Benjamin S. McCracken, among the old settlers of Holly Township we find the name of our subject. He is a man who is done a tremendous amount of hard work, and has borne it well, for he has a remarkably strong Constitution, never having been sick a day in the course of his life. He was born in Warren County, New Jersey, September 15, 1819. His father, Jacob, was born in the same state in 1776. He was a son of James, a man of Scotch Irish descent, who lived to be ninety years old.

the father of our subject came to Michigan in 1832, in the old territorial days. He settled in Washington, Macomb County, and took up a farm of 120 acres of land, which he proceeded to improve, and resided there until his death in 1864, having completed the long life of four score years and ten. He was a member of the Christian church and a Democrat and politics, in which he took great interest and held office. He was an adapt it singing, and taught singing school, for forty years. He was very intelligent, and was often called upon to write up the wills, deeds and the like. His wife, Lydia Shackleton, the mother of our subject, was born in New Jersey in 1786. She bore and reared to maturity eight children. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church in early life, and later joined the Methodist Church. She always took an active interest in church matters. Her side of the family was of Scotch Irish descent. She lived to be seventy-seven years of age, and departed this life in 1861.

Benjamin McCracken was in his thirteenth year when he came to Michigan. The law school house, the slab seats, Indian neighbors, while game in the shotgun are among the vivid recollections of his youth, and being pursued by a pack of wolves is a memory which still gives him a thrill of horror. He has been a hard worker, and has himself cleared 500 acres of land. He is now in his seventy-second year, strong and robust. He came to Oakland County in 1848, and bought 280 acres of land. After five years and she sold out there and came to his present place, where he bought 280 acres of unimproved land. He put up a shanty and lived in it for one year, and then built the frame house in which she now resides. It was a notable house in those days, being the only one between Fenton and Holly which could boast of window blinds and a coat of paint. He has filed extensively and raised many horses, over 200 and all, and is an extensive stock breeder.

Mr. McCracken’s marriage to Lucia Rice in 1842 was the beginning of a wedded life of great happiness. It took place at the home of the bride, who is a native of Vermont, where she was born October 29, 1823. She came to Michigan in 1840. One child only was granted to this worthy couple: Charles J., Who is married Mary E. McOmber, and lives on the old Homestead where he was born. He has one child, Olive E. Our subject is a prohibitionists as political beliefs, and takes no active part in politics.