Person:John Craig (78)

Rev. John Craig was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia

Contents 1 Disambiguation 2 Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA 3 Estate Records of Rev. John Craig 4 Processioning List of 1756 & 1760 5 Records in Augusta County, VA 6 Information on Rev. John Craig		Welcome to Old Augusta Early Settlers Beverley Manor Borden's Grant Register Data Maps Places Library History Index
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Disambiguation

Not to be confused with:

There was another John Craig that lived in early Augusta County that could be easily confused. There is no apparent relationship with this other John Craig, who lived near Cub Run on the Shenandoah River.

There was also a younger John Craig that acquired land in Beverley Manor and died in 1758 in Augusta County, Virginia that may be related in some way, but is currently undetermined.

Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA

John Craig's land (Beverley Manor NE, 335 acres, 1742 and the adjoining 265-acre tract acquired from Thomas and Sarah Gordon in 1755) as shown on the map meticulously drawn by J.R. Hildebrand, cartographer. This map is copyrighted©, used by permission of John Hildebrand, son of J.R. Hildebrand, April, 2009.

Acquisition of Land from Annals of Augusta County, Virginia, by Joseph Addison Waddell:

• February 26, 1741, "John Craig, a Presbyterian minister, in open Court took the oaths appointed by act of Parliament to be taken instead of the oaths of allegiance and supremacy and the oath of abjuration, and subscribed the Test: which is ordered to be certified."

• William Beverley, on February 14, 1742, conveyed to Mr. Craig 335 acres of land—no doubt the tract on Lewis's creek, where Mr. Craig lived, afterwards owned by Benjamin T. Reid and now (1887) by the heirs of Robert S. Harnsberger.

Acquisition of Land from Orange County, Virginia Records:

• Pages 125-29. 18-19 Feb. 1742 [1743]. William Beverley of Essex County, Gent., to John Craig of Beverley Manor, Gent. Lease and release; for ₤10 current money. 335 acres being part of Beverley Manor in the County of Augusta... John Smith's line... crossing Lewis Creek... Robt. Poge's corner... (signed) Wm. Beverley. Wit: John Lewis, John Pickens, John Lee, J. Pagett. 24 Feb. 1742 [1743]. Acknowledged by Wm. Beverley, Esq. [Orange County Virginia Deed Book 7, Dorman, pg. 46].

Acquisition of Land from Chalkley's:

• Vol. 2 - LAND ENTRY BOOK NO. 1, AUGUSTA COUNTY. 1749-50, July 15th--Rev. John Craig, 400 (acres), on Shanando, at mouth of North River at the Fork.

• Page 142.--22d May, 1755. Thomas Gorden and Sarah, to Rev. Jno. Craig, £125, 265 acres in Beverley Manor on So. Side Lewis Creek; Robert King's line; John Smith's corner. Delivered George Craig, 6th March, 1788.

Disposition of Land from Chalkley's:

• Page 48.--18th August, 1748. Rev. John Craige to Joshua Hadley, 400 acres in fork of Craig's Creek and James River. Isabella Hellena, wife of John Teste: Thos. Lewis, Silas Hart, Robt. McClenachan.

• Page 527.--Rev. John Craig and Isabella Hellena to John Crawford, 1753, Craig's Creek. Teste: Thomas Gordon and Wm. Basken. Delivered: Wm. Ritchey, 7th April, 1778.

• Page 530.—Same to same (Rev. John Craig and Isabella Hellena to John Crawford), 1753. Forks of Craig's Creek and Patterson's Branch. (listed just after transaction above)

Estate Records of Rev. John Craig

• Page 233.--16th May, 1774. Isabella Helena Craige relinquishes her right to administer on her late husband's (Rev. John Craigs) estate, and nominates James Allen, Jr., and George Moffett, Gent. Teste: Charles Baskin, Geo. Craig.

• Page 233.--17th May, 1774. James Allen, Jr., and George Moffett's bond (with George Mathews and James Gambel) as administrators of Rev. John Craig.

• Vol. 1 - * Vol. 1 - MAY 17, 1774. - (448) Rev. John Craig's estate committed to George Moffett and James Allen, Jr., the widow refusing.

