Howard County IN Archives Biographies.....Cragun, J. Harvey 1856 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 21, 2006, 2:43 pm

Author: Jackson Morrow

J. HARVEY CRAGUN.

    The office of biography is not given to voice of a man's modest estimate of
himself and his accomplishments, but rather to leave upon the record the verdict
establishing his character by the consensus of opinion on the part of his
neighbors and fellow citizens. The life of the honorable subject of this review
has been such as to elicit just praise from those who know him best, owing to
the fact that he has always been loyal to trusts imposed upon him and has been
upright in his dealing with his fellow men, at the same time lending his support
to the advancement of any cause looking to the welfare of the community at large.

    J. Harvey Cragun has preferred to devote his life labors to the land of his
birth rather than seek uncertain fortune in other fields for his life has been
spent in Howard county, Indiana, where he was born July 2, 1856, the son of John
R. and Ellen I. (Slider) Cragun. The Slider family came to Howard county in 1847
and the Cragun family about three years later. They located in Kokomo. The
father started in business as a wagon maker, the firm being known as Todd &
Cragun, it being one of the first business of this nature in Howard county.
Later Mr. Cragun bought his partner's share and conducted the business alone. It
was located on Sycamore street, opposite the Sipes theater. He purchased a
residence in 1852 and his children were born there. It is located on East
Mulberry street, which is now owned by Peter E. Hoss. Mr. Cragun later disposed
of his shop and was engaged in various lines of business. He spent the remainder
of his life in Howard county, dying at the home of his daughter, Mrs. George
Murphy, in Union township, with whom he had lived three years prior to his death
which occurred November 14, 1907, his wife having preceded him to the silent
land in September, 1904. They were married September 20, 1855. Mrs. Cragun was
born in Clark county, Indiana, February 15, 1834, and the date of his birth is
recorded as December 10, 1829, at Franklin, Indiana. He always took an active
part in politics and served as assessor of Center township for several terms.
Three sons and one daughter were born to this union, namely: J. Harvey, our
subject; John A., of Kingman. Kansas; Elmer E., of Cunningham, Kansas; Emma J.,
wife of George Murphy, of Union township.

    Our subject was reared in Kokomo where he attended school and assisted his
father who was a street contractor, also built sidewalks, later our subject
contracted along the same line with his father who later bought a stock of
groceries in the management of which his son assisted. Our subject then went to
Kansas, where he took up one hundred and sixty acres of land in Kingman county,
the personal tax of the subject at that time was only sixty-four cents. Later
the subject returned to Indiana.

    Mr. Cragun was united in marriage November 11, 1880, to Sarah J. Matchette,
a native of Grant county, Indiana, where she was born May 12, 1853, and was
reared on a farm, assisting with the household work when a girl, attending the
country schools in the winter months, receiving a fairly good education. Her
parents came to Grant county in an early day and remained there on the same farm
until the father of Mrs. Cragun died. To Mr. and Mrs. Matchette eight children
were born, an equal number of boys and girls, all living in 1908. They bear the
following names: Louis, Mary A., Sarah J., Elisha M., Caroline, Elizabeth E.,
John E. and Walter D.

    Mr. and Mrs. Cragun have never had any children. They raised Dan Matchette,
who is a nephew of Mrs. Cragun. He was given a good education and reared as if
he had been their own child. He married the daughter of Jacob Moss and they have
three daughters, namely: Sarah Ellen, born January 26, 1903; Olive, born March
6, 1904; Florence L., born October 7, 1905.

    Mrs. Cragun is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Sycamore. In
politics the subject is a loyal Republican, but has never been active in his
party. However, he was the nominee of his party for county commissioner for the
third district in 1908 and his nomination was regarded by all to be a most
fortunate one.

    Mr. and Mrs. Cragun began their married life with practically nothing, but
they have always been industrious and thrifty and they now own one of the most
productive and highly improved farms in Jackson township, consisting of one
hundred and twenty acres, on which stand a modern and well furnished dwelling
and convenient out buildings. The place is well fenced and well drained and
otherwise up to the standard of Howard county's best farms. On July 12, 1908,
misfortune came to Mr. Cragun by the destruction of his barn by fire. He
recently completed a new modern building fifty-six by sixty feet, with four foot
cement walls.

    Mr. Cragun is regarded as one of the leading men of his community in every
respect, being public-spirited, honest and upright in all his dealings with the
world and of pleasing address, winning friends wherever he goes and always
retaining their esteem. Mrs. Cragun is also much admired by those who know her
for her congeniality and high womanly traits.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY INDIANA
BY
JACKSON MORROW, B. A.
ILLUSTRATED
VOL. II
B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

(circa 1909)

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