Craig was born in March 1893 in Detroit, Michigan. He was the son of William Craig, born in 1856, and Alice Craig, born in 1867. At the time of the 1900 U.S. Census, the Craig family was living at 136 Charlotte Avenue in Detroit. The family at that time consisted of William, identified as a capitalist, Alice, and sons Ralph (born 1889), James (born 1893), and William (born 1896).