The Crafts Lines
How I'm connected to the Crafts line:
My mother was Zora Craft and she was born 11 March 1928 in Redmesa, La Plata County, Colorado to William Cornell Crafts and Elizabeth Ingar Behrmann. Zora married Leon Daniel Seitz Sr. and they had two sons and three daughters together. Zora Craft passed away on 10 March 1991 at the age of 62 in Idaho Falls, Idaho from cancer. Leon Daniel Seitz passed away 29 April 2005 at the age of 79. Note: Zora's last name is spelled Craft without the "s". Some more history is needed here as to why the spelling is different.
Sometime when I was six years old my mother divorced Leon. A few years Zora married a man named Tom Allen. However, this marriage only lasted a few months. She divorced Tom and later married George William Cleaveland on 4 February 1971. This marriage was another disaster and so she separated from George and moved up to Palisades, Idaho to marry a man that she was corresponding to through the mail. His surname was Miller (Jr.). He is still living, so I'll only reveal his last name. However, both Zora and Mr. Miller had separated from their spouses so both had to wait for their divorces to go through before they were able to be married. Zora's divorce from George went through on 21 June 1971. After Zora died, Mr. Miller married Zora's sister. Because of this, I often refer to Zora's sister now as "Aunt Mom".
Sometime when I was six years old my mother divorced Leon. A few years Zora married a man named Tom Allen. However, this marriage only lasted a few months. She divorced Tom and later married George William Cleaveland on 4 February 1971. This marriage was another disaster and so she separated from George and moved up to Palisades, Idaho to marry a man that she was corresponding to through the mail. His surname was Miller (Jr.). He is still living, so I'll only reveal his last name. However, both Zora and Mr. Miller had separated from their spouses so both had to wait for their divorces to go through before they were able to be married. Zora's divorce from George went through on 21 June 1971. After Zora died, Mr. Miller married Zora's sister. Because of this, I often refer to Zora's sister now as "Aunt Mom".
History of the Crafts
The spelling was spelled differently from generation to generation and sometimes an individual would spell their own last name differently. Common spellings were Craft, Crafts, and Croft were used. Lieut. Griffin Craft would write his name both as Croft and Craft. In Colonial and Town records, Griffin's name is spelled Craift, Crofte, Craft, and Crafts. Lieut. Griffin Craft spelled his name with an "o" in his early years (before 1650) and the changed the "o" to and "a" in his latter years. Croft is an ancient Anglo-Saxon word signifying "enclosed field". It is understood that our Crafts line connect to the Croft line and that these same Croft families were the same that possessed the Croft Castle in Wales. The address for the location of this Castle is Leominster, Herefordshire, England, HR6 9PW.
A Brief history of the early Croft families:
Bernard de Croft, a Norman knight, built the first Castle in around 1055. Since the Norman conquest through to the present day, the Crofts have battled to keep their family home. After Bernard de Croft died, the ownership of Croft castle was held by many eminent Crofts.
One of Bernard's progenitor was Sir Jasper Croft, possibly a son, accompanied Godfrey de Bouillon in the first memorable expedition to the Holy Land about 1098.
Hugh de Croft held it but was murdered in 1317 by the Herefordshire Lacys whilst trying to negotiate peace in Ireland.
Sir John de Croft who was Governor of Merk Castle in France and was involved in negotiations in Flanders between 1402 and 1404, and who married Janet, a daughter of Owen Glyn Dwr (whose leather-clad ghost is reputed to wander the Castle; as nobody knows where he died or was buried, then I suppose that this lovely building is as likely a place as any).
Sir Richard Croft was a great warrior in the fifteenth century, and at the Battle of Teweksbury in 1471 took prisoner the unfortunate youth, Prince Edward, son of Henry VI. He was Sheriff of the County of Hereford – fought at the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross, on Croft land, the outcome of which put King Edward IV on the throne.
Tomb of Sir Richard Croft, in St. Michael and All Angels Church, Lucton is inscribed:
SIR RICHARD CROFT, KNT
Sheriff of Herefordshire 1471-72-77-86
Fought at Mortimer’s Cross 1461, Tewkesbury 1471
MP for Herefordshire 1477
Governor of Ludlow Castle
Created Knight-Banneret after the Battle of Stoke 1487
Died July 29 1509
Also of ELEANOR his wife
Daughter of Sir Edmund Cornewall Baron of Burford Salop
Widow of Sir Hugh Mortimer of Kyre
Sir James Croft was appointed MP for Herefordshire and in 1551 was made Lord Deputy of Ireland by King Edward VI, a position he held for just one year before he became Deputy Constable of the Tower of London……..a position of trust possibly bestowed on him because of his friendship with Lady Jane Grey. He certainly was in the forefront of the pro Queen Jane movement in Herefordshire, which was quashed, but on 21st February 1554 he was imprisoned in the Tower of London for being part of the Wyatt rebellion. He was released with his life on 1st January the following year, but after gaining the affections of Queen Elizabeth who made him Governor of Berwick he found himself on the losing side at the Siege of Leith, and was accused of bad mouthing General Lord Gray whilst favouring the French. Although he lost the title of Governor of Berwick, the Queen still liked him and gave him control of her household – perhaps an unwise decision given that later papers suggest that he betrayed her secrets and frequently lied to her. He died in 1590 and was interred in Westminster Abbey with a simple gravestone.
In 1643, William Croft was captured at the siege of Hereford, then was killed in 1645 fighting for the King at Stokesay in Shropshire. His brother Herbert who was Dean and Bishop of Hereford, was given a Baronetcy, along with his son, in recognition of the services of the Croft family, and also in 1645, Royal troops more or less dismantled much of Croft Castle in order to prevent the Parliamentarians from taking possession during the Civil War, and the Croft family subsequently found that they just did not have the finances to hold on to and restore the Castle. They were forced to mortgage the Castle to the Knight family who carried out many alterations to the interior, and it then passed by marriage to the Johnes family and was sold in September 1878 by Thomas Johnes (Jones) MP for Cardiganshire, to Somerset Davis of Wigmore for fifty six thousand pounds.
Our first Croft/Craft/Crafts in America:
The first known Crafts was Lieut. Griffin Craft who came from England in 1630 and located at Roxbury, Mass. Griffin Crafts sailed from England with the Winthrop's party of Colonists on the ship Arbella. It is not known how Lieut. Griffin Craft connects to the Croft's of Croft Castle; however, he is the first known American ancestor and has an unbroken line that connects to my mother, Zora Crafts.
Griffin boarded the ship Arbella to America with his wife Alice and daughter Hannah. It is thought that Griffin Craft was from Yorkshire, England. His birth was 21 May 1600 in England. His parents and his wife's parents are unknown. Griffin died 4 Oct 1689 and his burial place is unknown. While the ship Arbella, Griffin's wife bore a son named John on 10 July 1630. His wife Alice, had four more children; Mary, Abigail, Samuel, and Moses. All six children married leaving descendants. Griffin's wife, Alice, was born about 1601 and she died 25 March 1673 of "Apoplexie" ( Incapacity resulting from a cerebral hemorrhage or stroke). She was buried the following day.
Under the first charter of the Mass. Colony, none was regarded as Freemen until you went to the General Court, took an oath, and had it recorded. Lieut. Griffin Craft swore this oath on 18 May 1631 and became a Freemen. For over 21 years, Griffin held the position of Lieut. and at the age of 70 years, gave this title up about 1675.
After the death of Griffin's first wife, Alice, he married Ursula Adams who was formerly the widow of Samuel Streeter, Samuel Hosier, and William Robinson. Ursula was the daughter of Henry Adams and Edith Squire. No children was produced from this marriage. Ursula died 20 Feb 1679 at Charlestown, Mass. After the death of his second wife, Ursula, Griffin married a third time; to Dorcas French, daughter of Thomas French and Susan Riddlesdale. Dorcas was the widow of Christopher Peake of Roxbury, Mass. Dorcas died 30 Dec 1697 at Roxbury, Mass. No children from this marriage either.
A Brief history of the early Croft families:
Bernard de Croft, a Norman knight, built the first Castle in around 1055. Since the Norman conquest through to the present day, the Crofts have battled to keep their family home. After Bernard de Croft died, the ownership of Croft castle was held by many eminent Crofts.
One of Bernard's progenitor was Sir Jasper Croft, possibly a son, accompanied Godfrey de Bouillon in the first memorable expedition to the Holy Land about 1098.
Hugh de Croft held it but was murdered in 1317 by the Herefordshire Lacys whilst trying to negotiate peace in Ireland.
Sir John de Croft who was Governor of Merk Castle in France and was involved in negotiations in Flanders between 1402 and 1404, and who married Janet, a daughter of Owen Glyn Dwr (whose leather-clad ghost is reputed to wander the Castle; as nobody knows where he died or was buried, then I suppose that this lovely building is as likely a place as any).
Sir Richard Croft was a great warrior in the fifteenth century, and at the Battle of Teweksbury in 1471 took prisoner the unfortunate youth, Prince Edward, son of Henry VI. He was Sheriff of the County of Hereford – fought at the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross, on Croft land, the outcome of which put King Edward IV on the throne.
Tomb of Sir Richard Croft, in St. Michael and All Angels Church, Lucton is inscribed:
SIR RICHARD CROFT, KNT
Sheriff of Herefordshire 1471-72-77-86
Fought at Mortimer’s Cross 1461, Tewkesbury 1471
MP for Herefordshire 1477
Governor of Ludlow Castle
Created Knight-Banneret after the Battle of Stoke 1487
Died July 29 1509
Also of ELEANOR his wife
Daughter of Sir Edmund Cornewall Baron of Burford Salop
Widow of Sir Hugh Mortimer of Kyre
Sir James Croft was appointed MP for Herefordshire and in 1551 was made Lord Deputy of Ireland by King Edward VI, a position he held for just one year before he became Deputy Constable of the Tower of London……..a position of trust possibly bestowed on him because of his friendship with Lady Jane Grey. He certainly was in the forefront of the pro Queen Jane movement in Herefordshire, which was quashed, but on 21st February 1554 he was imprisoned in the Tower of London for being part of the Wyatt rebellion. He was released with his life on 1st January the following year, but after gaining the affections of Queen Elizabeth who made him Governor of Berwick he found himself on the losing side at the Siege of Leith, and was accused of bad mouthing General Lord Gray whilst favouring the French. Although he lost the title of Governor of Berwick, the Queen still liked him and gave him control of her household – perhaps an unwise decision given that later papers suggest that he betrayed her secrets and frequently lied to her. He died in 1590 and was interred in Westminster Abbey with a simple gravestone.
In 1643, William Croft was captured at the siege of Hereford, then was killed in 1645 fighting for the King at Stokesay in Shropshire. His brother Herbert who was Dean and Bishop of Hereford, was given a Baronetcy, along with his son, in recognition of the services of the Croft family, and also in 1645, Royal troops more or less dismantled much of Croft Castle in order to prevent the Parliamentarians from taking possession during the Civil War, and the Croft family subsequently found that they just did not have the finances to hold on to and restore the Castle. They were forced to mortgage the Castle to the Knight family who carried out many alterations to the interior, and it then passed by marriage to the Johnes family and was sold in September 1878 by Thomas Johnes (Jones) MP for Cardiganshire, to Somerset Davis of Wigmore for fifty six thousand pounds.
Our first Croft/Craft/Crafts in America:
The first known Crafts was Lieut. Griffin Craft who came from England in 1630 and located at Roxbury, Mass. Griffin Crafts sailed from England with the Winthrop's party of Colonists on the ship Arbella. It is not known how Lieut. Griffin Craft connects to the Croft's of Croft Castle; however, he is the first known American ancestor and has an unbroken line that connects to my mother, Zora Crafts.
Griffin boarded the ship Arbella to America with his wife Alice and daughter Hannah. It is thought that Griffin Craft was from Yorkshire, England. His birth was 21 May 1600 in England. His parents and his wife's parents are unknown. Griffin died 4 Oct 1689 and his burial place is unknown. While the ship Arbella, Griffin's wife bore a son named John on 10 July 1630. His wife Alice, had four more children; Mary, Abigail, Samuel, and Moses. All six children married leaving descendants. Griffin's wife, Alice, was born about 1601 and she died 25 March 1673 of "Apoplexie" ( Incapacity resulting from a cerebral hemorrhage or stroke). She was buried the following day.
Under the first charter of the Mass. Colony, none was regarded as Freemen until you went to the General Court, took an oath, and had it recorded. Lieut. Griffin Craft swore this oath on 18 May 1631 and became a Freemen. For over 21 years, Griffin held the position of Lieut. and at the age of 70 years, gave this title up about 1675.
After the death of Griffin's first wife, Alice, he married Ursula Adams who was formerly the widow of Samuel Streeter, Samuel Hosier, and William Robinson. Ursula was the daughter of Henry Adams and Edith Squire. No children was produced from this marriage. Ursula died 20 Feb 1679 at Charlestown, Mass. After the death of his second wife, Ursula, Griffin married a third time; to Dorcas French, daughter of Thomas French and Susan Riddlesdale. Dorcas was the widow of Christopher Peake of Roxbury, Mass. Dorcas died 30 Dec 1697 at Roxbury, Mass. No children from this marriage either.
