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				BRADLEY B. and MARY JANE (DICKEN) CRAWFORD.

	Bradley B. Crawford was born in Rush, Livingston Co., N. Y., July 6, 1826, and is of 
Scotch descent.  His grandfather Robert Crawford, emigrated to this country before the Revolution
and served in the memorable war, for which he received a pension in his latter days.  Bradley B.
Crawford was the oldest of seven children, five daughters and two sons.  In 1835, Mr. Crawford 
came to Michigan with his father, who settled in Macomb County, where he lived some forty years,
made himself a good farm, and moved to Lansing in his old age, where he died.
	Bradley B. lived with his father until he was twenty-four years of age, when he started 
for himself; he was married Jan. 1, 1851, to Mary Jane Dicken, daughter of John Dicken, who 
emigrated to this country from England in 1800, and settled on the Hudson River, in Greene 
County, where Mrs. Crawford was born Dec. 28, 1827.  The family removed to Michigan, August, 
1832, and settled in Macomb County, where he took government land in the town of Ray.  Here he 
raised a family of seven children, cleared up a good farm, where he now resides at the advanced 
age of eighty years.  His companion died January, 1856. 
	Mr. and Mrs. Crawford are representative pioneers.  When they were married their only 
capital was their strong arms and resolute wills.  They went out to work by the month, and, two
years later were proud owners of two yoke of oxen, a wagon, a cow, and a few household goods.  
With this outfit they left the scenes of their youth to find a home in the then frontier of 
Montcalm County, and in March, 1853, took possession of two hundred acres of land where they now 
live, which Mr. Crawford had purchased entirely on credit.  A small house was soon erected and 
the improvements commenced.  Here they have diligently worked for more than a quarter of a 
century.  Additions to the small house have been made, other lands purchased until he now has 
three hundred and fifty acres under improvement, and it is recognized as one of the finest farms 
in the country.  Mr. Crawford is a man of fixed principles, and a leading man in the county; is a
Republican in politics and largely identified with the affairs of the county, being frequently 
called upon to fill some office, among others justice of the peace, township clerk, supervisor, 
and for seventeen years has been county superintendent of the poor and secretary of that body.  
Mr. Crawford has been the father of eight children, four of whom are now living: Elnora, married 
Clarence Johnston, a farmer in Fair Plains;  John A., is attending Olivet College; William and
Emmet are the youngest, and live at home.



This biography is taken from "HISTORY OF IONIA AND MONTCALM COUNTIES, MICHIGAN" 
by John S. Schenck. Philadelphia:  D. W. Ensign & Co., 1881.  Pages 456-457.  Fair Plains Twp.