Guide to the Papers of the Craig-Neville Family, 1773-1865
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Papers of the Craig-Neville Family
- Creator
- Craig-Neville Family
- Collection Number
- MSS#56
- Extent
- 0.5 cubic feet (1 box)
- Date
- 1773-1865
- Abstract
- Major Isaac Craig (1742-1826) was a notable figure in the United States Army. Additionally, one of the first men to purchase land from the Penn family and establish residence in Pittsburgh. Major Craig married Amelia Neville in 1785, they had ten children most notable of the children were Neville B. Craig ; Presley Hamilton Craig, and, Henry Knox Craig. The bulk of materials are correspondence letters between family members concerning daily activities of relatives and friends.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
Biographical Sketch of Craig-Neville Family
Major Isaac Craig (1742-1826) was a notable figure in the United States Army. Additionally, one of the first men to purchase land from the Penn family and establish residence in Pittsburgh. He came from County Downe, Ireland and settled in Philadelphia in 1765. He worked as a journeyman and master carpenter until 1775 when he enlisted in the American army to fight the British for independence. He became Senior First Lieutenant of Marines in the Navy in 1775. While serving under Commander Hopkins on the Andrew Doria, he was present at the capturing of Fort Nassua and Fort Montagu in the West Indies. In 1762 he was promoted to the Captaincy of Marines. In that capacity, Craig participated in the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. The pinnacle of his military career came on March 3, 1777 when he became the Captain in the Regiment of Artillery. In 1780 he was ordered to Fort Pitt where he was in charge of artillery and ammunition supply to regiments of the American army. In October 1781 Craig was promoted to Major in the Fourth Regiment of Artillery.
At the completion of the war Major Craig, along with Lieutenant Stephen Bayard, purchased land from the Penn family. Craig purchased a little more than three hundred acres on the west side of the Monongahela River. In February 1785 Major Craig married Amelia Neville. Amelia was the only daughter to John Neville, a native of Virginia and Commander of the Fourth Virginia Regiment in the American Revolution.
A short time later Major Craig was offered the position of Deputy Quarter Master General and Keeper of Military Stores. His duties incorporated the areas from Lake Erie to Fort Adams on the Mississippi River. Along with his duties as Deputy Quarter Master, Major Craig also aided in the construction of Forts Fayette, Erie, Le Bouef, and Wheeling. He held this post during the administrations of George Washington, John Adams, and, for a short time, Thomas Jefferson. Additional services in the military were the construction of two vessels to be used against the Spanish, allies of France, during the French Revolution, and the preparation of military stores for the army during the War of 1812. At the conclusion of the war Major Craig retired from military service. He moved to Montour Island (possibly Neville Island of today) where he lived until his death in 1826.
Major Isaac Craig and Amelia had ten children. Most notable of the children were Neville B. Craig (b. 1787) once editor of the Pittsburgh Gazette; Presley Hamilton Craig, Surgeon in the United States Army during the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War; and, Henry Knox Craig (1791-1869), Lieutenant and chief Ordinance officer during the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War.
Scope and Content Notes
The Papers of the Craig-Neville Family include correspondence, deeds, financial materials, newspaper articles, a scrapbook, and other sundry items. The bulk of materials are correspondence letters between family members concerning daily activities of relatives and friends. However, of great importance to the collection is the scrapbook, Memorials to Major Isaac Craig. The book was put together by his son Neville B. Craig; there is no date of completion indicated. The scrapbook contains valuable information on the biography of Major Isaac Craig and his children, documents concerning his military appointments, and military correspondence. Additionally included are original documents signed by Henry Knox, John Jay, John Hancock, and George Washington concerning Major Craig's military appointments and military strategy. Letters document American and British military movements in Pennsylvania and Ohio during the American Revolution. However, these letters provide little information about the particulars of battle. Other miscellaneous materials include a list of men on the Andrew Doria, list of possessions taken at Forts Nassau and Montagu, and a letter to George Washington.
Also of importance to the collection are letters of correspondence between Major Isaac Craig and Henry Knox, first Secretary of War (1785-1794). The letters, photocopies of the originals, are between May, 1791 and September, 1792. The letters provide information on movement of troops into Western Pennsylvania and surrounding areas. The letters are requests by Henry Knox for estimates on materials bought and sold at Fort Pitt, and requests for ammunition and artillery to be prepared and transported to forts along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.
Documents concerning property date as far back as 1769. These documents show ownership of land and a map of Major Craig's property called Clover Hill. Other items include a letter of attorney concerning Craig's Pittsburgh property (August 5, 1781) and document concerning land left to Presley Neville and Major Isaac and Amelia Craig by John Neville. However, little information is provided on what Craig did with his Pittsburgh property.
The majority of family correspondence is between the children of Major Isaac Craig. The family members who contributed most to these letters are Neville B., Henry Knox, Harriet, and Isabella Wilson Craig. Letters were written between 1812 and 1862. Of note are letters written by Neville B. to Presley Craig concerning military appointments and movements of Presley and Isaac Eugene during the Mexican War (1846-1848). However, little information is provided on the particular battles Presley and Isaac participated in. The majority of letters describe news of relatives and friends.
Arrangement
The Craig-Neville Papers are housed in one archival box and are arranged alphabetically by folder title with miscellaneous and undated materials arranged to the rear.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These materials came in one accession.
Gift of Mrs. Neville B. Craig, descendent of Major Isaac Craig.
Preferred Citation
Papers of the Craig-Neville Family, 1773-1865, MSS# 56, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania Previously cited: Craig-Neville Papers, 1773-1865, MSS# 56, Historical Society of Western PennsylvaniaGeneral
Previously cited: Craig-Neville Papers, 1773-1865, MSS# 56, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Juliet E. Aher in January 1, 1998.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Kate Colligan on June 17, 1999.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.