Clearfield, Pennsylvania) 1950,February 7
B.W. McCracken, Mahaffey's Oldest Resident, Dies
...one of the pioneer residents of Mahaffey,...died at his home this morning at 2:15 o'clock, following a short illness. He was 92.  A son of the late Thomas and Elizabeth (Henry) McCracken, he was born in Lumber City Dec. 29, 1857. At the age of four years his father died and his family, consisting of his mother and two sisters, Ellen and Katurah, moved to Johnsonville, near Bells Landing, where they resided for a number of years. When the Franklin Tannery was started in Mahaffey, he secured employment there but shortly afterward entered the mercantile business which he continued until 1910....active in many civic affairs... ...served in several borough offices... ... an ardent democrat... ...served as Postmaster of Mahaffey and a term as a Clearfield County Commissioner... ... was a member of the Coalport Lodge F. & A.M. for over 42 years, a member of the Jaffa Shrine and the Coudersport Consistory. ... Seventeen grandchildren and 16 great grand children also survive.
----
Clearfield Progress (Clearfield, Pennsylvania) > 1948,October 16
Former Commissioner is Mahaffey's Oldest Resident
..Mahaffey's first tax collector...lived in Mahaffey is 1887...terms as president of the borough council and the borough school board...his primary business was a general merchandise store of which he was the proprietor...he built a new double store room at the site of the present Mahaffey post office. After more than 20 years in the merchandise business, one of Mahaffey's most disastrous fires just before Christmas in 1908 helped change Mr. McCracken's interest to farming. ... the fire of almost 40 years ago wiped out all the earthly possesions of five families in
the block of buildings which included his storerooms. ...moved to his about 1910. The McCrackens' oldest son, Thomas, after returning from World War I, built the present grocery store he owns on the site of the famous fire which had earlier destroyed his Father's business. ...Annie and Blake have been married for 62 years...Thomas R. McCracken, member of the new Clearfield County draft board... His daugther and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Reimer, live with Mr. and Mrs. Blake McCracken and help them take care of the large farmhouse.

 

More About Blake Wayne McCracken:
Burial: February 10, 1950, Mahaffey Cemetary, Clearfield Co., Pennsylvania
Education 1: Commercial College, Williamsport, PA
Education 2: Primary and Majority Education
Nationality: American [Scotch-Irish, Welsh, English]
Occupation 1: June 1914, Appointed as U.S. Postmaster for Clearfield Co. by the U.S. President
Occupation 2: County Tax Collector
Occupation 3: Johnson's Woolen Mill Salesman
Occupation 4: Merchant
Occupation 5: Tannery Clerk
Occupation 6: Bet. 1924 - 1927, County Commisioner
Occupation 7: 1931, President of Mahaffey National Bank

Notes by Philip McCracken III (BURMAJAPAN@aol.com) for Annie Isabelle Reichert (Richards):
REFN: 7163
Commemorative Biographical Records of Central Pennsylvania 1898 After the death of her mother in 1872, Annie was reared by strangers.

 

1952, Feb. 11 - The Clearfield Progress, Obituary
"Born in the state of Missouri, July 24, 1866, she was the daughter of the late Christian and Isabel Miller Richards." "...for the past 65 years a resident of this community, died in her home here Sunday, Feb.10, after a long illness. She was 85 years of age."  "When a child, she moved with her family to Philadelphia and as a young woman entered the woolen mills as a weaver. She worked for some time in the Williamsport mills, then moved to the Bells Landing section to enter the old Johnson woolen factory where she met and married her husband Mr. McCracken. With her husband, she settled at Mahaffey. Mr. McCracken died in 1950. "
She had 17 grand-children and 19 great-grandchildren.
----
There is a story that when she was riding in the back of the McCracken funeral wagon, something caused her to fall out and break both legs.
More About Annie Isabelle Reichert (Richards):
Burial: February 13, 1952, Mahaffey Cemetary, Clearfield Co., Pennsylvania
Nationality: American [German]
Occupation 1: Bound-Out Servant
Occupation 2: Merchant
Occupation 3: Mother, Housewife
Occupation 4: Woolen Mill Weaver
More About Blake McCracken and Annie (Richards):
Marriage: 1887, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania

 

 

Children of Blake McCracken and Annie Richards

 

 

i. Thomas Richard McCracken, was born October 27, 1887,and died October 22, 1964 in Clearfield, Pa.. He married Adda Marie Thompson September 21, 1910 in Mahaffey, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, daughter of Lester Thompson and Mary Glenn. She was born July 10, 1890 in East Brady, Pa. (October 07, 1890? ), and died March 27, 1975 in Curwensville, Pa..

