TXBOWIE-L Archives

From:
Subject: Sawmill families: Crocker & McGraw
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 23:19:22 EST

I saw the posting from Paul at
(mailto:) today regarding the New Boston sawmill, and thought I might be able
to find out something about my own Bowie County "sawmill people."

I am researching two families that were involved in the sawmill & lumber
industry, in Bowie County, in the period 1880 - 1900 and later. They were
CROCKER (sawmill people from Union County, South Carolina) and McGRAW (carpenters
& builders per the Census, and also from Union Co, SC, as well as Georgia).

My maternal great grandfather was Thomas Calvin CROCKER (1851-1931), who
married Sarah Elizabeth "Lizzie" McGRAW (also 1851-1931). They lived for while
in Bowie County, TX. In fact, their only daughter, Bessie Junelle CROCKER
(1873-1884) is buried in Eylau Cemetery, along with two of their grandchildren.
They might have worked and lived in and around Eylau, at least for a while,
until they "moved on with the timber cutting" into Miller, Howard, and Pike
Cos, AR. My own grandfather, James McCullough "Mack" Crocker (1889-1969) was
not sure of where he was born, since his parents were always moving around.
He claimed, in his later years in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, to have been born
"in Texas" or in "Fouke, AR" or in "Ogden, AR."

The McGraw families seemed to stay in Bowie County.TX. Sarah had a brother:
Christopher Malachi "Mallie" McGraw (1852 - 1933) who was a carpenter in
Texarkana, and they kept in contact until they both died. Mallie's death
certificate was not very helpful: His birthplace is listed as GA; his father is
listed as "R. McGraw" born in "GA"; and his mother is listed as unknown with
birthplace unknown. His death date is August 6, 1933 and his place of burial was
"Eylau," and he is listed as widowed. [I believe his father's name and
birthplace to possibly be incorrect on his death certificate.]


Both families were found in Union County, SC in the 1870 and 1880 Censuses,
and the McGraw families were found in Texarkana, TX in the 1900 Census and
later. However the Crocker families could not be located in Texas or Southwest
Arkansas in the 1900 Census, but could be found in Pike County, AR in the
1910, 1920, and 1930 Censuses.

Does any Bowie Co. researchers have further information on these families,
such as: sawmill work records, family charts, histories or the like? Did they
come together from Union Co, SC, in the 1880's, with other families perhaps?
Most importantly, what were the names of Sarah Elizabeth (McGraw) Crocker
and Christopher Malachi McGraw's parents?

I have much information on both families, in Texas, Arkansas, and South
Carolina, in case anyone is interested in sharing. These are my proud
"Scotch-Irish" ancestors!

Robert Frank Williams

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