This is the Croft coat of arms of Leominster, Herefordshire, Croft Castle, and held for hundreds of year in this area of Herefordshire, England (near the border of Wales). The motto, "Esse quam videri" which means "To be, rather than to seem (to be)". In other words, you can't just act like you are doing something, you have to actually do it, and mean it.
Most of the following histories and genealogies below were taken from the book, "The Crafts family" compiled by James Monro Crafts and William Francis Crafts and was printed in 1893 by Gazette Printing Company, Northampton, Mass. But, since this book was printed in 1893, and over 100 years ago, it is no longer has any copyrights attached to it. So, I will offer it as a pdf file that anyone can download here:
the_crafts_family.pdf | |
File Size: | 30020 kb |
File Type: |
1. Griffin Crafts or Croft
Born: About 1600 in, possibly, Yorkshire, England
Died: 4 Oct 1689 in Roxbury, Mass.
Parents:
Wife: Alice
Married:
Born: About 1600
Died: 25 Mar 1673
Parents:
Children:
Hannah Crafts (born in England)
*John Crafts
Mary Crafts
Abigail Crafts
Samuel Crafts
Moses Crafts
Second Wife: Ursula 1(Robinson) 2(Hosier) 3(Streeter) Adams
Married: 15 July 1673
Born:
Died:
Parents: Henry Adams of Braintree, Mass.
Children:
Third Wife: Dorcas Ruggles
Married:
Born: Probably Sudbury, Suffolk, England
Died: 30 Dec 1697
Parents: John and Barbara Ruggles of Roxbury, Mass.
Children:
History:
As has already been stated in these pages, it is believed that the greater portion of the members of the Craft family in this country, are descended from Lieut. Griffin Craft, who settled in Roxbury, Mass., in 1630, sailing from England with Winthrop's party of colonists. Many of the company came from Boston, in Lincolnshire, Eng., and ultimately gave the name of their former place of abode to their place of settlement here. All the colonists, however, did not settle at Boston, some choosing their farms, and clearing their land in the neighboring country. Among these was Griffin Craft, who located on the west bank of what was called at that time Muddy River, within what were then the limits of the town of Roxbury, but somewhat over a mile from what afterward became the village centre. But probably all the early settlers in that section were somewhat scattered, and we soon find him taking an active interest in town affairs and being chosen to many positions of trust and responsibility.
Our records begin with his arrival in this country, accompanied by his wife Alice, and daughter Hannah. No especial attempt has been made to ascertain his ancestry or connections in England, researches having been directed toward ascertaining all that could be learned relating to his descendants. There are, however, reasons for believing that he was a native of Yorkshire, England. His birth must have occurred about the year 1600. In the preceding pages are extracts from the "Record Series of the Yorkshire Archaeological Association," which show that many families of Croftes dwelt there between the years 1600 and 1700, to some of whom Griffin is believed to have been related. A family tradition states that he came to this country on the "Arbella."
By his wife Alice he had five more children, John, Mary, Abigail, Samuel and Moses, all of them (as well as Hannah) being married and leaving descendants. The birth of the eldest son John is the first recorded on the town records, July 10. 1630, and a family tradition states that the birth took place on board ship before landing.
Under the first charter of the Mass. Colony none were regarded as Freemen, or members of the Body Politic, except such as were admitted by the General Court, and took the oath of allegiance to the established Government. The first General Court in Mass. Bay was held Oct. 19, 1630. The next General Court was the Court of Election for 1031.
Lieut. Griffin Craft's name appears in the second installment of those who were made Freemen, viz. : May 18, 1631.
From the work entitled " The records of the Governor & Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England," we find that Griffin Croft was a Deputy to the Gen. Court holden at Boston, Mch. 13, 1638. He was again a Deputy to the Courts of Election holden May 27, 1663, and May 18, 1664, at which Jno. Endicott was chosen Governor and to the Courts of Election holden May 3, 1665, May 23, 1666, and May 15, 1067. at which Richard Bellingham, Esq., was chosen Governor. He was also Deputy to the special meetings of the Gen. Courts called Aug. 31, 1664, and Sept. 11, 1666.
From the same work we learn that he was one of the jury of twelve men at the trial of Hugh Buets Dec. 1, 1640. Hugh Buets (probably Burt) was tried " for publicly holding, and maintaining that he was free from original sin, and from actual sin also for half a year before, and that all true Christians are enabled to live without committing actual sin." The jury found said Hugh Buets to " bee guilty of heresy, and that his person and errors are dangerous for infection of others." The sentence passed reads as follows:— " Ordered, that the said Hugh Buets should bee gone out of our jurisdiction by the 24th Psent, upon pain of death, and not to return upon pain of being hanged." The Court granted the jury 12 shillings for their services.
The two following extracts from the same source are of especial interest.
"September 10, 1658, at the request of the military company of the town of Roxbury, this Court doth confirm Ensign Johnson to be their Captayne, Sergeants Craft for their Lieut. and Sergeante Boles for their Ensign."
"Feb. 21, 1675-6, Lieut. Griffin Craft's of Roxbury, request to lay down his commission is granted, and Sargeante Samuel Ruggles is appointed to be Lieut. to the Company in Roxbury in his place."
Thus we see that for over twenty-one years he held the position of Lieut., a position at that time of much trust and no little responsibility, and was finally relieved of his commission at his own request, when, at upwards of seventy years of age, he doubtless felt the cares too much for him, Indian hostilities commencing at that time, the year of the Deerfield massacre.
In the records of the Town of Roxbury, which have been carefully preserved, frequent mention is made of Lieut. Griffin. Craft, which shows him to have been a man respected by the community in which he lived, looked up to by his fellow colonists, and one whose judgment was referred to during a long period of his life. There are no records prior to 1648 excepting those of births, marriages and deaths, owing to their destruction by fire, and in the first. volume of the Town records, is found the following "Town order for makeing new transcript."
"The town boock wherin most mess lands being recorded [by] gods providence being burned, thereby much dammedg may [be done ?] to seviriall men, to prevent dammedg as aforesayd [it is or]dered by the town of Roxbury that ther shalbe fife [men] chosen to doe there best indever to set down etch mans land given them by the town or that may belongd [to] them other ways, and make return unto the town within three months soe as this may be accomplished for the pshon of dammedg as afore sayd, and allsoe to record hieaways and other town previlidges.
17 of 11, 1652.
John Johnson.
William Parke.
Isak Morill.
Ed. Denyson.
Griffen Craft."
In this connection, the following description of Griffin Craft's estate from what is known as the " Book of Possessions," is of especial interest.
"Griffen Craft. His house and lot, three accres with six accres more or lesse at the end theirof. And six accres more or Jesse at the great hill against the house of Nathaniell Willson. lying next to John Ruggles upon the North. And three accres of salt marsh more or lease at muddy river beyond the hridg, butting upon Peter 011iver east. And twenty accres joyning to it upon Isaack Morrill south, and upon part of a highway. And in the first and third allottments of the last division being the eight and twentieth Lott between Daniell Brewer and Robert Seaver forty-two accres one quarter and twenty rodda. The nearest halfe of the forty-two accres is sold by Griffen Crafts to John Johnson. And in the thousand accres neare Deddam thirty accres. And halfe a quarter of the Band of Marsh that was Mr. Hugh Prichards bounded upon Robert Pepper north, upon Edward Bridg south, and east, and upon Muddy river west. And sixteen accres more or Jesse called squirrills delight bounded by his owne land on the north, upon the way leading to Mr. Hibbing farme west, upon Mr. John Gores land South west and upon William Lewis. Pelegg Heath and Robert Seaver southeast. And two accres of swamp more or lesse lying at the west end of Edward Morris, his lott being part of Edward Morris, his lott lying upon the east of Griffon Craft, Robert Beavers land lying north and south of it. And three roodes of swamp more or lease bought of Pelegg Heath neare muddy river, upon Robert Seaver north, upon his owne land east, and upon the land lately belonging to William Lewis south."
Griffin Craft is also thought to have been part owner of a grist mill situated on " Muddy River Brooke," and perhaps also in a " fulling leather miln," as will be seen in the following copy of a deed from the Suffolk Deeds. The deed is dated in 1698, nine years after his decease, and although given by his grandson, an extract from it is here given, on account of the reference therein made. The deed runs as follows :
Samuel Crafts of Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Province of Mass. Bay in New England, husbandman, and Elizabeth his wife, in consideration of £56 paid them by Joseph Belknap, Jr., of Boston, Suffolk Co., aforesaid, Glover, sold him " Three full Eighth parts of all that water, grist or corn mill situate, standing and lying upon a certain Brooke, commonly called or known by the name of Muddy River Brooke in the township of Roxbury aforesaid, also three full Eighth parts of twenty rodds of land appertaining to the said mill (formerly the land of one Griffin Craft, and by him since conveyed unto Samuel Craft, the father of the above-named Samuel Craft, and others) being bounded and surrounded with the lands of the heirs of the said Griffin Craft and Samuel Craft both deceased, also three full Eighth parts of a certain highway of twenty foot wide appertaining to the said mill leading from the Towne Highway to the said mill, and also three full Eighth parts of all and singular the Houses, Edifices, buildings, mill pond, mill dam, banks, streames, watters, water courses, ways, Easements, profitts, priviledges, advantages, rights, comodities, hereditants, belonging or in any wise appertaining, or with the same now or at any time heretofore used, occupied or enjoyed. Likewise one full third part of a certain fulling leather miln standing upon the aforesaid twenty rodds of land, with one full third part of all the utensells, geeing, greases, and appertenances thereof, and also full and free liberty and priviledge of ingress, egress, and regress, into upon and from the land of the said Samuel Crafts for mending and repairing the trenches of the said mills, from time to time and at all times forever, hereafter, as the occasion shall require" unto the said Joseph Belknap, Jr., and his heirs and assigns forever, "all and they yealding and paying only unto Jacob Newell of Roxbury, aforesaid, husbandman, his heirs and assigns annually forever, halfe a bushel and two quarts of Indian corn if it shall be lawfully demanded. In witness whereof, the said Samuel Crafts and Elizabeth his said wife have hereunto set their hands and settles the 9th day of December A. D. 1000 698, in the 10th year of the reign of our soveraign lord King William the Third."
(signed)
"Samuel, Crafts.
The mark of
S. C. Eliza Crafts."
On the 11th of Jan. 1650, Griffin Craft was chosen a Selectman, or as the town records express it, he was chosen with four others " to order Towne Affairs." These selectmen were five in number, and are generally mentioned in the records as Five-men. Their term of service was for two years, and for their services they were paid about ten shillings. Lieut. Craft continued to serve as Selectman until 1673, with the exception of two years from 1665 to 1667, during which period he was one of a committee of three men chosen by the Town " to give the Selectmen orders that may be thought for the Selectmen to consider of, and establish for the good of the town."
In addition to the Fivemen or Selectmen were the " Commissioners." These were three in number and were chosen annually. Their duties were to end small causes in the " severall townes, to solemnize marriage, and also to give oathes to persons in all civill cases." (Colonial records 19 May 1658, Vol. 4, P. 322.) Griffin Craft was chosen annually to this position from 1659 to 1670 inclusive.
Griffin Craft was many times chosen to run the town bounds and to lay out highways, and his judgment was frequently referred to in disputed cases, notably in the case of the dispute with Dedham as to the boundary line in 1658.
From the first settlement of the Town, Griffin Craft was identified with the church, and throughout the 250 years that have intervened, some of his descendants have been connected with the " First Religious Society of Roxbury." Its first pastor was the Rev. John Eliot, and from the venerable MSS. of the church records much valuable information has been obtained for this work. In this volume called "A recorde of such as adjoyned themselves unto the fellowship of this Church of Christ at Roxborough," are the entries of "Griffith Crofts," and of " Alice Crofts the wife of Griffith Crofts." A new meeting-house was built in 1658-9, and Lieut. Griffin Craft was one of those appointed to superintend its erection. This was superseded in 1673 by another building and the men chosen to oversee its building were : Deacon William Parke, Capt. Johnson, Leift Crafts, John White, Tho. Gardner, Samuell Ruggles, William Gery.
The following extract from the Roxbury records of 1655 is of interest as showing the manner of satisfying claims for damages at a time when coin was a scarcity. (It is believed that the mill and clam were built near where the road crossed Muddy River, at the Brookline Line.)
" Att a meeting in Bro. Johnson Hall ye 17 :10 :1655 there was liberty (on a voat propounded by ye Constable) grannted to John Johnson. John Gore, John Pearepoint, William Parke, William Cheney and Thomas Mekins to set down a Brest Mill or und shott in or neere ye place where ye old mill stood neere Hugh Clerkes Berne provided that satisfaction be made unto those that shall receive dammage by damming of ye water in drowning of Ground and that for ye Cart bridge given them they make and maintain a Cart bridge sufficient for ye use of Town and Country. As for ye Dammages that Lieutenant Crafts and John Ruggles shall suteine they have received satisfaction of Bro Pearepoint in Ewes, each of them one, promising that in case noe dammage be don them they will pay backe to Bro Pearepoint fforty shillings a piece for ye Ewes. As for ye Dammages it is to be mid' stoode that they must be chewed and arbitrated within a Twelve months Time after ye Damig of ye water."
Another entry at about the same time reads :--
the 12th of the 11th mo. 1658 it was granted that upon the approbation of John Johnson, Ed. Denison, Isaack Morrell and Peleg Heath that Griffin Craft should set up a gate upon Muddy River Lane to keep off the press of cattle."
