R. H. CRAWFORD, a prominent and prosperous farmer of East Bethlehem township, is a grandson of Elijah Crawford, a native of Fayette county, Penn., who in his lifetime was a Democrat of no small repute. For a long term of years he held the office of justice of the peace, and in his religious faith he was a member of the Society of Friends. He married Christina Oase, of Philadelphia, who bore him children as follows: Lee, Levi, Josiah, Jacob, James Sidwell, Cassie and Elizabeth, who married Johnson Craft, and is now a resident of one of the Western States. James Sidwell Crawford, father of subject, was born July 25, 1809, in Fayette county, Penn., where he received a fairly liberal education and was reared to agricultural pursuits, which became his life work in connection with distilling. On April 14, 1836, he married Sarah Hawkins, daughter of Richard and Cynthia Hawkins, of Washington county, and the young couple then settled on the farm now occupied by their son, R. H. He was successful as a farmer and stock raiser, and made many substantial improvements on his property, among which may be mentioned the handsome and comfortable residence erected in 1845, a fine commodious barn and various outbuildings. At the time of his death he had by energy, perseverance and judicious economy accumulated a handsome competence, his farm comprising no less than 322 acres of superior land. In his political preferences he was a solid Democrat, but not an active one, his farm interests occupying his entire time and attention. He departed this life April 3, 1869, his widow in 1883, in her seventy-second year. Their children were R. H., Mary Emma, Sarah Melissa, James Josiah and Edwin Elijah. The last mentioned participated in the Civil war, serving under Col. William J. Palmer in Company K, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and died in Nashville, Tenn., February 12, 1863, aged twenty-two years, four months, nineteen days. James Josiah died July 29, 1862, aged thirteen years, ten months, fourteen days; Sarah Melissa married Robert Hawkins, and now resides at Newton Falls, Trumbull Co., Ohio; Mary Emma is the wife of Elmer R. Deems, of Washington, Penn. R. H. Crawford was born October 28, 1837, on the farm he now owns in East Bethlehem township, and in his boyhood attended the common schools of his district. He was reared to farm work under the able instruction of his father, and became, like him, one of the most successful agriculturists of the county. On January 3, 1884, he married Miss Anna E., daughter of Casper and Sarah Ann (Griffith) Wyland, of Washington, Penn. Mr. Crawford is a Democrat to the back- bone, but in minor elections votes for the best man, regardless of party interests; he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church. His farm covers 150 acres of prime land situated near the center of East Bethlehem township, where he carries on general farming, including stock raising buying and selling and has continually on the place a flock of about 150 sheep.

Text taken from page 1264 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published February 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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