Elijah
Craven and Mary “Polly” Hurst
Elijah
Craven was born in OH on August 9, 1802.[1]
Nothing definite is known of his parents. Mary “Polly” Hurst was born ___ in
____. On September 9, 1823, the couple wed in Spencer Co., IN.[2]
Neither appears to have had much, if any, formal education since both tell
census takers in later years that they can neither read nor write.
1830s
Seven
children are known to have been born to the couple, beginning with James in
1832. He, like all the children, was born in IN.[3] Given the long gap
between the wedding and James’ birth, it is almost certain that there were
other children that have not yet been discovered.
William H. Craven was next.
He was born in about 1834.[4]
The first known girl, Sarah Francis Craven, was born in about 1835.[5]
Rhoda Craven was born on August 30, 1836.[6]
1840s
Daughter, Michal (Michele)
Craven, was born on May 2, 1843, in IN.[7]
Next, daughter Martha Craven was born about 1846 in IN.[8]
[1] Elijah’s
first name sometimes appears as Elijah and sometimes as Elizah. The date of his
birth is taken from his tombstone inscription.
[2] Elijah
Craven to Polly Hurst, Spencer Co., Indiana Marriages 1818-1835; Indiana
Sourcebook: Volume 2.
[3] James
Craven was born about 1832 in IN. He was said to have died in 1894. Given that
James was born nine years after Elijah’s and Mary’s marriage, it is likely that
other siblings preceded him but were out of the house in 1850 when we have the
first census listing of children’s names. Some internet sources also list
Elizabeth Jane (born 1824) and Nancy A. (1827-1857).
[4]
William H. Craven was born in 1834 in IN. He served in the 25th IN Regiment,
Company B, enlisting on August 19, 1861, in Evansville, IN.
[5] Sarah
Francis Craven was born in about 1835 in Spencer Co., IN. Sarah married William
Franklin Nelson in 1853, then Samuel Brown in 1865 after Nelson’s death, and
finally Mathias Beard in 1875 after Brown’s death. She died in Mentor, Dubois
Co., IN on November 6, 1896. All three of her husbands were Union veterans.
[6] Rhoda
Craven was born about 1837 in IN. She died March 10, 1921, in Spencer Co., IN.
She married Thomas Sanders on February 24, 1852, in IN. Sanders served in the 49th
IN Infantry. She filed for and received a Widow's Pension, certificate number
218,735.
[7] Michal
(Michele) Craven was born on May 2,1843 in IN. She married Arthur Sanders on
August 28, 1859, in Spencer Co., IN. Sanders served as a Sergeant in the 49th
IN Infantry. He became an invalid in 1876 and died around 1917. Michal died
July 2, 1933, of myocarditis also in Spencer Co., IN.
[8] Martha
Craven was born about 1846 in IN. She married John L. Clark in IN on November
14, 1861, in Spencer Co., IN.
[9] A section was a square mile, 640 acres. Thus, a quarter section was 160 acres and a quarter section of a quarter section was 40 acres.
Page -2-
To purchase a tract,
one went to the locally established General Land Office and acquired a patent
for the property of interest. On May 1, 1848, Craven secured patent 33,418 for
40 acres of Spencer Co., IN land from the Vincennes, IN, General Land Office. His
title was for land in the ‘southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of
section eleven in township five, south of range 4’.[10]
The last known child, Amanda Craven, was born
about 1849 in IN.[11]
1850s
By the time of the 1850
census, Elijah was farming with the help of James and William. Both boys (18
and 16, respectively) are said to have attended school within the last year, while all the younger children did not.
Elijah appeared in the
1850 agricultural census in the Harrison Township of Spencer Co.[12]
This record provides insight into his farming operation available from no other
source. His 40 acres now consisted of 20 that were ‘improved’ (cultivated) and
20 that were ‘unimproved’ (this generally meant that the land was wooded). The
farm was valued at $250, and Elijah owned $10 worth of farm tools and machines.
He owned 3 horses, 2 milk cows, 3 other cows, 20 sheep, and 40 hogs. The
livestock was valued at $175. In the past year the farm had produced 600
bushels of Indian corn, 60 bushels of oats, 10 pounds of wool, 13 bushels of
peas and beans, 100 bushels of Irish potatoes, 30 pounds of butter, 200 pounds
of cheese, 3 tons of hay, and 5 pounds of flax, In the last year he had
manufactured $50 worth of homemade goods and slaughtered $5 worth of livestock.
