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William Alexander Craighead, born near Knoxville, Tenn., February 22, 1837, died at the Craighead home place on Sandy Creek, near Breckinridge, Stephens County, Tex., on February 9, 1921, after a long illness. He was the son of Thomas T. and Rutelia Armstrong Craighead. He attended the college at Knoxville when it was in charge of the father of William G. McAdoo. As a young he was a civil engineer, having surveyed the railroad from Jasper, Tenn., to Bridgeport, Ala. He also supervised the building of the highway from Chattanooga to Pikeville, or near there.

At the beginning of the War between the States, young Craighead enlisted in the 36th East Tennessee Regiment, C. S. A., as a lieutenant under Captain Alley, was later transferred to the Quartermaster's Department and made captain, and served under Colonel Morgan, principally in East Tennessee, around Chattanooga. Captain Craighead was doubtless in the last battle of the war east of the Mississippi, in North Alabama, being with the forces under Col. Ben Hill, fighting a rear guard action and harassing the Federals until Colonel Wilson sent word to them under flag of truce the General Lee had surrenders and the war was over.

After the war Captain Craighead settled at Chattanooga and went into business. He married Elizabeth Cox Doss in February, 1868. In 1879 he went to Texas, locating at Breckinridge in 1880, and was postmaster there to 1884. He moved to Sandy Creek in 1885. In 1887 he helped to survey and establish the boundary line of Stephens County.

Captain Craighead was of the old school Presbyterian faith. His ancestors were originally from Scotland, but at an early age they went to North Ireland on account of religious freedom and came to New England about 1715, taking part in the War of Independence.

Surviving him ar his wife, three sons, and two daughters.