| Seth and
Samuel Craig were born in county Donegal, Ireland, and accompanied
their family to America and to the farm in Jo Daviess County, Illinois. Their
family farm was listed in the name of J. Craig in 1873. They arrived
in the Port of New York July 3, 1849, on the S.S. Chenango, from Belfast,
Ireland. Older brothers were already settled in the U.S., and their father is
said to have been refused a visa to come to the U.S. because of a severe back
injury. Nancy, the mother, who came in 1849 is thought to be the mother of only
the younger children. The mother of Seth, born 1836, is known to have been Mary
Wilson, who had died previous to 1849.
The William Craig children were:
Alexander, b. 1820, m. Martha Gallagher. Raised a family at Pawnee City,
Nebraska. Alexander is buried at Pawnee City Cemetery.
John, b. ca. 1827, never married.
Matilda, b. ca. 1828, m. 1854, Samuel Jameson, in Hanover, Illinois.
Samuel,, a Union soldier, Co. I, 27 Regiment, Iowa Infantry. He was
killed at the battle of Pleasant Hill, LA (Red River Campaign)
William, b. ca. 1839, m. Lizzie , several children.
Sarah Jane, m. Alex Moore; one son, John Moore.
Seth, b. 1836, (Union soldier, Co. I, 27 Regiment, Iowa Infantry. Oct. 3,
1862-Aug. 8, 1865)
James, m. Margaret (Shanks) Irwin: four children John, Mary, Matie and
Agnes
David, (Union soldier), missing in Civil War, and believed to have died in
that conflict.
Robert, died in childhood.
Nancy, b. ca. 1842, arrived in U.S. with family July 3, 1849.
Seth Craig's family left a rather good genealogical record and report that
after the war Seth and family lived in Rossville, Iowa, then homesteaded land at
Summerfield, Kansas, near Pawnee Co, Nebraska. He had married Eliza Gallagher in
Hanover, Ill., in l857. Their children were:
William James (b. Jan
1861, Waterville, Iowa)
Martha and Mary
(twins b. Jan 1863, Waterville, Iowa)
Lizzie (Eliza) m. Van
Lew, (b. 1869, Iowa)
Seth Dugry (called
``D''), (b. 1871, Hanover, Illinois)
Matilda (Tillie), b.
1873, Hanover, Illinois, m. William M. Hood
Their children were born in Iowa or Hanover, Ill. which were in
adjoining counties across the state line. Seth lived in Kansas but an older
brother Alexander Craig lived in Pawnee Co. NE. Seth and his family were
buried in the Pawnee City Community Cemetery. His wife died in l907, but Seth
lived until l926, l5th of Feb. All of his children except Mary Jane Curry
settled in Nebraska.
Samuel Craig was initially reported as missing in action at the Battle of
Pleasant Hill. The Roster lists him as killed in action. Since
Samuel served in the same Company I, 27th Iowa Infantry, as his Brother Seth
Craig, I feel quite confident that his missing in action was substantiated later
as death. Another brother went to war with the 45th Illinois Infantry Regiment
and was reported Missing in Action also. His unit was practically wiped out in
heroic action storming the ramparts at Vicksburg, MS. Thus the emigrant Craig
family had three sons enlisted with Union Forces and two made the supreme
sacrifice.
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