Crawford, Dr. Isaac

CRAWFORD, DICKEY, FRAZIER, NEAL

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 9/29/2020 at 13:06:40

Dr. Isaac Crawford, deceased, was born in Argyle, Washington County, N.Y., in 1796, and was a son of James and Martha (Dickey) Crawford, who were married July 4, 1776, in Nova Scotia, and soon after went to America, where James Crawford joined the American army, and was later a prisoner during the war of the Revolution, being chained in a dungeon at Halifax for many months. His manacles made him a cripple for life, he not being treated as a common prisoner of war. His wife was for weeks a waiter upon the prisoners, and together they contrived a plan for escape. Leaving her child, aged only six months, with her parents, she procured a sleigh, and was successful in getting him safely aboard a steamer. After the war they returned to Nova Scotia, obtained their baby boy, and then settled in Cambridge, N.Y.

Dr. Crawford was the third son of this union, and after graduating in medicine at Columbus, Ohio, and becoming the husband of Nancy Frazier, he located in New Athens, Ohio, where for a number of years he engaged in practice and in the drug trade. Prior to the death of Mrs. Crawford she bore five children, of whom only two now survive – Mrs. S.E. Rankin and J.W. Crawford. The oldest, Mary Ann, married S.A. Russell; the second, Martha J., married William Bradsee; the third, J.W.; the fourth, William D., married Miss Maggie Jones, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; the fifth is Mrs. Rankin. Mrs. Rankin’s husband, Maj. Samuel E. Rankin, was, during the late war, Major of the 8th Iowa Infantry, and after his return from the service was elected State Treasurer of Iowa, to which position he was twice re-elected. He was later founder and editor of the Greeley News, of Kansas, and was engaged in that work when his death occurred. He was a leading lawyer in this county, and twice represented it in the State Legislature. He also, in company with other ardent anti-slavery men, published at Ft. Madison, and later in Washington, a strong anti-slavery paper, the present Washington Press of to-day. His son, John Adams Rankin, is now Clerk of the District Court of Anderson County, Kan. Eleven children graced their union, six living: John A.; Mary, the wife of Lincoln Barnes; Crawford, Birdie, Lizzie and Sarah. Maj. Rankin was one of the fearless few who maintained a depot on the Underground Railroad, and many a dusky son of Ham was indebted to him for succor, food, and finally assured freedom. He was on the staff of Grant, at Vicksburg, on the staff of Sherman, Judge-Advocate and Provost-Marshal of Memphis, Tenn., and served in almost all the important battles of the West and South. He was known as an educated gentleman, and able writer, and intrepid soldier, an orator with few peers; a man courteous, discreet, tolerant, yet bold and incisive for the right.

After the death of his first wife, Dr. Crawford wedded Mary Neal, of New Athens, whose brothers as mentioned in the sketch of Capt. S.A. Russell, founded the village of Crawfordsville. The Doctor and his wife came here in 1841, and he built a house on the corner where the Iowa House now stands. In his honor the village was named, and he was the first physician, continuing in practice five years, when his death occurred. He was an able speaker, earnest and logical, and one who never tired of debate. He was an ardent Whig, and in this county was a prominent politician. His avowed anti-slavery opinions were widely proclaimed. Mary (Neal) Crawford became the mother of five children, three surviving: Sarah Neal; Mrs. Melissa Morehouse, and Mary M. Coe, of Nebraska. Mrs. Crawford is supposed to be the oldest person living in the county, and is, June 30, 1887, in her eighty-seventh year, and except partial deafness, is sprightly and enjoys life in a high degree.

The energy of Dr. Crawford aided largely in the building of Crawfordsville. He was an ardent Seceder, religiously, and was one of the first members of that Church in this village. James, his son by his second wife, was a graduate of Rush Medical College, of Chicago, but his death occurred May 28, 1875 from disease contracted in the army. Miss Sarah has been a teacher in this county, and has taught seventeen terms of school, the last nine having been taught in Crawfordsville. She is now the only milliner in the village and has a very neat store. Thompson, the son of Dr. Crawford’s last wife, with his brother James, were sent out by a committee, in 1856, and became interested in the border ruffian war in Kansas, and were intimately associated with John Brown, which continued until he breaking out of the war of the Rebellion. The two sisters, Sarah and Melissa, were also engaged, and were both proficient in the use of a Sharp’s rifle, as well as manufacturers of cartridges. They were women whose names deserve to live in history, and such we desire to honor in this volume. Claims that had been taken by their brothers in Kansas were stocked and watched over by them while the men were engaged in the border ruffian war, and many sleepless nights were passed on the wild prairies, where with rifles in hand, a lonely vigil was kept with no help within miles should they be attacked, and as they then hourly expected.

The Crawford family has been one renowned in the history of this county, and elsewhere mention is made of other members. Thompson was a member of the 8th Iowa Infantry, and for twenty-three months a prisoner of war. He was also a scout for several months, being trusted with the most difficult and arduous duties. He was a man full of courage, and although so many times captured, managed to escape thrice from the prison pen at Andersonville. He would have shared John Brown’s fate had he not been confined to bed with pneumonia. Brown waited six weeks for his recovery before making his attack upon Harper’s Ferry, but at last became engaged before young Crawford could reach him.

John W. Crawford, the only male of the original Crawford stock, was wedded in Crawfordsville, Iowa, Oct. 1, 1836, to Miss Ann J. Crawford, of Trumbull County, Ohio. She was not in any way related, although bearing the same name. They have reared seven children, six sons and one daughter. James B. married Nellie Coe; they have three children. William D. graduated in medicine and died after several years of successful practice in his native town; his wife was Jennie Maxwell, who bore one son, Howard. Russell E; Frank H. is the husband of a Julia A. Moore, of Youngstown, Ohio; he is now yardmaster of the Lucy Furnace, at Pittsburgh, Pa. John R. is a physician of Lafayette, Stark Co., Ill.; his wife was Miss Maggie Phillips, of Coal Valley, Ill. Mary A. is the wife of Dr. A.M. Cowden, of Elvira, Clinton Co., Iowa. Isaac T. is stockhouse keeper of the Lucy Furnace, at Pittsburgh, Pa.

Mr. Crawford has been, and is yet, one of the most enterprising men of the county, and to his efforts is due the building of the Burlington & Northwestern Railway. For this purpose he called the first meeting, and was one of the first Directors elected. J.W. Crawford and sons, James B. and F.H., built the road from Winfield to Washington with their own money, but were reimbursed after the iron was laid, from taxes collected. For twenty-four years Mr. Crawford followed bridge-building, and in 1887, with his son James, formed a partnership in the building of iron bridges, with head-quarters at Burlington. They have exclusive agency for Iowa and Western Illinois, to which their entire attention will be given, as the representatives of the Pittsburgh Bridge Company. Following in the footsteps of his father, Mr. Crawford is a decided Republican. He is a noted party organizer in his county, and has filled all the important offices in his township.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of Dr. Isaac Crawford, pages 294-296.