BIO: Fred S. McCRACKEN, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, page 914.
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  FRED S. McCRACKEN,* whose well kept farm of sixty-seven acres is situated in 
Ferguson township, two miles northwest of Kerrmoor, was born in this township, 
April 28, 1850.  His parents were John D. and Nancy (Bloom) McCracken, of old 
and substantial families of this section.
  John D. McCracken was born also in Ferguson township.  He was reared here and 
spent the larger part of his life in this township, although, after his marriage 
he lived for a time on the Hoyt farm in Greenwood township.  He cleared a farm 
of sixty-five acres subsequently, in Ferguson township and lived on it during 
the remainder of his life, his death taking place at the age of seventy-seven 
years.  He was a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Lumber City 
and his burial was in the Methodist cemetery there.  He always voted the 
Democratic ticket.  He married Nancy Bloom, a daughter of Isaac Bloom, and she 
lived to be eighty-one years of age and her burial was also at Lumber City.  
They had the following children:  Eliza Jane, George, Frampton B., Philip, Ann, 
Phebe, Fred, Harriet, Hannah, William Bigker, John, Caroline, and a son that 
died in infancy.  Philip the third son, was a soldier in the Civil war.
  Fred S. McCracken attended school in Ferguson township and afterward helped 
his father on the farm until his own marriage, after which he lived at 
Reynoldsville, in Jefferson county, for a time and then came to his present 
farm, which he purchased from his brother.  He has erected all the substantial 
buildings on the place and has made many improvements.  Formerly he devoted some 
attention to sheep raising but not recently.  There is a valuable twenty-eight-
inch vein of coal on the place which Mr. McCracken occasionally works.
  Mr. McCracken was married April 20, 1871, to Miss Mary Michael, who was born 
in Clinton county, Pa., February 17, 1849, a daughter of John and Jane (Lewis) 
Michael.  Mr. Michael died in Ferguson township when aged sixty years and his 
burial was at Old Zion cemetery.  Mr. and Mrs. McCracken have two children:  
Edward M. and Ida, the latter of whom is the wife of Samuel Baer.  They reside 
at Glen Hope and have two children, Frederick and Anna Mary.  Mr. and Mrs. 
McCracken attend the Baptist church, of which Mrs. McCracken is a member.  He 
belongs to the Grange at Kerrmoor.  In politics, Mr. McCracken is a stanch 
Democrat and he has served in numerous township offices with the utmost 
efficiency, having been road supervisor, constable, tax collector and assessor.  
He is one of the representative men of Ferguson township.