Josiah Kirkwood Craig was born in a log cabin on April 13, 1881 in Deepwater, Missouri. He lived in many states throughout his life including: Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New
Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.

His father, James, enlisted with Co. E, 16th Iowa Infantry as a Private on October 18, 1861 and mustered out as a Corporal on July, 19, 1865. He was a Comrade in the Grand Army of the Republic.

Kirkwood joined the Order in New Hampshire in 1910, transferred to the Department of Minnesota in 1922, and then back to New Hampshire in 1940 but maintained his membership in the Minneapolis Camp No. 8. He served six terms as National Chaplain before becoming the Commander-in-Chief.

He entered Simpon College and graduated from Upper Iowa University in 1909, ordained as a Deacon in Tilton, New Hampshire in 1910, graduated Boston University School of Theology in 1912, and became an Elder in 1914. During WWI, he trained in the School for Chaplains and became a Captain. He received a Master of Religious Education degree in 1921 from Boston University. Next was a Doctor of Divinity degree from Upper Iowa University.

During the demobilization period of WWI, he served as a Troop Train Secretary for the Y.M.C.A. and then served six months in the Religious Education Department of the Interchurch World Service.

After finishing high school with the Class of 1901, he taught for two years and worked for a year in the Colorado coal mines. He served as a director of boys' work at a community house while he attended Boston University. He retired in 1950 but continued to serve in several area churches. His service of ministry spanned nearly fifty years.

He was a former Head of the Minneapolis Church Federation, a member of the Meridian Lodge of Masons, and the Franklin and Ruth Chapter No. 16 Order of the Eastern Star.

He married Gertrude W. Clarke and they had no children.

Brother Craig died on May 12, 1959 in Manchester, New Hampshire and is buried at the Harmony Grove Cemetery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.