There are two distinct lines of Crie families in Maine, USA, tracing back to progenitors living in the period 1783 to 1802. The two lines are noteworthy as being the only ones anywhere in the world that still use the spelling CRIE to this day. This spelling, once the standard version of the surname in Scotland, started to die out there in the 18th Century and by the 20th Century had been completely replaced by the modern spelling CREE. The isolation of the lines in Maine, and perhaps their attachment to family traditions, have ensured the survival of the old spelling. The link between Julie Clayton's ancestor William Crie and the John Crie who settled on Matinicus Isle, Maine after the Revolutionary War, has not been established, although it seems likely that they were brothers. Since William's ancestry in Scotland is firmly established, and William had a brother John, John Crie of Criehaven is likely to be the John Crie who was baptised in 1761 in Glasgow's High Kirk.
Julie Clayton has written:
The Crie surname in America first shows up at Fort George, Maine (now called Castine) with John Crie. The story goes that John was confiscated off the streets of Glasgow Scotland and was 'encouraged' to fight with the British Army during the revolutionary war. In 1783 he was honorably discharged from the Army, and given the choice between returning to Europe or staying in America, he decided on the latter. (Source: Islands of New England, by Hazel Young, published by Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1954). John moved to Matinicus Island, Maine, married Mary Hall, the daughter of Ebenezer Hall Jr. and never left. He is buried in a small graveyard close to the center of the island. He and Mary had the following children: John, Rueben, Margaret and Ebenezer.
John's grandson, Robert, was the next Crie to make family history. He and his wife, Harriet Hall, moved to Ragged Island in 1849 where Robert became very successful with farming and lumbering operations. Ragged Island became incorporated as Criehaven in 1896. Robert and Harriet had five children; sons Ebenezer, John, Horatio (Rashe) and Robert Jr., and a daughter, Charlotte. The Crie family shows up in Cumberland and Lincoln counties during the 1850 census. (Source: Islands of the Mid-Maine Coast: Penobscot and Blue Hill Bays, by Charles B. McLane; The Kennebec River Press, 1982).
Criehaven Cemetery on Ragged Island photographed by Yvette Missy R. Ivey who also transcribed the inscriptions on all the gravestones. See link below.
July 2009: A photo from Bjarni Brown shows that the large memorial in the mid-distance just right of centre is in fact the Crie memorial. See Bjarni's photo at the foot of this page.
My ancestor, g-g-g-g grandfather, William Crie came to Portland Maine with his wife and several children between 1798 and 1802. I suspect that he and John Crie mentioned above might have been brothers or cousins, but this is nothing but speculation right now. He had a son, John Rennie Crie, who is the father of Edward, my g-g grandfather.
Edward (b. 1844) fought in the Civil War with the 17th Regiment, Maine Infantry as a First Lieutenant. After the war was over, he married Carrie Isabel Griswold and moved to St. Louis Missouri. Their only child living, Henry Chandler Crie, was born 16 December 1868. The Crie's moved to Parker County, Texas when Henry was eight years old and later moved to Johnson County where they raised sheep.
Henry married Martha Julia Adair (b. August 8, 1870 in Bayou Salle, Louisiana; daughter of Richard Harding Adair and Elizabeth Kennedy). Henry had a knack for business, and Mattie for writing, so they purchased the Lynn County News, in Tahoka Texas in 1905 and enjoyed the publishing business until it until they sold the newspaper in 1918. (Source: My grandmother, Julia Lincoln Crie Clayton, published an article about her early life in the Lynn County News, dated June 22, 1956).
Crie Graveyard inscriptions in Criehaven Cemetery transcribed by Yvette Missy R. Ivey in 2002:
- Crie, Eben W., d. Jun 18, 1922, Age 67y's 5m's 25d's, On Crie Family Memorial
- Crie, Eben, Headstone near Crie Family Memorial
- Crie, Harriet A., d. Jan 31, 1919, Age 89y's 3m's, On Crie Family Memorial
- Crie, Horatio, b. 1870, d. 1948, near Crie Family Memorial
- Crie, Mabel, b. 1871, d. no date, Headstone near Crie Family Memorial
- Crie, Robert F., d. Jan 25, 1901, Age 75y's 14d's, On Crie Family Memorial
Links to the following websites no longer work. We nevertheless acknowledge them as sources:
Julie's Genealogical Journey (Julie Clayton)
Descendants of William Crie
The Crie Family and the Lynn County News, Tahoka, Texas
Letter from Harry C Crie to Mrs. M. J. Crie, dated Sept 3, 1897, Cleburne, TX
Link to Interment.net web site:
Yvette Missy R. Ivey's Criehaven Cemetery transcriptions.
This photo taken by Bjarni Brown shows the Crie memorial at Criehaven. Right-click on the image to view at full resolution when the inscriptions to Robert F and Harriet A Crie are just visible.