Joseph Thompson McCracken, Sr.

1830 - 1915  (84 years)

• Name	Joseph Thompson McCracken
  	Was named for his grandfather Joseph Thompson.
  Suffix	Sr.
  Nickname	Tomps
  Birth	29 Nov 1830	Murfreesboro, Rutherford Co, Tennessee, USA
  Gender	Male
  Census	1840	Rutherford Co, Tennessee, USA
  	The United States of America. Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. Sixth Census of the United States, 1840. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1840. (NARA microfilm M704 roll 533)
  		1840 Census for Rutherford County, Tennessee, Sheet 101 p 101--Joseph McCracken--free white males 5-9: 1, free white males 15-19: 2, free white males 50-59: 1, free white males 60-69: 1, free white females 5-9: 1, free white females 10-14: 2, free white females 15-19: 1, free white females 20-29: 2, Slaves, males under 10: 3, Slaves, males 10-23: 3, Slaves, females under 10: 1, Slaves, females 24-35: 1; persons employed in agriculture: 4, White persons, insane and idiots at private charge: 1; free white persons under 20: 7, free white persons 20-49: 2. Total free white persons: 11. Total Slaves: 8. Total all persons: 19. --William Pace--free white males under 5: 2, free white males 5-9: 2, free white males 30-39: 1, free white females 10-14: 1, free white females 30-39: 1, free white females 50-59: 1, persons employed in agriculture: 3, free white persons under 20: 5, free white persons 20-49: 2. Total free white persons: 8. Total all persons: 8.
  Census	1850	Rutherford Co, Tennessee, USA
  	McCrackin District, p 253A, dwelling/family 61/61, b. Tennessee; enumerated 23 Aug 1850 by E. D. Hancock.
  	The United States of America. Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. Seventh Census of the United States, 1850. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1850. (NARA microfilm M432 roll 894)
  		1850 Census for Rutherford County, Tennessee, McCracken District, Sheet 253A McCrackin, Joseph......62...head...farmer _________, Adaline.....31...2nd wife _________, Thomas......18...son _________, Eliza A.....16...daughter _________, William.....65...brother
  Census	1860	Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	Jimmy's Creek twp, Yellville PO, p 124 [stamped 659], dwelling/family 859/1, farmer; personal property value $621, b. Tennessee, enumerated 23 Jul 1860 by Wm C. Mitchell.
  	The United States of America. Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. Eighth Census of the United States, 1860. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1860. (NARA microfilm M653 roll 46)
  		1860 Census for Marion County, Arkansas, Jimmy's Creek Township, Sheet 124 [stamped 659] 859 - McCrackin, J. T.......29...head _________, Josephine........23...wife _________, Joseph R......... 5...son _________, John N........... 3...son _________, William F........ 1...son 861 - McCrackin, Joseph R...71...head _________, AnnAdeline.......40...wife Brown, Eliza A..............27...daughter _____, Eliza T.............. 8...granddaughter _____, Adra N............... 6...granddaughter _____, Delilah J............ 1...granddaughter
  Military	1861-1865	Civil War
  	Sergeant, Co A, 14th Arkansas Infantry, C.S.A. Enlisted at Yellville, Arkansas, 8 Jul 1861; fought at Wilson's Creek. Elected Second Lieutenant, commanded his company at Elk Horn. Was at at the Battle of Iuka and then honorably discharged due to ill health, May 3, 1862. After two months, he joined Co F, Col. Suavel's Battalion of Jo Shelby's command. He took part in Gen. Price's raid and after his captain was killed at Booneville, he was placed in command of his company and held that position until the end of the war. He was captured once in Marion County, but made his escape a few hours later. He had two horses shot from under him at different battles. He surrendered at Jacksonport, Arkansas on June 6, 1865, and left the service in very poor health. He returned home to find his family in a starving condition and his eldest son so weak he could not stand alone. Had it not been for the rations that he brought home with him, his son would have undoubtedly starved to death. Joseph at once began to put in a crops and by fall their circumstances were improved.
  	Rena Marie Knight. Additional Civil War Soldiers in Arkansas Vol. 2 L-Z (Jacksonville, AR : RMK Publishing, 2004), 49-50.