More About Thomas Richard McCracken:
World War I Draft Registration Card Information, Draft Card M
341 No. 24
Age: 29
Line 7: Merchant 26
Line 8: Employed by, Myself
37-2-11.A
Registrar's Report
Line 1: Medium Build
Line 2: Color of Hair, Gray
Registered June 5, 1917

 

Cause of Death: Acute Myocardial Infarction , Heart Attack
Education: Bellefonte Academy, Wharton School of Business
Military service: World War I Veteran
Nationality: Scotch-Irish, German, and Welsh
Occupation: Merchant, Funeral Director (McCracken Funeral Home), Local Civic Leader
Religion: Lutheran

 

More About Adda Marie Thompson:
Burial: March 29, 1975, Mahaffey, Clearfield Co., Pennsylvania
Nationality: American [English, Irish, Scottish]
Occupation: Telephone Operator, Merchant, Housewife, Mother and Funeral Director's Assistant
Religion: Methodist.

 

Children of Thomas McCracken and Adda Thompson

i. Margaret Irene McCracken, was born May 07, 1913 in Mahaffey, Clearfield County, Pa.. She married Melvin Lewis Reimer January 03, 1942 in Clearfield, Clearfield County, PA. He was born April 09, 1911 in Altoona, PA, and died July 15, 2001. Died of Prostate Cancer.  They have three living children.

ii. Thomas Glenn McCracken, was born August 07, 1914 in Mahaffey, Clearfield County, Pa., and died February 17, 1990 in Mahaffey, Clearfield County, Pa.. He married Jeanne Arble. Jean Arble McCracken died March 24, 2008.  They have six living children. 

iii. Barbara Jean McCracken, was born May 05, 1927 in Mahaffey, Clearfield County,Pennsylvania, and died February 2005 in Pennsylvania. She married Glenn Dalton Conser August 09, 1949 in
Mahaffey, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. He was born September 08, 1925, and died December 12, 1996.They have two living children.

ii. Howard Ivan McCracken, was born May 31, 1890, and died July 16, 1971 in St. Joseph Hospital. He married (1) Nellie G. Harter 1909, daughter of Frank Harter and Mary Jamison. She was born March 1893 in Clearfield, PA, and died after July 1984. He married (2) Olive Bernice Talcott 1913 in Elyria, Ohio. She was born in England (Olive Bernicia ?), Aunt Ollie ??, and died February 1979.

 

More About Howard Ivan McCracken:

-Died at age 81, July 16, 1971 at 11:00 am, per the Chronicle Telegram (Elyria, Ohio) following a long illness
-Elyria Resident for 58 years.
-Retired from the Lorain-Cuyahoga Work, U.S. Steel Corp. in 1954 after 47 years of service.
-Members of Lorain Masonic Lodge No. 552, White Shrine, Senior Fellowhip Club and the Management Club
-Also a member of the Mahaffey Lutheran Church.
-Was Married to Olive for 57 years. 8 Grand-children and 7 great-grandchildren.

Child of Howard McCracken and Nellie Harter.

 

i. Helen Isabelle (Isobel) McCracken, b. June 1910; d. about 1937; m. (1) Mr. Layman;

m. (2) Mr. Sweet.

Children of Howard McCracken and Olive Talcott.

 

ii. Dorothy Ollie McCracken, b. March 28, 1915; d. May 03, 1920, Died of Diptheria at age 5.
iii. Kathleen Lucille McCracken, was born December 20, 1919 in Mahaffey, Clearfield County, Pa. OR Lorain, Ohio, and died in Elyria, Ohio, USA. She married Sterling W. Miller. He was born
1917 in Lorain,Ohio, U.S.A., and died May 27, 1997 in Autumn Aegis Nursing Home, Lorain, Ohio.
Notes for Sterling W. Miller:
Chronicle Telegram (Elyria, Ohio) > 1997,May 28
Sterling W. Miller died at age 80 at Autumn Aegis Nursing Home in Lorain after a long illness. He was born in Lorain and lived in Elyria for 50 years. He was a maintenance forman in the crane deptartment for U.S. Steel in Lorain and later a utility man at Elyria High School. Member at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church. A Member and past Master of the Lorain Masonic Lodge No.552, a member of the Lorain Mystic Chapter No. 170, Lorain Council No. 103, the Lorain Commandery No. 65, and a member of the Scottich Rite Valley of Cleveland, White Shrine where he is a past Watchman.
- He was preceded in death by a daughter, Sandrae; a brother Carl; and a sister Marcella Lahman.
Burial: Ridge Hill Memorial Park, Amherst Township.,Elyria, Ohio. They have three living children and one daughter that has passed.

