Tuesday, July 29, 2014

New From Our Website - Genealogy: Horace Greeley "Dad" McGraw

Now available on the ABOUT US section of our website, a Family Group Sheet with genealogical information for Horace Greley (H.G.) "Dad" and his wife, Amelia Pearl McGinnis. Fun fact: H.G's Brother Pole was married to Pearl's sister Paulina.


We already have charts on the site for Napper, Collins, Pole, Mayhorn and Gus. There are more to come, but if you think we've made a mistake, or have more information that you think we should add, email us at contactus@mcgrawreunionwv.com.

Christmas is coming! If you're interested in ordering one of our exclusive McGraw shirt designs, you can find all of the information over on our web-site at www.mcgrawreunionwv.com/shirts.html.





Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Note From The United States McCraw Family Association


We got this from the United States McCraw Family Association
and thought we'd pass it along!!
(Remember, before John changed the name we were McCraws!)
---------------------------------------------

McCraw Family Reunion update, picture and
request for new member referrals.


Dear McCraw Cousins:

Just wanted to update you on the 2014 McCraw Family Reunion in Richmond VA two weeks ago. The newly elected Executive Committee has started working on some new projects to improve access to the incredible amount of McCraw family history available to all its members. We are currently updating the website, refreshing to current information and adding new features to make it more informative and interesting for visitors. Work starts very soon, so keep checking in to see the new additions and don't forget to add us to your "Favorites" websites, the address is: http://www.mccrawfamily.net/.

A topic discussed at the meeting was the lack of younger generations involved in USMFA. For this vast library of detailed ancestral history and fascinating personal stories of members current and past to continue on, we need a new influx of younger members to revitalize our organization. It is a necessity for any organization to carry on its future. I am asking for new family member referrals; just one referral from each of you at a minimum would make a huge difference.  Being on the email list will entail 3 or 4 emails a year from us, when something interesting/new comes up.

Family is something that never changes, but people do. So even if you think a relative my not be interested in ancestry at this time in their life, please consider that a sometime it will probably change. It may be the day Grandma passes and they wished they had listened better to all those family stories she was always talking about. Or maybe, the day their child asks the question "Where do we come from?" and they don't have a good answer. For me, it was hitting 60 yrs and just wanting to know more about my family history so I could pass some of it onto my kids & grandkids. Whatever the catalyst is, I would like to have as many younger generations of McCraws/McGraws in "the loop" to know that we are here. We exist for them, if nothing more than an incredible source of information waiting for them to access. Even if ancestry never becomes a major interest for them, I still want them in the loop, so they know where to send a relative that shows an interest in the family history. My goal is expand the virtual family so that it may continue to grow by itself, long after I am gone. So, please forward this onto as many relatives you can and CC-copy it to me. Help secure our ancestor's history for our future generations.

Please Join or Renew: its only $35 for 2 years! That money goes to further DNA testing and reunion speakers/entertainment. Go to the USMFA WEBSITE - http://www.mccrawfamily.net/ and hit the MEMBERSHIP TAB which will open up the application form and information on where to send membership fees.

Facebook: Also, I am currently looking into creating a Facebook page for USMFA and would like to get an idea of how many of our current & potential members have a Facebook account and/or active users? We will need to have as many people "Like" our page as possible to make it successful. It would be a great source for everyone to get to know all their "cousins" across the nation. We could post: old family photos, announce marriages & births with pictures, ask questions on family history etc. For example, I visited family heritage sites in Ireland 2011 & Scotland 2013 and could share those. For Facebook: Send me an email and let me know, so I can "friend request" you when I have it set up. A family reunion pic is attached, if you want more let me know.

Reunion Update:

Presentations on Friday:  Greg Crawford from the local records program at Library of Virgina, which has been digitalizing all old county records of Virginia for over 15 years. Touched on the vast source of records available on their website; http://www.virginiamemory.com/  He showed us some fascinating examples of our own McCraw footprints & records.

Steve McGraw on his personal project: Finding William Maccraw's original homestead location.

Phil & Michele McCraw: A DVD on their June 2013 trip to Scotland. 

Candis McKinzie: I presented a powerpoint slide show of our trip to Scotland in July 2013.

Faye Moore Tribute: Remembrance photo slide show for our late Faye Moore. Handouts of her most recent partially completed work was passed out "One Man's Family". The story of William Maccraw's family in Colonial Virginia, originally scheduled to be presented by her.

Saturday events:  Reunion Gathering. Meeting family units and sharing family stories. Stories that stayed with me, Bill McGraw talking about living with polio in the 1930's  & 1940's, how his father encouraged him to not let the physical aspects of the disease limit him, but to work with what is given to him. He did and lead a full and successful life. That Doris McCraw Cobb who is in her nineties was a Colonel in the military service. We have a branch of McCraws that moved north instead of south and stayed there for generations, enjoyed meeting one of our "Yankee" McCraws. 

A beautiful and fascinating outing to Powhatan County, enjoying lunch at the quaint Country Seat Restaurant and then onto the area close to the original homestead of William Maccraw.  Beautiful country, Steve says we are very close to the precise location of the homestead. The two country roads that the land lays between still exist and haven't changed for 300 years. The local pub Mosby Tavern still exists as a private home. Its easy to imagine William Maccraw riding down to the pub to drink a ale and socialize with neighbors. I know you are wondering how I can assume he drank alcohol, well he was of Irish/Scottish decent!

Pre Banquet meet and greet with traditional Bagpipe entertainers.

Banquet dinner Saturday night and presentation on the 2015 Clan McRae gathering in Scotland, by Dean McCraw.

Sunday: The business meeting and adjourning of the reunion.

Attached a picture of our group at the approximate William Maccraw Homestead.

Thanks again, Cheers, Cousin Candis in Texas!

Candis McCraw-McKinzie
Membership Coordinator
United States McCraw Family Association 


Some of the 2014 McCraw Reunion Attendees on a field trip
to the search zone for the original William Maccraw Homeplace.
Our family's first home in America!



Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Today in McGraw History: Nancy Daniels, wife of 'Gus' McGraw died in 1953

From the Beckley Post-Herald - January 22, 1953

According to birth records, Nancy was born in 1858,
not 1859, and would actually have been 94!