The Craft family of South Carolina is descended from Hans Michael Craft (also listed as Crofts, Croft) who arrived in 1744 from the Palatine region of Germany with his family. He was granted three hundred acres on Six Mile Creek and a lot in the town of Saxe Gotha situated on the Congaree River below Cayce South Carolina. From Saxe Gotha to the Dutch Fork German immigrants settled the region as an early warning system to detect Indian uprisings. Many suffered at the hand of the Cherokee. Most of the Germans were farmers and eked out a living on the poor sandhill soil which today is best known for its peaches and cotton.
Land was granted to the Palatine immigrants according to the size of the household. The head of the household was granted one hundred acres and each additional member was granted fifty acres. Thus a husband and wife would receive 150 acres and a family of five would be granted three hundred acres. Many single young men and women were considered eligible for one hundred acres. The land Hans held is believed to have come from George Bernard Shram.
The Family of Hans Michael Craft
I. George Craft born about 1770 and died about 1840, married Mary Redmon born 1790 and died about 1850, daughter of Abram Redmon. [Lexington County, SC 1850 Census Second Edition w/Genealogical Data on Most Families, 1998, page 332]
Children of George Craft and Mary Redmond:
A. John Thomas Craft born 1810 and died 11 August 1887, married Catherine Ann (Katie) Riddlesperger, born about 1812 and died 10 April 1896, daughter of Thomas Riddlesperger and Katharine Marquiz. Both were buried in the Smith-Harsey-Craft Cemetery. They lived near Crossroads Methodist Church.
Children of John Thomas Craft and Catherine Ann Riddlesperger:
1. Elizabeth Louise Craft born 1837 and died 1891, married John James Smith born 12 February 1824 and died 13 January 1908. Both buried Smith-Harsey-Craft Cemetery.
Children of Elizabeth Louise Craft and John James Smith:
a. Levisa Ann Smith born 1853 and died 1937.
b. George W. Smith born 1855 and died 1866.
c. Mary E. Smith born 1857 and died 1939.
d. Caroline R. Smith born 1860.
e. Walter P. Smith born 1862 and died 1931.
f. James Verdiere Smith born 1864 and died 1948, married Minnie S. Howell born 1868 and died 1948.
g. Martha Alice Smith born 1867 and died 1940, married James J. Hutto born 1862 and died 1921.
h. Sarah Louise Smith born 1869 and died 1945, married William Daniel Harley born 1858 and died 1938.
i. Jacob S. Smith born 1871 and died 1934, married Susan Howell born 1876 and died 1914.
j. Morgan W. Smith born 1873 and died 1920, married Dora Goodwin born 1882 and died 1965.
k. Alfred F. Smith born 1876 and died 1935.
l. Thomas Luther Smith born 1879 and died 1959, married Martha Jeffcoat; born 1885 and died 1973.
2. John Thomas Craft, Jr. born 12 November 1837 and died 27 November 1913, married Jane Catherine Smith born 22 September 1839 and died 3 March 1920, daughter of Robert Smith and Levicy (or Louisa) Martin. Both buried Sharon United Methodist Church, Sharon Crossroads, SC.
Children of John Craft and Jane Smith:
a. Laura Craft born 1866 and died 1909, married George Johnson King born 1862 and died 1942.
b. Jacob Samuel Craft born 1868 and died 1934. He married Dora C. Harley born 1875 and died 1946.
c. Morgan W. Craft born 1869, married 1) Minnie Wooten born 1873 and died 1929, married 2) Marcella Victoria Jeffcoat; born 1888 and died 1952.
d. Annie Magnolia Craft born 1872 and died 1964, married Marion Jeffcoat born 1872 and died 1964.
3. James Samuel Craft born 1839 and died 18 June 1864 CSA, Petersburg, VA.
4. Timothy (T.W.) Walter Craft born 10 May 1842 and died 27 July 1925, married Sarah Ann Wise born 1839 and died 1910, daughter of Michael Wise and Sarah Chaney. Both buried New Hope Baptist Church. They lived at Macedon where they farmed, kept a store, and operated a grist mill on Cedar Creek. Walter was postmaster and station master at Macedon depot. He served in the Confederate Army under General Johnson Hagood and was wounded three times in the Virginia Campaign. Each of there children were given one hundred acres as a wedding gift. There youngest child, Aiken Johnson Craft was given two hundred acres.
Children of Timothy Walter Craft and Sarah Ann Wise:
a. Mary Idella Craft born 1868 and died 1957, married Joseph Forrest Fallaw born 1868 and died 1957.
b. Dallas Rismus Craft born 1870 and died 1956, married 1) Annie Dora Shumpert born 1895 and died 1979, married 2) Addie Price born 1874 and died 1908.
c. Archie Walter Craft born 1871 and died 1966, married Mary Elizabeth Fallaw born 1879 and died 1958.
d. George Pelham Craft born 1874 and died 1913, married Frances Sharpe born 1881 and died 1969.
e. Minnie M. Craft born 1876 and died 1954, married George W. Fallaw born 1878 and died 1923.
f. Aiken Johnson Craft born 1881 and died 1970, married Regina Elizabeth Shumpert born 1893 and died 1976.
