Born in Bear Creek, Estill Co., KY, the son of Archibald Crawford b. 9 Mar 1772 in Fincastle, Botetourt Co., VA, and Margaret "Peggy" Brown b. 6 Jan 1789 in Philadelphia, PA.
He married in 1849 in KY, (1) Elizabeth Evans (buried at this cem.); they had 2 children: Laura E., and a son (both buried at this cem.).
He married on 12 Jun 1862 in Palo Pinto Co., TX, Mary Brown; they had 4 children.
~
CRAWFORD, SIMPSON
Simpson Crawford was born in Estill County, Kentucky, October 13, 1824. Archibald Crawford, his father, was a Virginian by birth, and a veteran of the old Indian wars. He was with General Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe, and saw service at different points along the border, afterwards settling down to farming and stock raising in Kentucky, where he became the owner of a large plantation, working at one time thirty slaves. He married Margaret Brown, of Pennsylvania, and was the father of thirteen children, seven boys and six girls. Simpson was the second youngest of the children, and his early youth was spent on his father's plantation, learning the lesson of industry and thrift. He had but very limited opportunities for schooling, and at the outbreak of the Mexican war enlisted in a regiment that was going direct to the front, by way of New Orleans. He was at Vera Cruz, and participated in the memorable advance to the City of Mexico, returning to Kentucky in 1848. The following year he was married to Elizabeth Evans, by whom he had two children: Sallie, now the wife of Mr. Tarkington, a citizen of Parker County, of which he has been treasurer for several years, and J. D. Crawford, who, like his father, is a well-known cattleman of West Texas.
In 1852 Mr. Crawford came to Texas and settled first in Titus County, where he bought a farm of 320 acres, and for the next three years was engaged in farming and stock raising. Then disposing of his interests there, he removed to Palo Pinto County and chose a location in the now famous Keechi Valley upon 320 acres of the "Peters Colony" land. Cattle raising was the common pursuit of the residents of that region, and Mr. Crawford engaged in it with the others, starting in with 500 head and increasing his holding as rapidly as circumstances would permit. He found a convenient market for his stock with the Indian agents, and was continually selling his fat cattle and buying young stock, making a profit on every transaction. He also farmed a great deal, and his surplus of corn and other products were always saleable to the new settlers who were flocking into the country. Mr. Crawford possessed the great advantage of being located in a typical grazing country, where there was an abundance of grass and good shelter for the cattle, and his herds increased rapidly without the necessity of giving them much care or attention. In 1859 he branded 1,000 head of calves, and in 1864, when he drove his herd to Ft. Murry, he rounded up 4,000 head of as fine cattle as then could be found in Western Texas. His cattle were in the care of a man named Thomas Mullin, and as the Indians were at that time continually making depredations upon the property of the settlers, every precaution was taken to avoid loss from this source; but in spite of all, nearly one-half of Mr. Crawford's cattle were stolen; the Indians taking 400 head of beef steers at one time.
Mr. Crawford's first wife had died in 1858, and on the 12th of June, 1862, he was married to Mrs. Mary Brown, the widow of the first citizen of Parker County, who fell a victim to Indian cruelty. She was originally a Miss Mary Tarkington, and was born in Hickman, Tennessee, February 4, 1836, and married in 1850 to John Brown, a native of Alabama. Mr. Brown first moved to Texas in 1837 and settled in Bastrop County, but the Indians became so troublesome that he was compelled to move to the eastern part of the State. He returned to the west, however, in 1855, and located in the northwestern part of Parker County, securing a good home on the land patent, and interesting himself in farming and stock raising. In the fall of 1860 the Indians made a raid upon the settlements of Jack County, killing several men, and late at night a messenger reached Mr. Brown's house, on his way to Weatherford where he hoped to secure assistance to bury the dead. Mr. Brown gave him a fresh horse, and when daylight came told his wife that he would alarm the neighbors and render what assistance he could. As he was preparing to go he turned to his wife who had lately received mail from the East, and asked her if there was any important news. She replied that South Carolina had seceded from the Union, and he turned away with the remark that in that case he would not turn between life and death; that he had served his country and had received his honorable discharge, and that in any case he was for his country and government. These were the last words he was ever heard to speak. A short time after his departure a party of sixty-five Indians surrounded the house, and the family took refuge in the upper rooms, and, as it chanced, were not disturbed, though the Indians remained at the place three-quarters of an hour and carried away thirteen head of horses belonging to Mr. Brown. At last, hearing what she thought to be the rattle of her husband's bridle chain, Mrs. Brown ventured out upon the veranda, in time to see the Indians ride away, and two of the last turned and shot at her with arrows, one of them passing through her hair. Shortly afterwards two shots were heard, which were probably those that killed Mr. Brown. The Indians met him as they were departing, and a terrible struggle must have ensued. His body was found one day later, lying by a tree, three-fourths of a mile from the house, and though he had nothing in the way of arms save a knife, it was plain to see that he made a gallant fight for his life, and it is supposed that he killed an Indian, as the body of one was found concealed some distance away, and had in all probability wounded others. Mr. Brown was a man of education and intelligence, and if his life had been spared would have doubtless become one of the leading citizens of Western Texas. He was the father of five children, three of whom died young. Of those who are yet living, F. J. Brown is a prosperous farmer at Seymour, Texas, and Anna E. is the wife of A. M. Lasater, of Palo Pinto County.
