Macon County AlArchives Biographies.....Crawford, Robert A. 1812 - 1892 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Robert Davis genws@hiwaay.net October 28, 2021, 1:44 pm Author: Robert S. Davis genws@hiwaay.net Robert A. Crawford in his Confederate colonel uniform at the end of the Civil War (courtesy James Bullock) Robert Ashton Crawford (1812-1892) Robert Ashton Crawford may have invented at least his given name, which would explain why nothing in the documents appears on him before he married in Butts County, Georgia in 1849. No one in endorsing him mentions anything of his past before 1860. No names of his relations has turned up except that his son Alfred I. Crawford changed his name to Douglas A. Crawford, reportedly the name of his grandfather or great-grandfather. Born in Virginia (family stories say Richmond) he wrote in 1812 but other sources have him born 1806 to 1826; supposedly he had a brother Douglas who was contractor in Houston, Texas but that is more likely was his son Douglas, more below, family story). Robert supposedly one of five children, three died in epidemic, surviving sibling brother Dick, Douglas, John, Richard, or William. Mother thought to be Rosa or Elizabeth. Parents supposedly buried in Richmond. Family claimed to still have silver candle operas from the Richmond home. Father or grandfather reported to be Douglas Isaac or Douglas Ashton Crawford, slave ship owner of two vessels, one the Ajax, out of Glasgow, Scotland; Ashtons and Crawfords are prominent families of Glasgow; story has it that Douglas operated the first brick works in Richmond and that he died in Glasgow. Family stories below are from the notes of Robert A. Crawford's grandson Dr. Lewis Thomas Bullock (1906-1983); the notes were compiled in 1974 and are in the Robert A. Crawford personality file at the Atlanta History Center. Bullock failed to document any of the above but the candle operas. He is dead and his daughter knows nothing. I failed to find any documentation for the above in 2019. He did own a photograph of Crawford in his Confederate uniform. Letters about Robert A. Crawford claim that he well educated and a great writer but no one said how educated or named anything he wrote. I have queried the great education institutes in Georgia and Virginia, as well as the United States Military Academy. He was active in the Democratic Party from at least 1849 on. Note that there were several other Robert A. Crawfords in the South at the same time who could be confused with Robert Ashton Crawford including Dr. Robert Alexander Crawford who was a prominent Presbyterian minister in South Carolina and a Robert A. Crawford who led the resistance in East Tennessee to the Confederacy during the Civil War. A Robert Alexander Crawford, b. ca. 1825 in Georgia, is in Macon County, Alabama but is not likely closely related to Robert Ashton Crawford who is also in that county in that census. A Robert A. Crawford of Oglethorpe County graduated from the University of Georgia and became an engineer in Missouri. A Robert A. Crawford also lived in Atlanta during the same years as Robert Ashton Crawford and was a city councilman. DOCUMENTING ROBERT ASHTON CRAWFORD went to Oxford, Alabama to set up a textile factory, married a Miss Lee who died with her child in childbirth (family story and probably confused with Oxford, Newton County, Georgia below) a Robert Crawford was on the grand jury in Lee County, Georgia in 1839 (Kilbourne) a Robert Crawford lived alone in Lee County, Georgia with thirty-three slaves (1840 census); note that Sumter County was created from Lee County in 1831 (see below); Lee County’s local records were destroyed in a court house fire an undocumented story published by the Atlanta Historical Society claims that a Robert A. Crawford married and divorced a woman in Sumter County, Georgia had son John C. Calhoun Crawford, adult in 1863 in Atlanta, possibly born ca. 1842 (Atlanta Intelligencer); cannot be found in the census records; may have been born ca. 1847 and he could be the son of Robert A. and Ann Lee Crawford, b. ca. 1849, see below September 