Beckham County, OK - Obits: John Wesley Crawford, 1923
Thursday, 20 Dec 2007
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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CRAWFORD, JOHN WESLEY
(15 Mar 1923, Thursday, Elk City News Democrat, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
"John Wesley Crawford was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, April 4, 1840,
moved to Jackson county, Ohio, at 8 years of age where he grew to manhood.
 At 21 he enlisted in the 36th Ohio regiment and served four years, until
the war closed.
January 21, 1865, he was married to Sarah F. Clayton, who passed on
October 11, 1921.  In 1870 he moved to Missouri where they reared a family
of three children, two sons and a daughter.  In 1903 they moved to Rankin,
Oklahoma, where they lived until moving to Oklahoma City.
Father Crawford came to Oklahoma with his aged wife and their two sons and
their families two years ago.  They all immediately identified themselves
with the Wesley church.
Mother Crawford died a year ago.  One of the sons, A. C. Crawford, moved
to Sedalia, Mo., where his father went to spend his closing days.  After
only a very few moments of illness he went to his crowning.
In childhood he and his wife were converted in the same revival in Finney
Chapel in Ohio.  He united with the church then and has lived faithful to
the end.
The pastor assisted by Rev. Brashear conducted the funeral service.  It
was a blessed occasion.  Rev. Brashear told of what a beautiful character
he was when he knew him years ago.  Father Crawford lived a long and very
useful life.  Wherever he lived God's cause had attention.  He was a real
father in Israel.  His memory is blessed.
He leaves two sons, J. C. Crawford who is a faithful member at Wesley, and
A. C. Crawford who lives in Sedalia, Mo.  He was buried in Rankin, Okla.
The above obituary is from the Central Christian Advocate of February
14th, 1923, and written, we suppose by Dean Dutton, pastor of Wesley
church, Oklahoma City.
November, 1914, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford moved to Elk City, Okla., where they
lived a year, and then moved back to their farm, one mile east of Rankin,
Okla., until 1920, when they moved to Oklahoma City one year, and moved
back again to their farm.  A. C. Crawford and family also moved back,
living with his parents during 1921.  After Grandma Crawford's death in
October, and their last sale held in December, Grandpa and A. C. Crawford
and family moved to Oklahoma City before Christmas, 1921, and in January
1922, Arthur's moving to Missouri and Grandpa went to live with them in
August, until his death.
While living in Elk City they were faithful in attending the First M. E.
church, D. W. Brashear was their pastor.
Their only daughter, Allie, Mrs. R. D. Wilson, and her two daughters Ruth
and Dorothy, also moved from Rankin to Elk City to send the girls to High
School.  Ruth graduated from Elk City High school in June 1920, and
Dorothy graduated at Oklahoma City in 1921.  Mrs. Allie Wilson died in Elk
City, February 5, 1920.
During the summer of 1921, being over 81 years old, Grandpa Crawford with
an "Armstrong mower" scythe kept the grass and weeds mowed for nearly a
quarter of a mile along the road on both sides from his house.  Grant
McColgin.  Rankin, Oklahoma.

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