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Crager Family

Martin Vanburen Crager

Martin Vanburen Crager and wife Mary (or Marie) Ann Weeks moved to Angelina County from Rapides Parish, Louisiana shortly after the Civil War, perhaps in 1866. Martin served as a private solder in Company K of the 6th Louisiana Cavalry, CSA along with his son Francis, at the advanced age of 40. He was born about 1823 in Alabama or Mississippi (military marker says June 5, 1820) and died March 23, 1904. He is buried at Ryan Chapel Cemetery.

Martin and Mary Ann had the following children:

• Francis M., born about 1847 in Mississippi
• Clarissa A. (Clara), born about 1854 in Louisiana (Texas?) , and married Arthur Arrington
• Wiley, born about 1859 in Louisiana
• Jeptha, born about 1861 in Louisiana
• John, born about 1862 in Lousisana
• Marie, born about 1865 in Louisiana

Mary, born 18 March 1826, was the daughter of Wiley S. Weeks, a Methodist minister and Delilah Scott. Wiley was living in the Crager household in 1870.

In 1860 Martin lived adjacent Edmond Crager, age 40, perhaps his older brother.

The Crager family may have lived in Texas before the Civil War before returning to Louisiana since the 1860 census indicates that Clarissa was born in Texas, although the 1870 census states Louisiana. It is interesting to note that Mary Ann's father Wiley Weeks lived in Gonzalez County, Texas about the same time since his first wife Delilah died and is buried there.

In 1900 Martin V. Crager lived with his daughter Mary Waller.

Francis Crager

Francis and Marie/Mary J. Crager had the following children:

• Marie/Mary J., born about 1866 in Texas, who married Tony Waller
• Andrew, born about 1868 in Texas
• Martha, born about 1872 in Texas
• Robert, born about 1874 in Texas
• Fanny, born about 1876 in Texas, who married Robert E. Weisinger
• Francis, born about 1878 in Texas
• Laurie, born about 1880 in Texas

Francis served as a private solder in Company K of the 6th Louisiana Cavalry, CSA along with his father Martin. The military marker at Ryan Chapel Cemetery states his middle name as Asbury, but the 1860 census shows his middle initial as M., perhaps "Martin" for his father or "Marion" for Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox".

© 2006-24 Burke History Project
M. Lee Murrah, Editor
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