McCRACKEN, William H. - 1912 Bio (1846-1913)

MCCRACKEN, HADLEY, JONES, CRUMLEY, ALLEN, PRINGLE, HANSON, COFFIN, MEALEY

Posted By: Debbie Nash (email)
Date: 7/17/2003 at 16:45:18

From the “History of Jefferson County, Iowa,” – 1912, Volume II
Pages 376-378

WILLIAM H. McCRACKEN.

A highly esteemed representative of one of Jefferson county’s pioneer settlers is William H. McCRACKEN, who is one of the extensive landowners of Black Hawk township, where for thirty-one years he has discharged the duties of justice of the peace. He was born one mile east of Pleasant Plain in Penn township, on July 26, 1846, and is a son of Hiram and Dinah (HADLEY) McCRACKEN. His father was born in Mooresville, Morgan county, Indiana, a son of Henry McCRACKEN, a pioneer farmer of that county. The grandfather was born and reared in North Carolina and was of Scotch-Irish (sic) descent, but in his early manhood he removed to Indiana, whence in 1844, together with his son Hiram, he came to Iowa. Upon their arrival in Jefferson county the father preempted eighty acres of land, two miles west of Brighton, where he spent the remainder of his life. The son, however, preempted eighty acres in Penn township upon which he resided until the spring of 1865, when he disposed of his holding and removed to Black Hawk township, where he resided until his death on the 15th of October, 1889.

At the usual age William H. McCRACKEN entered the district school in the vicinity of his home in the acquirement of an education. After the completion of the course he went to Richland high school, and later he studied in one of the Fairfield schools, completing his education at Whittier’s College at Salem, Iowa. Before entering college, however, he engaged in teaching in the district schools one winter, in the vicinity of Des Moines and for several years near Macon, Mississippi. He was an able educator, having the faculty of imparting knowledge to others in a lucid manner, instilling in his pupils an appreciation of the value of learning and stimulating them to greater efforts in the development of their mental powers. His ability became recognized and in the years 1872 and 1873 he was called to the office of county superintendent. He had no desire to permanently follow the profession of teaching, however, so in the late ‘70s he purchased eighty acres of land on section II (sic - 11), Black Hawk township, upon which he located immediately after his marriage. Agricultural pursuits thereafter engaged his attention, and here he displayed the same intelligence and capability that he had manifested both in the schoolroom and in public office. Mr. McCRACKEN is a man of much foresight and discretion, who has always directed his undertakings with a definite purpose in view, with a full appreciation of both method and system in the attainment of his ambition. From his earliest boyhood he was taught the value of industry and thrift, and these lessons he never forgot, but exercised them during the entire period of his active career with the result that he was able to increase his holdings from time to time until he now owns four hundred and forty acres of most fertile land. He is a practical farmer, who in the cultivation of his fields has adopted the more progressive methods of modern, scientific agriculture and has met with a gratifying measure of prosperity in his vocation. Owing to his physical condition he has not been able to do much of the hard work about his place, but every detail has been concisely laid out by him and carefully planned and all goes on under his personal supervision. His is one of the attractive farms of the community, great care ever having been given to keep both the buildings and grounds in good condition.

It was on the 12th of August, 1880, that Mr. McCRACKEN was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca JONES, a daughter of Thomas and Mary (CRUMLEY) JONES, the mother a sister of Isaac CRUMLEY, who for many years was a county surveyor of Jefferson county. Mr. JONES, who was of English extraction, was a native of Tennessee, as was also his wife. He came to Keokuk county in 1855, locating in that county, where he lived until his death in January, 1883. After his demise the mother made her home with her children, and passed away at the home of Mr. McCRACKEN in 1895. Mrs. McCRACKEN was born in Keokuk county, on the 2d of January, 1856, and died on the farm, where she had spent the entire period of her domestic life, on the 24th of March, 1902. Of their marriage there were born nine children, all of whom are living. Luther, who is operating a farm, three-quarters of a mile northwest of his father’s place, married Grace ALLEN, and they have two children, Vance Jerome and a baby, Vesta M. Stacy J., who for three years was president of Central College at Central City, Nebraska, but was compelled to give up teaching on account of his health, and is now engaged in farming and the real-estate business in Scott City, Kansas, married Carrie PRINGLE of Richland, Iowa, and they have two children, Landon and a baby, Ruth R. Pliny, who is the principal of New Providence Academy at New Providence, Iowa, married Lena HANSON of Linnville, Iowa. Dymond, a farmer three-quarters of a mile southeast of his father, married Arthul HADLEY and they have two children, Jessie Thelma and Clifford. C. Sumner, a farmer three-fourths of a mile west of his father, married Mary COFFIN of Pleasant Plain and they have had one child, who died in infancy. Linneus, who is a teacher, is attending Penn College at Oskaloosa. Tirza married Leonard MEALEY, a painter and paperhanger at Pleasant Plain. Duane, who is seventeen, is going to school at Richland, as is also Rufus, who is the youngest member of the family. The six oldest sons either are or have at some time been engaged in teaching, all having been given then advantages of a good education.

In religious faith Mr. McCRACKEN is a Quaker and holds membership in the Friends church at Woolson, to which his wife and family also belonged, the children having always attended the Sunday school, and Mrs. McCRACKEN was a member of the Missionary Society. In his political views he has always been an ardent republican, of the conservative wing of that party. He has taken an active interest in all matters pertaining to the township, and soon after his marriage was elected justice of the peace, in which capacity he has ever since served. For twenty-five years he was president of the township school board and for one year he discharged the duties of assessor. Mr. McCRACKEN has always been one of the more progressive citizens of Black Hawk township and has taken a deep interest in promoting the development of the community, his influence and cooperation at all times having been given to advance every movement, the adoption of which would tend to establish a higher standard of life.

I am copying this for genealogical purposes and am not related to said individuals.