CRAIN History

Last updated 17 Sep 1997

Joel CRAIN (1762 - 1844)

Joel stated on his pension application he was born in the state of North Carolina, Grandville County, on 27 Feb 1762. He indicated he had proof of his age as that being recorded in his father's bible. He served for about three months beginning in 1780 in Wilks County, NC. After discharge he volunteered for additional service to fight against the Tories and served for four or five months. He was given two written discharges; however, did not have them in April of 1833, when he applied for the pension in Hardeman County, TN. He moved to TN from Georgia. Several believe his father was Ambrose CRAIN b. 1725-1735.

Stephen CRAIN born about 1785 in PA or GA married (1) Nancy "Pattie" SPARKS daughter of Jeremiah SPARKS, Revolutionary War patriot and (2) Mary RAGSDALE. Stephen had 14 children equally divided between the two wives. Jeremiah Sparks CRAIN was a son of Stephen and Nancy. Stephen left for Mississippi and I believe Jeremiah may have decided to go to Missouri at that time or shortly after relocating to Mississippi.

Jeremiah Sparks CRAIN (1809 - 1880)

Jeremiah arrived in Missouri in what was then Gasconade County, probably sometime in his late teens or early twenties. Osage county was created from parts of Gasconade in 1841 and in 1855 a part of Osage county which Jermiah lived in became Maries county. A useful resource here is King's History of Maries County.

According to King, Sparks Crain, "was a Mason, and died sometime in 1880 at the present Schierloh place on the Dry Fork, survived by his widow and at least six children: John, Stephen, Nancy, Mary, Milly, and M.E. Crain. John married Hattie Skaggs and he and Stephen, whose wife's maiden name is not known, [see below, though] moved down close to the Arkansas line, likely in Douglas County, a great many years ago." King indicates Nancy and Mary both married CAMPBELLs, M. E. married William HUTCHISON, and Milly married Green DAVIS. (All unproven as of yet, though I can find M. E. marrying A. J. HUTCHESON and references tying DAVIS to CRAIN - see under George W. below). I believe Jeremiah's final resting place is in Travis Cemetery, Maries County, MO.

Stephen CRAIN (19 Sep 1832 - 12 Apr 1891)

Son of Jeremiah Sparks and Rachel ROGERS per King's book. He married Eliza MILNE (25 Feb 1830 - Feb 1909), daughter of John MILNE born in New York and Elizabeth ____? Stephen and Eliza had at least three children, George W., John, and Rachel E. The dates for Stephen's birth and death come from records for Clifty Hall Cemetery, in Wright County, MO. This cemetery is located not far from Douglas County. Eliza was buried beside him. In the same cemetery in the next row can be found Rachel and her husband William R. BEESLEY. There is some discrepancy between Stephen's death year shown above and a letter written to me in 1986 by a kind researcher which gave 1901 as the year. I believe the earlier date is accurate as will be shown below.

George W. CRAIN was born in 1855 in Missouri.

George married Caroline SMALLWOOD. My uncle has told me her name was Rebecca but, I have yet to find that name anywhere. She was the daughter of Thomas and Lucinda (MOTES?). In June of 1892, in the Deed Records of Douglas County, is the notation of Stephen Crain vs a list of Thomas SMALLWOOD's heirs. It notes Eliza as a widow of Stephen and Heirs of Stephen as John CRAIN and Rachel E. BEESLEY. Neither George W. or Caroline are listed, though. This is not as surprising on further investigation. A Quit Claim Deed in 1891 conveying proprty from Caroline CRAIN notes she is a widow. The property was transferred to J. S. Crain, and in remarks indicates it was known as the "Crain Mill Property". George W. and Caroline had two children, Enoch Van Buren and Charles Homer. Interestingly, J. S. CRAIN moved into the Davis property per an early Douglas County newspaper. Another property transfer in Douglas County was between Rachel Crain and Green A. Davis in July 1883.

Enoch Van Buren CRAIN was called General, although, he never served in the military. I think this could be from ancestors on the CRAIN side named General or possibly from his mom's side of the family, since the SMALLWOOD gang liked to confer names like "Doctor" to children. Family oral history stated Enoch walked from near Cabool, Missouri in the center of the state to the western edge of it to go to work in the mines near Joplin. This was shortly after his dad died and Caroline was supposed to have married a preacher who treated him less than ideally. No record of this marriage has been found, though. Apparently, Enoch's brother, Charles Homer also made tracks to the west, since he settled in Galena, Kansas just across the state line from Joplin.

Enoch first married a lady named Esta W. ____. Esta was born about 1840 in Missouri. She died in May of 1882. His second wife was Sadie Valentine CLARY, my grandmother and daughter of George W. CLARY. She was born on Valentine's Day in Missouri in the year 1887. Sadie had been married before to Ned PILGRIM and they had one boy, Albert Joseph born in Oklahoma. Enoch and Sadie had four children. Sadie died in 1950. Before his death in 1957, Enoch married his third wife, Elnora "Nora" HARDY .

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Copywrite 1996/1997 by Dwayne Crandall

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