EMMOR M. G. CRAWFORD is a native of the county, born one mile from the borough of Beallsville, June 3, 1857, a son of Mordecai and Catherine (Kreider) Crawford, the former a native of Cumberland, Md., the latter of Rankintown, Washington county, Penn. Christopher Kreider, the maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Germany, and many years ago came to America, settling in Indiana, near Lake Michigan, where he died. His son, Christopher, married in Indiana, and in course of time came to Rankintown (now called West Washington), Penn., and here kept hotel for several years, working also at his trade, that of blacksmith. Returning to Indiana, he and his wife passed the remainder of their days in Cass county, the husband dying first, the wife many years afterward at the age of eighty-eight years. Their children were: Mary, Catherine, Nancy, Christopher, John, Philip, Jacob, William, and two that died when young. Of these, William, Catherine and Nancy are living: William in Logansport, Ind.; Nancy, in Cass county; Ind., and Catherine (Mrs. Crawford). William Crawford, grandfather of subject, died in Cumberland, Md. Mordecai Crawford came to Washington county, Penn., when but a small child, and here learned wagon making with his uncle, Samuel J. Rogers, at Beallsville, a trade he followed some twenty-six years. Afterward he carried on farming operations for nine years, and then removed to Indiana. In 1862 he returned to Washington county, where he has since resided, and with his wife, who is now aged seventy- nine years, while he is nearing his ninetieth mile-stone on life's journey, is making his home in Beallsville. They are the parents of eleven children, seven of whom are now living, viz.: Samuel R., in West Pike Run township; John A., in Cass county, Ind.; Margaret Emma, married to Frank D. Nicholl, of Somerset township; Alonzo, in South Strabane township; Charles K., in Somerset township; E. M. G., the subject of these lines, and Josephine, wife of Ira Chamberlain, in Fayette county, Penn.
E. M. G. Crawford received a liberal education at the common schools of his district, and until twenty-six years of age lived on the paternal homestead, assisting in the manifold duties of the farm. He then learned the photographic art in Washington, working for S. G. Rodgers five and one-half years, and afterward was employed for six months by F. S. Hawkins as finisher. In 1890 he opened a gallery in Brownsville, Fayette county, Penn., which he carried on till 1891, when he returned to Washington and commenced business for his own account. Mr. Crawford has made a good start, and being well-known, exceedingly popular and a good workman, devoted to his business, keeping up to the times in improvements in his line, has a bright future before him.
On August 28, 1884, Mr. Crawford was married to Miss Annie R., daughter of W. C. La Masters, of Washington, Penn., and by this union three children have been born: Walter M. (deceased), and Leola R. and Essie May, at home.
Text taken from page 1124 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed March 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]