Biographical Sketch of General James Craig, St. Joseph, Buchanan 
County, MO

>From "History of Buchanan County, Missouri, Published 1881, St. Joseph
Steam Printing Company, Printers, Binders, Etc., St. Joseph, Missouri.
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General James Craig, was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania,
February 28, 1817, and when only two years of age was taken by his
parents to Richland County, Ohio, where his father, James Craig,
engaged in working at his trade, that of a tailor.  The subject of
this sketch was obliged to work hard, never attending school more
than ten or twelve months in his life, and at the age of twenty
two he entered the office of Harris & Brown, to study law in Canton,
Ohio.  After leaving that city, he settled at New Philadelphia,
Tuscarawas County, continuing the practice of law, and in 1844, 
moved to Oregon, Missouri.  In the summer of 1846, he was elected
to the Legislature as a representative from Holt County.  At about
the close of his term, the Mexican War broke out, and, by order of
the Governor, he organized a company which was ordered to the west
to protect trains and emigrants.  They took part in many exciting
engagements with the several tribes of Indians.  In the spring of
1849, Captain Craig crossed the plains to California, and after 
being successful in the rich gold mines of that state, he returned
to St. Joseph in the summer of 1850, and, in company with Mr. 
Lawrence Archer, he engaged in the practice of law.  On the first
year of his return, in the contest for District Attorney, Mr. Craig,
then, as now, a Democrat, was elected.  In 1856, he was elected to
Congress, and at the expiration of his first term was re-elected.
He declined a third term.  Soon after the breaking out of the war,
he was commissioned a Brigadier General, by President Lincoln.  He
was ordered, by the Commander-in-Chief, Halleck, again among the
Indians.  He took charge of the troops at Fort Kearney, Fort Laramie
and all the district lying between the Missouri River and Utah, in-
cluding that territory.  In the summer of 1863, he resigned his
commission in the United States Army and was appointed Brigadier
General by the Governor of Missouri, which position he accepted.  He
was then placed in command of the troops in Northwest Missouri.
After a faithful discharge of his dutiese, late in 1864, he again
resigned, thus closing his military career.  Since 1861, General
Craig has been extensively engaged in building and operating rail-
roads; for fifteen years he was connected with the Hannibal and St.
Joseph Railroad, part of the time as President.  In August, 1843, he
was married in Wayne County, Ohio, to Miss M. Pfouts.  The result of
this uniion was five children.  One daughter married Captain Wilcox,
of the Fourth Cavalry; his oldest daughter is the wife of Major 
Samuel A. Garth, of St. Joseph; his oldest son, Louis, is a Lieu-
tenant in the United States Army.

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