Albert Parks McCracken and Mary Loury Houston

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Husband Albert Parks McCracken ¹

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           Born: 13 Apr 1840 - Sandy Creek Twp, Mercer Co, PA 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 15 Dec 1907 - Sheakleyville, Sandy Creek Twp, Mercer Co, PA 1
         Buried: 

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         Father: John McCracken (Abt 1801-1881) 2 3
         Mother: Sarah "Sallie" Williams (      -      ) 1

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       Marriage: 18 Nov 1861 1

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Wife Mary Loury Houston ¹

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           Born: 14 Apr 1840 - Trumbull Co, OH 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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         Father: William Houston (Abt 1817-1887) 1
         Mother: Lydia McBride (Abt 1827-1897) 1

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Children

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1 M Watson J. McCracken ⁴

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           Born: 18 Nov 1862 - Sandy Creek Twp, Mercer Co, PA
     Christened: 
           Died: 24 Feb 1893 4
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Laura J. Canon (      -      ) 5
           Marr: 1881 4

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General Notes: Husband - Albert Parks McCracken

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He attended the district schools in his neighborhood until he was nineteen years of age and lived with his parents until he was twenty-one years of age, when he married. After his marriage he continued farming in Deer Creek Township, Mercer County, PA, and later entered into partnership with his brother-in-law, D. Thompson, both in the operation of a farm and dealing in cattle. Although they worked hard and devoted their entire time to the enterprise, shipping largely through the firm of Fruit and Company, the venture did not prosper on account of falling and uncertain markets. After losing heavily for about two years Mr. McCracken was obliged to sacrifice his farm in order to pay his business debts and then removed to Deer Creek. With only a remnant of his former capital he purchased another farm in this locality but sacrificed this also in order to meet the demands of his business creditors to the last dollar. Subsequently he located at Clarks Mills, where he bought a farm, and from this, by strict economy and unceasing work, saved sufficient to open a hotel at Sheakleyville in 1893. This he operated with fair success until his death, his last illness being the ultimate result of disease contracted when he was a young man in the Civil war.
His patriotic service commenced in 1862, when he enlisted in Company H, Fifty-fifth Pennsylvania Regiment, joining the command under Captain Stinson. The regiment was organized at Pittsburg and assisted in opposing the raid of the Confederate Morgan through Ohio and later was assigned to duty at Parkersburg, West Virginia. At the end of a service of sixty-eight days Mr. McCracken was honorably discharged and returned to Sheakleyville.
For many years his house at Sheakleyville was not only well patronized by travelers but became the headquarters for the old pioneers of the neighborhood. It became the meeting place of the "Round Table Club," a well known organization of prominent pioneers of Mercer County, the members of which gathered at Mr. McCracken's house and exchanged experiences of great interest and local historical value. To these gatherings Mr. McCracken himself was also cordially welcome. Thus amid comparative prosperity the last days of this brave and remarkable man were passed and notwithstanding all his reverses it is to the credit of his Christian character that he was also ready to welcome everybody with a pleasant word and smile. For thirty years he was a member of the Presbyterian Church, but in the later years of his life became a Methodist. He was also a firm Republican and held many township offices. [HMC 1909, 982]

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General Notes: Wife - Mary Loury Houston

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She was educated at Westminster College and taught till her marriage. With her daughter-in-law she operated the hotel left by her late husband and the house continued to be among the most popular and well kept hostelries in the county. With those duties and her active work in connection with the Methodist church she found her time amply employed, a fine illustration of a useful and independent woman. [HMC 1909, 983]

1 J. G. White, A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1909), Pg 982.

2 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1098.

3 J. G. White, A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1909), Pg 982, 1078, 1109.

4 J. G. White, A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1909), Pg 983.

5 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1115.