1846 a Robert Crawford, age 27 (b. ca. 1820) born in Richmond, Virginia, enlisted in the 4th U. S. Artillery in Lewisburg, Greenbrier County, Virginia and deserted in June 1847; he was listed as a cabinetmaker; he could be (or not) Robert A. Crawford May 14, 1849 Robert A. Crawford marries Ann E. Lee in Butts County, Georgia, eldest daughter of H. P. Lee of Newton County [sic, Nathan Peeples Lee prominent planter worth $9,000, born Georgia ca. 1803-1853 and wife Olivia Head, 1804- 1849], became a Baptist (Holcomb, 206) 1849 active Democrat in Macon County. Alabama (Newspapers.com); he also became a member of Auburn Masonic Lodge 76 February 5, 1850, one of the men who chartered the Auburn and Girard Plank Road Company in Auburn, Alabama May 31, 1850, Ann E. Lee, twenty-year-old wife of R. A. Crawford, died in Auburn; a family story has her having a stillborn child 1850 census in Macon County, Alabama, Robert A. Crawford by himself, manufactory, owns $2,000 in real estate Moved to Americus, Sumter County, Georgia married Miss Sanford who owned 300 or 600 to 800 slaves (family story, see above 1840) A Robert Crawford is in the 1850 census of DeKalb County when Atlanta was in DeKalb; was a grocer in Atlanta in 1853 (Pioneer Citizens History) (likely not Robert Ashton Crawford) while residing in Auburn, Robert Crawford married Mrs. Sarah Jane Lyon, July 26, 1851 in Harris County, Georgia, then across the river from Macon County; Robert A. Crawford appointed administrator of John A. Lyon's estate in Harris County (Evans); John A. Lyon, like Crawford, may have been involved with the Knights of the Golden Circle; Robert A. Crawford would write that Lewis T. Craver of Texas had been his neighbor in Harris County, Georgia for years Sarah Jane Sanford (b. Hancock County, Georgia, ca. 1823) married John Alex Lyon in Putnam County, Georgia on August 11, 1837. He died in Harris County, Georgia between 1845 when he settled the estate of Ann B. Biscoe and the 1850 census. Sarah Jane Lyon appears in the 1850 census of Harris County with ten-year-old daughter Jane, 33 slaves, and property over all worth $8,000 that included lots 78 and 162 in Atlanta. Sarah Jane Sanford Lyon Crawford was the daughter of Benjamin (d. 1831) and Elizabeth Armour (d. 1823) Sanford, making her the second cousin of major general, Georgia Secretary of state, congressman etc. John William Augustus Sanford (1798-1870). Commissioned captain of Governor's Guards, Houston County, July 23, 1853 (Georgia Military Record Book 4), unit was renamed the Fort Valley Volunteers after the war had son Alfred Iverson Crawford, born May 8 1854 Macon, Georgia. He dies in Houston, Harris County, Texas January 8, 1932 under the name Douglas A. Crawford (1930 census, death certificate) a R. Crawford unsuccessfully ran for city councilman in Atlanta as a member of the Native American "Know Nothing" Party in 1855 (Garrett, 1: 387-88); this may be a different Robert Crawford, see 1850 above had son John A. Crawford, September 5, 1857 (family story); supposedly the “A” stood for Alfred; John A. Crawford was later a prominent Republican political office appointee including as a revenue collector and postmaster in Dalton, Whitfield County, Georgia; he died there July 1923 but left no death certificate by August 24, 1857 writes to Governor Joseph E. Brown asking for support for a newspaper at Fort Valley to be called the Constitutional South; in Griffin in November 1858 becomes co-editor of Griffin Empire State; this newspaper had been around since 1855 has R. Findlay & Sons build Sitoa Mills on Mossy Creek in Houston County; advertises its flower in Savannah newspapers; Findlay & Sons sues for debt 1858- 1859, as do other creditors (Evans) wife Miss Sanford dies in Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia, when son Douglas [actually Alfred Iverson] was four years old ca. 1858 (family story) in Griffin in 1859 (Evans) where he is a regional delegate to the Democratic convention; he is quoted as saying that Governor Joseph E. Brown prefers Alexander H. Stephens over Howell Cobb for president, which Brown and