James McCracken
James McCracken was born in County Down, Ireland (the native place of St. Patrick), in 1814. His parents were John and Ellen McCracken. They were Protestants, and in good circumstances, and gave their children a fair education. James lived at home with his father until grown to manhood. In 1848 he married Miss Mary A. Donaldson. After marriage he was persuaded by his wife to sell his interest in his father’s estate, and cross the ocean to America, and seek a home. So he sold his part of the estate to one of his brothers for £65 ($325) per acre, and immediately sailed for New York. After reaching this country they soon found their way to Warren County, Ohio, where he superintended a farm for a few years, waiting to learn something of the country before purchasing a home. In 1851 he came to Shelby County, and bought his present home on section 11. Mr. McCracken has made a model farm of this place. In 1878 he bought another farm of one hundred and sixty acres. Mr. and Mrs. McCracken have two children, Henry S. and James N. In 1873 Mr. M. went back to his native Green Isle to visit the place of his birth, and thinking perhaps they would sell their home here and return to Ireland. But after going back he was not long in deciding to remain in the land where there were no landed aristocrats, but where all were equal, “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
From History of Shelby County, Ohio; R. Sutton & Co, Philadelphia PA, 1883