Griffin Craft was frequently called upon to take Inventories of Estates, and the returns of many estates show him to have been a creditor to them. It is from the Inventory taken Feb. 26, 1660, of the estate of John Ruggles, who married Griffin's daughter, that Griffin's signature is taken that is found at the head of this article. The other is a copy of his signature as witness to the will of Philip Elliot, Octo. 21 1657. As stated earlier in the sketch, Griffin Craft brought with him from England his wife Alice, and daughter Hannah. Alice died in Roxbury, March 25, 1673. The Church records of Roxbury record her death as follows : " 1673, 24, 1st mo. Alice Crafts smitten wth Apoplexie and died next day, i 73." Lieut. Griffin Craft took a second wife, being married July 15, 1673, to Ursula, widow of William Robinson of Dorchester, and who had been the widow of Samuel Hosier, as of Stephen Streeter at an earlier day. She was a daughter of Henry Adams of Braintree, Mass. Griffin Craft was her fourth husband. He buried her, but consoled himself for his loss by marrying as third wife Dorcas, daughter of John and Barbara Ruggles, of Roxbury, formerly of Sudbury, Suffolk, England, where she was probably born. She died Dec. 30, 1697. Lieut. Griffin Craft lived to an advanced age, and the last few years of his life were passed in blindness. He died Oct. 4, 1689. He left a will which is to be found in the Probate records and which is as follows :
THE WILL OF GRIFFIN CRAFT.
"The Last will and testiment of Griffin Crafts of Roxburi in the County of Suffolk in newingland made this 18 of may in the year of our Lord on thowsand six hundred eighti nine is as followeth."
"I the said Griffin Craft being through God's goodness in competent helth and of perfect memory and understanding yet being sensible of the decay of nature the Lord haveing this severall yeers past deprived me of my naturall sight and being also alarmed by other infirmities atending my old age to prepare for the disolution of this my earthli tabernacle it is in order thereunto it is my desire to make and constitute this my last will and testiment in manner and form following. I doe hartily and freely commit and bequeth my soul into the hands of my gratios and mercifull Father who gave it me and my body after my deceas to my executor hereafter mention [ed] to be by him honourably and decently buried being fully ashoord that tho' death shall make a separation between my soul and body for a season and the grave shall reduce my flesh and bones into rottenes yet by the all mighty power of God they shall be raised and united again at the last day hopeing through Gods merci in the merits of Christ I shall then behold my Redeemer with everlasting Joy and Comfort. concerning that temporall estate that path plesed God to bless me withall in the world my will and desire is that my just debts if any be together with my sickness and funerall charges be defrayed and discharged and the remainder of my estate desposed as is hereafter expressed."
"Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved wivf dorcas seven pounds tenn shillings a yeer for three yeers beginning at my deceas in such pay following twenty in money and thirty in provition while the three yeers be out if shee live so long and if shee Both not live while the three years be out then concequently for the time shoe liveth and further I doe give to my beloved wife on book of my yivkens works and then to be retorned to my executor."
"Item. I give to my beloved son Moses Craft tenn pounds in money or in inglish goods at money price besides what he oweth me allredy and all my wearing clothes and all to be payd and delivered within half a yeer after my deceas by my executor hereafter mentioned."
"Item. I give to my son in law nathaniel wilson besides fiveteen pounds in money that hee oweth mee allredi five pounds more tweuti shillings in money and four pounds in country comodeties to be payd by my executor within on yeer after my disco's."
"Item. I give to my son-in-law Edward adams five pounds twenti shillings money and four pounds in cuntry commodeties to be payd by my executor within on yeer after my disceas."
"Item. I doe give to my daughter hannah wilson that is to say if shoe outlive her husband and be left a widow tenn pounds in cuntry coninuxleties to be payd by my executor in three yeers equalli beginning at the deceas of her husband nathaniel wilson provided that she be not married again."
"Item. I give to my daughter abegal adams tenn pounds in cuntry commodeties acording to the tenor of my daughter wilson as above expressed."
"Item. I give to my grandchild ephraem craft a cow if hoe live to the age of 21 yeers to be payd by my executor hereafter expressed the cow not to exceed eight yeers of age."
"Item. I doe make my son samuel Craft my soul executor and doe give unto him all my housing and lands and estate of what kind and nature soever wether in my hands or due unto mee allways excepting the moveables in my hoes and this my will I doe order to stand forever if I make not another, and in aknowlidgment of all and singular the promised articles I the sayd Griffin Craft have hereunto set to my hand fixed my seal the day and yeer above written."
"Joseph Grigs. " the mark of Griffin Craft."
witness
"william garey."
INVENTORY.
"An Inventory of the Estate of Griffin Craft late of Roxbury who dyed upon the fourth day of October in the yeare of ou' Lord one thousand six hundred Eighty and nine as it was taken 27th November 1689 by us whose names are underwritten with the apprisall thereof."
£. s. d.
"A dwelling house with out-housing : about 7 acres of medow
before the dore together with the orchard 120 00 00
About 33 acres of land adjoyning to sd orchard and medow 130 00 00
One old cow 02 00 00
Bedding and Bedsteds a pair of old striped curtains and
valance 06 00 00
A Coat Cupboard, a Table, 2 chests, 4 chairs 03 00 00
A small matter of worne table Linnen 10 00
Pewter Brass and Iron vessels and utensiles for housekeeping 03 10 00
One old plow, Chains, an old handsaw and a musket 01 00 00
A parcel of Books 01 06 00
Money in the house 14 04 00
All his waring Apparrell woollen and Linnen 07 00 00
288 10 00
Samuell Ruggles, sen.
Joseph Grigs.
Samuel Gore."
As noted in the will, his son Samuel Craft was made sole executor and was the principal beneficiary named, but he dying about a year after his father, administration was granted to Samuel's widow Elizabeth and son Samuel in April 1691. On the 8th of Nov. 1692, Moses Crafts presented a paper to the Suffolk County Court, being his objections to Griffin's will, in which he states that the will is not Griffin's own act, that he was blind at the time of his death, and that the will was not presented for probate till after his decease, that the handwriting was the Executor's, and that Griffin died intestate and he therefore prays that administration be granted to others than Samuel and Elizabeth, and that the estate be divided equally among his father's children. William Stoughton, Judge of Probate, dismissed the case, stating that it lay more properly with the Governor and Council, and here the matter seems to have been dropped.
It may prove interesting to follow the estate of Lieut. Griffin Craft through succeeding generations. This has been done to the fourth and fifth generations. As has been seen, the housing and lands descended to his son Samuel, who died intestate two years later. By comparing the inventories of their estates, it will be seen that in addition to the house and barn were seven acres of meadow, and one acre of orchard, and thirty-three acres of land adjoining. By carefully reading the account of the distribution of Lieut. Samuel's estate it will be seen that out of this forty-one acres of land, Lieut. Samuel's widow Elizabeth received fourteen acres, Samuel Craft, Jr., thirteen and one-half acres, and Lieut. Samuel's daughters, Mary and Abigail, six and one-quarter and seven and one-quarter acres respectively. The thirteen and one-half acres held by Samuel Craft, Jr., were settled after his death, in 1717, upon his son Lieut. Joseph Craft. Lieut. Joseph sold, April 6, 1722, to "his stepfather James Shed, of Roxbury, in consideration of £500, all his estate in Roxbury, being that formerly his father's, also all his right and title to such part of his grandmother's thirds as shall at her decease accrue to him or his heirs." His grandmother died Dec. 9, 1731, and on the 9th of Feb. 1732, James Shed and Nathaniel Craft (son of Lieut. Samuel), purchased the fourteen acres meadow and upland, which was her thirds, for £197, of all the heirs, then living, twenty-three in all (Suff. deeds, lib. 52, fol. 193). Thus we see that nearly all of Lieut. Griffin's estate became the property of James Shed and Nathaniel Craft. The fourteen acres purchased jointly were divided between them, and according to the " articles of agreement" Shed took the upland and Craft the meadow (Suffolk deeds, lib. 52, fol. 194). The portion held by Nathaniel Craft, he left by will to his son Jonathan Craft in 1746. James Shed died Dec. 29, 1749, and left all his real estate to his only son James. The son James died in 1768 and by his will the estate was divided equally among his seven children.
2. John Crafts (son of Griffin Crafts)
Born: 10 Jul 1630 in Roxbury, Mass.
Died: 3 Sep 1685 in Roxbury, Mass.
Parents: Lieut. Griffin Crafts and Alice
Wife: Rebecca Wheelock
Married: 7 Jun 1654
Born: About 1630 in Shropshire, England
Died: 24 Nov 1667 in Roxbury, Mass.
Parents: Ralph and Rebecca Wheelock of Dedham and Medfield, Mass.
Children:
*Thomas Crafts
John Crafts
Rebecca Crafts
Mary Crafts
Joseph Crafts
Second Wife: Mary Hudson
Married: 30 Mar 1669
Born:
Died: 3 Jan 1724
Parents:
Children:
Abigail Crafts
Mehitable Crafts
Sarah Crafts
Ephraim Crafts
Lydia Crafts
History:
John Craft was born in Roxbury, Mass., 10 July, 1630, being the first birth recorded in the records of the town of Roxbury. A family tradition, handed down from past generations, is to the effect that his birth took place on board ship before landing. He married in Roxbury, 7, June 1654, Rebecca, daughter of Ralph and Rebecca Wheelock of Dedham and Medfield, Mass. From Tilden's History of Medfield, we learn that Ralph Wheelock was born in Shropshire, Eng., in 1600, and his daughter Rebecca is believed to have been born there prior to his coming to this country. Ralph Wheelock settled in Dedham, Mass., in 1637. He was educated at Clare Hall, Cambridge. He was a dissenting preacher, and came from England when the tide of persecution ran highest. He went first to Watertown, and thence to Dedham at the time of its first settlement in 1637, and was active in the formation of the church there. He was a Freeman in 1639. In 1642 he was appointed a local magistrate, and Clerk of the Writs, and in 1645 was authorized to solemnize marriages in Dedham. He was the founder of Medfield, Mass., building there in 1651 or 2, his house lot being the first granted. He was a selectman in Medfield from 1651 to 1655, and was the first schoolmaster there, in 1655. He was a Deputy to the General Court several years, and was a magistrate in Medfield and Mendon. We give this brief biographical sketch of Ralph Wheelock, the father of John Craft's wife, to show the high standing which the family had in the community at that time. Rebecca, wife of John Craft became a member of the church at Roxbury, 2 July 1663. She died in Roxbury 24 Nov. 1667. He married, second wife, 30 Mch. 1669, " Mary Hudson of Lynn." She died 3 Jan. 1724. From the Roxbury Church Records we learn that on the " 4th May 1684, John Craft confessed his sins that were publik and so was admitted to take hold on the Covenant." He died in Roxbury 3 Sept. 1685, at the age of 55. From the Records of the town of Roxbury we glean the following facts : " 1657, Jan. 19 was granted a parcell of land to John Craft from his barne end and so to the river to be viewed and staked out by his naibors for his conveniancy, and thaire best predeiuse, namely, by Peleg Heath, Rob Pepper, Willyam Gery and Rob Sever."
"The same day (19 Jan. 1657) ware chosen to run the lines between Boston, Cambridge and Dedham, John Johnson, Capt. Johnson, Lieut. Craft, Peleg Heath and John Craft."
"3, 11, 1675, a small quantity of land was granted unto Shewball Sever on the west side of Stoney River core the now dwelling-house of John Craft." From these extracts we learn that he lived on the west side of Stoney River, and from the will of William Curtis we are able to fix very nearly the exact location. Referring to his home lot Wm. Curtis says in his will, (dated 11 Feb. 1669,) "tene acars of it lyeth in Roxbury by Stooney River, as it now lyeth, be the same more or less, with the aforesayd housings, orchards and yards, and these abutting upon Stooney river Easter, and upon the land of Isaac Curtis, lately of John Curtis North and upon the land of John Craft and Robert Sever West, and upon the land of Isaac Curtis lately the land of William Hopkins and the hyway leding frome gamblins end, South."
John Craft died intestate, and his widow Mary was appointed Adininistratrix. The Inventory of his estate was taken 9 Oct. 1685 by Wm. Gary and John Mayo, Senior, and was as follows :
INVENTORY.
£ s. d.
his waring apparell 02 00 00
one feather bed, straw bed, bolster, and two pillows, one
paire of sheets, one old Rugg, Bedstead, 05 10 00
one brass kittle, one iron pott and pott hooks, tramble, grid-
iron, fire shovel and tongs, one iron Heeter and warm-
ing-pan, 02 04 00
one pewter platter, one bason, one pewter Platt, 00 09 00
earthenware, one bason, two platters, 00 02 00
one cupboard, one table, chairs, 01 00 00
one spinning-wheel, one pannel chest, one playne chest, one
box, one cradell, 01 00 00
one fowling.piece, one musket, one sword, 02 12 00
one old Rugg blanket, trundle bedstead, one old chair, 00 09 00
one axe, one howl bittle rings, three wedges, old shovel and
pichforke, 00 07 00
one plow, one fits, one pidgion nett, 01 08 00
one cow and heiffer, 03 12 00
six swine, 01 13 00
come, both english and Indian, 03 10 00
about three acres of come land, 14 00 00
about three acres and half of pasture land, 14 00 00
ten acres of wood land, 9 00 00
about one acre and a quarter of salt marsh, 11 00 00
one old burreu, 02 00 00
75 11 00
The dwelling-house and orchard given to his wife and her children by deed under hand and seals which wee apprize not.
