Captain Robert Craighead

• DAR Ancestor Number: A027288

• Service: Private and Captain in the North Carolina Militia (Mecklenburg County Regiment) under General Thomas Sumter.

• Birth: June 16, 1751 (often listed in records as June 27, 1751) in Augusta County, Virginia.

• Death: May 7, 1821 in Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee.

• Spouse: Hannah Eleanor Clark.

Robert was born in June 1751 in Augusta, Colony of Virginia to parents Rev. Alexander Holmes Craighead and Jane Agnes (Brown) Craighead. In 1755, his father, a prominent minister, removed his family to Mecklenburg, North Carolina along with most of his congregation. In Sep 1758, his father was installed to preach at Rocky River Presbyterian Church in Mecklenburg.

Biography 

 

Robert Craighead lived in Virginia.

 

Private Robert Craighead served with 2nd Mecklenburg County Regiment, North Carolina Militia during the American Revolution.

Veteran of the Revolutionary War, Continental Army:“Craighead, Robert; Mecklenburg County Regiment; served as a Private under Gen. Thomas Sumpter[Sumter], Major William R. Davie, [1] and Col. Robert Irwin where he was severely wounded at the battle of Hanging Rock, South Carolina in Aug 1780.He applied for and received a Military Pension.”….... excerpted ,https://www.carolana.com/NC/Revolution/nc_patriot_military_captains.html

 

Robert was born in June 1751 in Augusta, Colony of Virginia to parents Rev. Alexander Holmes Craighead and Jane Agnes (Brown) Craighead. In 1755, his father, a prominent minister, removed his family to Mecklenburg, North Carolina along with most of his congregation. In Sep 1758, his father was installed to preach at Rocky River Presbyterian Church in Mecklenburg.

Roberts Father inspired the American Revolution!

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Reverend Alexander Craighead inspired the American Revolution by preaching fiery sermons that defended armed resistance against tyranny, shaping the political mindset of frontier colonists long before the war. He is widely remembered as the spiritual father of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Preaching Independence on the Frontier

• Early Defiance: As a Presbyterian minister in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, “Craighead's fiery rhetoric inspired the people of the region to action.” [1]

• Justifying Rebellion: He was known as an early voice who “publicly [justified] armed rebellion against Great Britain in 1743.” [1]

• Shaping Mindsets: Rather than leading battles himself—since he died before 1776—he “helped create the intellectual and moral environment in which ordinary farmers... could conceive of dissolving allegiance to a king.” [1]

Legacy and Impact

• The Mecklenburg Influence: His teachings directly motivated local leaders who later drafted the local declaration and supplied a massive share of regional patriot troops. [1]

• The "Presbyterian Rebellion": His theological stance that resistance to tyranny is a duty to God fueled the wider Scotch-Irish and Presbyterian movement that British loyalists dubbed a “Presbyterian Rebellion.” [1]

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Marriage: In 1772, Robert married Hannah Eleanor Clarke in North Carolina. They had nine children together (the first seven born in North Carolina and the last two born in Knoxville, Tennessee).

During the American Revolution, Robert volunteered and served under Gen. Thomas Sumpter. He was severely wounded in the shoulder at the Battle Hanging Rock, 6 Aug 1780.[2] He never completely recovered from his injury. [3] He "would have died on the field of battle, had it not been for the kindness of a Catawba Indian"….

About 1789 or 1790, Robert sold his property in North Carolina and purchased land on the Holston River about 6 miles north of Knoxville TN from Col. Francis Ramsey. He lived on this land until about 1792 when he moved his family into Knoxville where he served as a civil magistrate for Knox County and he and four of his sons became elders in the First Presbyterian Church of Knoxville.[4] He became one of the first settlers of Knoxville TN and built the first jail there. There is a Craighead-Jackson house in Knoxville and there was a "Craighead Cavern" now known as the "Lost Sea" tourist attraction near Knoxville.

