ISOM WARREN CRADDICK
Isom Warren Craddick was born in Blount County, Alabama on August 9, 1844, the son of Jessie and Malinda Wiginton Craddick. At a very young age Isom moved with his family to Mississippi, and when he was about 13 they moved to St. Francis County Arkansas. Isom attended subscription schools in both Mississippi and in Arkansas.
As a young man Isom left home and traveled around the country. Some believe he came to Texas before the Civil War. If he did, he returned to Arkansas by June 1861, where he enlisted in the Confederate Army a few months before his seventeenth birthday.
He "enlisted in Co. E of 3rd Confederate Inf. Regiment, original name of Company was Lindan Ded Shots. Was enlisted from St. Francis Co., Ark. By Capt. Poindexter Dunn, in June 1861, served from that date until the surrender - and was paroled in April 1865. Was in the battles at Shilo, Perrivile, Murfreesboro, Small battles at Liberty Gap and other places in Tennessee. Chicamauga, Missionary Ridge, Taylor's Ridge at Ringgold, Ga which was hardest fought little battle in which my company engaged, was in Georgia Campaign from Dalton to Atlanta, receiving severe wounds in the left hand, breaking all the bones in the hand and almost severing it from the arm, which disabled me from further service. "**
He received a Court-Martial in January 1865, for neglect of duty. His trial was held at Meridan, Mississippi, and he was found not guilty.
After the war Isom married Annie Brandon. A marriage record has not been found, but they were probably married about 1867. Their first two children (Betty Ada and John Wesley) were born in Brinkley, Monroe County, Arkansas which is near St. Francis County where Isom was reared. Betty Ada died there before her first birthday.
By 1874, Isom and Annie were living near New Boston in Bowie County, Texas where their daughters Etta Jane and Katie Milam were born. By 1879, they had moved to Cleburne in Johnson County, Texas, and Clayton was born that year.
Isom became unhappy with living in Johnson County Texas and decided to take his family back to Arkansas. They traveled to Lamar County, Texas by wagon and stopped near the village of Petty and rented farmland there. They may have had family there.
In 1882, Annie gave birth to a baby boy. Not long after his birth Annie Brandon Craddick died on March 14, 1882. She was buried in a cemetery near Petty, Lamar County, Texas. A few months after her death the baby died and was buried at her side.
Isom continued to farm and look after the children. John was 14 and worked on the farm with him. Etta was 8, Katie was 5, and Clayton was not quite 3.
On December 12, 1883, Isom Craddick married Mrs. Laura Riddle in Paris, Lamar County, Texas. She had been married before, but it is not known if she had children.
Isom's children did not like their stepmother. They felt that she treated them badly, and they treated her likewise. One day when Isom was away from home, Laura became so upset with the children that she packed-up and left. Although she was pregnant, she rode a mule from Paris, Texas to Mr. Ida, Arkansas where she later gave birth to a son. They lived there for many years and both used the Craddick name.
The date that Isom Craddick left Lamar County Texas has not been established, but he married Fannie Glover on July 12, 1889 in Howard County, Arkansas.** Family history is that Fannie Glover had previously been married to a Mr. Leslie. Fannie was the daughter of William and Lizzie Ritcherson Glover who lived near Nashville, Howard County, Arkansas.**
Isom and Fannie Craddick were the parents of four children: Clifford, Lizzie, Jess, and Rhuel.
Isom Warren Craddick was a farmer, a Democrat, and a Methodist.** He believed in the Confederacy and each August attended the Confederate Soldiers Reunion. He died on September 9, 1915, and was buried in the County Line Cemetery near Nashville, Howard County, Arkansas.
** From "Arkansas, 1911, Census of Confederate Veterans, Vol. 1, Civil War". Much of the other information is from oral history of the family that was written down by Isom's grandchildren.