David J. Craig San Juan County, New Mexico

David J. Craig, a farmer and fruit grower of Farmington, came to the Territory from Colorado in 1881. He was born in North Carolina in 1847, and at the time of the Civil war became a member of the Third Alabama Infantry of Confederate troops. He served in the battles of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and other important and hotly contested engagements. He joined the army in 1862, and after the battle of Gettysburg became ill, and was honorably discharged August 18, 1863. In the meantime he was commended for gallantry by his colonel, C. A. Battle, of Rodes' brigade. He was also a member of Captain C. M. Hall's Company A. of the Second North Carolina Battalion Junior Reserves, was at the fall of Fort Fisher, North Carolina, and with Johnston up to his surrender. In 1867 he went to Cannon City, Colorado, and from that point to the Mountains near Lake City in 1872, being there engaged in mining until 1880, when he came to New Mexico. He located on a squatter's claim in 1880, and has since made it his home. He has here two hundred acres of land, with alfalfa as his main crop, valued at $125 per acre. He also has an orchard covering ten acres and he assisted in building and still operates the community ditch. His political support is given to the Democracy, but without desire for office. He was made a Mason at Farmington about 1895, and is a charter member of the Odd Fellows society at "this place, but joined the latter order at Aztec. He still holds the old homestead farm of 640 acres in North Carolina, which at one time belonged to his great grandfather.

His ancestors were from Kentucky and were Scotch and served in the Revolutionary, Mexican and Indian wars. All the relatives were in the Southern army during the rebellion.

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Source: History of New Mexico, Its Resources and People, Volume II, Pacific States Publishing Co., 1907.