Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1924-06-12
LOCKE ECRAIG DEAD
FROM LONG Illness
North Carolina in Deep Mourning
Over Death of Late Governor A
Staunch Champion Of the Tar Heel
State-A Man of Progress.

ASHEVILLE, June 9.-Westehn
North Carolina tonight is in mourn
ing for its departed leader, Locke
Craig, former Governor of the state.
whose death occurred at his home
on the Swannanoa River this after
noon at 2:38 o'clock following an i'll
ness of over four years.
Only few minutes before his
death the former governor smiling
ly looked upon those about him and
indicated that he knew the end was
near. His life faded away as softly
as the mists wreathed above the
rushing river. And little later over
the Mills came family the cadenced
strokes of the fire bell tolling it's
mournful message that the loved
son of the mountains would see them
no more.
Tonight all over the city and this
section of the state there is sorrow
throughout western North Carolina
even as he was in his own home
city and county. From every Sec
ton of the state tonight also came
messages from loving friends ex-
pressing to the bereaved family
their sorrow over the death of ''the
little giant of the mountains"
Though his body be dead, Locke
Craig yet liveth in the hearts of
his people. He was governor of North
Carolina 1887. Born in North Car
olina, he was North Carolina in ev-
cry fibre of his being, from the SEN
tinel lines of Hatteras shoals to the
SUBMITS of the Tennessee line. Gone
In the harvest time of the states ma
terial and social well being, he is
remembered as the chief of those who
planted the seed and diligently la
bored in the field of high endeavor,
and so he goes with prayers and with
tears and mary-voiced behediction
into the realms of light.
North Carolina was born and bred
into Governor Craig from an ances-
try well antedating the revolutionary
war. William Craig came from Scot
land to America in 1749, and settled
in Orange county, where three sons
were born to him, John David and
James, soldiers IN the continental
army. The grandson of John Craig
was Andrew Murdoch Craig, who,
though of Presbyterian family, be-
came a Baptist minister and one of
great influence, power and eloquence
beyond the bounds of Bertie county,
where he lived. He was a. scholar of
fine tastes and worthy attainments,
an honor graduate of the state uni
versity.
Rev. DR.. Craig married Clarissa
Rebecca Gillian, and their son who
was born on the farmstead in Ber-
tie county August 16, 1860, was
named Locke because of his fathers
admiration for John Locke, the phil
osopher. Brief was the boys know
ledge of his father, for the latter
passed away soon after the close of
the war between the states leaving
his widow and two sons with only
q small estate to support them in the
tumultous days of reconstruction.
The mother rose to the occasion.
Governor Craig's life is yet to be
appraised for he is yet figure too
near to be rightly judged in all his
public service. But it seems clear
that among those who have moved
North Carolina by the spoken
word he must be ranked with the
chiefs of the leaders. Pleasing in
person and voice an intellectual
type in physical form, he was mag
netic and with this went a dramatic
eIoquence, fervor deeply moving,
an intangible something which stirred
mems hearts as few have stirred
them.
The home life of Governor Craig
has been one of singular beauty.
Married Nov. 18, 1891 to Miss An
ME Burgin the fair daughter of the
late Captain .Josph B. Burgin of Nc
Dowell county governor Craig had
worthy life companion and four
sons have come to grace the house
hold, Lieutenant Carlyle Craig, u.
S. NJ; George w. Craig, attorney of
Asheville; Lieutenant Arthur Craig,
u. S. N. and Locke, Craig Jr. born
in the governors mansion in 1914.