REV. RICHARD CRAIGHEAD, retired minister,
Meadville, was born in South Middleton Township, Cumberland County, Penn.,
October 31, 1815, and is the son of William and Hetty (Weakley) Craighead.
His paternal ancestors were from Scotland, his maternal ancestors from
England. He pursued his academic studies at New Haven, Conn; graduated at
Washington College, Washington, Pa., in 1836; entered the Western
Theological Seminary the same year; was licensed to preach in June, 1839,
and ordained and installed over the church at Springfield, Erie Co.,
Penn., September 9, 1840. He was called in November, 1843, to take charge
of the Second Presbyterian Church of Meadville, Penn., and continued as
pastor of the church until November, 1874, a period of thirty-one years,
only relinquishing his charge on account of continued ill health. He still
resides in Meadville, preaching occasionally as his health will permit. He
was married, January 14, 1841, to Miss Lydia L., daughter of John
Reynolds, Esq., of Meadville, Penn.
History of Crawford County,
Pennsylvania: containing a
history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools,
churches, industries, etc., portraits of early settlers and prominent
men, biographies, history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous
matter, Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1885, page 724
.