The Cochrane & Allied Families

Cochranes from Scotland to Colonial Virginia (c 1760), to Kentucky (1811), to Kansas (1859) and beyond. Allied families to the United States from England, Scotland, Ireland and Switzerland.

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MCCRACKEN, Capt. Virgil Sr.

MCCRACKEN, Capt. Virgil Sr.

Male - 1813   Has 2 ancestors and 6 descendants in this family tree.


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  • Name MCCRACKEN, Virgil  [1, 2, 3] 
    Prefix Capt. 
    Suffix Sr. 
    Birth Ardee, Louth, Leinster, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Residence-Occupant Abt 1800  Woodford County, Kentucky, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [4] 
    Cyrus McCracken's widow, Elizabeth, moved from Virginia with her son Virgil, and settled on a farm on the McCracken Pike on Glenn's Creek, about 3 miles northwest of Versailles 
    • Role: Occupant
    Residence Aug 1800  Woodford County, Kentucky, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [5] 
    Resided 
    Election 1810-1811  Frankfort, Franklin, Kentucky, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [6] 
    a Representative of Woodford County to the state Legislature 
    Immigration-Participant Colony of Maryland, England, UK Find all individuals with events at this location  [7, 8] 
    from Ireland with his 7 children 
    • Role: Participant
    Will Nov 1812  Woodford County, Kentucky, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [9] 
    • His Will was probated during the April 1813 Court.

      "Know all men by these presents that I Virgil McCrackin of the county of woodford and state of Kentucky do declare this to be my last will and testament in manner and form following viz:

      "I give and bequeath to my wife Martha three negroes viz: Sophia and her child Charlotte and Maria, also all the household furniture which belonged to her before her marriage, which negroes and household furniture is to be considered her right of Dower to my Estate. I give and bequeath to my Daughter Polly one negro woman named Jenney and her son Charles, a feather bed and furniture, one horse and saddle worth one hundred Dollars. I give and bequeath to my Daughter Martha one negro woman named Vina and her son Peter, one feather bed and furniture and one horse and saddle worth one hundred dollars. The horse and saddle to be paid them by my Exc. at their arrival to the age of 14 years. I give to my son Cyrus one negro woman named Phillis and  her son Sam, bed and furniture. I give to my son George two negro boys Dick and Spencer and the interess of the negroes I have of my Fathers Estate at my mothers death. I give to my son Virgil two negroes Mary and Rachel and one negro man named Sam now in the population of Henry Caldwell, and further I give to my son Cyrus one negro woman named Aggy. I wish all my landed Estate to be sold and equally divided among my children at their marriage or at their arrival to the age of eighteen years of the girls and twenty years of the boys giving two years credit for all my lands except the place I now live upon which I wish to be kept for the purpose of raising my family. It is my wish that my interest in the saw mill and tract of land thereunto belonging should be sold at two annual payments. The plantation whereon Henry Nall now resides not to be sold unless absolutely necessary for the purpose of paying my debts until my youngest son arrives to the age of twenty one years. That the negroes devised to my children to be kept together for the purpose of supporting and schooling them, but is my wish that my Executors should dispose of every foot of land for the purpose of paying my debts before the negroes should be sold. The bond I have upon Brother Cyrus in surveyor Williams hands to be sold at two years credit. The bond Seneca McCrackin has upon Father's estate for three hundred acres of land after giving credit for two fifths, Ovid and my parts to be sold at two years credit. And I do hereby appoint my Brother Ovid, Andrew McKnight and Nathaniel Hart Exc. of this my last will with full power to carry the same unto as full and complete effect as I would do myself given under my hand this [blank] day of [blank] Nov. 1812.

      "Woodford County April County Court 1813
      The foregoing instrument of writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Virgil McCrackin deceased was produced into court and proven by the oaths of Leonard Searey and John Road to be written wholey in his own hand writing & ordered to record whereupon Nathaniel Hart and Andrew McKnight two of the Executors therein named came into court and took the oath prescribed by law and executed bond with Samuel Brooking and Cyrus McCrackin their securities in the penalty of $10,000 conditioned according to law. - Teste John McKinney"
    Military Service Jan 1813  Michigan Territory, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [10] 
    War of 1812, was killed in the Battle of Raisin River (Frenchtown), 


