1882 History of Linn County, Missouri

 

BIOGRAPHIES

 

CROWDER

 

 

DAVID A. CROWDER  (deceased)                                  Jefferson Township and Laclede, page 606

 

“was born in North Carolina, April 1, 1818.  When but a boy his parents removed to White County, Illinois.  In early life he was apprenticed to the blacksmith trade and worked at it until the breaking out of the gold excitement in California, and in 1849 he went to that State to seek his fortune.  Mr. Crowder returned to Illinois in 1853, and three years later started for Kansas, but, on reaching his destination, the border war was raging so that he came to north Missouri and settled in Sullivan county.  There he resided until the spring of 1862.  Removing his family to Laclede, Linn county, for greater safety, he enlisted in Company F,  Twelfth Missouri Cavalry, serving as a soldier until April, 1864, when he was discharged on account of disability, and returned to Laclede.  There Mr. Crowder was killed June 18, 1864 under the following circumstances.  He and a number of the citizens of Laclede were holding a Union meeting in Earl’s Hall, in the afternoon of that day, when Captain Holtszclaw, a notorious guerilla, dashed into town with about twenty men and surrounded the building.  Mr. Crowder seeing the situation, and being a brave man, took deliberate aim with his revolver, from one of the windows, and firing, mortally wounded James Nave, one of the guerilla band, whereupon a comrade of Nave short Mr. Crowder dead before he left the window.  A Union messenger made his escape to Brookfield, informed the Federal garrison there, a company of which hastened to Laclede on an engine and routed Holtzclaw’s command.  Mr. Crowder was married in 1837 to Miss Evaline Williams, of Illinois.  She was born in Kentucky in 1821.  By this union there are four children living: Mrs. Sallie Mize, Mrs. Enis Huburt, Frank Crowder and John A. Crowder.  In 1866, after the death of her husband, Mrs. Crowder married the Rev. Mr. Tunnell.  The following spring they removed to Sullivan county, Missouri, where he died in 1873, and she returned to Laclede, where she resided until her death, October 1, 1881.  As a mother she was loved and honored, and as a friend and neighbor no trust reposed in her was ever betrayed.” 

   

 

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JOHN A. CROWDER                                                             Jefferson Township and Laclede, page 606

 

“was born in Sullivan county, Missouri, September 12, 1857.  He was reared in Sullivan and Linn counties, and has been engaged in the hotel business with his mother since 1874 until her death.  He now runs the Spencer House at Laclede, Missouri.” 

 

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Transcribed, in total, by kkfitch © 2008.  All Rights Reserved.