BIOGRAPHY: F. J. CRAIG, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 419-20
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F.J. CRAIG, a young and enterprising business man of Morrellville, is a son of 
J. E. and Mary (Shultz) Craig, and was born in Buffington township, Indiana Co., 
Pennsylvania. The progenitor of the Craig family in this country was Jacob Craig 
(grandfather), who was born and educated in Ireland, which he left in early life 
to seek his fortunes in the western part of this State, where he settled in 
Indiana county. He died at sixty-five years of age. His son, J. E. Craig, was 
born near Taylorsville, Indiana county, and has resided there ever since. Mr. 
Craig received his early education in common and select schools, the latter of 
which were taught in summer, while the former were generally limited to a winter 
term of three months. Leaving school, he found the pursuits of a farmer 
congenial to his tastes, and has been engaged in farming ever since. He enjoys a 
reputation as one of the discriminating and successful farmers of his community, 
has been identified for many years with the Lutheran church and has always been 
a supporter of the Republican party. Mr. Craig married Mary Shultz. To their 
union were born: Valletta, wife of J. H. Hess, and a resident of the State of 
Kansas; F. J.; Chalmers, now in Cleveland, Ohio; Blanche, wife of Harry Miller, 
of Indiana county; Maud, Pearl, Florence and Bert, still at home; Mabel, 
Cornelia and Charles, who died in infancy; John and Samuel.
    F. J. Craig was reared principally in the vicinity of Mechanicsburg, Indiana 
county, received his education in the public schools, and was engaged with his 
father in the cultivation of the homestead lands until his marriage in 1889. He 
then commenced to work in the mills of the Cambria Iron company, but in a short 
time returned to farming, which he followed continuously for four years. At the 
end of that time, in 1894, he concluded to change his line of business and 
embark in merchandizing, and coming to Morrellville, was so well satisfied with 
the inducements which he found there as to open a store. This store he conducted 
with good success for a year, and then, on April 1, 1895, purchased his present 
store and premises, which are opposite his first store. His present store is on 
the corner of F Street and Chandler Avenue, fronting fifty-eight feet on the 
street. Mr. Craig now conducts a large general grocery business, and while 
dealing heavily in plain and substantial goods, yet handles considerable fancy 
groceries. He has well-arranged salesrooms for the display and handling of his 
numerous lines of goods. A large and profitable patronage is now enjoyed by him, 
and satisfactory and substantial results have more than justified his early 
expectations when embarking in the grocery business. Young, ambitious and 
energetic, Mr. Craig has achieved a business success of which he may be justly 
proud. His religious sentiments are in accord with the belief of his family, 
which has always been Lutheran in faith and membership.
    On December 24, 1889, F. J. Craig was united in marriage with Alice I. 
Buchanan, a daughter of George S. Buchanan, a well-known citizen of Brush Valley 
township, Indiana county. Their union has been blessed with three children, a 
son and two daughters Edna Pearl, Frank Russel and Nellie Florence.