Alexander Crawford, b. 24 Dec 1858

SWANEY, GRAY

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 3/1/2004 at 07:52:37

This promising young practitioner of Miles is a gentleman of acknowledged worth and ability, who takes more than an ordinary interest in his profession, and is possessed of a worthy ambition to excel. He has been a resident of Miles since the removal of his father here in his boyhood, and is consequently well known by the people of this part of the county. He began laying his plans for the future at an early age, and has worked his way up to his present position mostly through his own unaided efforts, paying his expenses through college, and laboring with hands and brain to achieve the end in view. He was for a number of years a popular and successful teacher in this county. He is the owner of considerable property, including his residence and office, and is numbered among the solid citizens of the county.

Our subject was born in Wellington County, the Province of Ontario, Canada, Dec. 24, 1858, and spent his boyhood and youth upon a farm in his native province, receiving his early education in the common Schools. He was a lad of fifteen years when his parents crossed the St. Lawrence, and made their way to Iowa, settling on a tract of land in Iowa Township, this county. Here he pursued his studies again in the common school and also attended a select school at Miles. He entered upon the duties of a pedagogue at the age of twenty years, and after three years thus occupied, began the reading of medicine under the instruction of Drs. Amos and Campbell, of Miles, with whom he remained another three years.

In the fall of 1880 our subject repaired to Chicago and entered Rush Medical College from which he was graduated with honors in 1883. He took a special course in eye, ear, and skin diseases. In the meantime he had been married, Sept. 21, 1880, to Miss Ella Swaney, daughter of James C. Swaney, one of the earliest pioneers of this county, and at this time a resident of Miles. Mrs. Crawford was born in Van Buren Township, this county, and was given a fine education, completing her studies in Cornell College, and then entering upon the profession of a teacher, which she followed in this and Blackhawk Counties two years.

Our subject entered upon the regular practice of his profession in the spring of 1883, at Andrew, this county, where he remained until the fall of 1884. He then returned to Miles, and for several years has been in the enjoyment of a lucrative practice. To the Doctor and his amiable wife there were born two children - Anna Buelah and Bartholow Vincent. They occupy a neat and pleasant home on Main street and number among their friends and acquaintances the most cultivated people of Miles. They are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which the Doctor is a Trustee, and to which he gives a hearty support. In political matters he affiliates with the Republican party. He is the examining physicial of the A.O.U.W. at Miles, and is numbered among the most prominent members of the Jackson County Medical Association.

The parents of our subject were Gardner and Eliza (Gray) Crawford. They were born in Ireland, whence they emigrated to Canada, were married in the Dominion and came to Iowa in the year 1872. The household circle included seven children - six sons and one daughter.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)