Margaret Cravens [John, Robert, Joseph, Richard, Thomas, Anthony, William, John] was born 26 August 1775. She was the youngest daughter of John Cravens and Margaret Hiett. The family lived in Rockingham County, Virginia. When she was three years old her father John died. Her mother remarried when she was seven. Her step-father was Dennis Lanahan.

She married Joseph Snapp 04 October 1793 in Rockingham County Virginia. Their records were recorded in the Joseph Snapp Family Bible. They were the parents of eleven children. Our ancestor Rhoda was born 14 January 1801 in Rockingham County, Virginia. In 1806 Margaret’s 3 year old daughter Mary died in December.

Margaret would out live two other children, Mariah died in 1834 and Cyrus died in September 1836.

Margaret and Joseph later settled in Slanesville, Hampshire County [West] Virginia. Joseph died there in December 1847. Her husband requested that Margaret receive the balance of funds remaining from a lawsuit against ? Adams who had a farm and mill in Frederick County, Virginia. She was also to receive one third of the farm where they resided during her natural life or widowhood. Thereafter it would go to the heirs. The remaining property was to go to son James Cravens and daughter Cynthia Jane who still resided with Margaret and Joseph. Her husband requested that the personal property be sold and the proceeds divided with daughter Diana Allen one hundred dollars and the balance equally divided between James and Cynthia. Joseph lists all the children stating that he had already provided for them.

Two months later, February 1848, Margaret wrote her will in Hampshire County. The first item in her will was to bequeath $500.00 to her grand daughter Margaret Wolverton, child of Margaret’s daughter Mariah who was already deceased. The balance of her estate was left to her children James C. Snapp and Cynthia Jane Snapp. She requested that any legacy left from her husband’s estate be divided between James C. and Cynthia Jane accept and additional $500.00 to grand daughter Margaret Wolverton. Our ancestor Rhoda had married twice and moved away by this time and was not mentioned in Margaret’s will.

Margaret Cravens Snapp died 19 March 1850 in Slanesville, Hampshire County age 74 years 6 months and 21 days. Her name appears on the Mortality Schedule for 1850 showing the cause of death as Chlorea. North American Influenza, Yellow Fever and Chlorea were rampant throughout the United States between 1849-1851.

Margaret was buried next to her husband in Salem Methodist Church burial Ground in Slanesville, [West] Virginia. The church grounds were donated by Joseph Snapp. Slanesville is located on Route #29 between the Forks of Capon and Route #50. The town was named for Thomas Slain and at times called Dog Town because the Slain’s are said to have had a number of dogs. Prior to that it was simply called Cross Roads then Slain’s Cross Roads.