Processioning List of 1756 & 1760

"Processioning" was the periodic review and agreement of property lines between settler's lands. Processioning Lists are useful in determining the general area of a settlers lands and their neighbors at specific time periods:

• Page 179.--1756: Processioned in Capt. Israel Christian's Company by John Henderson and Wm. Baskins, viz: For Rev. John Craig, for Daniel Denniston, for James Wallace, for David Bell, for Robert Poage, for John Anderson, for Andrew Russell, for John Hutcheson, for Patrick McCollum, for James Coyle, for Geo. Anderson, for Robert Patterson, for Mathew Armstrong, for William Lewis, for James Lesley, for Archibald Hamilton, for John Poage, for Mr. Shodder, for Wm. Bell, for Wm. Wallace, for Robert McClenachan, for Alex. Wright, for Samuel Wilson, for John Cunningham, for Alex. McNite, for John Black, for Nathan Gililand, for John Bigham, for John Coulter, for John Buchanan, for Elijah McClenachan, for Robert Breckinridge, for Wm. Baskins, for Widow Crawford, for Joans Henderson, for Andrew Scott, for John Henderson.

• Page 285.--1760: Processioned by David Trimble and John Poage (in Capt. Israel Christian's Company), viz: For Col. Preston, for John Stuart in Staunton, for Robert Reed, for Capt. Wm. Lewis, for Maj. Andrew Lewis, for Daniel (David?) Dinyson, for Rev. John Craig, for David Bell, for Wm. and James Wallace, for John Anderson, for Robert Palley, for Wm. Anderson, for James Hughes (in Staunton), for Joseph Gamble, for Widow Willson, for Widow Long, for John Cunningham, for James Bell, for John Hutchison, for Wm. Wallace, for Mathew Armstrong, for John King, for Robert Poage, for John Finley, for John Patterson, for Anthony Black, for Patrick Neillson (?), for Robert Willey, for Mr. Archer.

Records in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley's Augusta County Records:

• Page 65.--18th February, 1743. John Lewis, of County Augusta, to James Robertson, £30 current money Virginia; 274 acres in Beverley Manor, part of 2,071 acres deeded to John by Wm. Beverley, 21st February, 1738, recorded in Orange; on Lewis Creek, Daniel Dcniston's line; James Trimble's line; John Craig's line. Witnesses, William Henderson, Wm. Johnstone, Thomas Lewis. Acknowledged in Orange County, 23d February, 1743. Acknowledged in Augusta by John Lewis, 15th April, 1746, and Margaret, his wife, released dower.

• Vol. 1 - NOVEMBER, 1747 (A). - James Patton, John Finley, John Christian, James Alexander and William Wright vs. Robert Turk.--Debt for years 1741, 1742, 1743, 1744, 1745, 1746. Asst. to pay plaintiffs as collectors for Mr. Craig's salary at £1 per year. A copy of the mutual obligations between the Congregation and their Commissioners: Know all men by these presents yt we ye undernamed subscribers do nominate, appoint, and constitute our trusty and well beloved friends, James Patton, John Finley, George Hutcheson, John Christian, Alexander Breckenridge, to manage our public affairs, to choose and purchase a piece of ground and to build our meeting house upon it, to collect our minister's salary, and to pay off all charges relating to said affair, to get pay of the people in proportion for this end, to place seats in said meeting house, which we do hereby promise to reimburse them, they always giving us a month's warning by an advertisement on the meeting house door. A majority of the above five person, providing all be apprised of their meeting, their acting shall stand, and these persons above named shall be accountable to the minister and session twice every year for all their proceeds relating to the whole affair, to which we subscribe our names in the presence of the Rev. Mr. John Craig, 14th August, 1741.

We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, being appointed Commissioners to choose and buy a plot of ground to build a meeting house upon it and to place seats and collect the minister's salary and to levy the charges from the sundry persons in said Congregation: We do hereby promise and oblige ourselves to pay our proportion of said charges and to lay before the minister and session a true state of all our accounts, debtor and creditor, as also of all our transactions anyway relating to the above premises, twice every year, and to give the Congregation public notice one month before any demand be made on them for their proportion, appointing them time and place, where and when and to whom of said Commissioners they shall pay the money whose receipts shall be their sufficient discharge, as witness our hands before ye Rev. Mr. John Craig, 14th August, 1741. This instrument by consent to be lodged in the hands of our minister. Copia vera. For the use of Capt. James Patton, Commissioner.

• Vol. 1 - FEBRUARY, 1750 (B). - John Wallace vs. John Craig and Isabella Helena, his wife.--Slander. John (Wallace) was unmarried 8th March, 1750.