Crawford denied in Griffin in 1860 (Evans) state delegate to state Democratic party convention married Martha Caroline Heronton Bailey, widow of Dr. Stephen Bailey of Butts County and daughter of William S. Heronton (1797-1879, bornbelfast, Northern Ireland, buried Griffin) of Decatur, DeKalb County who left one-fifth of estate to daughter; big legal battle over control of estate (family story); marriage record of Martha C. Bailey to Robert A. Crawford, March 29, 1860 in 1860 census in boarding house in Griffin, "farmer," no property but living with him is his wife Carrie, age 31 born Georgia worth $18,000; in Talbot County, Sterling Graham Sanford [Sarah Jane Sanford Lyon Crawford’s brother], age 49 living in household is John T. Crawford, age 5 and Alford Iverson Crawford, age 4 [also reportedly known as Alfred Holder Crawford]. Sterling Sanford was a rich man in 1860 owning $5408 in real estate and $21,890 in personal property. reported as formed a regiment of Georgia volunteers to invade Mexico as part of the Knights of the Golden Circle, March 27, 1860 (Kilbourne; KOGC book) has letters of administration on wife Sarah Jane's estate in Houston County, November 8, 1860 (Evans) Commissioned 1st lieutenant, 2nd regiment, Army of Georgia, February 1, 1861 (Adjt. Gen. Wayne letter books) February 12, 1861 Major R. A. Crawford becomes co-editor of the Gate City Guardian, what had been the National American, and soon after became the Southern Confederacy; contrary to a secondary publication, the Crawford was not described as southern born and educated; at that same time Crawford writes to Governor Brown asking for support for his own newspaper in Atlanta, even as he is joining the Confederate army as an officer made 1st Lieutenant in Company H 1st Georgia Regiment, the Army of Georgia, February 12, 1861 (Kilbourne); offered commission of 1st lieutenant, February 13, 1861 (Adjt. Gen. Wayne letter books); serving as such at least since April 27, 1861 the 1st and 2nd Regiments, Army of Georgia, are merged into the 1st Regiment, April 17, 1861 serving as first lieutenant in 1st Georgia Regulars on Tybee Island June 1861 (NARA); served in Company A of this Infantry Regiment; 1st Georgia Regulars on coast in 1861 July 23, 1861 1st Georgia Regulars in Richmond and immediately transferred to Manassas, Virginia where they arrive on the 24th, Company A receives Captain Samuel P. Hamilton as captain and becomes an artillery unit, Hamilton’s Light Artillery on the 24th, Hamilton becomes Major of regiment July 14, 1862 and Company A disbanded July 15, 1864 family story that he served at the First Battle of Manassas, July 31, 1861, his unit could have at least observed the battle; signs requisition for corn for horses as Robert A. Crawford Sr., 1st Lieutenant commanding battery 1st Georgia Regulars, September 1-7, 1861, September 12-16, 1861, September 13, 1861, all at Manassas, Virginia; paid as 1st lieutenant, Camp Pickens, VA, November 23, 1861 asked to raise a regiment of volunteers in Georgia for Virginia service, September 3, 1861 (Kilbourne) resigned from 1st Georgia Regulars by October 29, 1861 (maybe requested to resign his commission or back dated to that date) although also listed as resigned November 23, 1861 he was on rolls on August 31 (NARA) in Atlanta commissioned as major in 3rd Regiment State Troops, October 30, 1861 resigns as lieutenant of artillery in Virginia [?] to return to Georgia where he has been elected major in 2nd Georgia Battalion (six months men unsuited for Confederate service) Col. Cowart's regiment on the coast, December 31, 1861 (Kilbourne; correspondence with CSA SOW) may or may not be the Robert A. Crawford became a private in Wheaton's artillery (the famed Chatham Artillery); he may be listed as a captain of this company commissioned as a state adjutant and inspector general, January 19, 1862 (Adjt. Gen. Wayne letter books) signs letter as major and adjutant and inspector general in Brigadier General F. W. Capers Second Brigade, Savannah, Georgia, February 22 and March 31, 1862 signs public notice as lieutenant colonel and inspector general