Biographical Sketch of
EMANUEL⁴ CREAGER

EMANUEL⁴ CREAGER, s/o Christian Creager and Anna Mary Wolf, was born 1 July 1811 in Frederick County, Maryland. He was the third son of his parents, and he was baptized at the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Woodsboro, Maryland with Jacob Rike as his sponsor. Baby Emanuel accompanied his parents in their long trek to Ohio. Emanuel grew to adulthood in the "Creager Neighborhood" with his four siblings (Michael, John C., Henry, & Charlotte) on the family farm in Van Buren Township in Montgomery County about six miles from Dayton, Ohio.

The parents and their family attended David's Reformed Church, which the family helped to establish, build, and support. In the David's Reformed Church Minute Book #1, 15 Sept. 1826 to 27 Sept. 1874, appears this entry, "Emanuel Creager donated $1.00."

Christian and Anna Mary sold 52 acres of land to Jacob and Sarah Swadener, "and through them he met his future wife, Mary Jane Swadener." (Lawson, p. 48) Christian died 8 April 1836, and Emanuel purchased over forty items from the estate sale. (Lawson's The Creager History)

A year later, Emanuel, married 31 August 1837 in Montgomery County, Ohio to Mary Jane SWADENER, daughter of Henry Swadener and Elenor Suman. The young couple were married by the Rev. David Winters. (Marriage Record: Montgomery Co., OH Marriages: Vol. B., p. 166) Mary Jane was born 31 March 1819.

  

At the time of the 1840 U. S. Federal Census, Emanuel and Mary Jane were living in Washington Township, Montgomery County, Ohio with their daughter, Lavina.

"Emanuel and Mary Jane Creager, along with several of the Swadener family, became members of the David's Reformed Church on May 19, 1844."
(Lawson, p. 50)

It appears that three more children were born to Emanuel and Mary Jane in Montgomery County, Ohio, namely; John T. b 1842, Simon b 1843, and William Henry b 1844.

Emanuel and Mary Jane had purchased eighty-one acres of land within Darke County, Ohio. By the time their fifth child, Nelson, was born Emanuel and his family had relocated to Adams Township, Darke County, Ohio. They had joined Emanuel's brother, Michael, who lived next door, and his two cousins, Thomas and Solomon Creager. And, before the 1850 Census, two more children (Charles and Sarah) joined the family.

The family continued to enlarge with the birth of George, Wesley, Elizabeth, and Rosetta before 1860. By 1860 Emanuel and Mary Jane were the parents of 11 children.

Irene (Creager) Lawson states in her The Creager Family on p. 50 that "Emanuel and Mary Jane left Darke County in the late 1860's after the death of their two teen-age children." The HIMES (Heim) & Allied Families Germany/PA/KY/Dayton,OH: Emanuel Creager by Dottie and John Himes, indicates that these children [Sarah Ellen 1849-1863 and George 1851-1866] died in Montgomery Co., OH and that they were buried in David's Cemetery, Dayton, Van Buren Twp., Montgomery County, Ohio, U.S.A.. Lawson, p. 50, indicates they rejoined David's Church on 15 May 1867, and were later dismissed to "Slifer's Reformed (now Presbyterian) Church near Farmersville, Ohio" along with daughters, Elizabeth and Rosetta.

Lawson, p. 50, indicates: "In the Preble County Directory for 1875, West Alexandria, were the names listed of Emanuel Creager and his son Charles Creager."

Mary Jane (nee Swadener) Creager died 21 March 1876. She was buried in the Swadener family plot at the David's Cemetery in Van Buren Township, Montgomery County, Ohio with her two teenage children and her parents. Following his wife's death, Lawson, p. 50 tells us that Emanuel "went to live with his children."

"In the 1880 census, Emanuel and a son, Wesley, and daughter, Elizabeth, were living with his [Emanuel's] son, Charles and his wife, Anna, and two daughters, Della and Bertha, at their home 1/4 mile north of West Alexandria. Charles died on February 16, 1888 and his public sale was March 13, 1888. Emanuel then went to live in Liberty, [Montgomery County], Ohio, where he died on January 14, 1891." Emanuel was buried at the David's Cemetery in Van Buren Township, Montgomery County, Ohio. "Emanuel, Mary Jane, and their two teen-age children are buried under a huge tree in David's Cemetery along side Mary Jane's parents, Henry and Elenor Swadener." (Lawson, pp. 50-52)

Emanuel and Mary Jane were the parents of 11 children: Lavina, John T., Simon, William Henry, Nelson, Charles Madison, Sarah Ellen, George, Wesley, Elizabeth and Rosetta.

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