• Vol. 1 - NOVEMBER, 1758 (A). Finley vs. Christian.--John Finley, George Hutchinson and John Christian, surviving commissioners for collecting the Rev. Mr. John Craig's yearly salary, complain of Robert Christian, &c. For that whereas the 14th day of August, 1741, at the County aforesaid, a certain discourse was had and moved by and between the said plaintiffs, together with James Patton and Alexander Brackenridge, now deceased, and the said defendant of and concerning the Rev. Mr. John Craig's becoming their stated and fixed minister, and upon that discourse the said defendant, in consideration that the Rev. Mr. John Craig would come from the Province of Pennsylvania to Augusta County, in the Colony of Virginia, and there live as a fixed and settled minister amongst the inhabitants of the lower part of the Shenandore in the County aforesaid, and do and perform all the ministerial offices of a dissenting clergyman, he, the said defendant, the day and year aforesaid, at the County aforesaid, assumed upon himself and to the said plaintiffs, then and there faithfully promised that he, the said defendant, would well and truly pay yearly and every year to the said plaintiffs for the said Mr. Craig's use, 15 shillings, current money, towards his support and maintenance. And the said plaintiffs in fact say that in pursuance of the agreement aforesaid, the said Mr. John Craig did come immediately from the Province of Pennsylvania and settle and live, and still does continue a fixed and settled minister in the County of Augusta aforesaid, doing and performing all the necessary duties becoming a good and christianlike minister and preacher of the word of God. (Robert failed to pay for 16 years last past.)

• Page 418.--__ _____, 1760. Anthony Strother and Mary, of Spottsylvania, to Randal Lockhart, £325, 552 acres purchased by Anthony of John Pickens, 22d March, 1753, beginning at patent Thomas Gordon's, now Rev. Jno. Craig's on Lewis Creek, Wm. Baskin's lines. Delivered: Randal Lockhart, August, 1762.

• Page 420.--1st July, 1762. William Judd, of Northampton County, North Carolina, to Rev. John Craig, £75, conveys slaves. Teste: Charles Mahafey and Maray Craig.

• Page 15.--20th August, 1762. Randal Lockhart to Sampson and George Mathews, merchants, £410, 550 acres purchased by Randal of Anthony Strother, 1760; cor. Thos. Gordon, now Pey. (Rev.?) John Craig's; cor. on Lewis' Creek; cor. land sold by John Pickens to William Baskins.

• Vol. 1 - FEBRUARY 17, 1763. - (462) John Anderson petitions that Rev. John Craig detains him as a slave, contrary to law. Rev. John is summoned and it is further requested that he allow Anderson to go to Brunswick County to summon his witnesses.

• Page 69.--Patent to Bryce Russell, wife Rachel, 3d August, 1771. Teste: Samuel Henderson, John Craig, Thomas Renkin.

• Page 84.--17th November, 1772. John Poage to Rev. John Craig, John Anderson, Robert Poage, Alexander Blair, James Allen, Sr., Alexander Walker, Michael Dickey. James Henderson, Andrew McComb, James Allen, Jr., George Moffett, being the session and regularly chosen for the Congregation of Augusta or Stone Meeting House and appointed as commissioners to act in behalf of said congregation and to accept and take a title for a tract of 27 acres for the sole use of a Dissenting Presbyterian Congregation as a place of Public Worship. Patent to John Poage, 14th July, 1769, corner old brick kiln.

• Vol. 2 - APRIL, 1793 (A to Q). - Craig vs. Poage--Bond. John Poage to George Craig, heir-at-law of Rev. John Craig, 7th October, 1782.

Information on Rev. John Craig

From "Early American Presbyterians" (http://sdsspc1.physics.lsa.umich.edu/amckay/presbioc.htm#Rev. James Campbell)

Rev. John Craig (1710-1774) He was born in Ireland, September 21st, 1710, but educated in America. He was licensed by Donegal Presbytery, August 30th, 1738, and was sent to Deer Creek, now Churchville, Maryland, and to West Conococheague. He spent the summer in those places, and Conewago and Opequhon. West Conococheague called him, in the Fall of 1739, but he declined settlement in that charge. Mr. Craig was sent, at the close of 1739, to Opequhon, Irish Tract, and other places in Western Virginia. He was "the commencer of the Presbyterian service in Augusta." He gathered two congregations in th south part of the Manor, now Augusta County, and in April, 1740, receive d at call from the congregation of Tinkling Spring, in November, 1754, but remained pastor of Augusta till his death, April 21st, 1774. Mr. Craig was a man mighty in the Scriptures, "in perils oft, in labors abundant," for the gospel. Those who knew him held his memory in the highest veneration.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Joseph A. Waddell. Annuals of Augusta County, Virginia 1726-1871
   pg. 39.
2. ↑ Wilson, Howard McKnight. The Tinkling Spring, Headwater of Freedom. (Privatetly published by The Tinkiling Spring and Hermitage Presbyterian Churches, pub. Fishersville, Virginia)
   pg. 418.

   John Craig, Minister, purchased 335 acres on 2/18/1742