On the back was written,
Debts due from the estate, £16 5s. 10d.
" " to '' '' 00 11 00
His widow Mary gave a bond of £150 as admx.
According to the Roxbury records John Craft had nine children, four by his first marriage and five by his second marriage, but it is believed by the compilers of this work that he had another child born prior 'to the first birth recorded in the records mentioned, and named Thomas, being the Thomas mentioned in Savage's Genealogical Dictionary as of Hadley, 1675. There are many reasons for so thinking, and as his actual birth has never been found recorded anywhere, it seems fitting that the reasons for this belief should here be briefly given.
First. The fact of his birth not being recorded in Roxbury is by no means evidence that it did not occur there, for these records make no entry of the birth of Alice, daughter of Samuel Craft 19 Dec. 1681, yet this birth is proved by old family documents, probate records, etc. Neither do the records make entries of the death of Lieut. Griffin Craft's second wife and his marriage to his third wife. John Craft was married to Rebecca Wheelock 7 June 1654, and the first birth recorded of the family was that of John born 6 Aug. 1658, after a period of four years, with the succeeding births following at intervals of two years. Within this interval of four years it is believed that the birth of Thomas of Hadley occurred. Thomas is first mentioned in Hadley, Feb. 15, 1676, and from the way in which he is mentioned in the records it is highly probable that he was then eighteen or nineteen years of age. This will be treated more at length under his record.
Secondly. Moses Crafts, brother of John, moved from Roxbury to Deerfield among the early settlers of that town in 1673. When Deerfield was burned by the Indians Sept. 20, 1675 in King Philip's war, the inhabitants fled to the adjacent towns of Hatfield and Hadley, and Thomas was in Hadley in 1676, while Moses was in Hatfield in 1678. Assuming that Thomas was born in 1656, and a son of John, he would have been seventeen years of age at the time Moses went to Deerfield in 1673. Moses had then lost three children and had only an infant daughter living, and would have been himself but thirty-two years of age, and his wife Rebecca but twenty-six. What more natural than that he should have been accompanied by his nephew, especially as at that time John had then married a second wife, by whom he had another child, in addition to those by his first marriage.
Thirdly. Another evidence of relationship between Thomas and Lieut. Griffin Craft is that Thomas named his first three children, John, Mary and Abigail, which were the names borne by Lieut. Griffin's children, in the same order. Further, Thomas's grandchildren were named Thomas, Moses and Rebecca, and these names are constantly recurring in both the Hadley and Roxbury branches of the family.
Fourthly. It may be asked why does not some proof of relationship show in the settlement of John's estate ? It will be readily answered, however, when we reflect that John died intestate, and that prior to his death he deeded his dwelling-house and orchard to his wife and her children, as shown from the inventory just given.
We have thus given briefly our reasons for believing the relationship existed as stated, and shall in future pages treat it as established.
3. Thomas Crafts (son of John Crafts)
Born: 1656 in Roxbury, Mass.
Died: 27 Feb 1692 in Hadley, Mass.
Parents: John and Rebecca (Wheelock) Crafts
Wife: Abigail Dickinson
Married: 6 Dec 1686
Born: About 1663 in Hadley, Mass.
Died: in 1714
Parents: John and Frances (Foot) Dickinson
Children:
*John Crafts
Mary Crafts
Abigail Crafts
Thomas Crafts
Elizabeth Crafts
Benoni Crafts
History:
They lived at Hadley, where he had grants of land from the town as follows :
12 Jan., 1681. " Voted to grant to Thomas Crafts six acres,—in breadth 13 rod, (this was what was known as a 100 pound allotment,) Abutting on hill easterly and westerly. Also ten acres of land next adjoining to Jno. Kellogg, if there is found to be so much remaining by the committee Appointed to order the same, how and where it shall be laid out ; provided it be no predudice to the waye to Hockanum, or that Ensign Nash and Samuel Moodie have to their lots : and the said grant is on the same terms as the former to John Kellogg. Also land on Fort River to Thomas Crafts, six acres."
There was granted to Abigail, the widow of Thomas Crafts :
" Four acres and one-quarter and twenty pole bounded by Samuel Dickinson, North. and Joseph Smith, South. in breadth three rods," and a " Wood lott in the most easterly division which begins forty rods from the rere of the Second Division and so runs to the east ends of the Bounds of the Towne. which lotts are Two miles in Length and in Bredth as is hereafter exprest, In which Every one hath a Lott Laying in the as followeth, Widdo Croft, one rod and nine foot Broad."
In 1703 in the divisions of commons of Amherst, (once a part of Hadley.) the people of Hadley were allowed £25 or £50 allotments, and the widow Crafts had one of the smaller,—three rods wide and 240 rods long in the first division extending from the Brookfield road to Mill River. After Thomas died in 1692 his personal estate inventoried £116 7s. 9d. We find the following entry relative to his real estate : " Ensign Chileab Smith, Peter Montague and Westwood Cook being apointed by the judge of Probate to aprise the estate of Thomas Crafts Dasaoded have aprised it as follows, to wit :"
" the homsted prised as mony £8 00s. 00d.
tha pind plane lott in mony £4 00s. 00d.
2 acorn in North forlong in mony £8 00s. 00d.
an acor in ye grat holow, £6 00s. 00d.
Total: £26 00s. 00d.
Moreover we settle upon the relick of thomas Crafts for
her third the house and lands being in mony £8 00s. 00d.
and thirteen Shilings and 8 pence in mony £0 13s. 08d
and this to hers during the time of naterral life and then to return to John Crafts."
The widow Abigail Crafts was appointed administratrix and guardian of the children. She married Samuel Crowfoot Nov. 30, 1704, and as she had not finished settling the estate, John Crafts, then nearly of age, was appointed administrator.
Thomas Crafts doubtless came to Deerfield to live with his uncle Moses, while he resided there. When Deerfield was abandoned, about the 20th of Sept., 1675, he went to Hadley. We find that on the 15th of Feb., 1676, he was engaged in a riotous assembly in Hadley, described by Sylvester Judd in the History of Hadley " as follows: " At the March court 1676, nine men were charged with being actors in a riotous assembly in Hadley, on the 15th of Feb., when there was a public affronting of authority, in the stopping and hindering of the execution of a sentence which was ordered by authority." The record does not tell what the sentence was, nor against whom directed. It was in the time of King Philip's war, when there were many soldiers in Hadley. Among others, Thomas Crofts was fined five pounds. Some were sentenced to be whipped, but their fathers interceded for them, and a fine was substituted. They were mostly young men of from fifteen to twenty years of age. At this time Thomas was between nineteen and twenty years of age.
Money was very scarce and payments of fines and costs were paid in produce or in such other ways as they could be. Judd says in the " History of Hadley" : " Money was seldom seen, except in and about commercial places. From 1640 to 1700 the farmers generally made their purchases and paid their debts and taxes with the produce of their farms. Church members were under the necessity of paying the sacramental charges in wheat" (History of Hadley, p. 206). As Thomas had fled from Deerfield, a young man without. means, he was assisted in paying his fine by his friend Jonathan Marsh and his father, and consequently we find him residing with them when he worked out his fines. At the same court he was arraigned on the charge of wearing long hair, and fined two shillings, six pence. When we know for what trivial offences young and old were dragged before the courts and fined, we feel but little chagrin at finding our ancestor thus brought into court. In one of the cases, "Gershom Hawks, for having a pack of cards and refusing to tell whose they were, was fined twenty shillings" (History of Hadley, p. 98).
We have every reason to suppose that Thomas was a steady, industrious and highly respectable man. We find that in 1681 a tax of £41 14s. Rd. was raised, and that he was taxed as still residing with the Marshes, 3s. 7d. ; the poll tax was 2s. 3d. In 1686 he was taxed on a tax of £41 8s. 2d. the sum of 8s. 8d., showing a steady increase in his estate. He was then married, and living where his father-in-law had formerly lived. John Dickinson, his father-in-law, was one of Hadley's best citizens, having often served as selectman, etc.
Among the items of personal estate, as given in his inventory, we find : two steel traps, two beds and bedding, sheets and table linen, curtains and vallans, two small beds, books, two swords, arms and ammunition, saddle and pillion, one horse and one young mare, two oxen, two cows, two hogs and three pigs. The house and homestead were appraised at fifteen pounds. They lived in Hadley on Front street.
4. John Crafts (son of Thomas Crafts)
Born: 8 Nov 1684 in Hadley, Mass.
Died: 2 May 1730 in Hatfield, Mass.
Parents: Thomas and Abigail (Dickinson) Crafts
Wife: Martha Graves
Married: 17 May 1716
Born: 4 Nov 1689 in Hatfield, Mass.
Died: 5 Jun 1780
Parents: John Graves and Sarah (White) Graves
Children:
*Thomas Crafts
Moses Crafts
Rebecca Crafts
Benoni Crafts
Gaius Crafts
History:
After John Crafts died in 1730, his wife Martha remarried on 14 Nov 1734 to Eleazer Allis of Hatfield, son of John and Mary (Meekins) (Clark) Allis of Hatfield.
John Crafts removed to Hatfield before 1705, as we find that he was taxed there that year and continuously during his life. He was an esteemed citizen, and an active man, owning considerable real estate. He was a farmer ; was one of the proprietors of the Gov. Simon Bradstreet farm, or grant. This tract contained a thousand acres extending two miles on the Connecticut River, all of which is now in the town of Whately, then a part of Hatfield. In 1714 he was appointed administrator to finish settling his brother's estate. The same year he went to Canada to release or recover some prisoners. Peace had been made by the Treaty of Utrecht, 30 Mar 1713, between England and France, but hostilities continued here for several months after they had ceased in Europe. At this time there was a large number of prisoners in Canada, and an expedition was sent there to effect their release. The expedition was successful, and the released prisoners were sent home on a vessel to Boston. A party, of which John Crafts was one, made the homeward journey by the usual route up the St. Lawrence to Montreal, up the Sorelle River, and Lake Champlain to Otter Creek, and over the mountain to the great meadows near Putney, Vt., thence by canoes again on the Connecticut River to Hatfield. One of the compilers has in his possession a journal of their travels on the homeward trip. It begins "August ye 28th 1714. This day we took our jurny from Quebec for new england." They arrived at " ye great meddo " Sept. 26, a trip occupying twenty-nine days. Vermont was then an unbroken wilderness, and the journey was long and wearisome.
He kept bees, and we find them appraised in the inventory of his estate. When his sons removed to Whately they brought the bees with them, and his great-great-grandsons have a large number of swarms the direct descendants of his bees. His son Benoni, used to make and sell metheglin from the honey.
He settled several estates, and was appointed guardian of Mary Hovey, the daughter of his sister Mary, who married Thomas Hovey. He was buried in the old cemetery at Hatfield where a head-stone, made of a hard red sand-stone, marks his grave. His descendants had the lettering on this stone cut deeper, but preserved the old time spelling, as follows :
" JOHN CRAFTS,
DYED MAY YE 2, 1730,
IN YE 44 YEAR."
On the 26 March, 1753, the children of John Crafts, in consideration of £20, conveyed to James Porter of Hatfield, the homestead that belonged to John Crafts, containing two acres more or less, with the buildings thereon, bounded east on said Porter's house-lot, north and west on Ebenezer Cole's land, and south on the town street. On the 13th Nov., 1753, Eleazer Allis and Martha (Crafts) Allis his wife, for a valuable consideration, conveyed their interest in the said estate to the said James Porter of Hatfield. It does not appear from any deed yet discovered who bought his lands in the Bradstreet grant: It is probable that the land granted him was in what was known locally as the three-mile addition. This was a strip three miles wide added to the west side of the town, now a part of Williamsburg. These lots were divided amongst the tax-payers of the town, according to their valuation on the assessors' books. This division was voted 14 May, 1736, and John Crafts' heirs had a strip of land twenty-two rods, nine feet and eleven inches wide, and three miles long.
5. Thomas Crafts (son of John Crafts)
Born: 16 Aug 1717 in Hatfield, Mass.
Died: 4 Feb 1803 in Whately, Mass.
Parents: John Crafts and Martha (Graves) Crafts
Wife: Sarah Graves
Married: in 1742
Born: 13 Nov 1717
Died: 13 Jan 1803 in Whately.
Parents: Joseph and Bridget (Scott) Graves of Hatfield.
Children:
John Crafts
*Joseph Crafts
Martha Crafts
Moses Crafts
Sarah Crafts
Miriah Crafts
Rhoda Crafts
Graves Crafts
Seth Crafts
History:
Thomas and Sarah were married nearly 61 years. In 1751, they removed from Hatfield center to the north part of the town, which was incorporated as the town of Whately in 1771. Thomas bought the large farm on which he lived and died, and where his son Seth, and his grandsons Dexter and Noah were born, lived and died, and which was owned by his great-grandson Seth B. Crafts.
