U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Cracraft, William Allen Sr. (1844-1920) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Men of West Virginia, Volume II Biographical Publishing Company George Richmond, Pres.: C. R. Arnold, Sec'y and Treas. Chicago, Illinois, 1903 Pages 698-699 DR. WILLIAM ALLEN CRACRAFT, Sr., a well known physician of Ohio County, residing at Elm Grove, was born in Claysville, Pennsylvania, February 23, 1844. In 1848 his father's family moved to Triadelphia, Ohio County, Virginia, now West Virginia, where he was reared, receiving his academic education at the West Alexander Pennsylvania Academy. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he entered the Confederate Army, though but 17 years of age, as a private in the "Shriver Grays," Company C, 27th Regiment, Virginia Infantry, "Stonewall" Jackson's Brigade, and participated in all the engagements with his regiment in 1861 and until the battle of Kernstown, March 23, 1862, when he was taken prisoner and confined in Fort Delaware until August 5, 1862, then being exchanged at Aiken's Landing, Virginia. He at once rejoined his command and, although his year's enlistment had expired the preceding May, took part in all the battles of his regiment until after the battle of Sharpsburg, Maryland, September 19, 1862, when he accepted an honorable discharge, and re-enlisted in the cavalry service as lieutenant of Company I, 20th Regiment, Virginia Cavalry, William L. Jackson's Brigade, Lomax's Division, Fitzhugh Lee's Corps. He commanded his company in every battle in which the regiment participated, from the date of its organization to the termination of the war, receiving his parole of honor under the terms of Lee's surrender. After the close of the war, our subject returned to his home and entered upon the study of medicine. During 1866 and 1867 he attended the University of Virginia, where he received his medical education, and then commenced the practice of his profession in Triadelphia, Ohio County, West Virginia, in June, 1867, remaining there until April, 1871, when he located at Elm Grove, Ohio County, West Virginia, where he has remained ever since. From 1872 to 1893 he was attending physician to the Ohio County Infirmary, and in 1894 he was appointed visiting physician to "Altenheim;" also visiting physician to the Orphans' Home for Boys and girls at Elm Grove. Dr. Cracraft was married, January 28, 1874, to Mary Key, of Elm Grove, daughter of Abner and Elizabeth Key, four children being born to them namely: Georgia Key, deceased; William Allen, Jr., a graduate of medicine from the University of Virginia, June, 1901, and located at Elm Grove; Mary Elizabeth; and Leech Key, at present a student of medicine at the University of Virginia. Abner Key, deceased, was born in Maryland, and Elizabeth Key, deceased, in Lancaster, Ohio. Dr. George A. Cracraft, father of Dr. William Allen Cracraft. Sr., was a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Medicine and practiced in Triadelphia from 1848 to 1888 — the year of his death — with the exception of three years, during which time he held the position of surgeon, with the rank of major, in the 19th Regiment. Virginia Cavalry, C. S. A. His wife was Jane Knox, of Washington County, Pennsylvania, and of Scotch-Irish descent. Dr. George A. Cracraft, was the son of William Atkinson Cracraft, of Washington County, Pennsylvania, whose father was Maj. Charles Cracraft, a full surgeon in the Revolutionary War. later prominent in Indian warfare as a major, being wounded and captured near Fort Henry (Wheeling), in 1781, by a force of Indians under the renegade Simon Grity. Maj. Charles Cracraft was a son of Joseph Cracraft, who immigrated from Lincolnshire, England, to the vicinity of Frederick. Maryland, in 1720. ------------------------------------------------------------------- DEATH CERTIFICATE, Ohio County WV, #5925 FULL-NAME: Dr. W. A. Cracraft, Sr., BIRTH-DATE: February 23, 1844 BIRTH-PLACE: Claysville, Penna. DEATH-DATE: July 22, 1920 AGE-AT-DEATH: 76y-4m-29d DEATH-PLACE: Elm Grove St., Wheeling, Ohio County, WV MARITAL-STATUS: Married OCCUPATION: Physician FATHER: Dr. Geo. A. Cracraft (born in Penna.) MOTHER: Jane Knox (born in Penna.) CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Myocarditis INFORMANT: Dr. Cracraft, Jr. (of Woodsdale, City) BURIAL: Stone Church Cemetery (wife of William Allen Cracraft) DEATH CERTIFICATE, Ohio County WV, #10659 FULL-NAME: Mary Key Cracraft BIRTH-DATE: Sept. about 1853 BIRTH-PLACE: Lancaster, Ohio DEATH-DATE: August 28, 1942 AGE-AT-DEATH: about 89 yrs. DEATH-PLACE: Ohio Valley General Hospital, Wheeling, Ohio County, WV USUAL-RESIDENCE: 1212 National Road, Wheeling, Ohio County, WV MARITAL-STATUS: Widowed (W. A. Cracraft) OCCUPATION: None FATHER: Abner Key (born in Baltimore, Md.) MOTHER: Elizabeth (born in Baltimore, Md.) CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Acute broncho pneumonia / arteriosclerosis INFORMANT: Dr. W. A. Cracraft (of Wheeling, W.Va.) BURIAL: Stone Church Cemetery, Wheeling, W.Va. ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Ohio County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/ohio/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------