of the Second Brigade, State Troops, May 2, 1862; he is reported to be lieutenant colonel and inspector general of Francis W. Caper's Brigade, State Troops by May 14, 1862 (NARA) and raising a regiment for Confederate service third lieutenant in the Talbot Cavalry of Colonel Melvin J. Crawford's 3rd Georgia Cavalry July 8, 1862 (probably another Robert) (Kilbourne); (apparently these M. J. Crawford and the Roberts are not related, Allardice) wrote letter about witnessing battle in Virginia June 2, 1862, would be battle of Seven Pines, with 3rd, 6th, and 12th Alabama and 12th Mississippi; Hamilton’s Light Artillery was in the artillery reserve during the Seven Pines Campaign (this may be the other Robert A. Crawford of Atlanta, see below) A Robert A. Crawford described as a crippled private in the Atlanta Confederate hospitals PROBABLY NOT ROBERT ASHTON CRAWFORD BUT OTHER ROBERT CRAWFORD OF ATLANTA widow would claim that Robert was severely wounded at the battle of Seven Pines, Virginia, which began May 31, 1862 and recuperated in hospital in Americus, Georgia (but she apparently meant at the end of the war); there may not have been a hospital in Americus but a Shadrach Turner Crawford (1812-1896) of Sumter County may have been his brother as in the 1880 census Shadrach says that his parents too were born in Virginia; a William H. Crawford (1814-1880) also in the 1850 census of Sumter County may also have been a brother; most likely William H. and Shadrach Crawford are brothers, both born in Georgia, and the sons of ; they may also be the brothers of a John A. Crawford (1815-1864) who died in Sumter County; Shadrach was apparently the son of Elisha Gilliam Crawford (b. Hanover, Virginia 1778, d. 1861 Macon County, GA) and Nancy Turner (1782-1856), his lengthy list of siblings include none of the above; John A. Crawford and William H. Crawford, however, likely were the sons of David Crawford (b. Amherst, Virginia1767- d. South Carolina 1821) and Mary Lee Woods (1768-1821) served as a colonel of the 2nd Georgia Battalion, 1st Georgia Regulars (?) in Virginia in 1862 (Krick is apparently mistaken, the 2nd Georgia Battalion apparently never left the coast) plans to expand the 2nd Georgia State Battalion into a 3rd Georgia Confederate Regiment fails; he served as colonel of the 3rd Regiment State Troops; Crawford claims that he will enlist in his home state of Virginia as a private A Robert A. Crawford is commissioned quartermaster in Atlanta, June 11, 1862 PROBABLY NOT ROBERT ASHTON CRAWFORD BUT ATLANTA’S OTHER ROBERT A. CRAWFORD Lucius J. Gartrell writes from Atlanta on December 20, 1862 that Crawford had served in the 1st Georgia regulars before becoming an adjutant in General Capers Brigade on the coast In November 1863 he was described as having returned to Atlanta as too crippled for field service; works as private in hospitals; Atlanta notables try to get him a better position and praise him but does not mentions details of his past before joining the army; also contractor with the Confederacy PROBABLY NOT ROBERT ASHTON CRAWFORD BUT ATLANTA’S OTHER ROBERT A. CRAWFORD partner with Addison Frazer and Thomas Lafayette Frazer in Atlanta slave market by January 4, 1863, sold mules but soon a general auction house and then a slave market; slave market partnership breaks up, Robert A. Crawford continues slave sales in Atlanta and later in Macon married Julia A. Ballard, Fulton County, December 17, 1863 in St. Philip’s Parish (Episcopal) PROBABLY NOT ROBERT ASHTON CRAWFORD BUT ANOTHER ROBERT A. CRAWFORD (see below who administered the estate of James A. Bransford of Meriwether County) unless Robert Ashton Crawford committed bigamy; a story has it that he married and divorced in Sumter County, maybe this story is confused on the details? Also see Martha wise marriage July 22, 1869 below member of Atlanta city council (Intelligencer January 3, 1864) PROBABLY NOT ROBERT ASHTON CRAWFORD BUT ATLANTA’S OTHER ROBERT A. CRAWFORD announces that Crawford, Frazer & Company ceased business April 1864 Lieutenant General Leonidas Polk killed June 14, 1864 at Pine Mountain; Colonel