By comparison with neighboring farms, Elijah’s operation was on the small side
but productive.[13]
Sometime during the
first half of the 1850s, Mary died. The date, place, and circumstances are all
unknown. Before 1856, he met and married Tennessee-born Nancy. Their first daughter,
Molly Craven, was born in 1856 in IN. Her sister, Fidela, was born in 1858,
also in IN.
1860s
By 1860, Elijah had moved due south within Spencer Co. to Huff Township.[14] Now 57, he lives with his new 47-year-old wife, Nancy, two of their children, and three Sanders children. The oldest Sanders
[10] Section
11 of Harrison Township is located just below section 1, which forms the very
northeast corner of the township (and the county).
[11] Amanda
Craven was born about 1849 in IN. There is some confusion regarding her marital
status, as there was also an Amanda Cravens, said to have been born in
1859. This is a full decade after the subject Amanda. This younger Amanda
married a David Brown. Many genealogy websites confuse the two.
[12]
Harrison is one of nine townships in Spencer Co. It is situated in the extreme
northeastern corner of the county.
[13] U.S.,
Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880, 1860 data, Spencer
Co., IN, Harrison Township. As of 2025, this material is not available via
Ancestry.com but is available via FamilySearch.org.
[14]
Elijah was listed as Elizah by the census taker.
Page -3-
child was Henderson,
16. He worked on the farm as a laborer. His sisters were Susan, 12, and Sally
A., 7. All three attended school.[15]
Elijah also appeared in
the 1860 agricultural census. His new farm was larger, 71 acres vs the 40 of
1850. He had 30 acres under cultivation and 41 acres of unimproved land. The
farm was valued at $1,000. He owned $50 worth of farm equipment. He owned 3
horses, 4 cows, 6 sheep and 13 hogs. The livestock were valued at $215. In the
last year, he had produced 150 bushels of wheat, 200 bushels of Indian corn, 20
pounds of wool, 10 bushels of Irish potatoes, 150 pounds of butter, and 30
gallons of molasses. He had slaughtered $40 worth of livestock in the last
year. A review of surrounding farms indicates that Elijah’s was closer to
average than it had been in 1850.[16]
Elijah died at age 62
on June 21, 1865. He was buried in the Butler Cemetery in the town of New
Boston in southeast Spencer Co., IN.[17]
End Notes and References
- 1830 IN census, Harrison Co., page 076,
lists an Elizah Craven. Noah and James are on pages 110 and 115,
respectively.
- 1840 IN census, Spencer Co., page 373, lists three "Cravens" families: Elijah, James, and Moses. There
is also a Jehu Craven on page 357, and John Craven is on page 356.
- 1850 IN census, Spencer Co., page 097,
Harrison Township. Elijah is listed as a farmer with $250 in real estate;
Roll: M432_172; Page: 97B; Image: 585.
- Elijah Craven,
47, born in OH, farmer, cannot read or write
- Mary, 42, born in
IN, cannot read or write
- James, 18, born in
IN, farmer, attended school within the last year
- William H., 16, born
in IN, farmer, attended school within the last year
- Sarah F., 14, born
in IN
- Rhoda, 12, born in
IN
- Michael, 7, born in
IN (“Michael” is listed as a female so it may have been Michele
- Martha, 4, born in
IN
- Amanda, 1, born
in IN
- The Spencer Co. GenWeb lists two Craven
marriages. It may be that Elijah’s sister married the brother of Polly,
but there are numerous Cravens in the county, so it is impossible to know.
1. Elizabeth Craven to
William Hurst, December 11, 1822
2. Elizah Craven to Polly
Hurst, September 9, 1823
- Known children of Elijah and Mary Craven:
Some internet sources also list Elizabeth Jane (born 1824) and Nancy A. (1827-1857). As noted above, siblings prior to James (born 1832) are almost a certainty, so this makes sense
[15]
There were numerous Sanders families in the area. Elijah’s daughter, Rhoda, had
married Thomas Sanders. They lived just two farms away.
[16] U.S.,
Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880, 1860 data, Spencer
Co., IN, Huff Township, pages 21-22. As of 2025, this material is not available
via Ancestry.com but is available via FamilySearch.org.
[17]
Information regarding the date of his death was taken from his tombstone.
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