Research Prior to 2008:
"Patrick Cragun Descendants in America 1744-1969" by Eva C. Heiner; I.G.I. 1988 ed.; Archive family group sheet; Wells Ward, Granite Stake; 1784 NC Land Grants in new State of Tennessee, Grant #1274; Tax records 1779
Washington C., NC. Family stories by my grandfather Wallace Cragun; Autobiography of Martha Cragun Cox; Temple ordinance records. Story of Patrick Cragun by my grandfather, Wallace Cragun...Information from Laura at sticklizard@uswest.net:"In Ireland Patrick Cragun's parents bound him out to a saddler for a number of years to learn the trade. Hearing much of that wonderful America to which so many people were going, Pat became obsessed with a desire to go there too. Without saying anything to his parents or to his boss, he left the work bench and made his way to the sea. Fortunately a ship ready to sail for America lay anchored in the harbor. It seems in those days it was the custom of sea captains to pick up runaway boys and hold them on their ships for service for a number of years. Pat had heard of the practice and was too wise to be caught in such a trap. He made himself acquainted with the shipmaster, obtained favors from him, and was able to make the voyage still a free boy (as he thought.) He was about 12 years of age at the time.
However, once he had the boy on board ship, the captain had views of his own regarding Pat. When the ship had reached America, the captain wouldn't allow the boy to leave the ship. The night before the ship was to leave on its return trip to Ireland, Pat jumped overboard. It was a desperate attempt, but it was also his only chance. Pat was a
good swimmer for a boy, and reached the shore safely, there he hid himself in some log ricks of lumber, and remained in his hiding place nearly three days.
The captain searched his ship, then searched the shore for Pat. He made inquiries of the man at the lumber ricks, but none of them had seen anything of a runaway boy. At length concluding the boy had been drowned trying to reach shore, the captain hoisted anchor and sailed away. When the ship was fading out of sight, Pat came out of his hiding
place more dead than alive, but still a free boy. And now he was in a free country.
Patrick grew to manhood in southwest Virginia. Family tradition has this to say of him: That in early manhood he went to Massachussetts and became one of the Indians who threw the English tea into Boston Harbor. A genealogical history of southwest Virginia states that one Patrick Cragun had been arrested the fourth time by the King's officers
for his revolutionary tendencies. Patrick Cragun and wife, Hannah, raised a family of eight children. Nothing more is known of them except as to Elisha and Lydia. In the summer of 1814 Elisha Cragun, son of Patrick and brother of Lydia, moved with his family from Russell County southwest Virginia, to Harrison County, Indiana. There on December 14th of
that same year his son James was born."This individual is listed in New FamilySearch, PI#: LHF6-KSF.
Research Prior to 2008:
Information from Laura at sticklizard@uswest.net: According to Laura, Hanna Elsy was also known as Rose Alley. (Elisha's patriarchal blessing names her as Elsy.) Martha Cragun Cox names her as Hannah Elsy.
This individual is listed in New FamilySearch, PI#: L7NY-YJG.
This individual is listed in New FamilySearch, PI#: KVVH-3SD.
This individual is listed in New FamilySearch, PI#: LHKJ-BPR.
Library, Provo, Utah; "Patrick Cragun Descendants in
America 1744-1969" by
Eva C. Heiner-in BYU Library; Temple Ordinance records.
Research Prior to 2008:
Will dated 17 July 1799, will prob. Nov 1802 NC.