For years one of the prominent citizens of Galesburg and Knox Co and a man who made an enviable name in the field of Il. jurisprudence while for 27 years Justice of the supreme court. Son of David & Minta Ramey Craig. Added to the Scotch-Irish ancestry on his fathers side he had a Ky mother. His parentage was from a class similar to Abraham Lincoln. His father constructed many of the old mills along the Spoon River which provided flour for the early settlers. When a small boy the Black Hawk War was on and for a time the women and children made their homes in a block house. The Judge entered Knox College fall of 1848, earned his degree in 1853. He opened a law office in 1854 and built up a large practice.
In 1856 appointed State Attorney which covered 5 counties. He was first elected to the Supreme Court 1876, re-elected 1882-1892. He was a man of high esteem in the Masonic order. His first wife was Elizabeth Harvey they had four children, she died 1904. Married 2nd Mary Davis in 1908. This obit was published by the Knox Co Genealogical Society.
From Carl Sandburg's "Always The Young Strangers"
Pioneers and Old-Timers Chapter
I heard Alfred M. Craig spoken of as "the richest man in town." He owned several farms and Main Street buildings. He was president of the Bank of Galesburg, the Bank of Altoona, The Farmers' State Bank of Alpha, the Bank of North Henderson, the Bank of Prairie City, besides being a director with heavy interests in the Farmers' National Bank of Knoxville an the State Bank of Victoria. I saw him several times when I worked in the drugstore of his son Harvey Craig.
At such times as the elder Craig came in to see his son I would try to manage to be giving an extra polish to the showcases and have a look at him. For there was a rather strict sense in which the elder Craig was the most important and distinguished citizen of the town. I didn't eavesdrop. I had heard so much about him that it satisfied me as a fifteen-year-old boy just to have a look at him. He was tall, broad-shouldered, deep-chested, with sideburns that ran down the checks and under the jaws. His face was impressive with a look of quiet power, a large aquiline nose running to a point end and the nostrils wide. His baffling eyes looked from under busy eyebrowns. His chin was strong and his mouth as baffling as his eyes. He gave me sidewise glances several times as I looked up from my work with the chamois skin. I knew better than to expect him to say, "How are you getting along, bub?" He wasn't that kind. He didn't smile often and when he did it came slow as though it cost him.
In 1856 appointed State Attorney which covered 5 counties. He was first elected to the Supreme Court 1876, re-elected 1882-1892. He was a man of high esteem in the Masonic order. His first wife was Elizabeth Harvey they had four children, she died 1904. Married 2nd Mary Davis in 1908. This obit was published by the Knox Co Genealogical Society.
From Carl Sandburg's "Always The Young Strangers"
Pioneers and Old-Timers Chapter
I heard Alfred M. Craig spoken of as "the richest man in town." He owned several farms and Main Street buildings. He was president of the Bank of Galesburg, the Bank of Altoona, The Farmers' State Bank of Alpha, the Bank of North Henderson, the Bank of Prairie City, besides being a director with heavy interests in the Farmers' National Bank of Knoxville an the State Bank of Victoria. I saw him several times when I worked in the drugstore of his son Harvey Craig.
At such times as the elder Craig came in to see his son I would try to manage to be giving an extra polish to the showcases and have a look at him. For there was a rather strict sense in which the elder Craig was the most important and distinguished citizen of the town. I didn't eavesdrop. I had heard so much about him that it satisfied me as a fifteen-year-old boy just to have a look at him. He was tall, broad-shouldered, deep-chested, with sideburns that ran down the checks and under the jaws. His face was impressive with a look of quiet power, a large aquiline nose running to a point end and the nostrils wide. His baffling eyes looked from under busy eyebrowns. His chin was strong and his mouth as baffling as his eyes. He gave me sidewise glances several times as I looked up from my work with the chamois skin. I knew better than to expect him to say, "How are you getting along, bub?" He wasn't that kind. He didn't smile often and when he did it came slow as though it cost him.
