BIO: Frank CRAIG, Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 418 & 419. _____________________________________________________________ FRANK CRAIG, a representative business man of Clearfield county, with interests in different sections, has been a resident of Brisbin, Pa., for twenty-nine years and is a member of the firm of M. & F. Craig, coal operators. He was born March 28, 1864, in Lanarkshire, Scotland, and is a son of James and Bridget (Rooney) Craig, and was eighteen years of age when he accompanied his parents to America. James Craig was a coal miner all his active life and after coming to Clearfield county, lived at Brisbin until his death, in 1901, his burial being at Houtzdale. He married Bridget Rooney, who survived him four years. They had seven children born to them, namely: Michael, who resides at Brisbin and is the senior member of the firm of M. & F. Craig; Frank; Hugh and James, who also live at Brisbin; Robert, who lives at Houtzdale; Patrick, who is a resident of Brisbin; and Margaret, who is the wife of Charles Rodden, and they live at Portage. Frank Craig obtained his education in the schools of his native land. He has been continuously in the coal business and has been an active operator for a number of years. Since 1882 he has been a resident of Brisbin and has been operating since 1888, at present being extensively interested in the Industry mine at New Castle, Clearfield county. He is a director in the First National Bank of Osceola, and has valuable coal lands which he leases in both Geulich and Decatur townships. On February 5, 1902, Mr. Craig was married to Mrs. Catherine (Coons) Simendinger, who was born at Loretta, Cambria county, Pa., a daughter of William and Anastasia (Byrne) Coons, and the widow of John Simendinger. The father of Mrs. Craig died in 1895 at Houtzdale, but the mother had died in 1857, when Mrs. Craig was a babe of two months. Mrs. Craig was married first to John Simendinger and they had nine children, the three survivors being: Raymond L. and Albert J., both of whom are students at the Niagara University at Niagara Falls; and Rose, who is a student at Villa Marie Academy, at Erie, Pa. Mrs. Craig is the youngest of a family of four children. She has one brother and two sisters: Bernard, who lives at Pittsburg; Mary, who was the wife of Hayden McGuire, of Loretta; and Emma, who is the wife of Charles Kane, of New Kensington, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Craig are members of the Catholic church at Houtzdale. He is identified with the Knights of Columbus at Clearfield. He is an earnest and enterprising citizen, ever ready to work for the betterment of his borough and county and has served thirteen years on the school board. In his political views he is nominally a Democrat but is inclined to be more or less independent of party ties.