Mary CRAVENS Harrison was a daughter of John James Cravens & his wife Margaret HIATT, (the widow of William John Dyer, who was caught outside the fort & killed in the Fort Seybert Indian Massacre on 28 April 1758) From all Historical Accounts, it is not clear how Margaret HIATT Dyer escaped this same terrible fate with 2 infant sons, Roger & John Dyer. Margaret HIATT Dyer Cravens Lanahan, who was a daughter of John Hiatt, Jr. & his 1st wife Rachel Wilson, was born 1736 in Orange Co., Virginia, British Colonial America. On 5 Sep 1758, John James Cravens married the widow, Margaret HIATT Dyer; so, their daughter Mary was born about 1760 in Augusta County.

FREDERICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA WILL BK. 3:242:

I JOHN Hiatt of County of Hampshear...Virginia ...make...my Last Will {& leaves children of 1st wife, to sons: George, John, William, & Joseph Hiatt "5 shillings, each" & to daughters: "Catherine Harrel, Mary Edwards, Ann Harris, & Margaret Cravens 5 shillings, each"} John (his x mark) Hiatt;

Will proven on 26 Oct. 1764.

U.S. Compiled Marriages:

name: JOSIAH HARRISON

spouse: MARY CRAVENS

married: 23 July 1779

location: Rockingham County, Virginia

Rockingham Co., Virginia Marriage Register, Book A; 1778-1816; filmed by Genealogical Society of Utah at Rockingham Co. Courthouse, 1952, paraphrased as:

▪︎1779 Bond of Josiah Harrison for purpose of marriage to Mary Cravens whose father was John Cravens, deceased. Robert Cravens, Jr., brother of the deceased, John Cravens was on marriage bond with the groom, Josiah Harrison.

US GenWeb Archives; 1st Census of Virginia; Rockingham County, VA., 1784 Tax List:

name - white souls - dwelling - other building

▪︎List of Josiah Davison:

Harrison, Daniel- 2 - 1 - __

Harrison, Jesse, Senr - 8 - 1 - 1

▪︎ List of William McDowel

Harrison, Zeb. - 13 - 1 - 1

▪︎List of Benja'm Harrison

Harrison, Robert- 1 - 2 - 2

Harrisson, Thomas, Junr.- 1 - __ - __

Harrison, Ezekiel - 6 - 1 - 2

Harrison, Robt - 7 - 1 - 2

HARRISON, JOSIAH - 5 - 1 - 2

HARRISON, NEHEMIAH- 9 - __ - __

Harrison, Benja - 14 - 1 - 4

Cravers (Cravens), Esther - 9 - 1 - 3

▪︎List of James Dyer

Dyer, John - 4 - 1 - 1

Dyer, Rodger - 6 - 1- 5

▪︎Note: John & Rodger Dyer are sons of Margaret HIATT & 1st husband William John Dyer

▪︎Note: Included are all Harrison HH's. Josiah Harrison is listed directly above his brother Nehemiah Harrison; so, they probably are near neighbors. Or they may be living in the same household, since Nehemiah is not listed as having a dwelling or any other buildings.

▪︎Note: In this entire Census for Rockingham, Virginia, there is only one Josiah Harrison listed.

CHRONICLES of the SCOTCH-IRISH SETTLEMENT in VIRGINIA, Extracted From Original Court Records of Augusta County, by Lyman Chalkley; Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore; 1980, Vol. II, p217:

"Cravens vs Lanahan - - O.S. 291, N.S. 103 - - Bill by William, Joseph, James, Peggy (Cravens) wife of Joseph Snap, children of John Cravens, who died 25 July 1778, intestate {without a will} leaving widow Margaret & 7 children: Mary, Hannah, Robert, William, Joseph, James, & Peggy {Margaret}. Administration was granted to the widow & Robert Cravens, brother of John. Dennis {Lanahan} made his Will giving a legacy to his brother Timothy. Dennis & Margaret were married 20 March 1782...."

US GenWeb Archives:

1804 William Cravens to Jacob Good

Rockingham County, Virginia Burnt Deed Book 000, pp 225-6 or

Library of Virginia, microfilm Roll 2, pp225-226:

"This Indenture made in the __day of March... 1804 between William Cravens & Janny his wife of County of Rockingham, State of Virginia ...& Jacob Good of the Co. & State aforesaid... Witnefseth that the said William Cravens & Janny his wife for...the sum of $1 lawful money of Virginia to them in hand do...sell unto said Jacob Good...1 certain tract...of Land containing 120 acres lying...in the County aforesaid joining the Land of John Brock & others being a part of 539 acres of Land Conveyed to said William Cravens in a Deed of Bargain & Sale bearing date of 22...May 1794 by Josiah Harrison & Mary his wife, Joseph Cravens & Mary his wife, Joseph Snap & Margaret his wife & James Cravens Heirs apparent at Law...which said conveyance will more fully appear by the County Court of Rockingham...Bounded as followeth... Beginning at a Sickamore a Corner of an Old Patent...."

▪︎Note▪︎22 MAY 1794, DATE OF SALE OF JOSIAH HARRISON & MARY HIS WIFE.

▪︎Note▪︎9 JULY 1704, DATE BELOW OF JOSIAH HARRISON'S MECKLENBURG, NORTH CAROLINA LAND GRANT FILES.

North Carolina Land Grant Files:

name: JOSIAH HARRISON

issue date: 9 July 1794

residence: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

Certificate # Range: 3922 - 4168

Description: Mecklenburg 3922-4168

JOSIAH HARRISON in 1800 US Census; Salisbury, Mecklenburg Co., North Carolina.

white males under 10 = 2

white males 10 thru 15 = 1

white males over 45 = 1 (born before 1755)

white females 10 thru 15 = 2

total household members = 6

▪︎Note▪︎No female was listed on this Census who was Mary CRAVENS Harrison's age; so, she must have died between the 1794 sale of Mary CRAVENS Harrison's dower land in Rockingham County, Virginia, & the 1800 US Federal Census of Mecklenburg Co., North Carolina.

▪︎NOTE THE FOLLOWING WILL IS PROOF WITHOUT QUESTION OF WHO THE PARENTS OF MARY [CRAVENS] HARRISON WERE].

Will of Josiah Harrison [written 1810 & probated 1812 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina] *note: no wife is mentioned in this Will; so, Mary CRAVENS Harrison must have died before 1810.

"...Josiah Harrison of Mclingburg [sic] County...North Carolina...do Constitute this my last Will...my burial...to be decent without pomp...

▪︎to my daughter (1) ANN (Harrison) $60,

▪︎to my son (2) SAMUEL (Harrison) $50

a bed & covering

▪︎ my son (3) JOHN CRAVEN (Harrison)

south side (1/2) my land

a bed & covering

▪︎to my son JEREMIAH (Harrison)

North side (1/2) my land

a bed & covering

a slave boy named Baily

▪︎to my dau.(5)ELIZABETH ADAMS (Harrison)

a slave girl named Lucy

a slave girl named Mila

1/2 of balance of house & kitchen furniture

▪︎to my daughter MARGARET HIATT (Harrison)

a slave girl named Phela

1/2 balance of house & kitchen furniture