Lemuel McCracken Mystery

McCracken families in Seneca and Henry Counties in Ohio are listed in the family trees of several DNA matches that appear to be related to Lemuel or Louisiana.  The group for Henry Charles McCracken listed below is a DNA match.  Various members of our family match that family and with enough shared DNA to say with confidence that they are clearly related to us through Lemuel and/or Louisiana.  See more details in a section dedicated to Henry.

 

DNA matches where the family tree includes a McCracken tie to Seneca/Henry County, Ohio include:

 

• Luella Adeline McCracken m. Charles LeCrone.  Luella is the daughter of Henry’s son Jay Harvey and Sophia (Schaffer) McCracken.
• Marian Carmen McCracken m. Wilbert Briney. Marian is the daughter of Henry’s son Albertie and Olive (Klinepeter) McCracken.
• Mariah (alt. Maria) m. Jacob Leitner. Mariah/Maria is the daughter of David McCracken.
• Henry County is where Nancy Ann (McCracken) Hanna lived.  See Nathaniel McCracken for details on Nancy.

 

1840 Census (Seneca County)

 

• David McCracken: His household contained a female of the age to be a wife, two males under age 5, one male 10-14, one female 5-9, one female 10-14, one female 15-19, and himself.

 

1850 Census (Seneca County)

 

• David age 50 with Walter Merchant family.
• William age 25 at a hotel (printer)
• Henry C age 22  with wife Lavina  [DNA match; See section for Henry Charles McCracken]
• Sarah age 19 with the Yoder family
• Mariah age 17 with the Yoder family [DNA match; See section for Mariah McCracken]
• Syhae (?) age 14 with the Shedenhelm family (Maybe Elihu, Elisha)
• Thomas age 11 with the Shawl family

 

It definitely appears that David’s wife died and the family went to live with different families.  When compared to the 1840 census, only William does not fit with the data.  Later information implies that he is not a member of the family although it still remains possible that he was but lived with someone else in 1840.

 

The two oldest females (daughters) found in the 1840 census are not found in the county with the name McCracken.  Possible matches for the two oldest daughters are:

 

• Naomi McCracken (b. Aug 28 1822) that married Jacob Feasel in 1846.
• Mary Elizabeth McCracken that married Elias Schaull in 1843.

 

A biography of Mariah’s son states that she is the daughter of David and that she had a half-sister Mary that married Jacob Leitner (Mariah’s husband) after Mariah died.  It may be that this is the same Mary as married Elias Schaull.

 

• Additionally, Elizabeth (McCracken) wife of Thomas Hughes (b. 1808) was living in Seneca County.

 

1860 Census

 

    Seneca County

 

• James age 35 of Ireland at a hotel (printer). Despite the discrepancy in the name, this seems to match William of 1850. Since it is a hotel, it is very possible there was confusion on the name. A William McCracken married in the county in 1864.

 

• Additionally, Elizabeth (McCracken) wife of Thomas Hughes (b. 1808) was living in Seneca County.

 

    Henry County

 

• [Household: David, Rachel, David]
• David
• Rachel, David’s 3rd? wife.   She was previously Rachel Leitner and it seems likely Rachel was his son-in-law Jacob Leitner’s mother.
• David age 17 is living with David and Rachel.    It is unclear if he is a son.  If he is, where was he in 1850?

 

• [Household: Elizabeth, Sarah J]
• Elizabeth age 25
• Sarah J age 17.  Note:  This Sarah is NOT the same as the Sarah in the 1850 census.
• John age 23 is living with the Babcock family. It says he is from New York, but the family is all from New York, so it may be that they just repeated the location.