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Newton Craig
[edit]Newton Craig (1807- 1890)
Keeper of the Kentucky Penitentiary in Frankfort, State Legislature 1873-4. Newton Craig was a popular agent and keeper of the State's prison, being mild, conciliatory and an urbane gentleman, whose treatment of the unfortunate persons under his charge was kind and pacific, uniting a father's tenderness with a father's authority[1].
Early Life
[edit]Newton Craig was born in Scott County, Kentucky, September 16, 1807. His father, Reuben Clement Craig Sr.(1763-1837), was a native of Virginia and emigrated to Kentucky about the year 1782, settling in Scott County. There were numerous family by the same name that took an active struggle for independence; many of whom were confined in the jails of Virginia for preaching the gospel being Baptists[2]. Newton Craig's mother was Frances "Fannie" Garnett Twymann (1789-1820). Newton's father was a slaveholder as well as Newton when he reached majority.
Newton Craig | |
|---|---|
| Born | Newton Craig 1807 September 16 Scott County, Kentucky |
Assistant Keeper of Penitentiary to Keeper
[edit]Newton Craig had been the assistant keeper of the Kentucky Penitentiary in Frankfort with Joel Scott in 1833-34.
Keeper of Kentucky Penitentiary Frankfort 1843-1849
[edit]Newton Craig and his partner, Col. William Henry, appointed keepers of the penitentiary December 9, 1843. An investigation connected with the furniture, and stock belonging to the former Keeper of the Penitentiary (Mr. Thebalds) and their transfer into the possession of Capt. Craig, the present keeper, was a matter of general interest. The Commissioners of the Sinking Fund valued the property at upwards of $42,000; Craig had valued the same inventory at less than $20,000. Capt. Craig had won much credit and approbation of the Frankfort citizens for the vigorous reform he had instituted in the condition and discipline of the prison[3].
1845 Craig trickery to Benjamin Chinn, slave and father-in-law of Richard M. Johnson
[edit]The Workings of Slavery[4]
1847
[edit]November 30, 1847, Newton Craig, Agent and Keeper of the Kentucky Penitentiary. Frankfort advertised a $70 Reward for Elisha Sketoe, an escapee from the penitentiary[5].
2nd Term as Keeper of the Kentucky Penitentiary in Frankfort from 1848-1855
[edit]Newton Craig was unanimously elected by both houses Keeper of the Kentucky Penitentiary until March, 1855[6].
Two of Newton's Children sent to Delia Webster
[edit]After Delia's release from the Frankfort prison in February 1845, she went back to Vermont, relocated again in New York City where she took charge of a select class of young ladies until the spring of 1849. Due to ill health, she relocated in Madison, Indiana. She stated that no sooner had she located there that Mrs. Craig (wife of Newton), brought her children (Florida and Dillard Craig) to be her (Delia's) pupils, confiding them to her special care, and they remained with her up to the present moment (end of December 1851). She (Delia) stated "Capt. Craig, though once a bitter opponent and full of prejudice against me, has since become a most decided friend and I believe delights in doing me justice." Her father died the winter of 1851 and she returned to Vermont taking Capt. Craig's children and her waiting maid back to Vermont to comfort her bereaved mother. Calvin Fairbank was arrested again in December 1851; Delia returned to Kentucky with her lady maid, Craig's two children, her brother and his lady. The newspapers reported she had visited Fairbank in prison, this she denied[7].
Fairbank
[edit]In 1852 Calvin Fairbank again entered the Frankfort Penitentiary. Capt. Craig reminded Fairbank of the solemn promises of amendment he (Craig) had made to obtain Fairbank's pardon before, and of Fairbank's flagrant violation of them since. Fairbank admitted that he had made three visits to a woman he knew to be, base, about the time he had carried Tamar off, and that after he was in arrested and put in jail[8].