After his marriage with Mrs. Brown, Simpson Crawford continued in the active management of his farm and cattle herds until 1870, when he sold his cattle to Charles Rivers, the stipulated price being $l5,000, but he received in the outcome only $10,000. Again taking up the business of buying and selling, his holdings of cattle rapidly increased until, in 1883, he had quite a large herd collected, which he was holding in King County, but he again sold, this time to his son and step-son, J. D. Crawford and Joseph Brown. With the $10,000 received for this herd he purchased land, and at the present time is the owner of 3,100 acres of the most desirable farm lands in Keechi Valley, The soil is rich, and in its natural state coated with a rank growth of mesquite grass. There is an abundance of timber and water, and in every respect it is an ideal location.
Mr. Crawford's life has been a remarkably active one and full of incident. During the war he was connected with a ranger company, and the adventures which befell him during this period would fill a volume of themselves. He is a man who makes many friends and retains the respect and confidence of all who know him, and his long years of residence in Palo Pinto County have served to make him one of the best known and highly respected of its citizens. Mrs. Crawford is a lady remarkable alike for the kindness of her heart and the diversity of her accomplishments. Her life has been marked by constant study, and, self-taught, she has perfected herself in the knowledge and practice of medicine-an accomplishment that has often proved invaluable in the thinly settled districts in which her life has been passed. She shares with her husband the love and esteem of their many acquaintances.
Of late years Mr. Crawford has been working to improve the quality of his cattle, and though he now owns only 500 head, they are, without exception, finely bred animals of short horn and Hereford strains. His residence is a commodious and pleasant one; one of those typical Southern homes which captivates one's fancy at a glance, with its large and airy rooms, lighted up with the warm sunshine by day, and with the cheerful glow from the broad fireplaces to illumine them in the twilight hours, when the first song of the whip-poor-will is being wafted by the evening breeze from the swaying branches of the live oaks without. There are three children now living at home: Irene and Alberta, two beautiful girls, who are graduates of the Cedar Bluff, Kentucky, Female College, and Simpson Crawford, Jr., who, though only twenty years of age, has a cattle brand of his own and is the possessor of quite a herd. He has inherited his father's business talent, and bids fair to become in time one of the leading stockmen of his county. There is also an elder daughter, Ida, who is the wife of J. C. Rider, a leading cattleman of the Texas Pan Handle.
Mr. Crawford has suffered severe losses in the past through security debts, in all an aggregate of $10,000; but the reverses he has encountered in this way have been powerless to impair his faith in the truth and honesty of his fellow man. Owing no man a dollar, he is yet ready to assist the needy, and his donations to public and private charities are prompt and ample. Though his locks are now touched with the frosts of age he can review the past without sorrow or regret, and look to the future with an assurance that springs from the consciousness of a well spent life. (Source: Historical and Biographical Record of the Cattle Industry and the Cattlemen of Texas by James Cox, Published by Woodward & Tiernan Printing Co, St Louis, 1895
He married in 1849 in KY, (1) Elizabeth Evans (buried at this cem.); they had 2 children: Laura E., and a son (both buried at this cem.).
He married on 12 Jun 1862 in Palo Pinto Co., TX, Mary Brown; they had 4 children.
~
CRAWFORD, SIMPSON
Simpson Crawford was born in Estill County, Kentucky, October 13, 1824. Archibald Crawford, his father, was a Virginian by birth, and a veteran of the old Indian wars. He was with General Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe, and saw service at different points along the border, afterwards settling down to farming and stock raising in Kentucky, where he became the owner of a large plantation, working at one time thirty slaves. He married Margaret Brown, of Pennsylvania, and was the father of thirteen children, seven boys and six girls. Simpson was the second youngest of the children, and his early youth was spent on his father's plantation, learning the lesson of industry and thrift. He had but very limited opportunities for schooling, and at the outbreak of the Mexican war enlisted in a regiment that was going direct to the front, by way of New Orleans. He was at Vera Cruz, and participated in the memorable advance to the City of Mexico, returning to Kentucky in 1848. The following year he was married to Elizabeth Evans, by whom he had two children: Sallie, now the wife of Mr. Tarkington, a citizen of Parker County, of which he has been treasurer for several years, and J. D. Crawford, who, like his father, is a well-known cattleman of West Texas.
