Abraham Becraft
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: Cir 1750 - Frederick Co, MD
Christening:
Death: 1811 - Bath Co, KY
Burial:
Cause of Death: Murdered by James Anderson
AFN :
Events
• Court, stealing hogs, 18 Mar 1763 in Frederick Co, MD
Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1761-1769. 233• Event, 1791 in Morgan's Station, KY
His Excellency is pleased to lay before this Board the following Petition of Abraham Becraft of Frederick County.
To His Excellency Horatio Sharpe Esqr Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the Province of Maryland.
The Humble Petition of Abraham Becraft of Frederick County most humbly sheweth, That your Petitioner was at a County Court held for Frederick County in the Month of March last, Indicted, tried, and found Guilty of a Felony in Stealing some Hogs, the property of a certain Conrad Dutterer, That your Petitioner was so unhappy as to be found Guilty by the Jury, yet your Petitioner begs leave to assure your Excellency, that he was found Guilty of a Felony on very weak and doubtful Testimony, that he was wholly innocent of Theft, or the least Intention to Steal the Hogs of the said Conrad Dutterer. Your Petitioner begs leave further to State to Your Excellency the Fact which happened in the following manner Viz. That Your Petitioners Father, George Becraft having lost some Hogs for a Considerable time, and being informed by a certain Joseph Gorling that he had seen them in the Woods, went with your Petitioner into the Woods, and having found some Hogs, which your Petitioner, and his Father, then thought was the Property of your Petitioners Father, drove them into the Inclosures of the said George Becraft, That your Petitioner never claimed any of the said Hogs as his Property, nor in any manner whatsoever Acted otherwise than is above set forth, That the said Conrad Dutterer brought a Suit against Your Petitioners Father for the taking of the said Hogs, and was satisfied by him for the same, That your Petitioner humbly apprehends that any Act done by him, and proved to the Jury, could only amount to a Trespass. He also humbly apprehends that the Jury, from an Error in Judgment only, Mistook the Trespass af d for Felony. Your Petitioner therefore prays your Excellency to grant him a Pardon. And your Petitioner as in Duty bound will ever pray &c.
March 18th 1768. Abraham Becraft.
Lib. C. B.
No. 20
We the Subscribers recommend the within named Abraham Becraft as a Person worthy of Your Excellency's Favour.
Signed by Sixty eight of his Neighbours.
On Consideration of the Premisses, It is Ordered by his Excellency the Governor, with the Advice of this Board, that a Pardon issue to the said Abraham Becraft, which issued accordingly.
p. 18
Moved to Morgan's Station.• Event, Grand Jury, 1811-1812 in Bath Co, KY
Briefs from History of Bath Co.., KY 1876 by William M. Talley
First grand Jury, Sennett Young (foreman) Robert Hopkins, Thomas Welch, Isaac Butcher,John McILhenny, John Cushow, Wm. Hamilton, John Boyd, Rowland Burbridge,David Bratton, Moses Hendrix, Mourning Vice, James Hopkins, Benonie Cushow, John Colglazure, Richard Stone, Daniel Young, Thos. Sinclair, and Wm. Grimes.
They returned an indictment against James Anderson for the murder of Abraham Becraft.
Parents
Father: George Becraft Sr
Mother: Elizabeth
Spouses and Children
1. *Abigail Rachel Shipley
Marriage: 25 Feb 1777 - Middletown Evangelical Luthern Church 1
Status:
Children:
1. Josiah Becraft
2. Betty Becraft
3. Benjamin Franklin Becraft
4. Rachel Becraft
5. Abraham Becraft Jr
6. Ruth Becraft
Notes
Medical:
Harry Enoch's "In Search of Morgan's Station":
"Abraham Becraft, the father, settled in the Bath County area and was killed in 1811. A grand jury returned an indictment for murder against one James Anderson, but he was never arrested or brought to trial".
Sources
1. From Mildred, All Saints Parish, Maryland, Vestry Records 5 vols, Vol I-IV at.