His father, John Crafts, dying when he was but a youth of thirteen years and in feeble health, he was sent to Hartford to live with his uncle, Mose Nash. He was of a quiet and retiring disposition, steady, industrious, and frugal. He was one of the first to organize the church, of which he and his wife were honored members. After his return from Connecticut, he lived with his uncle and aunt Smith of North Hadley, where he learned the cooper's trade, remaining with them until of age. He was a man of much decision, and although quiet and unobtrusive, was persistent and determined. He owned originally quite a tract of land, extending from Chesternut Plain St., more than a mile and a half westward. He sold off the west end to Elisha Allis. It is now known as the lrving Allis farm, beginning one hundred and ninety rods west of Chesternut Plain St. His home lot was made up of two lots, Nos. 44 and 45 in the fourth division of commons. These two lots were fifty-eight rods and ten feet wide, and one hundred and ninety rods long; he had beside large tracts in "Great Swamp," and "North Plain." etc., etc. When he removed to Whately he carried with him several swarms of bees. These were kept in the family for several generations, the last of them dying about 1872. He never sought for an office yet the office sometimes sought him.
6. Joseph Crafts (son of Thomas Crafts)
Born: 6 Nov 1745 in Hatfield, Mass.
Died: 18 Oct 1815
Parents: Thomas and Sarah Graves
Wife: Roxcellany Warner (widow of David White)
Married: 20 May 1779 in Hatfield, Hampshire, Mass.
Born: unknown
Died: 1830
Parents: Gideon Warner and Mary Parsons (from Hadley, Hampshire, Mass.)
Children:
Mary Paulina Crafts
Lucretia Crafts
Chester Crafts
Sabra Crafts
Ansel Crafts
David Crafts
Roxcellany Crafts
Roswell Crafts
*Parsons Crafts
Josephus Crafts
Possible other marriage:
Wife: Martha Warner (one record states that he was married another time but I'm not sure if this is correct.)
Married: unknown
Born: 11 Sep 1756 in Hadley, Hampshire, Mass.
Died: 21 Mar 1830 in Whately, Franklin, Mass.
Parents: unknown
Children:
Lydia Crafts
History:
Joseph was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He was in Capt. Israel Chapin's Company and in Col. John Fellow's regiment. He entered military service at the arrival of the news of the attack at Concord and Lexington on April 20, 1775. In a payroll dated 1 Aug 1775, he is entered as a private, and he was present in several later campaigns. He lived in Whately on the road running from Whately center to the Baptist meeting house around the southerly end of Mt. Esther. He was remembered as a great walker. His last walk was from Boston to Whately, just before his death, when seventy years of age. He had been to Boston to sell cattle and walked home in two days; a distance of ninety-eight miles.
7. Parsons Crafts (son of Joseph Crafts)
Born: in Whately, Mass. in 1796
Died: in Rome, Peoria County, Iiiinois in 1839
Parents: Joseph Crafts and Roxcellany Warner
Wife: Judith Chase (widow of Judson Dudley)
Married: Georgetown, Beaver County, PA, in 1816
Born: 1787 in Georgetown, Beaver, Pennsylvania
Died: Sep 1833 in Rome, Peoria, Illinois
Parents: unknown
Children:
1. Olive Crafts
2. Lydia Crafts
3. Pamelia Crafts
4. Sophronia Crafts
5. Josephus Crafts
6. James Crafts
7. Mary Crafts
*8. David King Crafts
History:
Parsons learned the blacksmith's trade in Deerfield, Mass., but left there and went to Pennsylvania to live. They later moved to Ohio, where he was engaged in making agricultural implements, and subsequently removed to Michigan, and Illinois. Judith's death occurred when the youngest child was but a year old. The father's death occurred a few days later and left a family of six children to support themselves away from kindred. The children became widely scattered and the family records are consequently meager.
Born: About 1600 in, possibly, Yorkshire, England
Died: 4 Oct 1689 in Roxbury, Mass.
Parents:
Wife: Alice
Married:
Born: About 1600
Died: 25 Mar 1673
Parents:
Children:
Hannah Crafts (born in England)
*John Crafts
Mary Crafts
Abigail Crafts
Samuel Crafts
Moses Crafts
Second Wife: Ursula 1(Robinson) 2(Hosier) 3(Streeter) Adams
Married: 15 July 1673
Born:
Died:
Parents: Henry Adams of Braintree, Mass.
Children:
Third Wife: Dorcas Ruggles
Married:
Born: Probably Sudbury, Suffolk, England
Died: 30 Dec 1697
Parents: John and Barbara Ruggles of Roxbury, Mass.
Children:
History:
As has already been stated in these pages, it is believed that the greater portion of the members of the Craft family in this country, are descended from Lieut. Griffin Craft, who settled in Roxbury, Mass., in 1630, sailing from England with Winthrop's party of colonists. Many of the company came from Boston, in Lincolnshire, Eng., and ultimately gave the name of their former place of abode to their place of settlement here. All the colonists, however, did not settle at Boston, some choosing their farms, and clearing their land in the neighboring country. Among these was Griffin Craft, who located on the west bank of what was called at that time Muddy River, within what were then the limits of the town of Roxbury, but somewhat over a mile from what afterward became the village centre. But probably all the early settlers in that section were somewhat scattered, and we soon find him taking an active interest in town affairs and being chosen to many positions of trust and responsibility.
Our records begin with his arrival in this country, accompanied by his wife Alice, and daughter Hannah. No especial attempt has been made to ascertain his ancestry or connections in England, researches having been directed toward ascertaining all that could be learned relating to his descendants. There are, however, reasons for believing that he was a native of Yorkshire, England. His birth must have occurred about the year 1600. In the preceding pages are extracts from the "Record Series of the Yorkshire Archaeological Association," which show that many families of Croftes dwelt there between the years 1600 and 1700, to some of whom Griffin is believed to have been related. A family tradition states that he came to this country on the "Arbella."
By his wife Alice he had five more children, John, Mary, Abigail, Samuel and Moses, all of them (as well as Hannah) being married and leaving descendants. The birth of the eldest son John is the first recorded on the town records, July 10. 1630, and a family tradition states that the birth took place on board ship before landing.
Under the first charter of the Mass. Colony none were regarded as Freemen, or members of the Body Politic, except such as were admitted by the General Court, and took the oath of allegiance to the established Government. The first General Court in Mass. Bay was held Oct. 19, 1630. The next General Court was the Court of Election for 1031.
Lieut. Griffin Craft's name appears in the second installment of those who were made Freemen, viz. : May 18, 1631.
From the work entitled " The records of the Governor & Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England," we find that Griffin Croft was a Deputy to the Gen. Court holden at Boston, Mch. 13, 1638. He was again a Deputy to the Courts of Election holden May 27, 1663, and May 18, 1664, at which Jno. Endicott was chosen Governor and to the Courts of Election holden May 3, 1665, May 23, 1666, and May 15, 1067. at which Richard Bellingham, Esq., was chosen Governor. He was also Deputy to the special meetings of the Gen. Courts called Aug. 31, 1664, and Sept. 11, 1666.
From the same work we learn that he was one of the jury of twelve men at the trial of Hugh Buets Dec. 1, 1640. Hugh Buets (probably Burt) was tried " for publicly holding, and maintaining that he was free from original sin, and from actual sin also for half a year before, and that all true Christians are enabled to live without committing actual sin." The jury found said Hugh Buets to " bee guilty of heresy, and that his person and errors are dangerous for infection of others." The sentence passed reads as follows:— " Ordered, that the said Hugh Buets should bee gone out of our jurisdiction by the 24th Psent, upon pain of death, and not to return upon pain of being hanged." The Court granted the jury 12 shillings for their services.
The two following extracts from the same source are of especial interest.
"September 10, 1658, at the request of the military company of the town of Roxbury, this Court doth confirm Ensign Johnson to be their Captayne, Sergeants Craft for their Lieut. and Sergeante Boles for their Ensign."
"Feb. 21, 1675-6, Lieut. Griffin Craft's of Roxbury, request to lay down his commission is granted, and Sargeante Samuel Ruggles is appointed to be Lieut. to the Company in Roxbury in his place."
Thus we see that for over twenty-one years he held the position of Lieut., a position at that time of much trust and no little responsibility, and was finally relieved of his commission at his own request, when, at upwards of seventy years of age, he doubtless felt the cares too much for him, Indian hostilities commencing at that time, the year of the Deerfield massacre.
In the records of the Town of Roxbury, which have been carefully preserved, frequent mention is made of Lieut. Griffin. Craft, which shows him to have been a man respected by the community in which he lived, looked up to by his fellow colonists, and one whose judgment was referred to during a long period of his life. There are no records prior to 1648 excepting those of births, marriages and deaths, owing to their destruction by fire, and in the first. volume of the Town records, is found the following "Town order for makeing new transcript."
"The town boock wherin most mess lands being recorded [by] gods providence being burned, thereby much dammedg may [be done ?] to seviriall men, to prevent dammedg as aforesayd [it is or]dered by the town of Roxbury that ther shalbe fife [men] chosen to doe there best indever to set down etch mans land given them by the town or that may belongd [to] them other ways, and make return unto the town within three months soe as this may be accomplished for the pshon of dammedg as afore sayd, and allsoe to record hieaways and other town previlidges.
17 of 11, 1652.
John Johnson.
William Parke.
Isak Morill.
Ed. Denyson.
Griffen Craft."
In this connection, the following description of Griffin Craft's estate from what is known as the " Book of Possessions," is of especial interest.
"Griffen Craft. His house and lot, three accres with six accres more or lesse at the end theirof. And six accres more or Jesse at the great hill against the house of Nathaniell Willson. lying next to John Ruggles upon the North. And three accres of salt marsh more or lease at muddy river beyond the hridg, butting upon Peter 011iver east. And twenty accres joyning to it upon Isaack Morrill south, and upon part of a highway. And in the first and third allottments of the last division being the eight and twentieth Lott between Daniell Brewer and Robert Seaver forty-two accres one quarter and twenty rodda. The nearest halfe of the forty-two accres is sold by Griffen Crafts to John Johnson. And in the thousand accres neare Deddam thirty accres. And halfe a quarter of the Band of Marsh that was Mr. Hugh Prichards bounded upon Robert Pepper north, upon Edward Bridg south, and east, and upon Muddy river west. And sixteen accres more or Jesse called squirrills delight bounded by his owne land on the north, upon the way leading to Mr. Hibbing farme west, upon Mr. John Gores land South west and upon William Lewis. Pelegg Heath and Robert Seaver southeast. And two accres of swamp more or lesse lying at the west end of Edward Morris, his lott being part of Edward Morris, his lott lying upon the east of Griffon Craft, Robert Beavers land lying north and south of it. And three roodes of swamp more or lease bought of Pelegg Heath neare muddy river, upon Robert Seaver north, upon his owne land east, and upon the land lately belonging to William Lewis south."
Griffin Craft is also thought to have been part owner of a grist mill situated on " Muddy River Brooke," and perhaps also in a " fulling leather miln," as will be seen in the following copy of a deed from the Suffolk Deeds. The deed is dated in 1698, nine years after his decease, and although given by his grandson, an extract from it is here given, on account of the reference therein made. The deed runs as follows :
Samuel Crafts of Roxbury, Suffolk Co., Province of Mass. Bay in New England, husbandman, and Elizabeth his wife, in consideration of £56 paid them by Joseph Belknap, Jr., of Boston, Suffolk Co., aforesaid, Glover, sold him " Three full Eighth parts of all that water, grist or corn mill situate, standing and lying upon a certain Brooke, commonly called or known by the name of Muddy River Brooke in the township of Roxbury aforesaid, also three full Eighth parts of twenty rodds of land appertaining to the said mill (formerly the land of one Griffin Craft, and by him since conveyed unto Samuel Craft, the father of the above-named Samuel Craft, and others) being bounded and surrounded with the lands of the heirs of the said Griffin Craft and Samuel Craft both deceased, also three full Eighth parts of a certain highway of twenty foot wide appertaining to the said mill leading from the Towne Highway to the said mill, and also three full Eighth parts of all and singular the Houses, Edifices, buildings, mill pond, mill dam, banks, streames, watters, water courses, ways, Easements, profitts, priviledges, advantages, rights, comodities, hereditants, belonging or in any wise appertaining, or with the same now or at any time heretofore used, occupied or enjoyed. Likewise one full third part of a certain fulling leather miln standing upon the aforesaid twenty rodds of land, with one full third part of all the utensells, geeing, greases, and appertenances thereof, and also full and free liberty and priviledge of ingress, egress, and regress, into upon and from the land of the said Samuel Crafts for mending and repairing the trenches of the said mills, from time to time and at all times forever, hereafter, as the occasion shall require" unto the said Joseph Belknap, Jr., and his heirs and assigns forever, "all and they yealding and paying only unto Jacob Newell of Roxbury, aforesaid, husbandman, his heirs and assigns annually forever, halfe a bushel and two quarts of Indian corn if it shall be lawfully demanded. In witness whereof, the said Samuel Crafts and Elizabeth his said wife have hereunto set their hands and settles the 9th day of December A. D. 1000 698, in the 10th year of the reign of our soveraign lord King William the Third."
(signed)
"Samuel, Crafts.
The mark of
S. C. Eliza Crafts."
On the 11th of Jan. 1650, Griffin Craft was chosen a Selectman, or as the town records express it, he was chosen with four others " to order Towne Affairs." These selectmen were five in number, and are generally mentioned in the records as Five-men. Their term of service was for two years, and for their services they were paid about ten shillings. Lieut. Craft continued to serve as Selectman until 1673, with the exception of two years from 1665 to 1667, during which period he was one of a committee of three men chosen by the Town " to give the Selectmen orders that may be thought for the Selectmen to consider of, and establish for the good of the town."