  		Confederate Regiment Organized in Boone County[, Arkansas] The Fourteenth Arkansas Infantry, C.S.A. was organized in August, 1861, by State senator William C. Mitchell near old Lead Hill Cemetery in Boone County. This article describes the organization and enlistment of the men, supplies gathered and their participation in the battle of Pea Ridge and future battles during the Civil War. [Source: Boone County Historian Volume III, No. 1 (Harrison, AR: Boone County Historical & Genealogy Society, 1980), 14-22.]
  Census	1870	Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	Flippin Barron Twp, p 5 [stamped 484A], dwelling/family 37/37, farmer, real estate value $500, personal property value $700, b. Tennessee; enumerated 12 Jul 1870 by H. W. Hudson.
  	The United States of America. Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. Ninth Census of the United States, 1870. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1870. (NARA microfilm M593 roll 58)
  		1870 Census for Marion County, Arkansas, Flippin Barron Township, Sheet 5 [stamped 484A] McCracken, Joseph T.....39...head...farmer _________, Josephene....33...wife _________, Joseph R.....15...son _________, John N.......13...son _________, William T....12...son _________, Hannah.......10...daughter _________, Isabell...... 7...daughter Pugh, Aron..............21...farmer
  Property, Real	20 Jun 1876	Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	S-31/32,T- 20N, R-15W, 80 acres, land located on right bank of WhiteRiver.
  Census	1880	Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	James Creek twp, ED 107, p 2C, dwelling/family 25/25, cattle herder age 45; b. Tennessee, f.b Tennessee, m.b. Tennessee; enumerated 2 Jun 1880 by William Fielding.
  	The United States of America. Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1880. (NARA microfilm T9 roll 51)
  Tax Records	1887	James Creek, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	Horses, value: 1, Cattle, value: 2, $180, Gold watch, value 1, $12, Other property: $50, Total value: $242, Tax Paid: $2.42.
  	Arkansas. Marion County, County Clerk. Personal Assessment Tax Book, 1887. NOTE: If you are using the microfilm from Family Search, Salt Lake City, UT, the film is found under Marion County, Arkansas records - Taxation. Personal property tax book, 1887-1894. Going further down into the records to the digital records. When you come to Personal property taxes 1887 film, the tax record is the third book scanned.
  Tax Records	1888	James Creek, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	Poll Tax: 1, Horses, value: 2, $150, Gold watch, value: 1, $12, Other property: $100, Total value: $262.
  	Arkansas. Marion County, County Clerk. Personal Assessment Tax Book, 1888. NOTE: If you are using the microfilm from Family Search, Salt Lake City, UT, the film is found under Marion County, Arkansas records - Taxation. Personal property tax book, 1887-1894. Go further down into the records to the digital records and there are two digital files.
  Tax Records	1889	James Creek, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	Poll Tax: 1, Horses, value: 8, $375, Cattle, value: 650, $4550, Mule, value: 14, $690, Sheep, value: 10, $10, Hogs, value: 25, $25, Pleasure carriage, value: 2, $80, Gold watch, value: 1, $12, Other property: $45, Total value: $187, School District: 9, Tax Paid: $3.80.
  	Arkansas. Marion County, County Clerk. Personal Assessment Tax Book, 1889. NOTE: If you are using the microfilm from Family Search, Salt Lake City, UT, the film is found under Marion County, Arkansas records - Taxation. Personal property tax book, 1887-1894. Go further down into the records to the digital records and there are two digital files.
  Tax Records	10 Apr 1890	James Creek Township, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	Poll Tax: 1, Gold watch, value: 1, $12, Value of money/credits: Other property: $75, Total value: $87, School District: 55, Tax Paid: illegible.
  	Arkansas. Marion County, County Clerk. Personal Assessment Tax Book, 1890. NOTE: If you are using the microfilm from Family Search, Salt Lake City, UT, the film is found under Marion County, Arkansas records - Taxation. Personal property tax book, 1887-1894.
  Tax Records	14 Apr 1891	James Creek Township, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	Poll Tax: , Horses, value: , Cattle, value: , Mule, value: , Sheep, value: , Hogs, value: , Pleasure carriage, value: , Gold watch, value: , Value of money/credits: , Other property: , Total value: , School District: , Tax Paid:
