February 6, 2013 / Joanne Yeck

The Ladies of the WPA: Elizabeth McCraw

The January 18th post about “The Ladies of the WPA” resulted in a comment about Elizabeth McCraw.

Coz. Harry wrote: “Making a search in the Buckingham County portion of the U. S. Census records, we find one Elizabeth McCraw of Andersonville who fits this time period: Miss Elizabeth E. McCraw, who was born about 1889. This would have put her in her forties during The Depression. The Census further reveals she was earlier listed as Elizabeth E. McCraw, Jr., child of William E. and Elizabeth E. McCraw of Andersonville. Her father appears in the Census as William E. McCraw born in 1849, son of C. H. McCraw of Andersonville, who was born about 1801.”

To my knowledge, on her survey reports, she always signed her name Elizabeth McCraw of Andersonville. She never used a middle initial. Interestingly, her co-worker, Rosa Williams, signed her reports with a variety of variations of her name.

Is the Elizabeth E. McCraw of Andersonville the Elizabeth McCraw who was a fieldworker for the Virginia Historical Inventory? If so, then she was Miss McCraw. Did she ever marry?

Note: To explore the Virginia History Inventory online, visit the Library of Virginia at www.lva.virginia.gov.