In addition to the Fivemen or Selectmen were the " Commissioners." These were three in number and were chosen annually. Their duties were to end small causes in the " severall townes, to solemnize marriage, and also to give oathes to persons in all civill cases." (Colonial records 19 May 1658, Vol. 4, P. 322.) Griffin Craft was chosen annually to this position from 1659 to 1670 inclusive.
Griffin Craft was many times chosen to run the town bounds and to lay out highways, and his judgment was frequently referred to in disputed cases, notably in the case of the dispute with Dedham as to the boundary line in 1658.
From the first settlement of the Town, Griffin Craft was identified with the church, and throughout the 250 years that have intervened, some of his descendants have been connected with the " First Religious Society of Roxbury." Its first pastor was the Rev. John Eliot, and from the venerable MSS. of the church records much valuable information has been obtained for this work. In this volume called "A recorde of such as adjoyned themselves unto the fellowship of this Church of Christ at Roxborough," are the entries of "Griffith Crofts," and of " Alice Crofts the wife of Griffith Crofts." A new meeting-house was built in 1658-9, and Lieut. Griffin Craft was one of those appointed to superintend its erection. This was superseded in 1673 by another building and the men chosen to oversee its building were : Deacon William Parke, Capt. Johnson, Leift Crafts, John White, Tho. Gardner, Samuell Ruggles, William Gery.
The following extract from the Roxbury records of 1655 is of interest as showing the manner of satisfying claims for damages at a time when coin was a scarcity. (It is believed that the mill and clam were built near where the road crossed Muddy River, at the Brookline Line.)
" Att a meeting in Bro. Johnson Hall ye 17 :10 :1655 there was liberty (on a voat propounded by ye Constable) grannted to John Johnson. John Gore, John Pearepoint, William Parke, William Cheney and Thomas Mekins to set down a Brest Mill or und shott in or neere ye place where ye old mill stood neere Hugh Clerkes Berne provided that satisfaction be made unto those that shall receive dammage by damming of ye water in drowning of Ground and that for ye Cart bridge given them they make and maintain a Cart bridge sufficient for ye use of Town and Country. As for ye Dammages that Lieutenant Crafts and John Ruggles shall suteine they have received satisfaction of Bro Pearepoint in Ewes, each of them one, promising that in case noe dammage be don them they will pay backe to Bro Pearepoint fforty shillings a piece for ye Ewes. As for ye Dammages it is to be mid' stoode that they must be chewed and arbitrated within a Twelve months Time after ye Damig of ye water."
Another entry at about the same time reads :--
the 12th of the 11th mo. 1658 it was granted that upon the approbation of John Johnson, Ed. Denison, Isaack Morrell and Peleg Heath that Griffin Craft should set up a gate upon Muddy River Lane to keep off the press of cattle."
Griffin Craft was frequently called upon to take Inventories of Estates, and the returns of many estates show him to have been a creditor to them. It is from the Inventory taken Feb. 26, 1660, of the estate of John Ruggles, who married Griffin's daughter, that Griffin's signature is taken that is found at the head of this article. The other is a copy of his signature as witness to the will of Philip Elliot, Octo. 21 1657. As stated earlier in the sketch, Griffin Craft brought with him from England his wife Alice, and daughter Hannah. Alice died in Roxbury, March 25, 1673. The Church records of Roxbury record her death as follows : " 1673, 24, 1st mo. Alice Crafts smitten wth Apoplexie and died next day, i 73." Lieut. Griffin Craft took a second wife, being married July 15, 1673, to Ursula, widow of William Robinson of Dorchester, and who had been the widow of Samuel Hosier, as of Stephen Streeter at an earlier day. She was a daughter of Henry Adams of Braintree, Mass. Griffin Craft was her fourth husband. He buried her, but consoled himself for his loss by marrying as third wife Dorcas, daughter of John and Barbara Ruggles, of Roxbury, formerly of Sudbury, Suffolk, England, where she was probably born. She died Dec. 30, 1697. Lieut. Griffin Craft lived to an advanced age, and the last few years of his life were passed in blindness. He died Oct. 4, 1689. He left a will which is to be found in the Probate records and which is as follows :
THE WILL OF GRIFFIN CRAFT.
"The Last will and testiment of Griffin Crafts of Roxburi in the County of Suffolk in newingland made this 18 of may in the year of our Lord on thowsand six hundred eighti nine is as followeth."
"I the said Griffin Craft being through God's goodness in competent helth and of perfect memory and understanding yet being sensible of the decay of nature the Lord haveing this severall yeers past deprived me of my naturall sight and being also alarmed by other infirmities atending my old age to prepare for the disolution of this my earthli tabernacle it is in order thereunto it is my desire to make and constitute this my last will and testiment in manner and form following. I doe hartily and freely commit and bequeth my soul into the hands of my gratios and mercifull Father who gave it me and my body after my deceas to my executor hereafter mention [ed] to be by him honourably and decently buried being fully ashoord that tho' death shall make a separation between my soul and body for a season and the grave shall reduce my flesh and bones into rottenes yet by the all mighty power of God they shall be raised and united again at the last day hopeing through Gods merci in the merits of Christ I shall then behold my Redeemer with everlasting Joy and Comfort. concerning that temporall estate that path plesed God to bless me withall in the world my will and desire is that my just debts if any be together with my sickness and funerall charges be defrayed and discharged and the remainder of my estate desposed as is hereafter expressed."
"Item. I give and bequeath to my beloved wivf dorcas seven pounds tenn shillings a yeer for three yeers beginning at my deceas in such pay following twenty in money and thirty in provition while the three yeers be out if shee live so long and if shee Both not live while the three years be out then concequently for the time shoe liveth and further I doe give to my beloved wife on book of my yivkens works and then to be retorned to my executor."
"Item. I give to my beloved son Moses Craft tenn pounds in money or in inglish goods at money price besides what he oweth me allredy and all my wearing clothes and all to be payd and delivered within half a yeer after my deceas by my executor hereafter mentioned."
"Item. I give to my son in law nathaniel wilson besides fiveteen pounds in money that hee oweth mee allredi five pounds more tweuti shillings in money and four pounds in country comodeties to be payd by my executor within on yeer after my disco's."
"Item. I give to my son-in-law Edward adams five pounds twenti shillings money and four pounds in cuntry commodeties to be payd by my executor within on yeer after my disceas."
"Item. I doe give to my daughter hannah wilson that is to say if shoe outlive her husband and be left a widow tenn pounds in cuntry coninuxleties to be payd by my executor in three yeers equalli beginning at the deceas of her husband nathaniel wilson provided that she be not married again."
"Item. I give to my daughter abegal adams tenn pounds in cuntry commodeties acording to the tenor of my daughter wilson as above expressed."
"Item. I give to my grandchild ephraem craft a cow if hoe live to the age of 21 yeers to be payd by my executor hereafter expressed the cow not to exceed eight yeers of age."
"Item. I doe make my son samuel Craft my soul executor and doe give unto him all my housing and lands and estate of what kind and nature soever wether in my hands or due unto mee allways excepting the moveables in my hoes and this my will I doe order to stand forever if I make not another, and in aknowlidgment of all and singular the promised articles I the sayd Griffin Craft have hereunto set to my hand fixed my seal the day and yeer above written."
"Joseph Grigs. " the mark of Griffin Craft."
witness
"william garey."
INVENTORY.
"An Inventory of the Estate of Griffin Craft late of Roxbury who dyed upon the fourth day of October in the yeare of ou' Lord one thousand six hundred Eighty and nine as it was taken 27th November 1689 by us whose names are underwritten with the apprisall thereof."
£. s. d.
"A dwelling house with out-housing : about 7 acres of medow
before the dore together with the orchard 120 00 00
About 33 acres of land adjoyning to sd orchard and medow 130 00 00
One old cow 02 00 00
Bedding and Bedsteds a pair of old striped curtains and
valance 06 00 00
A Coat Cupboard, a Table, 2 chests, 4 chairs 03 00 00
A small matter of worne table Linnen 10 00
Pewter Brass and Iron vessels and utensiles for housekeeping 03 10 00
One old plow, Chains, an old handsaw and a musket 01 00 00
A parcel of Books 01 06 00
Money in the house 14 04 00
All his waring Apparrell woollen and Linnen 07 00 00
288 10 00
Samuell Ruggles, sen.
Joseph Grigs.
Samuel Gore."
As noted in the will, his son Samuel Craft was made sole executor and was the principal beneficiary named, but he dying about a year after his father, administration was granted to Samuel's widow Elizabeth and son Samuel in April 1691. On the 8th of Nov. 1692, Moses Crafts presented a paper to the Suffolk County Court, being his objections to Griffin's will, in which he states that the will is not Griffin's own act, that he was blind at the time of his death, and that the will was not presented for probate till after his decease, that the handwriting was the Executor's, and that Griffin died intestate and he therefore prays that administration be granted to others than Samuel and Elizabeth, and that the estate be divided equally among his father's children. William Stoughton, Judge of Probate, dismissed the case, stating that it lay more properly with the Governor and Council, and here the matter seems to have been dropped.
It may prove interesting to follow the estate of Lieut. Griffin Craft through succeeding generations. This has been done to the fourth and fifth generations. As has been seen, the housing and lands descended to his son Samuel, who died intestate two years later. By comparing the inventories of their estates, it will be seen that in addition to the house and barn were seven acres of meadow, and one acre of orchard, and thirty-three acres of land adjoining. By carefully reading the account of the distribution of Lieut. Samuel's estate it will be seen that out of this forty-one acres of land, Lieut. Samuel's widow Elizabeth received fourteen acres, Samuel Craft, Jr., thirteen and one-half acres, and Lieut. Samuel's daughters, Mary and Abigail, six and one-quarter and seven and one-quarter acres respectively. The thirteen and one-half acres held by Samuel Craft, Jr., were settled after his death, in 1717, upon his son Lieut. Joseph Craft. Lieut. Joseph sold, April 6, 1722, to "his stepfather James Shed, of Roxbury, in consideration of £500, all his estate in Roxbury, being that formerly his father's, also all his right and title to such part of his grandmother's thirds as shall at her decease accrue to him or his heirs." His grandmother died Dec. 9, 1731, and on the 9th of Feb. 1732, James Shed and Nathaniel Craft (son of Lieut. Samuel), purchased the fourteen acres meadow and upland, which was her thirds, for £197, of all the heirs, then living, twenty-three in all (Suff. deeds, lib. 52, fol. 193). Thus we see that nearly all of Lieut. Griffin's estate became the property of James Shed and Nathaniel Craft. The fourteen acres purchased jointly were divided between them, and according to the " articles of agreement" Shed took the upland and Craft the meadow (Suffolk deeds, lib. 52, fol. 194). The portion held by Nathaniel Craft, he left by will to his son Jonathan Craft in 1746. James Shed died Dec. 29, 1749, and left all his real estate to his only son James. The son James died in 1768 and by his will the estate was divided equally among his seven children.
2. John Crafts (son of Griffin Crafts)
Born: 10 Jul 1630 in Roxbury, Mass.
Died: 3 Sep 1685 in Roxbury, Mass.
Parents: Lieut. Griffin Crafts and Alice
Wife: Rebecca Wheelock
Married: 7 Jun 1654
Born: About 1630 in Shropshire, England
Died: 24 Nov 1667 in Roxbury, Mass.
Parents: Ralph and Rebecca Wheelock of Dedham and Medfield, Mass.
Children:
*Thomas Crafts
John Crafts
Rebecca Crafts
Mary Crafts
Joseph Crafts
Second Wife: Mary Hudson
Married: 30 Mar 1669
Born:
Died: 3 Jan 1724
Parents:
Children:
Abigail Crafts
Mehitable Crafts
Sarah Crafts
Ephraim Crafts
Lydia Crafts
History:
John Craft was born in Roxbury, Mass., 10 July, 1630, being the first birth recorded in the records of the town of Roxbury. A family tradition, handed down from past generations, is to the effect that his birth took place on board ship before landing. He married in Roxbury, 7, June 1654, Rebecca, daughter of Ralph and Rebecca Wheelock of Dedham and Medfield, Mass. From Tilden's History of Medfield, we learn that Ralph Wheelock was born in Shropshire, Eng., in 1600, and his daughter Rebecca is believed to have been born there prior to his coming to this country. Ralph Wheelock settled in Dedham, Mass., in 1637. He was educated at Clare Hall, Cambridge. He was a dissenting preacher, and came from England when the tide of persecution ran highest. He went first to Watertown, and thence to Dedham at the time of its first settlement in 1637, and was active in the formation of the church there. He was a Freeman in 1639. In 1642 he was appointed a local magistrate, and Clerk of the Writs, and in 1645 was authorized to solemnize marriages in Dedham. He was the founder of Medfield, Mass., building there in 1651 or 2, his house lot being the first granted. He was a selectman in Medfield from 1651 to 1655, and was the first schoolmaster there, in 1655. He was a Deputy to the General Court several years, and was a magistrate in Medfield and Mendon. We give this brief biographical sketch of Ralph Wheelock, the father of John Craft's wife, to show the high standing which the family had in the community at that time. Rebecca, wife of John Craft became a member of the church at Roxbury, 2 July 1663. She died in Roxbury 24 Nov. 1667. He married, second wife, 30 Mch. 1669, " Mary Hudson of Lynn." She died 3 Jan. 1724. From the Roxbury Church Records we learn that on the " 4th May 1684, John Craft confessed his sins that were publik and so was admitted to take hold on the Covenant." He died in Roxbury 3 Sept. 1685, at the age of 55. From the Records of the town of Roxbury we glean the following facts : " 1657, Jan. 19 was granted a parcell of land to John Craft from his barne end and so to the river to be viewed and staked out by his naibors for his conveniancy, and thaire best predeiuse, namely, by Peleg Heath, Rob Pepper, Willyam Gery and Rob Sever."
