Polk County FlArchives Biographies.....CRAIG, WILLIAM B. May 20, 1886 - 
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Nancy Rayburn http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00025.html#0006128 July 29, 2008, 1:43 am

Author: The History of Florida: Past & Present, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1923, Vol. III pg.334

	CRAIG, WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, a successful contractor and builder engaged 
in business at Winterhaven (sic), Polk County, was born at Waynesboro, 
judicial center of Wayne County, Tennessee, on the 20th of May, 1886, and is 
the only surviving member of a family of three children, his parents, P. H. 
and JOHNNIE (HARVEY) CRAIG, having continued their residence in Tennessee 
until their deaths.
	Mr. CRAIG gained his preliminary education in the public schools of 
his native state and supplemented the same by attending the Dickson Normal 
School at Dickson, Tennessee.  In 1908, shortly after attaining to his legal 
majority, he came to Florida and established his residence at Bartow, county 
seat of Polk County.  In the following year he initiated his career as a 
contractor at Fort Pierce, and his contracting operations have been 
successfully extended to Bartow, Mulberry and Winterhaven, in which last 
mentioned place he established his office headquarters in the year 1911.  He 
now has prestige as one of the leading contractors and builders of Polk 
County, and has been the contractor in the erection of many of the largest and 
best buildings in Winterhaven.  At the time of this writing, in the autumn of 
1922, he is doing contract work in the erection of the new City Hall of 
Winterhaven, a building that will represent a cost of $45,000, is making 
improvements on Florence Villa Hotel, involving the expenditure of $50,000, 
and is carrying forward the contract in the erection of the local Masonic 
Hall, at a cost of $12,000.  He gives special attention to the erection of 
houses of the better grade, and many of the fine homes of Winterhaven stand in 
evidence of his ability and business fidelity.  The Cameron Building, the 
office building of Winterhaven Citrus Exchange and other important structures 
have claimed Mr. CRAIG as contractor and builder, and at the time of this 
writing he has eleven important contracts under way.  He is one of the 
principals in the Seymour-Craig Company, which conducts the largest building-
material enterprise at Winterhaven, with two warehouses and well stocked yards.
	Mr. CRAIG has shown his progressiveness not only in his business 
operations but also in connection with community affairs.  He is vice 
president of the Winterhaven Board of Trade, and is actively identified with 
the Winterhaven Building & Loan Association.  In the Masonic fraternity he is 
a past master of the Blue Lodge at Winterhaven, is a Knight Templar and a 
member of the Mystic Shrine.  He is past chancellor commander of the local 
lodge of Knights of Pythias, and past grand of the lodge of Independent Order 
of Odd Fellows.
	The year 1907 recorded the marriage of Mr. CRAIG and Miss ALVINA SELMA 
JOHNS, of Jackson, Missouri, and they have two children:  LILLIAN HARVEY and 
WILTON VIRGINIA.


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