R. A. Crawford served as pallbearer in getting the coffin to the train depot with a distinguished group of Confederate generals moved his slave business to Cherry Street in Macon in September 1864, still there in December widow claims that Robert fought at the battle of New Hope Church, Georgia May 25-26, 1864; family story has HIM COMMANDING THE 53RD GEORGIA description of Atlanta in December 1864 implies that Crawford's slave market was in ruins and had been used as a barracks (Garrett, 655-66) Rosa E. Crawford (daughter of Martha Carolina Heronton) born in Atlanta ca. 1864, she would marry Albert J. McIntyre and die in Atlanta, April 25, 1934, she has living descendants daughter Caroline died 1865 in Griffin (family story) son William Henry "Harry" born in Griffin in 1865 (family story); he died in 1900 with no issue surrenders in Albany, Georgia claiming to be colonel of the 3rd Georgia Regiment, he was there to buy a property in Griffin; his widow claimed in her failed pension application that he was wounded and recovering at a hospital in Americus at the time of the surrender tax collector and receiver in Atlanta and elected to City Council from Third Ward in 1865 (Garrett, 1: 669, 702) PROBABLY NOT ROBERT ASHTON CRAWFORD BUT OTHER ROBERT CRAWFORD OF ATLANTA a Robert A. Crawford not closely related or not related at all applies to be administrator of the estate of James A. Bransford of Meriwether County deceased, July 31, 1866 wife Martha Caroline Heronton Bailey Crawford died in childbirth December 27, 1865 in Griffin employee of Atlanta Arsenal maybe other Robert Crawford of Atlanta Frank J. Freeman appointed guardian of William H. Crawford and Rosa E. Crawford, children of Martha C. Bailey, deceased, also deed involving slaves; (Spalding county records); William H. Crawford was William Harry Crawford died October 30, 1900 Cartersville (family story) member of city council of Atlanta January 1866 PROBABLY NOT ROBERT ASHTON CRAWFORD BUT OTHER ROBERT CRAWFORD OF ATLANTA married Lucy Ann Green, January 6, 1867 (born March 18, 1842, daughter of Thomas J. Greene, born Georgia and Mary Harrington, born Ireland; death certificate); she was Lucy Ann Lavonia Greene, favorite niece of Caroline Heronton of Fairburn; John A. Crawford of Whitfield County testifies in her pension application that she married Robert A. Crawford in Presbyterian Church in Griffin by a Rev. Jones in 1867; her failed attempt at a Confederate widow's pension includes the marriage certificate and refers to minster as J. Jones superintendent of Western & Atlantic Railroad (family stories) files for presidential pardon in Bibb county in 1867, writes that he was born in Virginia in 1812; he wrote that he still had forty of his former slaves working for him; writes to Freedman's Bureau on behalf of some of his slaves made Commissioner of Public Works (Garrett, 733) and secretary Georgia Railroad in 1867 (Atlanta city directory); took out federal bankruptcy protection (NARA) PROBABLY NOT ROBERT ASHTON CRAWFORD BUT OTHER ROBERT A. CRAWFORD OF ATLANTA unnamed mother of a Robert Crawford dies in Atlanta April 9, 1867; Find A. Grave says Oakland Cemetery records refer to her as McCrawford (1788-April 9, 1867) but internment records at the Atlanta History center refer to her as "M. Crawford" PROBABLY NOT ROBERT ASHTON CRAWFORD BUT OTHER ROBERT CRAWFORD OF ATLANTA ALTHOUGH THIS WOULD MEAN THAT THE OTHER Robert Crawford’s mother was 41 when she gave birth to him A Robert A. Crawford also married a Martha Wise in Butts County, Georgia on July 2, 1869. daughter Claire C. Crawford born in 1869 (1880 census); Clair C. Cutter by Lucy Ann Greene dies May 15, 1931 (death certificate, Fulton County, Georgia) 1870 census Bartow County, Georgia railroad superintendent, census lists real estate $300, personal estate $2,500, wife Lucy age 29; John 16; Alfred, 14; Rose, 8; Carrie, 3, infant 3/12; George, 13 daughter Maggie Ella Crawford born 1870 (1880 census), she married a Rivers Daughter Mamie Crawford born 1871 (1880 census), she married a Condon and died in 1941 Operated a hotel in Carterville later