Early Prominent DeLand Veterans 

West Volusia and DeLand were first settled by a small group of families in 1876. Among them were several veterans of the U.S. Civil War. Captain John Rich built the first cabin in DeLand. He had served in the 144th New York Infantry in the Union Army. Another veteran who was an early settler was Private James Frederick Allen who served in the 36th Wisconsin Infantry in the Union Army. Allen founded the Allen Furniture Company and the Allen Summerhill Funeral home, our area’s oldest continuing business. Both veterans are buried in Oakdale Cemetery and honored with military headstones. In fact, there are twenty-six Union Army veterans and twelve Confederate Army veterans buried at Oakdale.

The honor and responsibility of serving our country ran deeply in the blood of these two families. Both Captain Rich and Private Allen had grandsons who served in World War II and gave their lives in the service of their country. 

Geroe Cox Allen, grandson of Private J.F. Allen, was born in DeLand in 1919, the son of James A “Gus” Allen and Mabelle Cox Allen. He graduated from DeLand High School in 1937 where he was Class President. He attended Stetson College and then the University of Virginia. He was working for American Airlines when he joined the Army at New York City in March of 1941 nine months before the U.S. entered the war. He was later promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. On March 8, 1944, he was completing an 8th bombing mission into German territory when he and his crew had to ditch their plane in the English Channel. Eight men perished, including Geroe Allen. He was just shy of 25. Two airmen survived and told of Lt. Allen’s heroism. He was awarded the Purple Heart. Though he rests in the North Sea, there is a cenotaph monument in the Allen plot at Oakdale Cemetery. He was survived by his mother, who lived until 1965, and two sisters including Elizabeth who served in WWII in the Coast Guard. She died at the Allen family home in 2013 at age 100.

Commander James Edwin Craig and Lt. Cmdr. John Rich Craig were the sons of James A. Craig and Clara Belle Rich Craig, the daughter of Capt. John Rich. She was born in 1876, the first child born in what became the City of DeLand. Both sons were born and raised in Jacksonville, James in 1901 and John in 1906. They were the grandsons of Capt. Rich and great-grandsons of DeLand’s first mayor, Cyrenius Wright. 

James E. “Jimmy” Craig entered the U.S. Naval Academy at 17 in 1918 and graduated in 1922. He served in the Navy in Pensacola, San Diego and finally in Hawaii. He married Eleanor Arden in 1923 and had two daughters. He was stationed as an aviator on the U.S.S. Pennsylvania which was dry docked at Pearl Harbor on the morning of the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941. He died there along with 2,403 fellow military and civilian comrades. He was posthumously given the Purple Heart. The Jacksonville Executive Field at Craig Airport is named in his honor. The Blue Angels’ first airshow on June 15, 1946, was held at Craig Airport. He was survived by his wife and daughters, a sister and his mother. He is buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

John Rich “Jack” Craig also attended the U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1930. In 1931 he married Lillian Hyde, also a member of a prominent Florida pioneer family. They had one daughter. He served in the U.S. Navy and was promoted to Commander. He was recognized with many medals and honors for his brave and risky attacks on Japanese shipping and military vessels. Jack was the commanding officer of the USS Grampus, an SS 207 submarine. On March 23, 1944, the Grampus disappeared and all 60 on board were presumed dead. A monument to these deceased sailors stands in Manilla. He was awarded the Navy Cross. On April 15, 1945, a new destroyer, The USS John R. Craig, was commissioned and christened by his widow, Lillian Craig. It sailed and served in both the Korean and Viet Nam Wars until decommissioned in 1979. Mrs. Craig never remarried and had a long career as a teacher in St. Petersburg, Fla. She died in 1992. Their daughter Kit Craig Reed was a celebrated author of 22 novels until her death in 2017. Mrs. Clara Belle Rich Craig was widowed when her sons died at war. She remained in Jacksonville until her death at 94 in 1970.

Rest in Peace Lt. Allen, and Commanders James and John Craig. A grateful nation remembers you on this Memorial Day.🇺🇸 

Sources for West Volusia Historical Society Post: Better Country Beyond, by Karen Ryder, The Athenian Yearbook, 1937, USNAMemorialWall.org, Historical Marker Database, Oneternalpatrol.com, DeLand Sun News, Allen Family Archives and Photos.