Cyrus Craven

As printed in 1880

CYRUS CRAVEN, farmer; P. O., Woodview; son of Beckley W. nnd Elizabeth (Balse) Craven. He was born in Harrison Co., Ohio, near Short Creek, Nov. 15, 1816. The family moved on this section when he was only four years old, and he grew up in the woods, varied by occasional visits to the old cabin school house, situated one-half mile south of his home. His first teacher was Jesse Downer, from the mountains, and very severe. The house was illuminated by what sunlight could pass through its long windows of greased paper. The fire-place filled one end of the house, and the floors and furniture were alike made of luncheon. The teacher’s position was not even honored by the presence of a chair. Mr. Craven went only about three terms in all. He worked for John Shauck in the saw-mill when he was 19, and broke his shoulder while turning a log. His father was a carpenter, and he worked with him at the trade until he reached his majority, after which he followed the same calling until 1852, putting up several large barns in the neighborhood. He purchased his present home of fort acres at $10 per acre in 1850. He married Nancy Bell July 7, 1852. She is a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Lash) Bell, born in Bellville, Ohio, May 17, 1817. Her grandfather came from Belmont Co., Ohio, about 1815, and laid out the town of Bellville on his farm. The great grandfather of our subject, Thomas Craven, came from London, England, in 1729; he landed at Wilmington, and journeyed from there to Philadelphia, and near the site ot old Philadelphia he was hotly pursued by wolves, and sought refuge by climbing a sycamore tree, where he remained all night. He settled near Princeton, where he taught school, and raised four sons, one of whom was Thomas Craven, Jr., grandfather of Cyrus. He came to Cincinnati, Ohio, about 1805, leaving Beckley W., his second son, in Pennsylvania. He emigrated from Sussex Co. of that State about 1810, intending to join his father at Cincinnati, Ohio; but when he reached Harrison Co., Ohio, the danger of an outbreak from the Indians seemed to threaten imminent peril, so he stopped there with his family about ten years. He then gave up his first intention of joining his father, who died at Cincinnati; he came about 1821 or 1822 to this township, and settled on forty acres of school land, all in woods. He was born in Trenton, N. J., and was a member of the Episcopal Church. He followed the occupation of carpenter. He first wedded Elisabeth Carpenter by whom he had five children — Nancy, Hiram, Martha, John and Sally. She died, and he afterwards married Elizabeth Balse. Ten children were born to them — Lewis; Mahala, Anson, Cyrus, Fanny, Eliza, Emily A., Lucinda, Beckley and Elias. The father passed away peacefully about 1855. Cyrus, our subject, is of the true type of a self-made, self-educated, whole-souled gentleman; a fine marksman and skillful hunter. In early days he killed thirty-six deer in one fall, and the records of Crawford Co. show that he killed an old she-wolf and her five cubs where Gabon, Ohio, now stands. He voted the Democratic ticket, until 1879, when he identified himself with the National Reform and Greenback party.

As printed in History of Morrow County and Ohio : containing a brief history of the state of Ohio ... a history of Morrow County ... biographical sketches, portraits of some of the early settlers and prominent men, (1880). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.