Today In McGraw History. . .

Today In McGraw History. . .

From the Beckley Post Herald

June 30, 1972

When Galena retired, it was the first time since John McGraw established the first post office in current-day McGraws that a McGraw was not running the post office.

Robin McGraw, wife of Brian McGraw, the great-great-Grandson of John currently runs the office. (John>HG>Jack>Mike>Brian)

Famous McGraws we AREN'T related to: Tim McGraw

If you're reading this, then I'll bet my last dollar that you probably get this question everywhere: "Are you related to Tim McGraw?!?"

I hear it over and over again. Even my best friend asked me this! It really used to bother me back when but I'm better than I used to be about it. After one of those nights of getting asked this I thought that I just need find a way to let it go. My wife said, "Grown men don't cry about these kinds of things! You're angry all the time! We should just sleep on it and one of these days you'll come up with something." For a little while I think she thought I was nuts!

Finally my little girl came up with the idea of writing a blog post. I usually don't take the girl too seriously because she's an artsy kind of tiny dancer, but this time it was a good idea. "Truck Yeah! I like it, I love it," was my reply! She said, "please remember me coming up with the idea if it works!"

All I want is a life where this doesn't bother me, so here we are. I went to my old friend the internet and got the facts and wrote this post. And I do feel better. At first I thought that the feeling can't really be gone, but it is!

You may have suspicions, but let me be the one to break the bad news to you -- WE AREN'T RELATED! He may be a real good man with a smooth southern voice but there aren't any Indian Outlaws in our tree! Something like that also means that we also aren't related to his father, baseball legend Tug McGraw.

Two balloons burst at once. Sorry for crushing your refried dreams of getting invited over for Thanksgining! Tim and Tug descend from a Richard McGraw who came to American and settled down on the farm in Kansas, where the green grass grows, about 1800. Our first American ancestor was William McCraw who was here long before the revolution and had died about 42 years before Tim's family got here.

Tug was born in California. Tim's Mom is a southern girl and Tim was born in Louisiana.

If you'd still like to explore Tim & Tug's unbroken family tree, it's available here.

If you caught all the jokes in this post, I need you to remember that I did it just to see you smile!

This post is now over, and not a moment too soon.

Part 2, Coming Soon!!!

(Disclaimer: I don't have a little girl and my Wife wanted nothing to do with this post!)

Another McGraw Elementary School and a Medal of Honor Winner

We aren't the only town that had a McGraw Elementary School!

Welcome to Francis X. McGraw Elementary School, in Camden New Jersey!

They call it "Marvelous McGraw." Well, they don't have to tell us that, do they? Go Mustangs!

Who is Francis X. McGraw and why did they name a school after him? Allow me to introduce US Army Private First Class Francis X. McGraw.

I'm sorry to say that we are not related to this gentleman, because he is the dictionary definition of a Hero. He is one of TWO McGraws who have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Sadly he lost his life in defense of our country. The below article from the October 30, 1945, Camden Courier-Post tells his story. . . 

His posthumous award of the Medal of Honor was followed by other honors. 

The USNS Private Francis X. McGraw (T-AK-241) was a Victory-class cargo ship built at the end of World War II and served the war and its demilitarization as a commercial cargo vessel.

There was also a military installation in southern Munich, Germany, called the McGraw Kaserne which was used by the U.S. Military during the occupation of Germany after World War II named for Pvt. McGraw.

Private McGraw was laid to rest at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, in Henri-Chapelle, Belgium.

I said there were two McGraws who awarded the Medal of Honor and a future Blog post will tell you about Thomas McGraw who was awarded his Medal for service during the Civil War.

Some photos used in this post came from:

http://www.stevemcgraw.com/dad/unclefrank/index.htm 

http://www.fairview.ws/fairview_life/other/mcgraw/mcgraw.html

And are used under Creative Commons License

WIN this Quilt!!!

This beautiful quilt has been created, handmade and donated by Lynne McGraw Goroncy, the Great-Great-Granddaughter of John and Mahalia McGraw.
(John - H.G. 'Dad' - Luther/Perry - Carl - Lynne)
How can you win it?

Read the note from Lynne below!

"I designed my “Visions of West Virginia” quilt using Civil War replica print fabrics and blocks that were sketched by Tina Richmond for the Mountain Quilt Quest 2010.  My interest in quilting began 38 years ago with Great Aunt Galena McGraw Kerns being my inspiration.  When our family would visit her I would marvel at her quilts and just love to rummage through her scraps.  I remember thinking, how does one accumulate this much fabric?   Well, all these years later I know how!  So as a memory of Galena and to all the quilters in the McGraw family, I am donating this quilt as the door prize at the reunion on July 19, 2015.  The catch is you need to be present to win, so I encourage you to attend and get your free ticket and chance to win the quilt." -- Lynne McGraw Goroncy

We would like to take the opportunity to thank Lynne for this most generous donation.

In the spirit of Lynne's memory of Galena, we thought that this year we would have a quilt show at the reunion. We would like for you to bring your family's treasured quilts, afghans, needlepoints or other handicrafts that have been created and/or handed down through your family. After lunch we will have an opportunity to show the items and to learn about the people who created them. 

Remember to mark your calendars for July 19, 2015!

  

The only way to win is to be there!

McGraw Trivia - McGrawsville, Indiana

Welcome to Wild, Wonderful McGrawsville. . . INDIANA!

Google Map - McGrawsville, IN

McGrawsville is north of Indianapolis in the center part of the state. Looking at the map, it's a LOT flatter than our hometown of McGraws! Welcome to the farmlands of the mid-west! What else can we compare?

They both seem to be very small towns.

They have a Methodist Church, WE have a Methodist Church.

They have a Feed & Grain company, WE have a . . . well, I guess we don't have that.

BUT what we do have is a post office, they get their mail in Amboy, Indiana!

Here's a little history we found in the 1914 book "History of Miami County, Indiana"

As far as we can tell this Nelson McGraw is no relation to our branch of the tree - but more proof that our name has spread far and wide!

Mark Your Calendars!

This Years Reunion is July 19, 2015 at

Southern WV Community & Technical College

128 College Drive

Saulsville, WV

More information can be found on our website at www.mcgrawreunionwv.com

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.

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

candismckinzie@firstimpressiondc.com

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!