  	Arkansas. Marion County, County Clerk. Personal Assessment Tax Book, 1891. NOTE: If you are using the microfilm from Family Search, Salt Lake City, UT, the film is found under Marion County, Arkansas records - Taxation. Personal property tax book, 1887-1894.
  Tax Records	14 Apr 1891	James Creek Township, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	Poll Tax: 1, Gold watch, value: 1, $12, Other property: $75, Total value: $87, School District: 55, Tax Paid: $0.0208.
  	Arkansas. Marion County, County Clerk. Personal Assessment Tax Book, 1891. NOTE: If you are using the microfilm from Family Search, Salt Lake City, UT, the film is found under Marion County, Arkansas records - Taxation. Personal property tax book, 1887-1894.
  Census	1900	Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	James Creek twp, ED 82, p 11 [stamped 70A, dwelling/family 183/191, farmer age 69, married 46 years; owns farm free and clear; reads, writes, and speaks English; b. Tennessee, f.b. North Carolina, m.b. Virginia; enumerated 25 Jun 1900 by David H. N. Dodd.
  	The United States of America. Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1900. (NARA microfilm T623)
  Census	1910	Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	The United States of America. Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1910. (NARA microfilm T624 roll
  Property, Real	9 Mar 1911	Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	Arkansas. Circuit Clerk's Office & Recorder of Deeds. Book 66-547. Warranty Deed, dated 9 Mar 1911. Joseph T. McCracken & Josephine McCracken, his wife, to J. R. McCracken. Filed 15 Apr 1919.
  		Warranty Deed between Joseph T. McCracken & Josephine McCracken, his wife, to J. R. McCracken
  Turnbo Manuscripts	Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	Mr. Tomps McCracken, an old pioneer settler of Marion County, Ark., tells of an adventure he had with a panther one night which he told in this way. "I never was attacked outright by a panther, but I had a midnight encounter with one once which I contrived to bluff and it retreated. I had rode out one evening late and while returning back home after night my horse kept shying and dodging. I was following a dim road on the head of Sister Creek which flows into White River at Joe Pace’s Ferry (south side) some four miles below the village of Oakland. As the horse continued to jump from one side of the road to the other I wondered what was the matter with him, when suddenly the terrible cry of a panther rang out some 40 feet in advance of me. I stopped to make up my mind whether to turn back or try to bluff it and I decided that if I turned back it would follow me and probably leap on me, and I concluded it was best to push forward and try to give it a scare. I supposed it was crouched at the side of the road but when I urged my horse forward on a run and while I was yelling as loud as my vocal organs would permit I saw the outlines of the form of the beast spring from a stooping tree over the road. The anima1 as it left the tree growled very coarse and fierce. When it struck the ground I heard it running away. It was my time to run, too, and I dug the horse’s side with my spurs and he did some fast running. I soon reached a herd of cattle that were standing in the road and without halting I charged into the midst of them which caused a scattering among them in a lively way. It was fortunate for me that the panther screamed in time to give me warning of its presence or it might have sprang down on me when I rode under the tree where it was crouched. But as it was I scared the panther as much as it had me."
  	Silas Claiborne Turnbo. “Bluffing A Panther” Vol XIII. Located in Springfield-Greene County Public Library, Springfield, Missouri. URL: https://thelibrary.org/lochist/turnbo/V13/ST388.html
  Occupation	Farmer and stock raising
  Death	28 Apr 1915	Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	(1) Desmond Walls Allen, comp. Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1923 (Conway, AR: Arkansas Research, 1996), 329. (2) Desmond Walls Allen. Northwestern Arkansas Death Record Index, 1914-1923: Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Newton, Searcy, and Washington Counties (Conway, AR: Arkansas Research, n. d.), 29.
  Burial	Fairview Cemetery, Flippin, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA
  	Moved from Wildcat Cemetery grave #310 to #415.
  Person ID	I769	My Genealogy
  Last Modified	6 Nov 2023