For years one of the prominent citizens of Galesburg and Knox Co and a man who made an enviable name in the field of Il. jurisprudence while for 27 years Justice of the supreme court. Son of David & Minta Ramey Craig. Added to the Scotch-Irish ancestry on his fathers side he had a Ky mother. His parentage was from a class similar to Abraham Lincoln. His father constructed many of the old mills along the Spoon River which provided flour for the early settlers. When a small boy the Black Hawk War was on and for a time the women and children made their homes in a block house. The Judge entered Knox College fall of 1848, earned his degree in 1853. He opened a law office in 1854 and built up a large practice.
In 1856 appointed State Attorney which covered 5 counties. He was first elected to the Supreme Court 1876, re-elected 1882-1892. He was a man of high esteem in the Masonic order. His first wife was Elizabeth Harvey they had four children, she died 1904. Married 2nd Mary Davis in 1908. This obit was published by the Knox Co Genealogical Society.
From Carl Sandburg's "Always The Young Strangers"
Pioneers and Old-Timers Chapter
I heard Alfred M. Craig spoken of as "the richest man in town." He owned several farms and Main Street buildings. He was president of the Bank of Galesburg, the Bank of Altoona, The Farmers' State Bank of Alpha, the Bank of North Henderson, the Bank of Prairie City, besides being a director with heavy interests in the Farmers' National Bank of Knoxville an the State Bank of Victoria. I saw him several times when I worked in the drugstore of his son Harvey Craig.
At such times as the elder Craig came in to see his son I would try to manage to be giving an extra polish to the showcases and have a look at him. For there was a rather strict sense in which the elder Craig was the most important and distinguished citizen of the town. I didn't eavesdrop. I had heard so much about him that it satisfied me as a fifteen-year-old boy just to have a look at him. He was tall, broad-shouldered, deep-chested, with sideburns that ran down the checks and under the jaws. His face was impressive with a look of quiet power, a large aquiline nose running to a point end and the nostrils wide. His baffling eyes looked from under busy eyebrowns. His chin was strong and his mouth as baffling as his eyes. He gave me sidewise glances several times as I looked up from my work with the chamois skin. I knew better than to expect him to say, "How are you getting along, bub?" He wasn't that kind. He didn't smile often and when he did it came slow as though it cost him.
In 1856 appointed State Attorney which covered 5 counties. He was first elected to the Supreme Court 1876, re-elected 1882-1892. He was a man of high esteem in the Masonic order. His first wife was Elizabeth Harvey they had four children, she died 1904. Married 2nd Mary Davis in 1908. This obit was published by the Knox Co Genealogical Society.
From Carl Sandburg's "Always The Young Strangers"
Pioneers and Old-Timers Chapter
I heard Alfred M. Craig spoken of as "the richest man in town." He owned several farms and Main Street buildings. He was president of the Bank of Galesburg, the Bank of Altoona, The Farmers' State Bank of Alpha, the Bank of North Henderson, the Bank of Prairie City, besides being a director with heavy interests in the Farmers' National Bank of Knoxville an the State Bank of Victoria. I saw him several times when I worked in the drugstore of his son Harvey Craig.
At such times as the elder Craig came in to see his son I would try to manage to be giving an extra polish to the showcases and have a look at him. For there was a rather strict sense in which the elder Craig was the most important and distinguished citizen of the town. I didn't eavesdrop. I had heard so much about him that it satisfied me as a fifteen-year-old boy just to have a look at him. He was tall, broad-shouldered, deep-chested, with sideburns that ran down the checks and under the jaws. His face was impressive with a look of quiet power, a large aquiline nose running to a point end and the nostrils wide. His baffling eyes looked from under busy eyebrowns. His chin was strong and his mouth as baffling as his eyes. He gave me sidewise glances several times as I looked up from my work with the chamois skin. I knew better than to expect him to say, "How are you getting along, bub?" He wasn't that kind. He didn't smile often and when he did it came slow as though it cost him.
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