Eldest son of Robert and Mary (Harrison) Cravens. Married Margaret (Hiatt/Hiett) Dyer, widow of William Dyer, in Rockingham, Rockingham County, Virginia, in 1759. John Cravens settled on his Cook's Creek land, a few miles southwest of his father, near a place called Fisher's Spring, "his plantation being not far from present Dayton, Virginia" (historical: neither Cook's Creek nor Fisher's Spring can be entered in the location field).

John died intestate (without having made a will) in 1778. The Court appointed his widow, Margaret, and brother, Robert, co-executors of John's estate; John's mother, Mary, was appointed administrator of the portion of John's estate resulting from inheritance from his father Robert's estate. Before the estate was settled, Margaret Cravens married Dennis Lanahan (on March 18, 1782).

Also in 1782, Margaret is listed as owning 750 acres of land in Rockingham County (Land Book, Rockingham County, Personal Property List; available at the State Library). In 1785, Dennis Lanahan/Lenahan is listed as the landowner, a consequence of having married John Craven's widow. Mary (Harrison) Cravens died in 1781, and John's brother, Robert, in 1784. Dennis and Margaret thus assumed control of the property and other assets, the heirs at law (four of John and Margaret's seven children) not having reached the age of majority. The three adult children had already received their 1/7th of the children's portion of the estate.

In 1816, the four youngest children, "William, Joseph, James Cravens, [Margaret] Peggy (Cravens), wife of Joseph Snap[p]..." filed suit against Dennis Lanahan over the disposition of money and/or property they believed was due them as their inheritance, possibly including the profits realized from Dennis selling their mother's dower. [NB: The outcome of the case was not recorded; it may have settled, or Dennis may have died [c. 1816-1817] before the case concluded. Apparently, they did reach the trial phase, however, as Harrison notes [Dr.] Joseph Cravens, although not being trained in the law, did most of the cross-examination, and did it well.] A large part of the dispute related to the fluctuating value of currency during the period following the American Revolution, "Lanahan states the paper currency depreciated 45 to 1" (from his deposition). A Margaret Graham, who moved to Harrisonburg in 1790, opined "Lanahan's trouble was that he frequented the billiard table too much."

Margaret died in Harrisonburg in 1826.

Note: Burial place is assumed to be in same cemetery as parents but is not yet proven by a primary record or headstone photo (if a stone exists).

Sources: Boogher, William Fletcher, Gleanings of Virginia History, An Historical and Genealogical Collection Largely from Original Sources, self-published, Washington, DC, 1903.

Harrison, John Houston, Settlers by the Long Grey Trail: Some Pioneers to Old Augusta County, VA, and their Descendants of the Family of Harrison and Allied Lines, originally published in 1935; republished by the Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD., 1975.

Wayland, John Walter, A History of Rockingham County, Virginia, Ruebush-Elkins Company, Rockingham Co., VA., 1912.

McConrath, Ruth H., The House of Cravens, Charlottesville, VA, 1972.

Chalkley's Augusta County Records.