  
  

  Father	Joseph Richmond McCracken,   b. 27 Sep 1788, North Carolina, USA d. 24 Dec 1865, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA (Age 77 years)
  Mother	Isabelle Thompson,   b. ca 1790, North Carolina, USA d. ca 1836, Rutherford Co, Tennessee, USA (Age 46 years)
  Marriage	ca 1812	Rutherford Co, Tennessee, USA
  Family ID	F382	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Druziller E. Wheeler,   b. 12 Dec 1828, Tennessee, USA d. 16 Jul 1890, Gibson Co, Tennessee, USA (Age 61 years)
  Marriage	22 Feb 1849	Rutherford Co, Tennessee, USA
  	(1) Bryon & Barbara Sistler. Early Middle Tennessee Marriages, Vol 1: Grooms (Nashville: Bryon & Associates, Inc., 1988), 359. (2) Edythe Rucker Whitley. Marriages of Rutherford County, Tennessee 1804-1872 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, Inc, 1981), 120.
  Children	1. Joseph Richmond McCracken,   b. 15 Oct 1848, Rutherford Co, Tennessee, USA d. ca 1930, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA (Age 81 years)
  Family ID	F389	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	31 May 2018

  
  

  Family 2	Josephine Maria Kellough,   b. 22 Aug 1836, Kentucky, USA d. ca 1913, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA (Age 76 years)
  Marriage	ca 1854	Arkansas, USA
  Children	1. John N. McCracken,   b. 31 Aug 1856, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA d. 3 Jul 1931, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA (Age 74 years)   2. William F. McCracken,   b. ca 1858, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA d. ca 1871, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA (Age 13 years)   3. Hannah Ann McCracken,   b. May 1860, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA d. Marion Co, Arkansas, USA + 4. Isabelle McCracken,   b. 10 Apr 1863, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA d. 23 Feb 1940, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA (Age 76 years) + 5. Joseph Thompson McCracken, Jr.,   b. Aug 1870, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA d. 19 May 1950, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA (Age 79 years)   6. Kirk McCracken,   b. 18 Apr 1873, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA d. 27 Nov 1955, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA (Age 82 years)   7. Mary Emma McCracken,   b. 2 Sep 1873, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA d. 15 Feb 1962, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA (Age 88 years)   8. Helen E. McCracken,   b. Jul 1881, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA d. 25 Mar 1942, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA (Age 60 years)
  Family ID	F390	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	13 Oct 2017

  
  

• Event Map

  Marriage - ca 1854 - Arkansas, USA Military - Sergeant, Co A, 14th Arkansas Infantry, C.S.A. Enlisted at Yellville, Arkansas, 8 Jul 1861; fought at Wilson's Creek. Elected Second Lieutenant, commanded his company at Elk Horn. Was at at the Battle of Iuka and then honorably discharged due to ill health, May 3, 1862. After two months, he joined Co F, Col. Suavel's Battalion of Jo Shelby's command. He took part in Gen. Price's raid and after his captain was killed at Booneville, he was placed in command of his company and held that position until the end of the war. He was captured once in Marion County, but made his escape a few hours later. He had two horses shot from under him at different battles. He surrendered at Jacksonport, Arkansas on June 6, 1865, and left the service in very poor health. He returned home to find his family in a starving condition and his eldest son so weak he could not stand alone. Had it not been for the rations that he brought home with him, his son would have undoubtedly starved to death. Joseph at once began to put in a crops and by fall their circumstances were improved. - 1861-1865 - Civil War Burial - - Fairview Cemetery, Flippin, Marion Co, Arkansas, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Histories

  Biography of Capt. Joseph Thompson McCracken

  
  

