Jonathan A Cranor (1837 - 1895)

Born 21 Feb 1837 in North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Nancy (Cone) Cranor — married 20 Nov 1860 in Christian, Kentucky, United States

Descendants

Died 15 Aug 1895 at age 58 in Christian, Kentucky, United States

Biography

Jonathan A Cranor was born in North Carolina, United States (probably in Guilford County). By 1850, he was living with his parents in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States. His death occurred in Christian County, Kentucky, where he spent at least the final 35 years of his life. He was a farmer. His burial is at the Cranor Cemetery, Saint Charles, Hopkins County, Kentucky.

He is not to be confused with his brother John, who was born in about 1831.

Research Notes

Jonathan Cranor, born Feb. 21, 1837 in Guilford County, North Carolina, was the third child of Moses and Jane (Stephenson) Cranor. He was named for his father's older brother. This older brother also had a son named Jonathan who was born about the same time. They both lived in the same neighborhood, went to the same school and grew up together, so it often is hard to separate their records. As a youngster, Jonathan, Moses' son, was tutored by his paternal grandmother who was a well-educated lady from the distinguished House of Trotters of England and Scotland. When Jonathan was just 12 years old, many of the Cranors migrated from North Carolina over the mountains to Kentucky, settling in Christian and Hopkins Counties. There were no schools or churches in the country around them so Jonathan's father and other men of the community built a log schoolhouse on the corner of the Cranor farm. Here Jonathan got his first taste of real schooling. Here he attended church also. In those days, preachers were few and if one happened through, he was asked to bring a sermon or hold a session, regardless of his particular denomination. Before the Cranors moved to Kentucky in 1842, Nelson Taylor Cone and his family had settled on the indefinite boundary between Christian and Hopkins Counties. Their children played with, went to school with, and attended church with the Cranor children. It was very natural therefore, when Jonathan Cranor and Nancy Cone were grown, for them to fall in love and marry. On November 20, 1860, in the Cone home, the ceremony was performed by a Rev. D. M. Woolridge, in the presence of Daniel McKnight, Moses Cranor, John O'Roark and others. Jonathan and Nancy set up housekeeping in a little home very close to both parents . Here, on Jonathan's birthday, Feb. 21, in 1862, Nancy gave him his first child. They named her Dicy Jane for both of her grandmothers. Then on Sept. 22, 1863, another girl was born . She was named Minerva Frances for two of Nancy's sisters, but, when this little girl grew up, she disliked the name Minerva so much that she shortened it to Nerva. So she was known as Nerva Frances most of her life. When the Civil War was raging Jonathan wanted to fight, but, a wife and two small babies kept him home. However both he and Nancy did their part in nursing and aiding the soldiers as several battles were fought very close to their home.

After the war, everyone settled down to peaceful living feeling lucky to be alive and healthy. Then Jonathan and Nancy had a son. The pride and joy of a father's eyes, John T. Jackson Cranor was born on Nov. 17, 1867. Six years later another son, Moses Taylor Cranor was born. Jonathan saw to it that his children got an education. In fact, they went to the same school he had attended and they were sent to a higher education school in a nearby to wn. His youngest son, Moses Taylor was a teacher in Kentucky and Tennessee f or several years and then worked as an agent for one of the best known insurance companies of the east for a great many years. Jonathan lived to see two of his four children married. Nerva Frances married Thomas McKni ght.

It is told in this family that Thomas T. stole Nerva Frances, but as she was almost 18 and girls married young those days, probably the family did not have much to say about it. Jonathan's son, John T. Jackson chose Lona B. Hamby as his wife and they were married in 1894, just about eight months before Jonathan passed away. Jonathan was a well liked man and helding reat esteem by his neighbors. He died on Aug. 15, 1895, at the age of only 58. He was buried in the Cranor Cemetery near the school and church where he grew up. Left to morn were his wife, Nancy, daughter; Nerva Frances with her husband and four small sons; son, John T. Jackson and his bride, Dicy Jane; and son, Moses Taylor Cranor.

Sources

• 1850 U.S. Census - District# 1, Hopkins Co., KY; Roll# 205, p88b - digital image viewed on Ancestry.com.

• 1860 U.S. Census - Underwood p.o., Hopkins Co., KY; p760 (p170 written in upper right corner) - digital image viewed on Ancestry.com.

• Cranor, Jonathan - entry, re:marriage to Nancy Cone in Christian Co., KY, on 20 Nov 1860 (digital image of contemporary record); fm Ancestry.com Kentucky, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1783-1965.

• Find A Grave: Memorial #56226130 (accessed 08 August 2023), memorial page for Jonathan A Cranor (21 Feb 1837–15 Aug 1895), citing Cranor Cemetery, Saint Charles, Hopkins County, Kentucky, USA; Maintained by Terry Burd (contributor 47293400).