Crawford Biography

Crawford Biography MAGA © 2000-2014
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY ILLINOIS - 1915

Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.

Page 870

CRAWFORD, JAMES (deceased). - Among the best known and most prosperous of the early settlers of western Illinois, whose labors contributed largely to the productiveness and attractiveness of Cass County, were a number now passed away, whose lives were begun on foreign shores. Conspicuous in this number was James Crawford, a native of County Antrim, Ireland, where his birth took place September 28, 1833. Whatever educational training he had was obtained in his home neighborhood in boyhood, and in 1853 he set out in an old fashioned sailing vessel for America. Arriving in Illinois, he located in the vicinity of Beardstown, Cass County, where he took up 300 acres of government land. On this, in the course of time, by industry and thrift, mr. Crawford became an extensive stockraiser and feeder, and a heavy livestock shipper. He converted this tract, which lay along the Illinois River, into a very valuable farm. During his residence there his parents joined him, and after they came he disposed of his farm and bought another one near Virginia, to which he continually added until he had acquired 540 acres, on which he spent the remainder of his busy and successful life, passing away September 14, 1903.

The marriage of James Crawford occurred August 20, 1868, to Jane Elliott, a native of Virginia, Ill., where her birth took place June 15, 1841. Jane Elliott was a daughter of Thomas and Frances (Chittick) Elliott, her father being a native of County Antrim, Ireland, but her grandparents, David and Mary (Robinson) Elliott, were natives of Scotland, the maternal grandmother, Nancy Burgiss, being a native of England. Frances Chittick was first married in County Tyrone, Ireland, to John Lindsay, by whom she had one child, Ann. Mr. Lindsay died in Virginia, Ill., where he is buried. Thomas Elliott first married Jennie Kirkpatrick, by whom he had three children, John, Nancy and David, all deceased.

After the death of James Crawford his widow remained on the home farm until 1910, when she purchased the residence in Virginia, Ill., which she has since occupied. Mr. and Mrs. Crawford had the following children: Fannie, who lives at home, William, of New London, Iowa; James, of Virginia, Ill.; Henry C., who died in infancy; Margaret, who is engaged in educational work and lives with her mother; Thomas E., who died in infancy, and Floy, who is also engaged in educational work, dwells under the home roof. The family is greatly respected wherever known. All are members of the Presbyterian church.

Politically, James Crawford supported the principles of the Democratic party, although not active in partisan campaigns. Throughout his long and useful career he was considered the very ideal of honor, and his memory is revered by all who knew him.