Newsletter 2 1978.pdf - The Grayson Family

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Pertaining to "Cracen" Family or "Grayson" I -
My father, Mr. James W. Prencher, told me that the following wes kr bh rno&mbs '
blble. "John Crncen married Isabelle SkilSings in 1775."
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They cama to America from Irelnnd. They settled in Prince Wniiam Parish, Beaufort
District, S. C. Isnbella Skilling Crncen h~d a brotl~er, Wiillnm, and a sister, Kata
(younger thnn she), who cams over with tliem.
: John and Isnbclla (Skllllngs) Cracen hnd three children, na folIows: WtUiam war
I born in 1777; Ellzal~eth In 1783;'and Edwnrcl In 1785 or 6. Wllllam moved to some :
1 other place end settled. Eliznbcth never mnrried. Edward Ihed In Bcaufort Dist., .
1 then moved to St. Bartholomew Parlrh-near the present town of Walterboro, S.,C.-
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I ln 1858.
The old BIbla war In possession of my fatlmr'r sister. She was blind, and unknown .'
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to hu, must have been destroyed by Iier ~mnll children. Thlr was the only record of .t ''
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tha Iint Cracen couple In Amerlca that we know of. AH records In Beaufort Dlstrlct ,
woro burned fn the years OF the Wnr Between the States. + i
hfy father'a rrandfather, Edward Crncen, married Ann Sarah B~&I in 1816. hey ,
were parents of James Edward, Margaret EIIzabeth, John Burgh, William, Arthur Bell- . I
her. SoghIn. Rebecca. Thomtu and Isnbella.
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lssbella, after the death of her parents In 1860'~~ marrkd Nathaniel Rhodeu md
I moved to Ca. Aunt Sopllia end Aunt Rul)ecca went to live with her, as they never dld
get mnnled. Uncle John end Uncle Thomna also moved to Georgia. The othen ~tayed
: ia S. C. My grandmother, Margaret Elizabeth, mded John Preacher h 1841. She
and dl of her brothers and sisterr-were born in Prlncs Willfam Parish. Beaufoh DLhict
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Pertaining t i "Gracen*' Family or 'Grayson*
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'I I dl to tell you what I know of the fam!ly_history, I am the daughter of
Jane Isnblfa (Gracen) and Nnthantel Rhodes; and nm seventy slx y;nrs old. J. Isabell.
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;, Crnccn Rhoda was the daughter of Edwnrd and Ann Sarah (Burgis) Gracen. Shs
I: and her brothers nnd sisters wore born In Colleton Co., S. C. Edward we^ the ~m OE 9
" John and Isabella {Skillfngf Cmcen. %
. ' Mother always told ug thnt our Great Grand-parents were Lord and Lady Crncen a
'-. from Irelnnd. They spell4 tha name "Cracen". Later memberr of famlIy changed f
the spelling to "Grayson".
F ;. . hfother had five brothers, John, James E., William, Thomas, and Bellfngor. 1 rm
mt'sure, but I think she had a sister, Elizabeth, who married In S. C. Aunt Sophl.
:.: and Aunt Rebecca cama here to Georgla to live, soon eftcr the War Between the Stater.
" nloy stayed with my Mother the rest of dldr llvas, as they never marrlbd.
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There was a little Bible, alw~ya kept In Aunt Sophfa'a trunk. Motller md Aunt
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Sophla always said, "Crend mother wnr French". The record In the Blble mugt haw
been written in French, as wa could no! read ft. Motllar add that her Father told bsr
: ' thnt ~ hfavored s her French Grandmotlier, and the Frencl~ peoplo. Mother wu bsnutl-
7, full ~Ith pretty bluck wavy hair and rosy clleekr. Now rU of thla muat be true, or
Crandmotlier would not have told her about It so much.
- Whon my Motliar djed, my broher Ivy (only child at home), broke up howe=.
Ircsptng, and rtored the thlngs, to keep, In one room of the houae; rnd mated Lt.
When he want a year later@ stored thing were "l gone' Tb uttls Bib'r
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- wu lost with these things, aa were our family pictures,
He wnr born September 23, 1855.
Rucher.
I am the daughter of hs and Enm (Padm)
of my knowledgo, the above fnformation Is true.
Sworn Mom me thh 24 day of June l ~5k
RAY U. BRELAND, Magtstrrts.
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LULA' IRENE PREACHER FENDER
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