Family History: Descendants of James McCracken, Sr: Clearfield County, PA Copyright © 1998 by Mary Sandoval. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. Mbsandova @aol.com Additional information is available at http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/s/a/n/Mary-Sandoval/ USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ____________________________________________________________ I would like to offer, for your review and information, a complete transcription of pages from the "Family Record" of William McCracken and Mary Elizabeth Bell, as recorded by their grandson; Richard S. McCracken on February 8, 1914. First, grant me leave to provide what is "known" as background information, leading to the birth of William: Descendants of James McCracken, Sr. Generation No. 1 1. James1 McCracken, Sr. was born 1753 in Immigrant Ship, and died 1814. He married Sarah Rebecca Greenwood, daughter of Joseph Greenwood and Mary. Family documents, contributed by the researcher, Samuel Lewis McCracken (great-grandson of the aforementioned William), tell us the story of James and two brother-in-laws; Casper Hockenberry and Arthur Bell. In 1774, James was married to Sarah Rebecca Greenwood. Rebecca¹s sisters, Ann and Mary Elizabeth married Casper and Arthur respectively. We know James and Casper served together in the Revolutionary War as members of the Cumberland County Militia. Sometime after the war, the three men along with their families traveled up the Susquehanna River and settled what is now Clearfield County. Hockenberry did not settle in this area but his descendants eventually ended up in the Chest Creek area. To quote Samuel Lewis McCracken, "Bell and McCracken both settled on the banks of the river above Curwensville, near the breast of the big dam recently built. ... Pennsylvania Archives show that James and Sarah McCracken purchased 400 acres in Huntingdon County.... They are both buried in McClure Cemetery, also near the breast of the dam. Bell has a marker, but McCracken has none. We are trying to have one put up through the SAR and the DAR. McCracken later moved from his home near the river and relocated directly above his original location. His new home was erected where the present town of Bloomington now stands..." Three of the sons of James; Thomas, John, and William married three of the daughters of Arthur Bell; Rebecca, Mary and Rachel, respectively. (See Bell/Greenwood Bible transcription in these Clearfield County USGW Archives.) Children of James McCracken and Sarah Greenwood are: + 2 i. Joseph2 McCracken, born 1775 in Clearfield Co. PA; died 1855 in Curry Run, Clearfield Co. PA. + 3 ii. Robert McCracken, Sr., born 1777 in Clearfield Co. PA; died May 18,1852 in Knox, Clearfield Co. PA. + 4 iii. James McCracken, Jr., born 1779. + 5 iv. Thomas McCracken, born 1781 in Clearfield Co. PA; died 1847 in Ferguson, Clearfield Co. PA. 6 v. Daniel McCracken, born 1784 in Clearfield Co. PA; died 1856. He married Elizabeth Ann Corrigan 1807. 7 vi. John McCracken, born Abt. 1786 in Clearfield Co. PA. He married Mary Bell. 8 vii. William McCracken, born 1788 in Clearfield Co. PA; died 1851. He married Rachel Bell Abt. 1815 in Clearfield Co. PA. 9 viii. Greenwood McCracken. 10 ix. Mary McCracken. She married William Hepburn. 11 x. Margaret McCracken. She married John P. Dale. 12 xi. Nancy McCracken, born Abt. 1790. She married James Clark. 13 xii. Sarah McCracken, died July 11, 1824. She married James Fleming. Generation No. 2 2. Joseph2 McCracken (James1) was born 1775 in Clearfield Co. PA, and died 1855 in Curry Run, Clearfield Co. PA. He married Margaret Jordan Abt. 1804. Children of Joseph McCracken and Margaret Jordan are: 14 i. Anna Maria3 McCracken, born 1806 in Pike Twp. Clearfield, Co. PA. 15 ii. John J. McCracken, born 1808 in Pike Twp. Clearfield, PA; died 1881 in Glen Hope, Beccaria Twp.. He married Maria Harley. 