WILLIAM DE LA FLETCHER CRAIG
The following bio was taken from page 162 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.
Transcribed by Shirley Koym
Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator
My great grandfather, William De La Fletcher Craig, son of Reverend William Craig and Rebecca Horton Craig, was born July 6, 1817, in Kershaw County, South Carolina.
He moved to Texas with his parents in 1840 and lived with them for many years. He remained a bachelor, and he and his father had a thriving furniture and casket making business. This was necessary to supplement the meager income preachers received then. Many of these early pieces of furniture are still in existence and in use. I have a few in my own home.
When the Civil War began, W. D. L. F., as he was always called, enlisted on September 16, 1861, at Camp Flourney, Wood County, Texas. He soon rose to the rank of Colonel and his records of valor and bravery in the 10th Regiment, Texas Calvary (Lock’s Regiment) were recorded in the Series 1, Vol. XX "War of the Rebellion" and were also listed in the pages of the War Department history.
When W. D. L. F. returned from the war in 1865, he married, at the age of forty-eight, Miss Amanda Jane North, who was only twenty years old. She was then living in Panola County, Texas, but was born in Jackson County, Alabama. The marriage took place February 14, 1865, at Beckville, Texas.
W. D. L. F. was elected to the office of County Clerk of Rusk County and later moved to Handley, Texas. He and Amanda Jane became the parents of nine children, to whom they gave most unusual and historical names, as follows: Mattie Bell, born September 12, 1865; William Pitt, born February 13, 1867; Bloom Jo Lee, born November 29, 1869; Blanche Irene Ophelia, born June 25, 1872; Amanda Louella Roseline, born March 20, 1874; Charles James Fox, born May 9, 1878; Proctor Gambetta Prim, born June 29, 1881; Plato Fletcher Flint, born March 7, 1884, and Frances Cleora Horton, born June 8, 1888.
W. D. L. F. died in Handley, Texas, on January 8, 1904, and his wife Amanda Jane, lived on until March 8, 1928. All of the Craig’s reside in Handley until their deaths, with the exception of one daughter, Amanda Louella Roseline, who remained in Rusk County and married Dr. Matthew Armistead Burt of the Millville Community. Amanda and Matthew had eight children.
Norma Annie Irene Burt (deceased) married Charlie W. Burton. Their children are Ethel Cleo (now deceased), who married Odell Cashion; and Charline, who married George Pool.
Oswell Fletcher Burt, married Ellie Mae Burns. Their children are Charles Burt, Maxie Burt, Rebecca King, Jimmy Burt, Mary Ann Brandon, and Matt Burt Johnson.
Magnolia (Dickie) Burt, remained single.
Robert Milner Burt married Hester Rogers. The couple had two children, Robert Fletcher Burt (deceased) and Nan Jett.
Mary Katherine Burt, who married Frank Burton, had one son, Evans Burton.
Rosalie Burt, married A. B. Ballenger (now deceased). Their children were Patty Berry and Dan T. Ballenger.
James Craig Burt, married Katherine Whitten, who bore four children: Andy Burt, Mary Beth Ingram, Mark Burt, and Mike Burt.
Annie Laura Burt, married Harry Meyer and has one child, Lynn Meyer Fort.
My children are Cathy Ann Pool Waggoner and Davy G. Pool.
Submitted by Charline Burton Pool