"The same day (19 Jan. 1657) ware chosen to run the lines between Boston, Cambridge and Dedham, John Johnson, Capt. Johnson, Lieut. Craft, Peleg Heath and John Craft."
"3, 11, 1675, a small quantity of land was granted unto Shewball Sever on the west side of Stoney River core the now dwelling-house of John Craft." From these extracts we learn that he lived on the west side of Stoney River, and from the will of William Curtis we are able to fix very nearly the exact location. Referring to his home lot Wm. Curtis says in his will, (dated 11 Feb. 1669,) "tene acars of it lyeth in Roxbury by Stooney River, as it now lyeth, be the same more or less, with the aforesayd housings, orchards and yards, and these abutting upon Stooney river Easter, and upon the land of Isaac Curtis, lately of John Curtis North and upon the land of John Craft and Robert Sever West, and upon the land of Isaac Curtis lately the land of William Hopkins and the hyway leding frome gamblins end, South."
John Craft died intestate, and his widow Mary was appointed Adininistratrix. The Inventory of his estate was taken 9 Oct. 1685 by Wm. Gary and John Mayo, Senior, and was as follows :
INVENTORY.
£ s. d.
his waring apparell 02 00 00
one feather bed, straw bed, bolster, and two pillows, one
paire of sheets, one old Rugg, Bedstead, 05 10 00
one brass kittle, one iron pott and pott hooks, tramble, grid-
iron, fire shovel and tongs, one iron Heeter and warm-
ing-pan, 02 04 00
one pewter platter, one bason, one pewter Platt, 00 09 00
earthenware, one bason, two platters, 00 02 00
one cupboard, one table, chairs, 01 00 00
one spinning-wheel, one pannel chest, one playne chest, one
box, one cradell, 01 00 00
one fowling.piece, one musket, one sword, 02 12 00
one old Rugg blanket, trundle bedstead, one old chair, 00 09 00
one axe, one howl bittle rings, three wedges, old shovel and
pichforke, 00 07 00
one plow, one fits, one pidgion nett, 01 08 00
one cow and heiffer, 03 12 00
six swine, 01 13 00
come, both english and Indian, 03 10 00
about three acres of come land, 14 00 00
about three acres and half of pasture land, 14 00 00
ten acres of wood land, 9 00 00
about one acre and a quarter of salt marsh, 11 00 00
one old burreu, 02 00 00
75 11 00
The dwelling-house and orchard given to his wife and her children by deed under hand and seals which wee apprize not.
On the back was written,
Debts due from the estate, £16 5s. 10d.
" " to '' '' 00 11 00
His widow Mary gave a bond of £150 as admx.
According to the Roxbury records John Craft had nine children, four by his first marriage and five by his second marriage, but it is believed by the compilers of this work that he had another child born prior 'to the first birth recorded in the records mentioned, and named Thomas, being the Thomas mentioned in Savage's Genealogical Dictionary as of Hadley, 1675. There are many reasons for so thinking, and as his actual birth has never been found recorded anywhere, it seems fitting that the reasons for this belief should here be briefly given.
First. The fact of his birth not being recorded in Roxbury is by no means evidence that it did not occur there, for these records make no entry of the birth of Alice, daughter of Samuel Craft 19 Dec. 1681, yet this birth is proved by old family documents, probate records, etc. Neither do the records make entries of the death of Lieut. Griffin Craft's second wife and his marriage to his third wife. John Craft was married to Rebecca Wheelock 7 June 1654, and the first birth recorded of the family was that of John born 6 Aug. 1658, after a period of four years, with the succeeding births following at intervals of two years. Within this interval of four years it is believed that the birth of Thomas of Hadley occurred. Thomas is first mentioned in Hadley, Feb. 15, 1676, and from the way in which he is mentioned in the records it is highly probable that he was then eighteen or nineteen years of age. This will be treated more at length under his record.
Secondly. Moses Crafts, brother of John, moved from Roxbury to Deerfield among the early settlers of that town in 1673. When Deerfield was burned by the Indians Sept. 20, 1675 in King Philip's war, the inhabitants fled to the adjacent towns of Hatfield and Hadley, and Thomas was in Hadley in 1676, while Moses was in Hatfield in 1678. Assuming that Thomas was born in 1656, and a son of John, he would have been seventeen years of age at the time Moses went to Deerfield in 1673. Moses had then lost three children and had only an infant daughter living, and would have been himself but thirty-two years of age, and his wife Rebecca but twenty-six. What more natural than that he should have been accompanied by his nephew, especially as at that time John had then married a second wife, by whom he had another child, in addition to those by his first marriage.
Thirdly. Another evidence of relationship between Thomas and Lieut. Griffin Craft is that Thomas named his first three children, John, Mary and Abigail, which were the names borne by Lieut. Griffin's children, in the same order. Further, Thomas's grandchildren were named Thomas, Moses and Rebecca, and these names are constantly recurring in both the Hadley and Roxbury branches of the family.
Fourthly. It may be asked why does not some proof of relationship show in the settlement of John's estate ? It will be readily answered, however, when we reflect that John died intestate, and that prior to his death he deeded his dwelling-house and orchard to his wife and her children, as shown from the inventory just given.
We have thus given briefly our reasons for believing the relationship existed as stated, and shall in future pages treat it as established.
3. Thomas Crafts (son of John Crafts)
Born: 1656 in Roxbury, Mass.
Died: 27 Feb 1692 in Hadley, Mass.
Parents: John and Rebecca (Wheelock) Crafts
Wife: Abigail Dickinson
Married: 6 Dec 1686
Born: About 1663 in Hadley, Mass.
Died: in 1714
Parents: John and Frances (Foot) Dickinson
Children:
*John Crafts
Mary Crafts
Abigail Crafts
Thomas Crafts
Elizabeth Crafts
Benoni Crafts
History:
They lived at Hadley, where he had grants of land from the town as follows :
12 Jan., 1681. " Voted to grant to Thomas Crafts six acres,—in breadth 13 rod, (this was what was known as a 100 pound allotment,) Abutting on hill easterly and westerly. Also ten acres of land next adjoining to Jno. Kellogg, if there is found to be so much remaining by the committee Appointed to order the same, how and where it shall be laid out ; provided it be no predudice to the waye to Hockanum, or that Ensign Nash and Samuel Moodie have to their lots : and the said grant is on the same terms as the former to John Kellogg. Also land on Fort River to Thomas Crafts, six acres."
There was granted to Abigail, the widow of Thomas Crafts :
" Four acres and one-quarter and twenty pole bounded by Samuel Dickinson, North. and Joseph Smith, South. in breadth three rods," and a " Wood lott in the most easterly division which begins forty rods from the rere of the Second Division and so runs to the east ends of the Bounds of the Towne. which lotts are Two miles in Length and in Bredth as is hereafter exprest, In which Every one hath a Lott Laying in the as followeth, Widdo Croft, one rod and nine foot Broad."
In 1703 in the divisions of commons of Amherst, (once a part of Hadley.) the people of Hadley were allowed £25 or £50 allotments, and the widow Crafts had one of the smaller,—three rods wide and 240 rods long in the first division extending from the Brookfield road to Mill River. After Thomas died in 1692 his personal estate inventoried £116 7s. 9d. We find the following entry relative to his real estate : " Ensign Chileab Smith, Peter Montague and Westwood Cook being apointed by the judge of Probate to aprise the estate of Thomas Crafts Dasaoded have aprised it as follows, to wit :"
" the homsted prised as mony £8 00s. 00d.
tha pind plane lott in mony £4 00s. 00d.
2 acorn in North forlong in mony £8 00s. 00d.
an acor in ye grat holow, £6 00s. 00d.
Total: £26 00s. 00d.
Moreover we settle upon the relick of thomas Crafts for
her third the house and lands being in mony £8 00s. 00d.
and thirteen Shilings and 8 pence in mony £0 13s. 08d
and this to hers during the time of naterral life and then to return to John Crafts."
The widow Abigail Crafts was appointed administratrix and guardian of the children. She married Samuel Crowfoot Nov. 30, 1704, and as she had not finished settling the estate, John Crafts, then nearly of age, was appointed administrator.
Thomas Crafts doubtless came to Deerfield to live with his uncle Moses, while he resided there. When Deerfield was abandoned, about the 20th of Sept., 1675, he went to Hadley. We find that on the 15th of Feb., 1676, he was engaged in a riotous assembly in Hadley, described by Sylvester Judd in the History of Hadley " as follows: " At the March court 1676, nine men were charged with being actors in a riotous assembly in Hadley, on the 15th of Feb., when there was a public affronting of authority, in the stopping and hindering of the execution of a sentence which was ordered by authority." The record does not tell what the sentence was, nor against whom directed. It was in the time of King Philip's war, when there were many soldiers in Hadley. Among others, Thomas Crofts was fined five pounds. Some were sentenced to be whipped, but their fathers interceded for them, and a fine was substituted. They were mostly young men of from fifteen to twenty years of age. At this time Thomas was between nineteen and twenty years of age.
Money was very scarce and payments of fines and costs were paid in produce or in such other ways as they could be. Judd says in the " History of Hadley" : " Money was seldom seen, except in and about commercial places. From 1640 to 1700 the farmers generally made their purchases and paid their debts and taxes with the produce of their farms. Church members were under the necessity of paying the sacramental charges in wheat" (History of Hadley, p. 206). As Thomas had fled from Deerfield, a young man without. means, he was assisted in paying his fine by his friend Jonathan Marsh and his father, and consequently we find him residing with them when he worked out his fines. At the same court he was arraigned on the charge of wearing long hair, and fined two shillings, six pence. When we know for what trivial offences young and old were dragged before the courts and fined, we feel but little chagrin at finding our ancestor thus brought into court. In one of the cases, "Gershom Hawks, for having a pack of cards and refusing to tell whose they were, was fined twenty shillings" (History of Hadley, p. 98).
We have every reason to suppose that Thomas was a steady, industrious and highly respectable man. We find that in 1681 a tax of £41 14s. Rd. was raised, and that he was taxed as still residing with the Marshes, 3s. 7d. ; the poll tax was 2s. 3d. In 1686 he was taxed on a tax of £41 8s. 2d. the sum of 8s. 8d., showing a steady increase in his estate. He was then married, and living where his father-in-law had formerly lived. John Dickinson, his father-in-law, was one of Hadley's best citizens, having often served as selectman, etc.
Among the items of personal estate, as given in his inventory, we find : two steel traps, two beds and bedding, sheets and table linen, curtains and vallans, two small beds, books, two swords, arms and ammunition, saddle and pillion, one horse and one young mare, two oxen, two cows, two hogs and three pigs. The house and homestead were appraised at fifteen pounds. They lived in Hadley on Front street.
4. John Crafts (son of Thomas Crafts)
Born: 8 Nov 1684 in Hadley, Mass.
Died: 2 May 1730 in Hatfield, Mass.
Parents: Thomas and Abigail (Dickinson) Crafts
Wife: Martha Graves
Married: 17 May 1716
Born: 4 Nov 1689 in Hatfield, Mass.
Died: 5 Jun 1780
Parents: John Graves and Sarah (White) Graves
Children:
*Thomas Crafts
Moses Crafts
Rebecca Crafts
Benoni Crafts
Gaius Crafts
History:
After John Crafts died in 1730, his wife Martha remarried on 14 Nov 1734 to Eleazer Allis of Hatfield, son of John and Mary (Meekins) (Clark) Allis of Hatfield.
John Crafts removed to Hatfield before 1705, as we find that he was taxed there that year and continuously during his life. He was an esteemed citizen, and an active man, owning considerable real estate. He was a farmer ; was one of the proprietors of the Gov. Simon Bradstreet farm, or grant. This tract contained a thousand acres extending two miles on the Connecticut River, all of which is now in the town of Whately, then a part of Hatfield. In 1714 he was appointed administrator to finish settling his brother's estate. The same year he went to Canada to release or recover some prisoners. Peace had been made by the Treaty of Utrecht, 30 Mar 1713, between England and France, but hostilities continued here for several months after they had ceased in Europe. At this time there was a large number of prisoners in Canada, and an expedition was sent there to effect their release. The expedition was successful, and the released prisoners were sent home on a vessel to Boston. A party, of which John Crafts was one, made the homeward journey by the usual route up the St. Lawrence to Montreal, up the Sorelle River, and Lake Champlain to Otter Creek, and over the mountain to the great meadows near Putney, Vt., thence by canoes again on the Connecticut River to Hatfield. One of the compilers has in his possession a journal of their travels on the homeward trip. It begins "August ye 28th 1714. This day we took our jurny from Quebec for new england." They arrived at " ye great meddo " Sept. 26, a trip occupying twenty-nine days. Vermont was then an unbroken wilderness, and the journey was long and wearisome.