16 iii. Jane McCracken, born 1810 in Curry Run, Clearfield Co. PA. She married James Sharp. 3. Robert2 McCracken, Sr. (James1) was born 1777 in Clearfield Co. PA, and died May 18, 1852 in Knox, Clearfield Co. PA. He married Rachael Straw 1806 in Clearfield Co. PA, daughter of Johann Nicholas Straw and Mary Dale. Children of Robert McCracken and Rachael Straw are: ****17 i. William3 McCracken, born March 10, 1807 in Knox Township PA; died January 09, 1892 in Lawrence Township PA. He married Mary Elizabeth Bell July 14, 1831. Fact 1: Buried in Fruit Hill Presbyterian Cemetery, Ansonville, Jordon Township, PA 18 ii. John Nicholas McCracken, born 1808; died 1888 in Lumber City, PA. He married (1) Margaret Hazlett. He married (2) Sina Reed. 19 iii. James McCracken, born 1810; died in Iowa. He married Sarah Templeton. 20 iv. David McCracken, born 1811 in Bower, PA; died 1891 in Bower, PA. He married Elizabeth Hazlett March 12, 1843 in Clearfield Co. PA. 21 v. Cornelius McCracken, born 1815. He married Angelina Strayley. 22 vi. Robert McCracken, Jr., born 1817; died in Boone Co., Iowa. He married Mary Jane Polhamus. 23 vii. George McCracken, born January 06, 1820 in Clearfield Co. PA; died May 09, 1889 in Iowa. He married Margaret Templeton. 24 viii. Levi McCracken, born 1822. 25 ix. Sarah McCracken, born 1823 in Clearfield Co. PA. She married Joseph Glasgow. 26 x. Catherine McCracken, born 1826 in Clearfield Co. PA; died June 18, 1910. She married William Lowrey Moore. 27 xi. Rachel McCracken, born 1828. 4. James2 McCracken, Jr. (James1) was born 1779. He married Mary Jordan. Moved to Iowa Child of James McCracken and Mary Jordan is: 28 i. Sarah3 McCracken, born 1811. She married Arthur Hockenberry Abt. 1850. 5. Thomas2 McCracken (James1) was born 1781 in Clearfield Co. PA, and died 1847 in Ferguson, Clearfield Co. PA. He married Rebecca Bell 1808, daughter of Arthur Bell and Mary Greenwood. Children of Thomas McCracken and Rebecca Bell are: 29 i. James3 McCracken, born 1809 in Clearfield Co. PA. He married Christina Barton. 30 ii. Mary McCracken, born 1811. She married Gainer Passmore. 31 iii. Greenwood McCracken, born 1812 in Clearfield Co. PA. He married Elizabeth Nigh. 32 iv. Arthur McCracken, born 1813 in Clearfield Co. PA. 33 v. William Greer McCracken, born 1814 in Clearfield Co. PA. Never married. 34 vi. Nancy McCracken, born 1816 in Clearfield Co. PA. She married Daniel Siford 1840. 35 vii. David S. McCracken, born April 30, 1827 in Clearfield Co. PA. He married (1) Susanna Shaffer. He married (2) Susanna Yocum. 36 viii. Phillip McCracken, born 1830 in Clearfield Co. PA. He married Mary Jane Swaney. 37 ix. Elizabeth McCracken, born 1834 in Clearfield Co. PA. She married John A. McDivitt. 38 x. Sarah McCracken, born 1838 in Clearfield Co. PA. ****The transcription of the "Family Record" of William McCracken, Mary Elizabeth Bell McCracken and their children as recorded on February 8, 1914 by Richard S. McCracken follows: (page one) FAMILY RECORD Births. Hiram McCracken Nov. 23rd 1832 Julian McCracken July 7th 1834 Robert G. McCracken Sep. 3rd 1836 Lewis McCracken Feb. 8th 1838 David McCracken Feb. 22th 1840 Hezkiah McCracken Jan. 6th 1842 Arthur McCracken Nov. 23rd 1844 Josephine McCracken Jan. 18th 1847 Ashley H. McCracken Oct. 21th 1849 Amanda McCracken Sep. 25th 1852 Seth C. McCracken Oct. 2nd 1855 Written By Richard S. McCracken Feb. 8, 1914 (page two) FAMILY RECORD MARRIAGES Born Year of Wm McCracken Mar. 10th 1807 and Mary Bell Dec. 11th 1812 were married July the 14th Year 1831 DEATHS Mary McCracken Jan. 16, 1887 Wm McCracken Jan 9, 1892 (page three) FAMILY RECORD DEATHS Arthur McCracken Oct. 18th 1852 Josephine McCracken 1899 David McCracken July 22nd 1897 Robert G. McCracken Aug 22nd 1901 Hiram McCracken Julian McCracken June 1912 Lewis McCracken July 1911 Amanda McCracken Sep 1911 Ashley H. McCracken Dec. 25, 1922 (added at later date)