Page 11 - The CRAIG family

SAMUEL CRAIG (my 2x Great Grandfather)
Samuel Craig was born about 1835-1836 in Indiana. He was the 6th child and one of 5 sons of William
Craig. He died March 29, 1883 of Small Pox.
In 1850 Samuel was 14 years old and lived in Trimble County, KY with his father, stepmother Margery(sic), his brothers Allen and Ben and his sisters Sally and Martha.
Samuel married Melvina McHenry on March 1857, (son Colmore Allen was born in May 1857) and in 1860 they lived in Saluda, Jefferson County, Indiana (up by Hanover and Madison), with their son Allen Colmore (my great grandfather). Samuel was a laborer. Samuel and Melvina could not read or write.
On October 1, 1864 Samuel enlisted in the service during the Civil War. He was a private and Union Soldier. On October 13, 1864 he was enlisted in Company B, Indiana 43rd Infantry Regiment and Mustered out on November 18, 1864. It is unclear whether that is the date he left with his regiment or the day he left the service. The entire regiment mustered out on June 14, 1865 and he may have served until that time. I tend to believe he left the service of the Union Army 1865 because his next child was born in 1866 and it is said that while he was gone Melvina and their 2 boys (Colmore and William) who were little, cleaned other people’s houses and farm.
In 1870 Samuel (age 35) and Melvina (age 31) lived in Saluda, Jefferson County, Indiana with their 4 boys. Samuel’s occupation is listed as a Wood Chopper.
Descendant Linda Craig states that Samuel was a Timber Contractor who cleared farm land. He would build a one-room home for his family and clear the land around it. There is no mention whether the home was in Saluda, Jefferson County or Johnson, Scott County.
In 1880 Samuel was 49, Melvina 42 and they lived in Johnson, Scott County, Indiana. Samuel’s occupation is listed as Laborer. Melvina had given birth to 3 more sons since the 1870 census and Colmore was of age and had left the home. They lived here with their 6 sons.
It is documented through descendants that Samuel Craig and 4 of his 7 sons died during a smallpox epidemic. For whatever reason, Melvina, Samuel and young Charlie were spared. Colmore Allen (my great grandfather) was married with a family of his own. There were also many more Craig’s who died. They were all just put in one huge grave. It was raining and they just buried them in the rain and mud with no casket or decent burial. This information was provided by Etta Mae, descendent of Benjamin Franklin Craig in Portsmouth and Allen Craig of Trimble, KY. Also, Colmore Allen’s daughter, Aunt Mildred and my Daddy, Ralph Craig, said that Colmore knew where his father, brothers and other Craig’s were buried but he didn’t know whether he could find it. They both said that he would sit and cry about how his father and brothers died and had no decent burial.
Update: Since I began this journey and after many hours of research, I finally found two newspaper articles that referenced Samuels Death. In The New Albany Ledger dated March 31, 1883, it states “Samuel Craig, the father of the six patients afflicted with the smallpox, at Watson, died Thursday afternoon and was buried at midnight by the employees of the pest house.”
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