52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES, No. 29, Taliaferro CRAIG, 1704-1795

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog based on Themes. Last week's theme was Road Trip, and I wrote about how my road trip across Canada and back in relation to Expo '67, Canada's Centennial Exposition in Montréal, Québec. This week's alternate theme is MUSICAL.  No professional musicians, no musical groups or traditions... not in our family.

Instead, I decided to write about an unusual name in my children's father's family lines, Taliaferro CRAIG, 1704-1795, in Virginia and Kentucky.  He is the 5th great-grandfather of my ex-husband, in his mother's lines. Known to be illegitimate, his mother - Jane CRAIG - and father - an Unknown TALIAFERRO - were not wed. There is a story of his mother emigrating from Scotland, having a liaison with a Taliaferro man, resulting in a son who carried the Taliaferro name as a given name.

There were Taliaferro families in Essex County, Virginia quite early on in the 1600s, and it is not clear whether one of the sons of those families was the Taliaferro who was Taliaferro CRAIG's father.  There had been Taliaferro families in England since early 900s, having settled there from Normandy, originally from the Tuscan area of Italy.

Taliaferro CRAIG, was born in 1704 in Virginia, and although it is said he was born in Spotsylvania county, at that time, the area was not named as such.  His name is often spelled as Toliver or Tolliver.

In approximately 1730, Taliaferro married Mary "Polly" HAWKINS, who had been born in King William co., Virginia in about 1715.  The family were Baptists, and several of their sons became preachers. There is a good amount of history of the family and their exploits. Their children are known to be:
  1.  Rev. John, b.1731, d. 15 Aug 1815 Boone co.; m. abt 1761 to Sallie Page (1738-1835).
  2.  Joyce [Rejoice], b. 1735, m. John Faulkner/Falconer, abt 1755
  3.  Toliver jr. [direct ancestor],  b. 1736, d. 20 Mar 1819 in Mason co., KY; m. 31 Dec 1755 to Elizabeth JOHNSON (1738-26 Aug 1808); 8 children
  4.  Rev. Lewis, b. 1738, d. 1825; m. abt 1760 to Elizabeth Saunders (1740-1825)
  5.  Elijah, b. 15 Nov 1738, d. 18 May 1808; m. abt 1760 to Frances Smith
  6.  Rev. Joseph, b. 11 Jun 1741, d. 1819; m. abt 1765 to Sallie Wisdom (1744-1820)
  7.  Jane, b. 1743; m. abt 1765 to John Saunders (bro to Eliz. who married Rev. Lewis)
  8.  Sarah or Sallie, b. abt 1745, d. 1830; m abt 1765 to Manoah Singleton
  9.  Jeremiah, b. 20 Apr 1751; m. 1775 to Lacy Hawkins (cousin)
10.  Elizabeth, b. 1753; m. abt 1775 to Richard Cave.

Although it is thought there were two other children, I have not found confirmation. A "Benjamin" is often added, but he is part of the next generation; another child or two may have died young.  There is a gap between #8 and #9 children, which may point out missing children.

     "TOLLIVER CRAIG - HIS NOTEBOOK AND AUTOBIOGRAPHY, edited by
      Mary Louise Fricle, route 1, box 91-A, Kingdom City, Mo 65262 (1991).
      It is a transcription of an autobiographical sketch written by Toliver Craig the 3rd,
      Son of Toliver Craig, Jr. of Scott Co., Ky. and a grandson of Taliaferro Craig and
      Polly Hawkins. It begins quite simply: 

     "My grandfather was the illegitimate son of Jane Craig who was from Scotland
      and he married Mary Hawkins by whom he had Twelve Children". 

      So Taliaferro's illegitmacy is confirmed by three of his grandsons: Toliver and Francis
      Craig, and Lewis Sanders." 

Taliaferro CRAIG bought and sold quite a bit of land in Virginia, which can be found in land records. Several of his sons also held land by his parcels.  Virginia Land Records provide details of a number of the transactions.

Taliaferro CRAIG died 5 Feb 1795, in Woodford County.  His wife Mary died 6 Jan 1804 in Craig Settlement, Clear Creek, Kentucky, likely living with one of her children's family.  Both Taliaferro and Mary are apparently buried in Great Crossing Cemetery, Great Crossing, Scott, Kentucky.

If you have more information on Taliaferro's parents or family, I would be very happy to receive this, including any corrections you may see in the above.  Please contact me via my address below, or via Comments.

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