From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and  
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902. 
 
Typed by E. J. Heinemann 
 
p. 704 
 
E.G. CRAFT, for many years engaged in the cooper's trade in  
Triadelphia, Ohio county, West Virginia, has made a success in that  
line, and is held in high esteem by all in his community.  He is a son  
of George and Elizabeth (Kignons) Craft, and was born at Triadelphia,  
September 27, 1835. 
     George Craft was a native of Brooke county, Virginia (now West  
Virginia), and was engaged in making jars, in connection with the  
cooper's trade, which was his sole occupation during his life of  
sixty-three years.  Michael Craft, father of George, was the first tax  
collector of Ohio county, in the latter years of the eighteenth  
century.  George Craft was united in marriage with Elizabeth Kignons, a  
daughter of John Kignons, who was a successful farmer on the farm his  
great-grandfather purchased in 1735.  This great-grandfather was a s   
oldier in the Revolutionary War, and members of the family also served  
in the war of 1812, and were buried in the cemetery of the Stone  
Presbyterian church used during the last century.  E. G. Craft was the  
fifth child in the large family born to George and Elizabeth Craft.  
Among them were: John, Michael, George and Cordelia, who died in early  
childhood; and Rachael and Elizabeth, who died recently,--the former,  
in 1894, the latter, in 1898.  Those still living besides E. G.  
are,--Samuel, now eighty-three years of age; Harrison, who is still  
engaged in the coopering trade at the age of sixty-seven years; and two  
sister, Mary Jane and Hannah, both of whom are married and live in  
Ohio. 
     At the age of fourteen years, E. G. Craft left home to work on a 
farm for Mr. Carter, where he remained for the next seven years.  When  
twenty-one  years old, he learned the cooper's trade, which he followed  
in connection with the carpenter business for twenty-five years, and  
was very successful.  He built a shop in Triadelphia, and in 1889  
enlarged it, and added an engine, and machinery for the manufacture of  
barrel hoops and nail-keg staves.  He has the credit of making the  
first nail-keg used in the oldest nail factory in Ohio county,  
fifty-one years ago. 
     Mr. Craft was united in marriage with Mary Branstroop, daughter of  
William Branstroop, a native of Germany and a contractor of note.  To  
them were born a number of children, among whom are,--George, who died  
at the early age of four years; Virginia, who died aged two years;  
Frank, who is a resident of Wheeling; John, a carpenter by trade;  
Narcissus G., who is a painter; Albert, who is still at home; Mary, who  
is married and resides in Wheeling, West Virginia; Elizabeth; Minnetta;  
Charles; and Clinton, residents of Triadelphia. 
     The subject of this sketch and his worthy wife have been active 
members of the M. E. church for more than a quarter of a century.