My Genealogy Hound

Samuel Porter McCrackin, farmer and stock raiser, was born where he now resides in 1837, the third of five children of Osborne and Sarah (Porter) McCrackin, born in Kentucky in 1794 and 1800, respectively. The father was of Irish ancestry, the son of Seneca M., a Virginian, and a brother of Capt. Virgil McCrackin, who was killed in the war of 1813, and in whose honor a county in Kentucky was named; it is supposed he was the first white person buried in Cincinnati. Seneca removed to what is now Franklin County, Ky., at an early day, and reared a family of seven children. Osborne was first married to a Miss Carter, and had two daughters. In 1831 his second marriage occurred, and he soon moved to Marion County. In 1833 he went to Shelby County, and also entered land in this county. Since 1834 this has been his home. He was one of the earliest pioneers and largest land owners of his county, possessing about 1,000 acres at the time of his death. This event occurred in 1871, his wife having died the year previous. The father had been a Baptist deacon for about twenty-five years, and the mother was a member of the same church. Our subject’s school advantages were ordinary, and at the opening of the war he joined Capt. McCullough’s company, and served six months. The following year he served in Capt. Kendricks’ company, of Gen. Porter’s command. He received a wound at Kirksville, which disabled him from further service. He then went to Henry County, Ky., and in 1863 married Matilda, a daughter of Richard and Elvessa Johnston. They have had nine children, and those living are Katie, the wife of E. Bradshaw; Sallie, the wife of J. Haldeman; Elvessa D.; Earnest O.; Cyrus P. and William Porter. He left Kentucky in 1865, and has since been on the old homestead. His estate embraces 480 acres of well-improved land, on which he has engaged in stock dealing as well as farming. Two of his children have taken a collegiate course. Since the Whig days, when he voted for John Bell, he has been a Democrat. He is a Mason and a K. of H. For thirty years he has been a member of the Baptist Church, to which his wife also belonged. The latter was born in 1842, and was buried on the forty-third anniversary of her birth.