In 1852 Mr. Crawford came to Texas and settled first in Titus County, where he bought a farm of 320 acres, and for the next three years was engaged in farming and stock raising. Then disposing of his interests there, he removed to Palo Pinto County and chose a location in the now famous Keechi Valley upon 320 acres of the "Peters Colony" land. Cattle raising was the common pursuit of the residents of that region, and Mr. Crawford engaged in it with the others, starting in with 500 head and increasing his holding as rapidly as circumstances would permit. He found a convenient market for his stock with the Indian agents, and was continually selling his fat cattle and buying young stock, making a profit on every transaction. He also farmed a great deal, and his surplus of corn and other products were always saleable to the new settlers who were flocking into the country. Mr. Crawford possessed the great advantage of being located in a typical grazing country, where there was an abundance of grass and good shelter for the cattle, and his herds increased rapidly without the necessity of giving them much care or attention. In 1859 he branded 1,000 head of calves, and in 1864, when he drove his herd to Ft. Murry, he rounded up 4,000 head of as fine cattle as then could be found in Western Texas. His cattle were in the care of a man named Thomas Mullin, and as the Indians were at that time continually making depredations upon the property of the settlers, every precaution was taken to avoid loss from this source; but in spite of all, nearly one-half of Mr. Crawford's cattle were stolen; the Indians taking 400 head of beef steers at one time.
Mr. Crawford's first wife had died in 1858, and on the 12th of June, 1862, he was married to Mrs. Mary Brown, the widow of the first citizen of Parker County, who fell a victim to Indian cruelty. She was originally a Miss Mary Tarkington, and was born in Hickman, Tennessee, February 4, 1836, and married in 1850 to John Brown, a native of Alabama. Mr. Brown first moved to Texas in 1837 and settled in Bastrop County, but the Indians became so troublesome that he was compelled to move to the eastern part of the State. He returned to the west, however, in 1855, and located in the northwestern part of Parker County, securing a good home on the land patent, and interesting himself in farming and stock raising. In the fall of 1860 the Indians made a raid upon the settlements of Jack County, killing several men, and late at night a messenger reached Mr. Brown's house, on his way to Weatherford where he hoped to secure assistance to bury the dead. Mr. Brown gave him a fresh horse, and when daylight came told his wife that he would alarm the neighbors and render what assistance he could. As he was preparing to go he turned to his wife who had lately received mail from the East, and asked her if there was any important news. She replied that South Carolina had seceded from the Union, and he turned away with the remark that in that case he would not turn between life and death; that he had served his country and had received his honorable discharge, and that in any case he was for his country and government. These were the last words he was ever heard to speak. A short time after his departure a party of sixty-five Indians surrounded the house, and the family took refuge in the upper rooms, and, as it chanced, were not disturbed, though the Indians remained at the place three-quarters of an hour and carried away thirteen head of horses belonging to Mr. Brown. At last, hearing what she thought to be the rattle of her husband's bridle chain, Mrs. Brown ventured out upon the veranda, in time to see the Indians ride away, and two of the last turned and shot at her with arrows, one of them passing through her hair. Shortly afterwards two shots were heard, which were probably those that killed Mr. Brown. The Indians met him as they were departing, and a terrible struggle must have ensued. His body was found one day later, lying by a tree, three-fourths of a mile from the house, and though he had nothing in the way of arms save a knife, it was plain to see that he made a gallant fight for his life, and it is supposed that he killed an Indian, as the body of one was found concealed some distance away, and had in all probability wounded others. Mr. Brown was a man of education and intelligence, and if his life had been spared would have doubtless become one of the leading citizens of Western Texas. He was the father of five children, three of whom died young. Of those who are yet living, F. J. Brown is a prosperous farmer at Seymour, Texas, and Anna E. is the wife of A. M. Lasater, of Palo Pinto County.
After his marriage with Mrs. Brown, Simpson Crawford continued in the active management of his farm and cattle herds until 1870, when he sold his cattle to Charles Rivers, the stipulated price being $l5,000, but he received in the outcome only $10,000. Again taking up the business of buying and selling, his holdings of cattle rapidly increased until, in 1883, he had quite a large herd collected, which he was holding in King County, but he again sold, this time to his son and step-son, J. D. Crawford and Joseph Brown. With the $10,000 received for this herd he purchased land, and at the present time is the owner of 3,100 acres of the most desirable farm lands in Keechi Valley, The soil is rich, and in its natural state coated with a rank growth of mesquite grass. There is an abundance of timber and water, and in every respect it is an ideal location.