known as the Breyben Hotel, it was still standing in 1974 his Bainbridge, Cuthbert, & Columbus Railroad bonds no longer endorsed by Henry Clews; on board of proposed railroad from Athens to Eatonton in 1872 (family notes) Built railroad from Cartersville to Cuthbert and was its president (family stories) Connected to New York stock broker Henry Clews, lived in New York for months at a time (family stories) Lost his fortune in Panic of 1873 (family story) 1873-1874 renting houses across Atlanta (newspapers, Digital Library of Georgia) Son Robert Bruce Crawford born 1874 (1880 census) son William Wallace Crawford born February 21, 1877 (death certificate, died October 10, 1923) (1880 census) heavily in debt and having mental issues, committed to the state insane asylum July 1877 (Garrett Necrology); only in asylum one month before being released, no biographical information in asylum records; THIS WAS THE ROBERT C. CRAWFORD OF ATLANTA John A. Crawford married Josephine Matilda Kincannon on October 9, 1878 and his brother Alfred Iverson Crawford married her sister Della A. on November 15, 1881 daughter Lillian Lochrane Crawford born 1879, she married a Bullock and was the mother of Dr. Lewis Thomas Bullock; she died 1968; Lewis Thomas Bullock was family historian whose notes are at the Atlanta History Center 1879 member of L. Decker & Company (Levi and George H. Decker), 726 Broadway, New York November 1879 causes national stir as one of prominent Georgia Democrats endorsing U. S. Grant for president, others include Alexander H. Stephens; Crawford described as having lost various plantations during the war; partner in New York living in Atlanta with wife and various children, son Alfred is deputy United State Marshal, in 1880 (1880 census) still railroad superintendent in 1880 and in 1880s works with mining interests in Bartow County 1881 son William H. “Harry” Crawford briefly a student at Mercer University; family stories have conflict between Robert A. Crawford father and Harry, who does not seem to have been honest or stable (family stories) April 1883 son Alfred Iverson Crawford, a deputy U. S. Marshal, escapes custody in Atlanta while under charges of filing false accounts; he changes his name to Doulas A. Crawford and became a builder in Houston, Texas; Alfred Iverson Crawford supposedly killed a man and fled to Texas where he changed his name to Douglas Crawford (family story); he also acted as an agent in Georgia for Republican Governor Rufus Bullock in recuing privately heldAfrican Americans, what the negro stealing 1886 president of Chattanooga, Columbus, and Florida Railway Robert A. Crawford died April 12, 1892, buried Bartow County, Georgia (Find A Grave); his widow was left with nothing but at least five children, unlike his other wives she did not die in child birth; his son paid for burial a Robert A. Crawford graduates from the University of Georgia, he received a Bachelor of Engineering degree and later became an engineer in Missouri, he is from Oglethorpe County and no known relation to Col. Robert A. Crawford wife Lucy Ann Greene dies College Park, GA, October 31, 1924 (death certificate); she failed to receive an indigent Confederate widow pension because Robert's Confederate service record was such a confused mess; she ran a boarding house tombstone erected in 1934 at Robert A. Crawford's grave in Cartersville with approximate birth year; he reportedly had white hair and a white mustache (family stories) only his tombstone refers to him as Robert Ashton Crawford son John A. Crawford is a Republican functionary who becomes postmaster in Dalton, Georgia. His son Louis Handley Crawford is an important member of the Georgia Republican Party and is federal marshal for North Georgia in 1930, he died in the State Hospital in Milledgeville in 1962 with no issue; his brother William S. Crawford had son John A. Crawford Jr. and Reavis Terry Crawford. His son Reavis Jr. has descendants living today in Alabama File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/macon/bios/crawford1114gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 25.0 Kb