    • "Captain Virgil McCracken, like all of his name, was an intelligent, partriotic and courageous citizen who was ever ready to fight for his country, in defense or offense, so in 1812, with the spirit and daring of his father raised a company of cavalry in Woodford and joined the regiment of Col. John Allen, of Shelby County, who led them to Detroit, Michigan, near where the battle of the "River Raisin" was fought, in which this regiment took a conspicuous part. His military career was brief, but brilliant, as he received a mortal wound in the fierce and tragic engagement at that point."
      - History of Woodford County, Kentucky, p 53
    Death Jan 1813  Michigan Territory, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 11] 
    Individual Event 15 Jan 1825  [1, 7, 12, 13] 
    McCracken County, Kentucky, was named after him by the State Legislature 
    • "Capt. Virgil McCracken, in honor of whom this county was named, was a native of Woodford co., Ky. His father, Cycrus McCracken, one of the first adventurers to that region, in conjunction with Hancock Lee, raised cabins one mile below Frankfort, on the east side of the Kentuckyriver, and named the place Leestown; and lost his life, Nov. 4, 1782, in Gen. George Rogers Clark's expedition against the Piqua towns, to avenge the terrible battle of Blue Licks. Capt. McCracken was an intelligent, patriotic, and fearless young man. In 1812, he raised a company of riflemen, for the regiment of the brilliant Col. John Allen; and fell at the head of his company, in the battle of the river Raisin, Jan. 22, 1813, while bravely maintaining the honor of his native state on that fatal field." - Collins, History of Kentucky, Volume II
    Person ID I6543  Cochrane Genealogy
    Last Modified 11 Jan 2026 

    Father MCCRACKEN, Cyrus Sr.,   b. Ardee, Louth, Leinster, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 4 Nov 1782, Fayette County, Kentucky, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mother —?—, Elizabeth   d. Aft 1810 
    Family ID F2584  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family —?—, Martha   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Marriage Y  [3, 9] 
    Children 
       1. Female MCCRACKEN, Sally   d. Yes, date unknown
    >  2. Female MCCRACKEN, Polly   d. Yes, date unknown
       3. Female MCCRACKEN, Martha   d. Yes, date unknown
       4. Male MCCRACKEN, Cyrus H.   d. Mar 1829
       5. Male MCCRACKEN, George C.   d. 1830
       6. Male MCCRACKEN, Virgil Jr.   d. Yes, date unknown
    Family ID F2690  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 10 Jan 2026 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - - Ardee, Louth, Leinster, Ireland Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence-Occupant - Cyrus McCracken's widow, Elizabeth, moved from Virginia with her son Virgil, and settled on a farm on the McCracken Pike on Glenn's Creek, about 3 miles northwest of Versailles - Abt 1800 - Woodford County, Kentucky, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Resided - Aug 1800 - Woodford County, Kentucky, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsElection - a Representative of Woodford County to the state Legislature - 1810-1811 - Frankfort, Franklin, Kentucky, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsWill - Nov 1812 - Woodford County, Kentucky, USA Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Sources 
    1. [S1622] Book - Kentucky Families, Genealogy of - Vol 1 (Ancestry), (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1981.), 24 Nov 2025, p 42.
      p 42 - McCracken      		 p 42 - McCracken


    2. [S1630] William E. Railey, Book - History of Woodford County, KY, (Frankfort, KY: n.p., 1938.), 13 Dec 2025, p 8, 52, 53.

    3. [S1647] Ermina Jett Darnell, Book - Forks of Elkhorn Church (KY) (Ancestry), (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1980.), 31 Dec 2025, p 122-123.

    4. [S1630] William E. Railey, Book - History of Woodford County, KY, (Frankfort, KY: n.p., 1938.), 13 Dec 2025, p 52, 53, 196.

    5. [S1656] C. Glenn Clift, Book - Second Census of KY, (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1966.), 2 Jan 2026, p 183.
      KY Tax List - Virgil McCracken      		 KY Tax List - Virgil McCracken


    6. [S1630] William E. Railey, Book - History of Woodford County, KY, (Frankfort, KY: n.p., 1938.), 13 Dec 2025, p 52.

    7. [S1635] Hunter, Miriam Margaret, Artifact - McCrackin Family (Descendants of Seneca McCracken), 15 Dec 2025.

    8. [S1647] Ermina Jett Darnell, Book - Forks of Elkhorn Church (KY) (Ancestry), (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1980.), 31 Dec 2025, p 122.

    9. [S1658] Kentucky. Woodford., Wills - KY - Woodford County (FamilySearch), 4 Jan 2026, Will Books, Vol. D, 1812-1815: p 65-67, Virgil McCrackin; FHL microfilm 7,553,099.
      Will - Capt. Virgil McCrackin Sr.      		 Will - Capt. Virgil McCrackin Sr.


    10. [S1630] William E. Railey, Book - History of Woodford County, KY, (Frankfort, KY: n.p., 1938.), 13 Dec 2025, p 8, 52, 53, 116, 196, 241.

    11. [S1630] William E. Railey, Book - History of Woodford County, KY, (Frankfort, KY: n.p., 1938.), 13 Dec 2025, p 52, 53, 116, 196, 241.

    12. [S1634] Lewis Collins and Richard H. Collins, Book - History of Kentucky - Vol II, (1848; reprint, Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 3003.), 1 Jan 2026, p 596.
      History of KY, Vol II, p 596 - Virgil McCracken      		 History of KY, Vol II, p 596 - Virgil McCracken


    13. [S1630] William E. Railey, Book - History of Woodford County, KY, (Frankfort, KY: n.p., 1938.), 13 Dec 2025, p 241.


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