He kept bees, and we find them appraised in the inventory of his estate. When his sons removed to Whately they brought the bees with them, and his great-great-grandsons have a large number of swarms the direct descendants of his bees. His son Benoni, used to make and sell metheglin from the honey.
He settled several estates, and was appointed guardian of Mary Hovey, the daughter of his sister Mary, who married Thomas Hovey. He was buried in the old cemetery at Hatfield where a head-stone, made of a hard red sand-stone, marks his grave. His descendants had the lettering on this stone cut deeper, but preserved the old time spelling, as follows :
" JOHN CRAFTS,
DYED MAY YE 2, 1730,
IN YE 44 YEAR."
On the 26 March, 1753, the children of John Crafts, in consideration of £20, conveyed to James Porter of Hatfield, the homestead that belonged to John Crafts, containing two acres more or less, with the buildings thereon, bounded east on said Porter's house-lot, north and west on Ebenezer Cole's land, and south on the town street. On the 13th Nov., 1753, Eleazer Allis and Martha (Crafts) Allis his wife, for a valuable consideration, conveyed their interest in the said estate to the said James Porter of Hatfield. It does not appear from any deed yet discovered who bought his lands in the Bradstreet grant: It is probable that the land granted him was in what was known locally as the three-mile addition. This was a strip three miles wide added to the west side of the town, now a part of Williamsburg. These lots were divided amongst the tax-payers of the town, according to their valuation on the assessors' books. This division was voted 14 May, 1736, and John Crafts' heirs had a strip of land twenty-two rods, nine feet and eleven inches wide, and three miles long.
5. Thomas Crafts (son of John Crafts)
Born: 16 Aug 1717 in Hatfield, Mass.
Died: 4 Feb 1803 in Whately, Mass.
Parents: John Crafts and Martha (Graves) Crafts
Wife: Sarah Graves
Married: in 1742
Born: 13 Nov 1717
Died: 13 Jan 1803 in Whately.
Parents: Joseph and Bridget (Scott) Graves of Hatfield.
Children:
John Crafts
*Joseph Crafts
Martha Crafts
Moses Crafts
Sarah Crafts
Miriah Crafts
Rhoda Crafts
Graves Crafts
Seth Crafts
History:
Thomas and Sarah were married nearly 61 years. In 1751, they removed from Hatfield center to the north part of the town, which was incorporated as the town of Whately in 1771. Thomas bought the large farm on which he lived and died, and where his son Seth, and his grandsons Dexter and Noah were born, lived and died, and which was owned by his great-grandson Seth B. Crafts.
His father, John Crafts, dying when he was but a youth of thirteen years and in feeble health, he was sent to Hartford to live with his uncle, Mose Nash. He was of a quiet and retiring disposition, steady, industrious, and frugal. He was one of the first to organize the church, of which he and his wife were honored members. After his return from Connecticut, he lived with his uncle and aunt Smith of North Hadley, where he learned the cooper's trade, remaining with them until of age. He was a man of much decision, and although quiet and unobtrusive, was persistent and determined. He owned originally quite a tract of land, extending from Chesternut Plain St., more than a mile and a half westward. He sold off the west end to Elisha Allis. It is now known as the lrving Allis farm, beginning one hundred and ninety rods west of Chesternut Plain St. His home lot was made up of two lots, Nos. 44 and 45 in the fourth division of commons. These two lots were fifty-eight rods and ten feet wide, and one hundred and ninety rods long; he had beside large tracts in "Great Swamp," and "North Plain." etc., etc. When he removed to Whately he carried with him several swarms of bees. These were kept in the family for several generations, the last of them dying about 1872. He never sought for an office yet the office sometimes sought him.
6. Joseph Crafts (son of Thomas Crafts)
Born: 6 Nov 1745 in Hatfield, Mass.
Died: 18 Oct 1815
Parents: Thomas and Sarah Graves
Wife: Roxcellany Warner (widow of David White)
Married: 20 May 1779 in Hatfield, Hampshire, Mass.
Born: unknown
Died: 1830
Parents: Gideon Warner and Mary Parsons (from Hadley, Hampshire, Mass.)
Children:
Mary Paulina Crafts
Lucretia Crafts
Chester Crafts
Sabra Crafts
Ansel Crafts
David Crafts
Roxcellany Crafts
Roswell Crafts
*Parsons Crafts
Josephus Crafts
Possible other marriage:
Wife: Martha Warner (one record states that he was married another time but I'm not sure if this is correct.)
Married: unknown
Born: 11 Sep 1756 in Hadley, Hampshire, Mass.
Died: 21 Mar 1830 in Whately, Franklin, Mass.
Parents: unknown
Children:
Lydia Crafts
History:
Joseph was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He was in Capt. Israel Chapin's Company and in Col. John Fellow's regiment. He entered military service at the arrival of the news of the attack at Concord and Lexington on April 20, 1775. In a payroll dated 1 Aug 1775, he is entered as a private, and he was present in several later campaigns. He lived in Whately on the road running from Whately center to the Baptist meeting house around the southerly end of Mt. Esther. He was remembered as a great walker. His last walk was from Boston to Whately, just before his death, when seventy years of age. He had been to Boston to sell cattle and walked home in two days; a distance of ninety-eight miles.
7. Parsons Crafts (son of Joseph Crafts)
Born: in Whately, Mass. in 1796
Died: in Rome, Peoria County, Iiiinois in 1839
Parents: Joseph Crafts and Roxcellany Warner
Wife: Judith Chase (widow of Judson Dudley)
Married: Georgetown, Beaver County, PA, in 1816
Born: 1787 in Georgetown, Beaver, Pennsylvania
Died: Sep 1833 in Rome, Peoria, Illinois
Parents: unknown
Children:
1. Olive Crafts
2. Lydia Crafts
3. Pamelia Crafts
4. Sophronia Crafts
5. Josephus Crafts
6. James Crafts
7. Mary Crafts
*8. David King Crafts
History:
Parsons learned the blacksmith's trade in Deerfield, Mass., but left there and went to Pennsylvania to live. They later moved to Ohio, where he was engaged in making agricultural implements, and subsequently removed to Michigan, and Illinois. Judith's death occurred when the youngest child was but a year old. The father's death occurred a few days later and left a family of six children to support themselves away from kindred. The children became widely scattered and the family records are consequently meager.
8. David King Crafts (son of Parsons Crafts)
Born: 18 Apr 1832 in Mt. Clements, Macomb, Michigan
Died: 17 Jun 1916 in Cedar Fort, Utah, Utah
Parents: Parsons Crafts and Judith Chase
Wife: Phoebe Ann Rodeback
Married: 10 Apr 1856 in Cedar Fort, Utah, Utah
Born: 2 Nov 1835 in West Chester, Chester, Pennsylvania
Died: 4 May 1903 in Cedar Fort, Utah, Utah
Parents: James Rodeback and Phoebe Beagle
Children:
1. David Edward Crafts
2. Henry Crafts
3. James Lorenzo Crafts
4. Phebe Rebecca Crafts
5. Mary Matilda Crafts
*6. William Franklin Crafts
7. Bayard Percy Crafts
8. Olive Brimfield Crafts
9. Mabel Crafts
10. William Elmer Crafts
History:
Phoebe Ann Rodeback was the daughter of James and Phoebe Rodeback of West Chester, PA. When David King Crafts was six years old, he and his brothers and sisters were left orphans away from kindred, in a newly settled country. They became widely scattered and their lives from that time onward were full of hardships. Two years later, the man with whom he was living sold him into bondage for ten dollars worth of whiskey. With the aid of a half-breed Indian he escaped from slavery and went with him to a small town on the canal between Fort Wayne and Fort Defiance, Indiana where he remained until he was thirteen years old; which, under circumstances, was a little better than in his life in slavery. He then found a home with a sister, and at the age of fifteen, he was apprenticed to learn the tinner's trade. They were living near Nauvoo, Illinois, and when the Mormons removed to Utah, he went with them. He is a member of the Mormon Church, but is opposed to the principle of polygamy. They lived in Inersoll, Milard County, Utah in 1893 where he owned a farm and was extensively interested in mining. He was superintendent of the Desertte Gold Mining Co., of which he was also a director.
Born: 18 Apr 1832 in Mt. Clements, Macomb, Michigan
Died: 17 Jun 1916 in Cedar Fort, Utah, Utah
Parents: Parsons Crafts and Judith Chase
Wife: Phoebe Ann Rodeback
Married: 10 Apr 1856 in Cedar Fort, Utah, Utah
Born: 2 Nov 1835 in West Chester, Chester, Pennsylvania
Died: 4 May 1903 in Cedar Fort, Utah, Utah
Parents: James Rodeback and Phoebe Beagle
Children:
1. David Edward Crafts
2. Henry Crafts
3. James Lorenzo Crafts
4. Phebe Rebecca Crafts
5. Mary Matilda Crafts
*6. William Franklin Crafts
7. Bayard Percy Crafts
8. Olive Brimfield Crafts
9. Mabel Crafts
10. William Elmer Crafts
History:
Phoebe Ann Rodeback was the daughter of James and Phoebe Rodeback of West Chester, PA. When David King Crafts was six years old, he and his brothers and sisters were left orphans away from kindred, in a newly settled country. They became widely scattered and their lives from that time onward were full of hardships. Two years later, the man with whom he was living sold him into bondage for ten dollars worth of whiskey. With the aid of a half-breed Indian he escaped from slavery and went with him to a small town on the canal between Fort Wayne and Fort Defiance, Indiana where he remained until he was thirteen years old; which, under circumstances, was a little better than in his life in slavery. He then found a home with a sister, and at the age of fifteen, he was apprenticed to learn the tinner's trade. They were living near Nauvoo, Illinois, and when the Mormons removed to Utah, he went with them. He is a member of the Mormon Church, but is opposed to the principle of polygamy. They lived in Inersoll, Milard County, Utah in 1893 where he owned a farm and was extensively interested in mining. He was superintendent of the Desertte Gold Mining Co., of which he was also a director.
9. William Franklin Crafts (son of David King Crafts)
Born: 13 Feb 1867 in Hyrum, Cache, Utah
Died: 29 Jul 1956 in Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona
Parents: David King Crafts and Phoebe Ann Rodeback
Wife: Mary Julia Thompson
Married: 14 Aug 1890 in Provo, Utah
Born: 30 Jul 1867 in Springville, Utah, Utah
Died: 22 Nov 1939 in Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona
Parents: Albert Harold Thompson and Charlotte Julia Avery
Children:
1. John A Craft
2. Charlotte Craft
3. Howard Franklin Craft
4. Mary Laverne Crafts
*5. William Cornell Crafts
6. Phoebe Luceil Craft
History:
Mary Julia Thompson was the daughter of Albert and Charlotte (Avery) Thompson of Springfield, Utah. William and Mary lived in Deseret, Utah in 1893, where he was engaged in farming.
10. William Cornell Crafts (son of William Franklin Crafts)
Born 27 Jan 1901 in Durango, La Plata, Colorado.
Died 3 Mar 1963 in Vallejo, Solano, California.
Parents: William Franklin Crafts and Mary Julia Thompson
Wife: Elizabeth Ingar Behrmann
Married: 29 Apr 1927 in Farmington, San Juan, New Mexico
Born: 26 Apr 1908 in Preston, White Pine, Nevada
Died: 12 Feb 1994 in La Verkin, Washington, Utah
Parents: Henry Behrmann and Levy Nettie Goss
Children:
1. Living
*2. Zora Crafts
Note: Elizabeth was only married to William for about six years and was divorced from him. Then she married John Earl Huffman on 28 Nov 1933. Elizabeth had two more children through this marriage. These children are still living.
Born: 13 Feb 1867 in Hyrum, Cache, Utah
Died: 29 Jul 1956 in Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona
Parents: David King Crafts and Phoebe Ann Rodeback
Wife: Mary Julia Thompson
Married: 14 Aug 1890 in Provo, Utah
Born: 30 Jul 1867 in Springville, Utah, Utah
Died: 22 Nov 1939 in Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona
Parents: Albert Harold Thompson and Charlotte Julia Avery
Children:
1. John A Craft
2. Charlotte Craft
3. Howard Franklin Craft
4. Mary Laverne Crafts
*5. William Cornell Crafts
6. Phoebe Luceil Craft
History:
Mary Julia Thompson was the daughter of Albert and Charlotte (Avery) Thompson of Springfield, Utah. William and Mary lived in Deseret, Utah in 1893, where he was engaged in farming.
10. William Cornell Crafts (son of William Franklin Crafts)
Born 27 Jan 1901 in Durango, La Plata, Colorado.
Died 3 Mar 1963 in Vallejo, Solano, California.
Parents: William Franklin Crafts and Mary Julia Thompson
Wife: Elizabeth Ingar Behrmann
Married: 29 Apr 1927 in Farmington, San Juan, New Mexico
Born: 26 Apr 1908 in Preston, White Pine, Nevada
Died: 12 Feb 1994 in La Verkin, Washington, Utah
Parents: Henry Behrmann and Levy Nettie Goss
Children:
1. Living
*2. Zora Crafts
Note: Elizabeth was only married to William for about six years and was divorced from him. Then she married John Earl Huffman on 28 Nov 1933. Elizabeth had two more children through this marriage. These children are still living.