Spouse & Children 

• Hannah Clark (1751 - 1813)

  • Jane b. 27 Mar 1772, married William McRee

  • Mary b. 10 May 1776, d. 1778

  • William b. 1 Oct 1778, married Jane Gillespie

  • Thomas b. 6 Mar 1781, married Mary Gillespie

  • John b.14 Jul 1783, married Temperance Nelson

  • Alexander b. 14 Mar. 1786 d. Oct 1807, never married

  • Margaret b. 14 Aug 1788, d. 10 Jul 1816, never married

  • Rachel, b. 22 May 1791, married John M. Cullen

  • Benjamin, b. 20 Feb 1794, married Orlena Bunch

Notations on Military Pension of Robert Craighead: "Sworn to & subscribed before me. S/ D. R. Dunlap S/ James Cowan, JP Jan. 7th 1818 Landsford, Catawba, S. C., January 22nd, 1818....... " Dear Sir, Mr. Robert Craighead formerly a resident of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and now a citizen of Tennessee was severely wounded at the battle of the Hanging-Rock in the State of South Carolina, in the month of August 1780, and I believe serving as a Volunteer under my command. It would now be extremely difficult almost in any case to procure the certificates that might have been with propriety acquired at an earlier period; most of the officers who were in Service at that time are now no more; the defense of the Country in 1780 depended upon the zeal of the inhabitants, and of course upon the volunteer service; there were few or no regular Drafts for duty in the Western part of North Carolina, and the citizens generally ranged themselves under those Leaders in whom they had the most confidence. I recommend Mr. Craighead earnestly to your patronage, for he suffered severely in the cause of his Country. I am very respectfully, Sir your and obt. S/ W. R. Davie [William Richardson Davie]w

The Honble. John Williams: "I certify that the foregoing letter is in the proper handwriting of Genl Wm R. Davie. Senate Chamber March 19th 1818'.... S/ John Williams

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North Carolina, Mecklenburg County, "This day personally appeared before me William Gray one of the Justices of the Peace for said County, William Shields,3 and made oath; that to his certain knowledge, Robert Craighead served as a soldier at the battle of Hanging Rock, August 1780, and that the said Robert Craighead was, in that battle, wounded in the shoulder. Sworn to, and subscribed this 30th of January 1818".... S/ William Gray, JP S/ Wm Shields...... [Craighead died May 7, 1821, according to other documents in this file.] [Veteran was inscribed on the rolls of the invalid veterans and pensioned at the rate of four dollars per month commencing January 31, 1815, based on the ratio of disability being assessed at one half.]".....excerpted

Obituary of Robert Craighead: “ Departed this life on the 7nth inst. Robert Craighead, Esq.; aged 69 years and about 10 months. Mr. Craighead has been for many years, a resident of this county. Although he had nearly completed his three score years and ten; yet his death will be sensibly felt and much lamented by his acquaintances and friends. He was an excellent citizen, a kind husband, an indulgent and prudent father; an elder and a member of the church whose life: and conversation adorned his holy profession for many years. As he drew near his end, his christian virtues shone with peculiar splendor. For several months he bore his lingering illness with almost uninterrupted resignation to his heavenly Father's will. The mercy of God to him a sinful worm, the bound less provision of the gospel, and the hopes of a glorious immortality, were themes on which he dwelt with rapture while ever be was able to converse " Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." In the life of this beloved Christian, we may learn how to attain the high end of dying the death of the righteous”…. Excerpted, Knoxville Register, 15 May 1821, Tues.; Page 3; Knoxville, Tennessee

