BIO: Lewis 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, pages 916 & 917.
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  LEWIS McCRACKEN,* a retired farmer living on a farm in Ferguson township, 
adjoining the one on which he was born, February 8, 1838, owns 172 acres, 
situated one mile northeast of Kerrmoor, Pa.  His parents were William and Mary 
(Bell) McCracken.
  William McCracken was born in Pike township, Clearfield county, March 10, 
1807, and died in January, 1891, and his burial was in the Fruit Hill Cemetery.  
He was six years old when his parents moved to the McNaul farm, where he grew to 
manhood.  After his marriage he moved to the adjoining farm, in Ferguson 
township, on which his eleven children were born, and continued to live there 
until all had grown up.  Then he sold and moved to Virginia, where he was 
interested in farming at the time of his death.  He was an elder in the Fruit 
Hill Presbyterian church.  In politics he was a Democrat and he served one term 
as county commissioner in Clearfield county.  William McCracken married Mary 
Bell, who was born in what was then Bell but is now Greenwood township, 
Clearfield county, a daughter of Greenwood Bell, and died in January, 1886.  
They had eleven children, namely:  Hiram, who is deceased; Julia Ann, who is the 
widow of Christian Straw; Robert, who died in 1907; Lewis; David, who is 
deceased; Hezekiah, who lives in Lawrence township; Arthur, who died at the age 
of eight years; Josephine, who died in 1903; Ashley, who lives near Farmville, 
Va.; and Seth and Amanda, the latter of whom is the wife of Emanuel Shaffer, 
both living in Ferguson township.
  Lewis McCracken obtained his education in the schools of Ferguson township.  
He worked on the home farm for his father until he was twenty-two years of age 
and then married and moved to his present farm and here has made many 
improvements including the erecting of the substantial farm buildings.  He has 
his land under excellent cultivation and is utilizing all of it except thirty-
five acres on which timber is still standing.  He has successfully carried on 
general farming, raising crops, fruit and stock and doing a little dairying.  
Formerly he was very active but in late years has turned his responsibilities to 
a large degree over to younger workers.
  Mr. McCracken was married first to Miss Dorcas Lewis, who was born in Elk 
county, Pa., and died in April, 1875.  They had four children:  Ellis; Emily, 
who is the wife of Joseph Shaw, residing at Marron; William, who lives at 
Millport, Pa.; and Laura, who is the wife of Charles Wiley, of Ferguson 
township.  Mr. McCracken was married secondly to Miss Elizabeth McGarvey, who 
was born in Clarion county, Pa., September 17, 1847, a daughter of Hugh and Mary 
(Boyd) McGarvey, who moved from Clarion to Clearfield county.  To the second 
marriage of Mr. McCracken, two daughters were born:  Estella, who is the wife of 
William Metlack, residing near Kerrmoor; and Delta, who is the wife of Jesse 
Metlack, residing at New Millport, Pa.  Mr. and Mrs. McCracken are members of 
the Baptist church.  He has been a Democrat ever since he cast his first vote, 
and on several occasions has been elected to township offices on the Democratic 
ticket.  He is one of the leading members of the Kerrmoor Grange.