• Notes

  A BEAUTIFUL HERD OF DEER By S. C. Turnbo Mr. Tomps McCracken in relating his experience and observations in the forests of Marion County, Ark., since 1851 says that a man who has lived in the Ozark region many years can tell something that might be of interest and worth relating. "The largest number of deer I ever saw in one bunch," said he, "was one day while I and Joel Northcut and John King were going to Daniel Wickersham’s mill on Mill Creek south of Yellville. We were in an old wagon drawn by oxen and while we were passing along on Lee’s Mountain we noticed a bunch of deer approaching the road in front of us. We halted the oxen and sit in the wagon and counted the deer while they were crossing the road and found there were 45 of them. They were traveling in double and single file. The eight of these deer as they were crossing the road and passing from view was delightful to our eyes," said Mr. McCracken. Source: S. C. Turnbo Manuscripts, Vol. IX, p.248. Located in Springfield-Greene County Public Library, Springfield, MO. Online URL: http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/turnbo/v9/st248.htm l KILLING DEER ON WILD CAT CREEK By S. C. Turnbo One of the old time hunters who roamed over the hills and killed game on Jimmies Creek in Marion County, Ark., is J. T. (Tomps) McCracken whose stories like others that are told by the old timers are interesting. Here is the way he gives an account of how he killed some deer on one occasion in the valley of Jimmies Creek. "One day in the month of January, 1857, while a few inches of snow lay on the ground, I rode to Jimmies Creek and went on up Wild Cat Creek, a rough stream that runs into Jimmies Creek from the north side. Its mouth is where the Wild Cat school house now is and near two miles below Kingdon Springs and while riding along I saw 7 deer in a group standing on a rough hillside above me. I dismounted and after hitching my horse I crept up to a low ledge of rock which was near 100 yards below where the deer were standing. They did not appear to be the least afraid of me, and from this ledge and reload and shot until I killed five of them. They did not all drop where they were standing when I commenced shooting at them, for at report of the gun the live ones would advance slowly toward me and the last one shot fell in 50 of the ledge where I was shooting from. I could have killed the other two as easily as I had the other five but I had exhausted my supply of bullets and had to quit shooting. The remaining two deer were saucy, for while I was removing the hides of the dead deer they stood and pawed the snow while I was at work. They did seem like they approved of the way I had been slaughtering their companions. I took the hides and hams of the deer home on the horse and returned back on the following day with more bullets and found the same two deer in 200 yards of where I stood at the ledge of rock the day before and killed the other deer. I shot one of them down and the other one stood still until I reloaded my gun and killed it also. This gives you an idea how easy it was to kill all the deer you wanted when there was plenty of them here." said Mr. McCracken. Source: S. C. Turnbo Manuscripts, Vol. IX, p.233. Located in Springfield-Greene County Public Library, Springfield, MO. Online URL: http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/turnbo/v9/st233.htm l BLUFFING A PANTHER By S. C. Turnbo Mr. Tomps McCracken, an old pioneer settler of Marion County, Ark., tells of an adventure he had with a panther one night which he told in this way. "I never was attacked outright by a panther, but I had a midnight encounter with one once which I contrived to bluff and it retreated. I had rode out one evening late and while returning back home after night my horse kept shying and dodging. I was following a dim road on the head of Sister Creek which flows into White River at Joe Pace’s Ferry (south side) some four miles below the village of Oakland. As the horse continued to jump from one side of the road to the other I wondered what was the matter with him, when suddenly the terrible cry of a panther rang out some 40 feet in advance of me. I stopped to make up my mind whether to turn back or try to bluff it and I decided that if I turned back it would follow me and probably leap on me, and I concluded it was best to push forward and try to give it a scare. I supposed it was crouched at the side of the road but when I urged my horse forward on a run and while I was yelling as loud as my vocal organs would permit I saw the outlines of the form of the beast spring from a stooping tree over the road. The anima1 as it left the tree growled very coarse and fierce. When it struck the ground I heard it running away. It was my time to run, too, and I dug the horse’s side with my spurs and he did some fast running. I soon reached a herd of cattle that were standing in the road and without halting I charged into the midst of them which caused a scattering among them in a lively way. It was fortunate for me that the panther screamed in time to give me warning of its presence or it might have sprang down on me when I rode under the tree where it was crouched. But as it was I scared the panther as much as it had me." Source: S. C. Turnbo Manuscripts, Vol. XIII, p.388. Located in Springfield-Greene County Public Library, Springfield, MO. Online URL: http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/turnbo/v13/st388.ht ml