CRAIG, Mrs. Jane O., b 1848; 1905 Bio, Montrose County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/montrose/bios/craigjo.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 6, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Mrs. Jane O. Craig The life of this self-reliant and resourceful woman has been full of trouble and domestic discord, but through every disaster and danger she has kept her courage up and done her part in the struggle for advancement, being equipped by nature with a firm and unbending determination that no danger has daunted and no difficulty has dismayed. She is a native of New Jersey, born on September 14, 1848, and the daughter of Andrew and Jane (Sackett) Myers, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of Pennsylvania. In 1852 the family moved to Illinois where they lived until 1859, at which time they changed their residence to Missouri. At the beginning of the Civil war the father enlisted in the Union army, in which he served to the close of the contest. He was injured in the service and for a portion of the time was laid up in a military hospital. After the war he lived at his Missouri home until 1867, then moved to Linn county, Kansas. Here he farmed and raised stock until 1902, when he sold out and returned to New Jersey where he is still living. The mother died in 1884 and the father married again. His second wife died in February, 1902. Mrs. Craig had four brothers, all of whom are living. She remained at home until she was married in 1878 to David Beidler, a native of Ohio. He also was a soldier in the Civil war, but only served a short time towards its close. After the war he located in Kansas and there they were married. When they left that state they came to Colorado and settled at Del Norte, where her husband engaged in mining. In the spring of 1879 they moved to Ouray and the next fall to Rico, where they lived together until the autumn of 1884. Then domestic trouble brought about a separation and subsequently a divorce. Five children were born of their union, David A., Charles W., William L., John H. and Gertrude M. Three of them are living, all in Colorado. On May 27, 1890, the mother was married again, being united on this occasion with Charles Pohle, a native of New York city. They had one child, their daughter Nellie C., who is living with her mother. Mrs. Craig did not live long with her second husband, and on being separated from him returned to Rico and there kept a hotel and restaurant for a few years. With the proceeds of her business she bought another herd of stock which she ran in the hills in summer and wintered in Montrose county. In 1894 she married Benjamin H. Craig, with whom she lived three years, being divorced from him also in 1897. Since then she has conducted her stock industry alone. She has been engaged in this industry for more than sixteen years, starting after separating from her first husband. She now has one hundred and fifty cattle of good breeds and carries on her business with vigor and close attention to every detail. In the spring of 1900 she bought the ranch of one hundred and sixty acres on which she now has her home. It is all good farming land, about one hundred acres being in grass for hay. When she purchased it there was but little improvement on it and she has made considerable since. She summers her stock in the hills and winters them under proper shelter on the ranch. Mrs. Craig is a woman of great enterprise and public spirit and takes an active interest in the affairs of the her community. In politics she is independent. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.