 

iv. Howard Ivan Jr. McCracken, was born November 05, 1921 in Lorain,Ohio,U.S.A. , Nickname Bud, and died November 19, 2001 in Elyria, Ohio, USA (Medina General Hospital, Medina, OH). He married Emily Janus.  Howard Ivan McCracken held the rank of Captain in the 8th Air force, 491st Bomb Group and won the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, five oak-leaf clusters and three bronze stars. He later flew Air Force B-25s as an instructor and was ground control assist instructor in Columbia, S.C.  A member of the Free and Accepted Masons Lodge 552,Lorain ; Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 255, Elyria ; Gem and Geological Society.  An avid fisherman and enjoyed farming and travel. Burial: Ridge Hill Memorial Park, Amherst Twnsp.,Elyria, Ohio. They have four living children.

iii. Blake Duane McCracken, was born September 04, 1891 in (or 1894) Mahaffey, Pa., and died 1954 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co. , Pa.. He married Leoma Marie Eagleton 1918 in Fort Worth,Texas, daughter
of Eagleton. She was born August 29, 1900, and died January 1983 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pa.

--Indiana Messenger (Indiana, Pennsylvania) 1922, February 2
Blake D. McCracken, formerly connected with the Mahaffey National Bank, was appointed cashier to the new West Lebanon bank which was recently organized.

--Indiana Progress (Indiana, Pennsylvania) 1922, October 4

Mrs. Blake McCracken children, Betty Jane and Blake, departed on Saturday for an extended visit with relatives at Fort Worth, Texas.

 

Children of Blake McCracken and Leoma Eagleton
i. Blake Duane Jr. McCracken, was born September 24, 1919, and died January 19, 1991 in Columbia, Maryland. He married Marian Helena McLaughlin 1942. She was born February 16, 1922, and died February 16, 1982.  They are the parents of two sons still living.
ii. Camille Elizabeth McCracken, b. November 06, 1920; d. 2001; m. Bezzoto.
iii. Robert Gene McCracken, b. October 19, 1923; d. 2002.
iv. Annie Isobel McCracken, b. August 26, 1926; d. 1990.
v. Living McCracken,

iv. Nell Altha McCracken, b. April 04, 1893, (or April 03, 1893) Mahaffey,Pa.; d. September 29, 1989, Duncannon, Pennsylvania; m. Lewis Wheeler Bell, at Mahaffey, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania; d. September 21, 1958. Burial: Duncannon, Pennsylvania
v. James Reed McCracken, was born August 14, 1898 in (or August 17); Mahaffey,Pa., and died May 25, 1949 in Reading, Pennsylvania (Birdsboro,PA). He married Helen Susan Hook May 02, 1925 in Reading, PA, daughter of Hebers Hook and Katie Moyer. She was born 1903 in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and died August 17, 1988 in Birdsboro, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

 

Child of James McCracken and Helen Hook

i. James Reed Jr. McCracken, b. January 23, 1928, Berks Co., Pennsylvania; d. October 01, 1996;  twice married in Wernersville, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

vi. Theo Orth McCracken, was born January 08, 1901, and died October 05, 1958. He married Teresa Elizabeth Haltzinger in Grove City,Pa,. She was born November 01, 1903, and died March 09, 1983.

Children of Theo McCracken and Teresa Haltzinger

i. Chadwick Neyman McCracken, was born August 26, 1924 in Michigan, and died July 16, 1998 in North Carolina. He married Bernice Hay. She was born about 1924, and died 1998. He served in WWII

Burial: Mahaffey Cemetery, Mahaffey, PA.  They have two living sons and one that has passed.

Gary Olan McCracken b. August 28, 1947; d. November 27, 1975.

ii. Theo Orth McCracken,Jr., was born March 05,1927. He married Laura B. Hatton. She was born 1928.
Notes for Theo Orth McCracken,Jr.:
-KOREAN WAR

Name: Theo O McCracken
Race: White
Home State: Pennsylvania
Casualty Date: 4 Feb 1951
Casualty Country: South Korea
Casualty Type: Returned to Duty (FECOM)
Group: Returned to Duty (FECOM)
Branch: Infantry
Component: Enlisted Personnel ORC (ERC)
Rank: Private First Class
Pay Grade: Private First Class
Previous Detail: Seriously wounded in action by missile
Disposed Date: 11 Feb 1951
Disposed Place: Japan
Organization: In Div - 24th
Element Sequence: Cv Div Cav Regt Inf
Unit #: 0019
Service Occupation: Light Weapons Infantryman
-------------------------------
Co. B 1-32 during 73-4 at Camp Casey... (Korean War Project)
Children of Theo McCracken and Laura Hatton are four daughters and two sons all living.

