McCracken

Andrew Johnson

1866 – 1920

Someone wrote on the above photo that it was taken around 1910. That would have made Andrew a little over 40 years old and would have been only 10 years before he died.

Andrew Johnson “Andy” McCracken, from whom we descend, was born in 1866 in Lee Co, Iowa. In 1870, the census record shows him as age 4, although if the known birth date is correct, he would have only been 3. In either case, it shows him attending school so he must have gotten some education at a very young age.

Move to Kansas

Andrew moved with the family to Crawford Co., Kansas in 1873 and later to Bates Co., Missouri. Sometime after 1880, he returned to Crawford Co, Kansas.

Marriage to Rosa

In 1892, he married Rosa Isabel “Rose” Ellis, daughter of Joseph and Cynthia Ann Nicholson Ellis. They made their life together in the Farlington area, where they raised six sons and three daughters: Lemuel Lewis, Joseph Andrew, Elmer Thomas, Cynthia Alice, Ernest Franklin, Dewey Cortis “Doc”, Oella Louisiana, Alameda (Belle), and Ray Eugene.

Near Farlington

Andrew and Rosa lived for a time one mile south of the Crawford County line and one mile east of highway 7. It can be reached by going from the Joe & Nellie McCracken home east to the first intersection. Then go south 2 miles. There is an intersection that goes only east. The house sat on the southeast corner of the intersection. Just around the bend ½ mile south is the Pleasant Ridge School, which was also known as the Johnson School.

Andrew and Rosa also lived west on the Farlington Lake Road on the southwest side where a grove of trees stand. He farmed and raised cattle for a living while living at these locations. Three years before he died, he moved into Farlington, where he ran a business containing a store and a short-order restaurant.

Read more about Rosa and her life after Andrew died . . .

Andrew and Rosa’s Children

Lemuel Lewis

Lem married Fern Lozier in 1916. They lived for some years in Pawnee Station, Kansas. They later moved to Boid D’arc, Missouri. Lem worked for the FRISCO railroad and that later took them to Clearwater, Florida, where they made their home for the remainder of their life. Lem and Fern were the parents of five children.

Rex married Paula Perez. He was in the Coast Guard during WWII and later ran McCracken’s Tavern in High Bridge, New Jersey.
Glenn married Lola Barton. They lived in the Girard, Kansas area. He served in WWII and Korea. Later, he worked in a variety of positions.
Paul married Paula Hyatt. He served in the Navy in WWII and later lived in California and Nevada.
Carl “Dutch” married Marilyn Graham. He served in the Navy during WWII. He followed his service with a long career at Beech Aircraft.
Alice married Eurgene Moore. She later lived in Airizona.

Joseph Andrew “Joe”

Elmer Thomas

Elmer married Ethel Matlock in 1924. They lived in Farlington, Kansas where Elmer ran McCracken Grocery Store for over 30 years. They were the parents of five children.

Pearl married Edward Linke. They lived for many years in Springfield, Missouri.
Neil married JoAnn Jarman. Neil played pitched for the Philadephia Athletics. He managed the Midwest Auto store and worked for 3-M. Neil and JoAnn made their home in Nevada, Missouri.
Marvin never married.
Wayne married Marilyn Shutte. He lived in the Girard area and worked for Craw-Kan Telephone.
Roger married twice to Drenette and Janice Boatman.

Cynthia Alice

Cynthia married Verne Salyer in Girard, Kansas on New Year’s Day 1913.. They lived in Sarcoxie, Missouri and Oklahoma. They were the parents of five children.

Cora married Orville Dust.
Mae had a high fever as a child which left her developmentally disabled for the remainder of her life.
Lynn married Lorene Burrace. They lived in Carthage, Missouri.
Edison married Goldie Overall. They lived in San Louis Obispo, California. Edison served in the Navy in Word War II. Later, he was a salesman for Foremost.
Lloyd married Patricia Sturgis. They lived in the Carthage, Missouri area where Lloyd worked for many years. He also served in the Army during the Korean Era.

Ernest Franklin

Ernest served in the Army during World War I. He married Myrtle Owen Coiner. He worked in construction and lived near Carthage Missouri. Ernest and Myrtle had no children together. However, Myrtle had children from her first marriage.

Dewey Cortis “Doc”

Dewey was known by most as Doc. The name originated from his mispronunciation of the word “physician.” Doc was quite a character and made a great impression on his nieces and nephews. Doc also served in the Army in World War II. He never married.

Oella Louisiana

Oella married Chet Peterson in 1919 at Farlington, Kansas. Chet ran a store in Farlington until they moved to Grass Valley, California in the 1940s. Five children were born to them.

Harold served in the Coast Guard during WWII. He married Marple Neal. They lived in Grass Valley, California.
Annabelle married Arnold Blake. They also lived in Grass Valley.
Chester died as an infant.
Betty married Gerald Lawton (divorced) and Joseph Peyret
Robert “Bobby” married Alice Seaman and Rozlyn West.

Alameda (Belle)

Belle first married Roy Draper. Unfortunately, both Roy and their son Warren died within less than a year’s time. Next, Belle married Bob Johnson. They had one child before divorcing.

Jesse first married John Scott Timmons. She later married Richard Zielsdorf. They lived in Kansas City and Belle Vista, Arkansas.

Belle later married Warren Zimmerman. They lived in California, Oklahoma, and Missouri. They had no children.

Ray Eugene

Ray was the youngest and only a few years older than his oldest nieces and nephews. In 1936, he married Ruth Colegrove. During World War II, Ray served in the Navy. Later, the family lived around Riverton, Kansas. They had four children.

Lester served in the Navy for many years. He later volunteered helping veterans. Lester lived in Hawaii, Colorado, and Missouri. He married Barbara Ann.
Beth
Carolyn married Frank Tomlin.
Kay

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