Volume 13 , Issue 19

Craighead Family - 1st Generation

On page 35 of The Craighead Family: A genealogical Memoir of the Descendants of Rev. Thomas and Margaret Craighead, by Rev. James Geddes Craighead, D.D., it starts with listing of the First Generation with Rev. Thomas Craighead, son of Rev. Robert Craighead, a native of Scotland, who removed to Ireland and was settled as pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Donoughmore in 1657-58, where he labored for thirty years.

Rev. Thomas Craighead, was subsequently minister at Londonderry, when the gates of the city were closed against the Papal forces of James II, whose purpose was to massacre the Protestants; and escaped during the second day of the siege, and made his way to Glasgow, Scotland. He afterwards returned to Ireland, and died in Londonderry, 1711.

Thomas Craighead's son (Thomas) was educated in Scotland as a physician, and married the daughter of a Scotch laird. After practicing medicine for a time, he became much depressed in spirits, and his wife inquiring the cause, he informed her that his conscience upbraided him for not preaching the Gospel. She at once assured him, that she would not stand in the way of what he considered his duty.

Accordingly, Thomas II soon after abandoned the practice of medicine, studied divinity, and was a pastor for several years in Ireland, principally at Donegal. In consequence, however, of the oppressions endured by the Presbyterians of that country from the government and from the Established Church, and their past experience giving them but little hope of any permanent relief, large numbers of the people determined to emigrate to America. Among these emigrants was Thomas Craighead, who came to New England in 1715, accompanied by Rev. William Homes, who was married to Mr. Craighead's sister Catharine. Mr Homes settled at Martha's Vineyard, and is buried with his wife, at Chilmark. Their eldest son Robert was a sea-captain, resided in Boston, and married Mary, a sister of Benjamin Franklin.

Thomas & Margaret Craighead had four sons and one daughter:

• Thomas, born 1702, in Ireland and moved with his father to New England in 1715; married Margaret Brown (born 1702, in Ireland, daughter of George Brown, merchant near Derry,in Ireland) and died September 13, 1765, and was a farmer at White Clay Creek, whose daughter (Elizabeth) married Rev. Matthew Wilson, father of Rev. Dr. J. P. Wilson, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia; Children were: Robert 1721; Margaret, 1723; Ann, 1725; Thomas, 1727; Elizabeth, 1729; William, 1731; George, 1733; Patrick, 1735- 1782.
• John, married Rachel R., who removed to Pennsylvania and was a large landholder four miles south of Carlisle, and whose descendants still possess the paternal mansion and property;
• Jane, the only daughter, who married Rev. Adam Boyd, pastor for 44 years of the Presbyterian Church at the forks of the Brandywine;
• Andrew, who lived and died unmarried at White Clay Creek, Delaware;
• Alexander, died March 1766, at Sugar Creek, NC,, who was early introduced into the ministry, and was installed over the church at Middle Octorara, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in November, 1735.

The latter was a man of marked ability, original in thought and fearless in the expression of his opinions, and with the power to move multitudes by his eloquent and impassioned discourses. He was a friend and earnest supporter of Whitefield, and a zealous promoter of revivals. After removing from Pennsylvania to Virginia he made his final home at Sugar Creek, North Carolina, where he died in March, 1766. His numerous descendants dwell in the South and Southwest, where many of them have occupied positions of honor and responsibility.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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