 

iii. Byrd Wheeler McCracken, was born May 08,1928 in or 1935. He married Majorie Emory.

Children of Byrd McCracken and Majorie are four children all living.

vii. Dr. Philip Frederick McCracken was born August 14, 1906 (or 1905?) in Mahaffey, PA, and died December 15, 1978 in Harrisburg, PA , Jan., 03, 1980??. He married Ruth Hazel Long in Pittsburgh, Pa., daughter of William Long and Bertha. She was born June 06, 1906 in Youngwood, PA, and died January 1984 in Harrisburg, PA.
Education: Doctorate in Dentistry
Occupation: Started as a dentist in Mahaffey, PA then moved to Galeton. Later he moved to Harrisburg, PA the state capital and worked in his own office until he died on the job.

Children of Philip McCracken and Ruth Long are:
i. Nancy Adair McCracken, b. July 31, 1929, Clearfield, PA; d. April 2003, Florida, U.S.A..
ii. Marjorie Ruth McCracken, b. May 21, 1933, Galeton , Pa.; d. June 13, 1984, Hummelstown, Pa..
iii. Philip Frederick McCracken Jr., b. April 29, 1935, Galeton , PA.; d. May 03, 2003, Florida.

iii. Keturah Elizabeth McCracken, was born April 12, 1860 in Lumber City, PA,and died October 02, 1929 in at home in Bell's Landing, PA. She married James Ace Johnson February 28, 1877 in Bell's Landing, PA. her brother-in-law and son of James Johnson and Sarah Stugart. He was born March 29, 1854 in New Washington, Washington, Pa, and died 1935.

Notes by Philip McCracken III (BURMAJAPAN@aol.com) for Keturah Elizabeth McCracken:

Born : April 12, 1860 according to family records and some censuses; 1858 is the estimation on other censuses and 1862 when she is married to Asaph Johnston.
- Refered to as Aunt Turie by the grand-children.
- Friend's Church, Grampian, Pastors in Charge : Rev. G.W. Hatch & Rev. Farver
- Educated in the public schools in Greenwood Township
- Began their married life at the farm in Greenwood Township. Here they remained until 1925, when they moved to Bells Landing, where they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on February 28, 1927.
Burial: October 04, 1929, Friend's Church Cemetary, Grampian, Clearfield County, PA
Census: 1850, Listed as Elizabeth McCracken
Religion: Christian
Residence 1: 1877, Began their married life at the farm in Greenwood Township, where their son Wayne resides in 1929.
Residence 2: 1925, Moved to Bells Landing, PA
Notes for James Ace Johnson:
- Born 1850 according to later Census records.
- Possible siblings lived next door according to the 1880 census. Mathew Johnston (30), wife Martha (31), Thomas R (4), Harry B (2) and Hannah (2 months) Born April 1880. Burial: Friend's cemetery at Grampian,

Children of Keturah McCracken and James Johnson

i. Amy Johnson, b. Died before Mother.
ii. Christine Johnson, m. Johnson.
iii. Emma Johnson, m. Fryer.
iv. Reah Johnson. Nurse at the Lutheran Hospital, Brooklyn, N.Y.
v. Ethel M. Johnson. Teacher at Hammonton, N.J.
vi. Annie T. Johnson, b. October 10, 1877, (or Amy, possibly Anna as listed in Mother's obiturary), Clearfield, Pennsylvania; d. August 01, 1882. Teacher in Vintondale
vii. Elizabeth Mar Johnson, b. March 23, 1879, Clearfield, Pennsylvania; d. August 06, 1882, Clearfield, Pennsylvania.
viii. Clara A. Zerta Johnson, b. January 17, 1881, or Azzeta; Clearfield, Pennsylvania; d. Pittsburgh, PA; m. Hannah. Nickname: Azeeta At the time of her Mother's death, she was living in Pittsburg, PA
ix. Wayne Johnson, b. March 13, 1883, Clearfield, Pennsylvania; d. 1950, Clearfield, Pennsylvania.
x. Blake Johnson, b. March 26, 1885, Clearfield, Pennsylvania; d. Died before Mother.
xi. Harriet Johnson, b. April 14, 1887, Clearfield, Pennsylvania. Teacher in Nanty-Glo
xii. Earl A. Johnson, b. January 05, 1889, Clearfield, Pennsylvania.

 

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