Notations on Will of his father, Alexander Craighead, d. 1766: “ [Robert Craighead]; Date: 17 Aug 1768; Location: Augusta Co., VA…..”Item: I give and bequeath to my sons Robertand Thomas all and singular my books except Bibles and soe other common boock that is used in the family -Item: I order and it is my will that my two sons Robert and Thomas shall be kept at learning till the attain to what Learning can be had in these parts….Property: “1 moiety of lands mentioned in Alex. Craighead's will, on Cowpasture, corner tract of Adam Dickinson, 310 acres….. Notes: This land record was originally published in "Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia, 1745-1800. Extracted from the Original Court Records of Augusta County" by Lyman Chalkley.”……Remarks: Jean Craighead and John Davis executors of Alex. Craighead, deceased. 200. Acknowledged in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina before Davis Rees and Abraham Alexander, Justices, and Robert Harris, clerk. Description: Witness; Book: 15 115”…..excerpted, Virginia, U.S., Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639-1850

Sources 

1. ↑ https://tngenweb.org/revwar/records/c.htm

2. ↑ "United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24Q-KMMB : accessed 3 December 2023), Robert Craighead, 31 Jan 1818; citing Tennessee, United States, NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 3; FHL microfilm 1,319,383. 

3. ↑ Revolutionary War Pension Application of Robert Craighead #S352, Transcription by Will Graves - "http://revwarapps.org/s352.pdf"

4. ↑ Craighead, J.G., The Craighead family a genealogical memoir of the descendants of Rev. Thomas and Margaret Craighead, 1658-1876, (Printed for the descendants by) Sherman & Co., Printers, Philadelphia, Pa., 1876, Not In Copyright. Published online at Archive.org

• Robert Creaghead in the Virginia, U.S., Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639-1850; Date: 17 Aug 1768; Location: Augusta Co., VA- Robert mentioned in the Will of his father Alexander Craighead

• Robert Craighead in the Tennessee, U.S., Early Tax List Records, 1783; "Robert Craighead in the Tennessee, U.S., Early Tax List Records, 1783." 1895 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/65959:2883?indiv=try&h&_phsrc=DBs68&db; Name: Robert Craighead; Residence Date: 1806; Residence Place: Knox,Tennessee

• Captain Robert Craighead in the U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/185600015/robert-craighead

 

Biography 

 

Hannah (Clark) Craighead was born in North Carolina.

Hannah was born in 1752. She married Robert Brown Craighead in 1772 in North Carolina. They had nine children together (the first seven born in North Carolina and the last two born in Knoxville, Tennessee).

Spouse & Children 

• Spouse: Robert Brown Craighead (1751-1821)

  • Jane b. 27 Mar 1772, married William McRee

  • Mary b. 10 May 1776, d. 1778

  • William b. 1 Oct 1778, married Jane Gillespie

  • Thomas b. 6 Mar 1781, married Mary Gillespie

  • John b.14 Jul 1783, married Temperance Nelson

  • Alexander b. 14 Mar. 1786 d. Oct 1807, never married

  • Margaret b. 14 Aug 1788, d. 10 Jul 1816, never married

  • Rachel, b. 22 May 1791, married John M. Cullen

  • Benjamin, b. 20 Feb 1794, married Orlena Bunch

She passed away in 1813.

Notations on her husband Capt. Robert Brown Craighead: “Robert Craighead became one of the first settlers of Knoxville TN and built the first jail there. There is a Craighead-Jackson house in Knoxville and there was a "Craighead Cavern" now known as the "Lost Sea" tourist attraction near Knoxville. Robert served in the American Revolution under General Sumpter. He was described as a "brave and excellent officer".

During the American Revolution, Robert volunteered and served under Gen. Thomas Sumter. He was severely wounded in the shoulder at the Battle Hanging Rock, 6 Aug 1780. He never completely recovered from his injury. [1]

About 1789 or 1790, Robert sold his property in North Carolina and purchased land on the Holston River about 6 miles north of Knoxville TN from Col. Francis Ramsey. He lived on this land until about 1792 when he moved his family into Knoxville where he served as a civil magistrate for Knox County and he and four of his sons became elders in the First Presbyterian Church of Knoxville.[2]