5. Catherine Ann Craft born 4 August 1844 and died 15 July 1922, married Joel Franklin Hammond born 20 June 1843 and died 24 August 1909, son of John Hammond and his wife Eliza. Both buried First Baptist Church, Gaston, SC. [Death Certificate of Catherine gives birthdate as 4 August 1845.]
Children of Catherine Craft and Joel Hammond:
a. Eliza M. Hammond born 1872 and died 1951, married Luther A. Sharpe born 1878 and died 1946.
b. David Elmore Hammond born 1875 and died 1948, married Gussie Imogene Barr born 1875 and died 1955.
c. John W. Hammond born 1873 and died 1897.
d. Mary Ellen Hammond born 1879 and died 1962, married Joseph Perry Goodwin born 1876 and died 1960.
e. Anna Elizabeth Hammond born 1880 and died 1897, married Magnice Lorenzo Pound born 1870 and died 1955.
6. David Elmore Craft born 8 September 1846 and died 29 April 1922. He married 1) Lydia Ann Schofield born 15 August 1842 and died 3 December 1867, both were buried in Craft Family Cemetery, Pelion, SC, daughter of William Schofield and Sarah Starks Lucas. He married 2) Mary Louisa Richter, born 31 May 1840 and died 3 May 1910, buried in Craft Family Cemetery, Fallaw Rd., daughter of John Christopher Richter and wife, Eve Mary. He married 3) Alberta R. Turner.
Child of David Elmore Craft and Lydia Ann Schofield:
a. John W. Craft born about 1868 and died 1894, married Sallie L. Johnson born 1866 and died 1931.
Children of David Craft and Mary Richter:
b. Mary Lula Craft born 1871 and died 1944, married John Griff Fallaw born 1861 and died 1925.
c. Ida Rose Craft born 1874 and died 1959, married Clarence Bradford Jeffcoat born 1873 and died 1919.
d. David Hampton Craft born 1876 and died 1917, married Zadie L. Sturkie born 1887 and died 1969.
e. Dora Elizabeth Craft born 1878 and died 1962, married Wingard James Redmond born 1875 and died 1956.
f. Clarence Christian Craft born 1880 and died 1935, married Charlotte Maye Moya Thomas born 1880 and died 1961.
g. Boynton Elmore Craft born 1883 and died 1935, married Sallie Carrie Rast born 1885 and died 1954.
h. Perchase Riddlesperger Craft born 1888 and died 1978. She married 1) Joseph Cress Hutto born 1893, married 2) Jesse B. Grant born 1866 and died 1943.
7. Alfred Warren Craft born 1848 and died 26 May 1876, buried Smith-Harsey-Craft Cemetery.
8. Mary Craft born 13 September 1853 and died 29 May 1939, married James Lowman Smith born 1858 and died 1936.
9. Loyd Harrison Craft born 1857 and died 1904, married Rachel Josephine Laird 1860 and died 1929.
Children of Loyd Craft and Rachel Laird:
a. Lula Arabelle Craft born 1877 and died 1920, married Charles Shuford Walsh.
b. Samuel Malone Craft born 1880 and died 1949, married Julia Sheldonia Harley born 1887 and died 1978.
c. Thomas J. Craft born 1882 and died 1970.
d. David Ira Craft born 1884 and died 1949, married Sallie Essie Rister born 1889.
e. Minnie Elizabeth Craft born 1886 and died 1918, married Henry Griffith Cupstid.
f. Maggie Gertrude Craft born 1891 and died 1956, married Belton Daniel Jeffcoat.
g. Little Lewie Craft born 1893.
h. Annie Mae Craft born 1895 and died 1976, married Clifton Calvin Lucas born 1889 and died 1978.
i. Henry Sumter Craft born 1900 and died 1986.
B. Samuel Craft born 7 October 1825 and died 4 July 1858, married Ester Dykes born 15 September 1827 and died 22 April 1863, daughter of Edward William Dykes and Rachel Redman.
1. Caroline Hazeltine Craft born 3 June 1851 and died 24 April 1920. She married James Hilliard Pound born 19 October 1847 and died 30 January 1936, son of Daniel J. Pound and Christianna J. Richter. Both buried First Baptist Church, Gaston, SC.
Children of Caroline Craft and James Pound:
a. Magnice Lorenzo Pound, born 1870 and died 1955, married 1) Anna Elizabeth Hammond born 1880 and died 1897. He married 2) Lula Sarah Walsh; born 1884; died 1954.
b. James Altamot Pound born 1874 and died 1936, married Mattie Loretta Thompson born 1886 and died 1970.
c. Alice Eugenia Pound born 1876 and died 1963, married Thomas Jacob Richter.
d. Minnie Ester Pound born 1878 and died 1880.
e. Christian Preston Pound born 1881 and died 1941, married Rosa Mae Hallman born 1895 and died 1965.
f. Mincy Ree Pound born 1883 and died 1966.
g. Leland Augustus Pound born 1886 and died 1970, married Emily Gertrude Knight born 1889 and died 1959.
h. Thomas Harrison Pound born 1889 and died 1953, married Maude Mack born 1895 and died 1972.
i. Aiken Earl Pound born 1892 and died 1961.
j. Samuel Richter Pound born 1895 and died 1963, married Frances Hammond born 1897 and died 1960.
Please forward all questions, corrections, and additions
for this Craft Bio to the Corresponding Editor: Gary Shealy
Email : gary@Shealy.org
