*I have updated this post to remove the Civil War records for Thomas Craft. Through a cousin I found that these records are actually for his son Thomas Craft! I am very thankful to Ann for pointing this out to me and being so helpful! I will not be changing all of the information in the post, but I will be writing another supplemental post for him with further and corrected information, which I will link to after it is written.
My relationship to Thomas Craft:
Me
Virginia Marie Stalls (my mom)
Ruth May Craft (my grandmother)
Henry Corbett Craft (my great-grandfather)
John Craft (my 2nd great-grandfather)
Thomas Craft (my 3rd great-grandfather)
Thomas Craft is the furthest Craft ancestor I can trace back to with confidence, though I am still stuck on finding some records for him. I can only post what I have on him.
Thomas Craft was born about 1810 in North Carolina. I’m not sure who his parents are, and it seems that no one is positive. The thought is that a man named Prestley (Presley)/Ezekiel Craft is his father due to a certain appointment record for the estate of a Hendrix man, but it has not yet been proven. I have seen some reports that Thomas was married prior to 1839 to an unknown woman and fathered several children with this woman, but I haven’t found a record for this marriage yet, therefore I do not know her name nor the date. Thomas did marry Dicey Hendrix (Hendricks) sometime around 1840, though I can’t find the record for this marriage either, and therefore cannot provide an exact date.
In 1850 Thomas and family can be found on the census living in Humphreys County, Tennessee. Thomas, a farmer, is 39 years of age and Dicey is shown as 26 years of age. The children living with them are: William (age 17 years), Lucinda (age 14 years), Martha (age 12 years), Sarah (age 10 years), Thomas (age 7 years), Rebecca (age 3 years) and Mary (age 1 year). I’m not sure if Sarah is from Thomas’ first marriage or from his marriage to Dicey. Also listed on this page of the census are the families of HP Craft (born in North Carolina, age 35 years) and Presley Craft (born in North Carolina, age 66 years)-possibly Thomas’ brother and father.
The 1860 census once again has the family living in Humphreys County, Tennessee. Thomas, now shown as 52 years of age (man, how did he gain three extra years?) is still a farmer. His wife Dicey is now shown as 38 years of age (gaining two extra years!). The older children have now moved out of the house and the children living with the family on this census are: Rebecca (age 13 years), Mary (age 11 years), Arrena (Irene or Irena, age 9 years), Susan (age 6 years) and George (age 4 years). Living next door to them is the family of Thomas’ oldest son William.
In 1870 the family is still living in Humphreys County, Tennessee. Thomas, now listed as a framer and 60 years of age, and Dicey, now 48 years of age, have the following children living with them: Rebecca (age 23 years), Irena (age 19 years), Susan (age 16 years), George W (farm laborer, age 14 years), John (farm laborer, age 11 years), James (age 8 years), and Ester P (age 2 years). Also living with the family is John Johnson (farm laborer, age 24 years), Mary E Johnson (age 20 years) and William T Johnson (age 8 months). I think Mary E Johnson may be Thomas’ daughter Mary, but I can’t find a marriage record for Mary Craft having married John Johnson (yet).
The 1880 census is the last census where Thomas Craft can be found. His age is listed as 70 years on this census and is still farming away. Dicey is now listed as 58 years of age and keeping house. The children living with them are: Susan (without occupation, age 26 years), John (works on farm, age 18 years), James (works on farm, age 16 years) and CA (at home, age 13 years). I do not have a clue who CA is, unless she’s Ester P (from the 1870 census). Living next door to the family is the family of George W Craft, Thomas’ son.
Thomas Craft died sometime after this census. I would imagine he died in Humphreys County, Tennessee. I saw some people have him listed as having died in Canada, though I don’t have the foggiest why he would have just gone up there away from his family and died. Stranger things have happened, though.
I’m going to keep looking for records on Thomas Craft, particularly who his parents were. I would like to go further back in my Craft line.