My Corner Online

 

Pearl & Manna Kent | Andrew & Nancy Kent | Thadeus and Sarah Kent |

John & Melissa Weekley (Nancy's parents) | John & Mary Crain (Melissa's parents) | John & Susannah Crain |

THIS IS MY WORKING GENEALOGY BIOGRAPHIES, PLEASE DO NOT COPY AS FACT. Some photos are personal and should not be copied and republished; other images are okay. Documentation I collected as proof to support facts (i.e. dates, relationships, etc.) are available for your use. I share freely, but please do not abuse copyright or perpetuate any information without supporting facts that may or may not be in error. I try to mark in red my questions or documents I need to look for, so your assistance in making this a complete collection is always appreciated.

 

John Crain and Mary Gaston

John Crain was born May 9, 1791, in Wilkes County, Georgia. He died June 22, 1850, in Randolph County, Illinois.

Mary Gaston was born April 25, 1799, in South Carolina. She died March 30, 1833, in Randolph County, Illinois.

 

The children of John and Mary are:

1. Ambrose Crain, February 25, 1816 - December 1, 1848 (age 32); born and died in Randolph County, Illinois.

2. William Bilderback Crain, February 9, 1818 - June 1, 1847 (age 29), born and died in Randolph County, Illinois.

3. James Harvey Crain, February 18, 1820 - January 8 1889 (age 68), born and died in Randolph County, Illinois.

4. John Hyndman Crain, October 14, 1823 - before 1880 (age 56), born and died in Randolph County, Illinois.

5. Nelson Rector Crain, March 3, 1825 - June 19, 1884 (age 59), born and died in Randolph County, Illinois.

6. Abert Crain, born 1826.

7. Melissa Crain (married John Weekley), born June 5, 1827 - before 1870 (age 42), born and died in Randolph County, Illinois.

Note: Get a copy of the Bounty Land Grant of John Crain, applied for by two of his children (Curtis C Crain and Austin B Crain) there is a page that list his children by Mary Gaston and Charlotte (maiden name unknown), Melissa is listed as a child, with her birthday on this page.

8. Ann Jaretta Crain, October 30, 1829 - before 1850 (age 20), born and died in Randolph County, Illinois.

9. Francis W. Crain, March 24, 1833 - before 1850 (age 16), born and died in Randolph County, Illinois.

 

From the following excerpt, John and his family have an Island named after them called "Crain's Island." Crain is often misspelled as "Crane," but on today's map it is spelled Crain's Island. John lived on this island for many years. Prior to his living on the island, he lived with his family at four miles above along the Mary's River. With the help of avid researchers, it has been determined that the father's name is incorrect. Benjamin should also be "John Crain." Read more about this on John and Susannah's page.

In the Book "The History of Randolph County Illinois Including Old Kaskaskia Island" by E J Montague in 1859, and copied in 1948, on page 46, we read that between 1800 and 1802, a Benjamin Crane, with 7 sons, came to Illinois and settled on Mary's river, about four miles above the mouth. "These were men of decided character, and soon became known in all of the other settlements. Their traits of chracter were well adpated to a pioneer country, and their influence in advancing the new region in which they had decided to live, was successfully exerted. They were the leading men in settling the country around the mouth of Mary's river, and the Island opposite, which bears the name of Crane's Island. John lived upon this Island for many years, and died there in 1850. Joel died the same year. The other brothers, except Lewis, who now lives in California, died several years previous. James Harvey and Nelson R. Crane, residents of Chester, are sons of John Crane."