McCrackin

KENNEDY OSHEL JOHNSON TREICHLER BAUM MCCRAKING CALKINS

Posted By: Carlyss Noland (email)
Date: 4/7/2014 at 18:21:43

JOHN H. McCRACKIN HISTORY

John Howard McCrackin and Mary Jane (Baum) McCrackin came in covered wagon to Adair County from Zanesville, Ohio, with their daughter, Myrtle Belle, in the spring of 1877. They had purchased the 80 acre farm one mile west and one and three-fourths south of Orient, to establish their home in a log cabin.

At the same time his brother, James McCrackin and wife, Sally (Baum) McCrackin, moved to the adjoining 80 acre farm, also coming from Ohio. Within a few years James became associated with Armstrong in the merchandising business.

After a few years of farming the prairie land they were able to haul lumber from a mill near Winterset and Afton to build a 3-room house (part of which still stands on the farm). In these early days John served as a supervisor in the county.

John and Mary Jane were blessed with 5 more children: Katie Rea, William, Marcus L. J., Howard, and James B. They moved two miles west and one-half mile north of Orient, when they needed more land for the family to work. They also farmed two miles west, 1 mile north and one-half mile east until they moved to Kellerton, Iowa, where John worked in a lumber yard with his son-in-law, L.R. Treicheler, in 1917.

Myrtle B. married L.R. Treichler of Orient in 1902, later moving to Kellerton, Iowa, in 1909. One daughter, Dorothy Rea, blessed this home, and Mardell McCracking, a niece, was raised as one of the family. Katie Rea was married to George R. Calkins of Greenfield, where she had a millinery shop and George had a small garage in town. To this union were born: Howard, Myrtle, and Ruth. Myrtle, who resides in Omaha, is the only survivor. Due to George’s hay fever, they were forced to leave Greenfield in 1926 for Omaha, Nebraska.

William married Bessie Johnson of Orient. Farming a few years, then moved above the Zion store to operate it. Later they moved to Ainsworth, Nebraska, where he operated a drug store. Their only daughter, Elizabeth, resides in Omaha.

Marcus L. married Edith P. Oshel and farmed most of his life within a few miles of Orient. In 1914 he was able to purchase his parents’ farm which they had homesteaded. To this couple was born one daughter, Lola Rea.

James B. married Grace Kennedy and farmed near Orient until moving near Afton and Thayer in the later ‘30s. They had one daughter, Mary Mardell.

The McCrackin brothers were well known in Adair as well as adjoining counties for their baseball skills.
John died of a heart attack in 1921, and his wife Mary Jane, passed away in 1943 at 93 years of age. Both were laid to rest in the Orient Cemetery.
Transcribed from Adair County History 1976
Page 636