Name: Craven, John F, PVT, USA
Local Address: Middletown Point, NJ
John’s father may have been Ezekiel Craven (c. 1761-1840), whose will was probated in Monmouth County February 12, 1840. An 1860 census record lists one John Craven, 32 years of age, born in New Jersey residing with an Eleanor Craven, 30, in Middletown Point. He was employed as a farm laborer. Methodist church records list John F. Craven marrying Elenorra A. Smith in New York City on August 31, 1854, John, 21 at the time, was born in New Jersey as was his wife.
On September 1, 1862, John enlisted in the 28th New Jersey Infantry Regiment, Company “A”, which left for Washington, DC, on October 2nd. Also enlisting that day in the same company was James Lewis Craven (1818-1906), most likely his older brother. The 28th initially was assigned to defend the capitol and subsequently saw action in the bloody Battle of Fredericksburg (December 12-15), wherein it had the distinction of being the first unit to assault Marye’s Heights on December 13. The 28th later fought in the Chancellorsville Campaign (May 1 – 5, 1863). They bivouacked and apparently operated out of Falmouth, VA, during this period.
A regimental overview record indicated that John died of sunstroke May 18, 1863 in camp near Falmouth. However, a record in the Registers of Deaths of Volunteers, 1861-1865 indicated he died of “Phthisis Pul.” (Phthisis Pulmonalis, the archaic term for tuberculosis). His burial record could not be located – 1000s of union soldiers are buried in the Fredericksburg National Cemetery, though.
His wife started collecting his pension benefits in September 1863. She eventually married Middletown Point farmer Peter George Henderson (1820-1885) in Keyport on January 1, 1865. The couple eventually had four children and are both buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Matawan.
Future researcher looking for additional information on John can access it at the National Archives, citing pension application #33627.
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