Calvin Fairbank: I returned to the prison at Frankfort in March 1852. Capt. Newton Craig, the Warden under whom I had served my first term, was still in charge. What was known as the lease system was then in vogue, the prison being leased to the Warden for a certain sum a year, the Warden looking to the labor of the prisoners for his profit. The prison during all the years that was my home was in horrible condition, unspeakably filthy and miserably ventilated. During my first imprisonment Craig had treated me kindly, but his bearing when I came before him for the second time plainly told me that my lot was to be a hard one[9].
1854 - Shot in Cold Blood
[edit]On the 19th of July, 1854 Newton Craig went to Madison, Indiana, sent by the Governor of Kentucky, for the purpose of identifying Delia Webster as the woman who had been confined in the Kentucky Penitentiary in Frankfort. He was shot in cold blood, by William Randall, in the back, the bullet entering the right side of the back bone and lodged somewhere above his right nipple[10]. The trial of Randall was held in Madison, Indiana; he was sentenced to three years in the penitentiary and fined one dollar[11].
Sued by Delia Webster 1855
[edit]August 1855 - Delia Webster sued Newton Craig in the Jefferson County, Kentucky Circuit Court for the sum of $5,000. She alleged that he broke into her house and took possession, and carried away and converted to his own use, all her household furniture, pictures, &c., and that he took away and sold her cattle, corn, &c., and broke open her trunks and took off her private letters, and now detains them, for which she claims the above sum as damages[12].
1880
[edit]Newton and Lucy with adult children, Mary F., Dillard, Charlie and Florida are living in Georgetown, Scott County, Kentucky.
Family
[edit]Newton Craig married his cousin, Lucy Craig. Lucy's father and Newton's father were brothers. Lucy's father was Joseph M. Craig Jr. (1775-1817) and her mother Mary Polly Parker (1781-1850). Newton and Lucy (Craig) Craig had the following children: Henry C. (1836) Mary Craig (1837); Ryland Dillard Craig (1838-1902); William N. Craig (1839) Florida Craig (1842-1915); Charles W. Craig (1847-1931); Lucien Charles Craig (1850); Laura and George T. Craig. [13] born 20 Feb 1842 died 26 Jan 1915[14]; Charles W. Craig;
During Delia Webster trial, she claimed some of Newton Craig's family were: His (Newton Craig) wife was a cousin of her first jailer, Megowan; Parker Craig[15], the livery stable owner from whom Fairbank rented the coach, was his own cousin; and Craig’s wife was Parker Craig’s sister.
References
[edit]- ^ The Louisville Daily Courier, Louisville, KY 3 Jan 1852 p2 From Frankfort - New Years Greeting
- ^ Sneed's History of the Penitentiary p520
- ^ Louisville Daily Courier, Louisville, KY 13 Jan 1845 p2 Kentucky Legislature
- ^ Vermont Phoenix, Brattleboro, VT 18 Jul 1845 p1 The Workings of Slavery
- ^ The Louisville Daily Courier, Louisville, KY 3 Dec 1847 p2 $70 Reward
- ^ The Courier Journal, Louisville, KY 21 Feb 1848 p3 Kentucky Legislature.
- ^ The Louisville Daily Courier, Louisville, KY 27 Dec 1851 p2 For the Louisville Courier - Letter from Miss Delia A. Webster, Frankfort, Dec 17, 1851
- ^ The Louisville Daily Courier, Louisville, KY 16 Mar 1852 Fairbank
- ^ Chicago Tribune, Chicago, IL 29 Jan 1893 p33 Glorious Old Thief - Slavery's Bitter Foe
- ^ The Democrat, Huntsville, AL 10 Aug 1854 p2 quoting the Louisville Journal
- ^ The Louisville Daily Courier, Louisville, KY 3 Oct 1854 p3 The trial …
- ^ Times-Picayune, New Orleans, LA 29 August 1855 Quoting the Louisville Times
- ^ US Federal Census 1850
- ^ Death certificate
- ^ Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY 17 Jan 1845 p2 Case of Miss Webster