LEONIDAS CRAWFORD

HAKES, ANSON, CRAWFORD

Posted By: David (email)
Date: 2/9/2005 at 18:26:43

The Chariton Leader, Chariton, Iowa
Thursday, January 2, 1908

'LEONIDAS CRAWFORD'

~ ~ ~ ~
Well Known Veteran of the Civil War Succumbs to Pneumonia.

Born in Des Moines County, Iowa, October 5, 1839. Died at Chariton, Iowa,
December 28, 1907. He was therefore 78 years, 2 months and 23 days old at
the time of his death.

He was united in marriage to MARGARET LANE ANSON, in Chariton, July 29, 1874
continuing this association until March 29, 1905, when se was called by
death. They had no children of their own, but one son by adoption, HARRY
LEE CRAWFORD, now residing in Omaha, Nebraska.

He served during the Civil War as a volunteer in Co. H, Ill. Cavalry. His
avocations during life's activities were those of a carpenter and harness
maker. At all times he was a good citizen.

* * * *

Such are the chief events in the career of the individual. They form life's
volume and the chapters are replete with action, duties well done, beautiful
pictures of anticipations, blighted joys, honest purposes, good deeds,
pathos and the closing of life's volume as the great orb of glory in the
eventide casts its retrospect over the troubles of a world and passed on and
beyond to light up another continent.

LEONIDAS CRAWFORD belonged to that rugged type of men who are understood and
admired best with long acquaintance. His nature was sturdy and his true
character rested beneath the surface. He performed the duties prescribed by
enlightened society because he recognized their right and not through fear
of punishment or sake of reward, though in the performance of these duties
he recognized that reward was certain -- not only beyond the veil but here
in peace of conscience. He was unpretentious and modest in all things and a
man of wide information and companionable when once approached. He lived
humbly alone after the death of his good wife and the writer discovered the
true pathos of his nature only one day in conversation with him relative to
his former companionship and his then loneliness of condition.

His patriotism was of that broad self sacrificing kind which breathes with
it toleration, and the years spent in his country's service bore him a most
honorable record and his pride for the institutions which he defended was
ever unsuppressed. Conforming to this was an unblemished citizenship --
none the less honorable.

* * * *

On the day before Christmas he was suddenly taken ill but neither himself
nor friends thought the attack serious. Later it developed into acute
pneumonia and proved fatal on Saturday evening.

He is survived by a number of brothers and sisters.

"Soldier, rest; thy warfare's o'er."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

FRANK LANE CRAWFORD is a step-son of the late LEE CRAWFORD. He was a son of
his wife by a former marriage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Another of the Brave Has Fallen'

There is not a person who is acquainted with war history but what remembers
Grierson's raid. This brave cavalry commander, with but two regiments, the
7th and 8th Illinois, made a brilliant dash through the heart of the
confederacy, striking consternation and terror wherever they went, laying
waste military supplies and driving confederates to the rear. Gen. Grierson
had the dash and courage of a soldier and these regiments responded to a man
They swept through Mississippi, thence through Louisiana and came out at
the Gulf near the mouth of the great river. The loyalists of these States
flocked to them for protection and the slaves hailed them as the pageant of
freedom. There were larger expeditions during the progress of the war, but
none with greater daring or achievement. The late LEONIDAS CRAWFORD was a
member of this expedition, he being a member of the 7th. Channing Smith, of
this city, who belonged to the 19th army corps was at Baton Rouge when they
reached that point and he says they fell into camp almost exhausted. Night
and day they had been in the saddle -- here and there pell mell until nature
was well nigh routed. Here they rested and Comrade Smith said he will never
forget the first night of their arrival. Many fell apparently exhausted and
he among the rest in camp worked with them and boiled coffee and ministered
to the brave comrades of Grierson's raid almost the entire night. Four
score years have passed since then and while the majority have answered to
the final roll call yet the history of Grierson's raid will remain as long
as the annals of warfare are read.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The funeral of LEONIDAS CRAWFORD occurred from his late home on Tuesday.
His comrades and friends assembled and paid respect to his memory, the
obsequies being in charge of the G.A.R., and his mortal remains deposited in
the family plot in the Chariton Cemetery.

Rev. Webster Hakes delivered a short address befitting the occasion and life
of the deceased.
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January 17, 2005
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