Mr. Crawford's life has been a remarkably active one and full of incident. During the war he was connected with a ranger company, and the adventures which befell him during this period would fill a volume of themselves. He is a man who makes many friends and retains the respect and confidence of all who know him, and his long years of residence in Palo Pinto County have served to make him one of the best known and highly respected of its citizens. Mrs. Crawford is a lady remarkable alike for the kindness of her heart and the diversity of her accomplishments. Her life has been marked by constant study, and, self-taught, she has perfected herself in the knowledge and practice of medicine-an accomplishment that has often proved invaluable in the thinly settled districts in which her life has been passed. She shares with her husband the love and esteem of their many acquaintances.
Of late years Mr. Crawford has been working to improve the quality of his cattle, and though he now owns only 500 head, they are, without exception, finely bred animals of short horn and Hereford strains. His residence is a commodious and pleasant one; one of those typical Southern homes which captivates one's fancy at a glance, with its large and airy rooms, lighted up with the warm sunshine by day, and with the cheerful glow from the broad fireplaces to illumine them in the twilight hours, when the first song of the whip-poor-will is being wafted by the evening breeze from the swaying branches of the live oaks without. There are three children now living at home: Irene and Alberta, two beautiful girls, who are graduates of the Cedar Bluff, Kentucky, Female College, and Simpson Crawford, Jr., who, though only twenty years of age, has a cattle brand of his own and is the possessor of quite a herd. He has inherited his father's business talent, and bids fair to become in time one of the leading stockmen of his county. There is also an elder daughter, Ida, who is the wife of J. C. Rider, a leading cattleman of the Texas Pan Handle.
Mr. Crawford has suffered severe losses in the past through security debts, in all an aggregate of $10,000; but the reverses he has encountered in this way have been powerless to impair his faith in the truth and honesty of his fellow man. Owing no man a dollar, he is yet ready to assist the needy, and his donations to public and private charities are prompt and ample. Though his locks are now touched with the frosts of age he can review the past without sorrow or regret, and look to the future with an assurance that springs from the consciousness of a well spent life. (Source: Historical and Biographical Record of the Cattle Industry and the Cattlemen of Texas by James Cox, Published by Woodward & Tiernan Printing Co, St Louis, 1895
Born in Bear Creek, Estill Co., KY, the son of Archibald Crawford b. 9 Mar 1772 in Fincastle, Botetourt Co., VA, and Margaret "Peggy" Brown b. 6 Jan 1789 in Philadelphia, PA.
He married in 1849 in KY, (1) Elizabeth Evans (buried at this cem.); they had 2 children: Laura E., and a son (both buried at this cem.).
He married on 12 Jun 1862 in Palo Pinto Co., TX, Mary Brown; they had 4 children.
~
CRAWFORD, SIMPSON
Simpson Crawford was born in Estill County, Kentucky, October 13, 1824. Archibald Crawford, his father, was a Virginian by birth, and a veteran of the old Indian wars. He was with General Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe, and saw service at different points along the border, afterwards settling down to farming and stock raising in Kentucky, where he became the owner of a large plantation, working at one time thirty slaves. He married Margaret Brown, of Pennsylvania, and was the father of thirteen children, seven boys and six girls. Simpson was the second youngest of the children, and his early youth was spent on his father's plantation, learning the lesson of industry and thrift. He had but very limited opportunities for schooling, and at the outbreak of the Mexican war enlisted in a regiment that was going direct to the front, by way of New Orleans. He was at Vera Cruz, and participated in the memorable advance to the City of Mexico, returning to Kentucky in 1848. The following year he was married to Elizabeth Evans, by whom he had two children: Sallie, now the wife of Mr. Tarkington, a citizen of Parker County, of which he has been treasurer for several years, and J. D. Crawford, who, like his father, is a well-known cattleman of West Texas.
In 1852 Mr. Crawford came to Texas and settled first in Titus County, where he bought a farm of 320 acres, and for the next three years was engaged in farming and stock raising. Then disposing of his interests there, he removed to Palo Pinto County and chose a location in the now famous Keechi Valley upon 320 acres of the "Peters Colony" land. Cattle raising was the common pursuit of the residents of that region, and Mr. Crawford engaged in it with the others, starting in with 500 head and increasing his holding as rapidly as circumstances would permit. He found a convenient market for his stock with the Indian agents, and was continually selling his fat cattle and buying young stock, making a profit on every transaction. He also farmed a great deal, and his surplus of corn and other products were always saleable to the new settlers who were flocking into the country. Mr. Crawford possessed the great advantage of being located in a typical grazing country, where there was an abundance of grass and good shelter for the cattle, and his herds increased rapidly without the necessity of giving them much care or attention. In 1859 he branded 1,000 head of calves, and in 1864, when he drove his herd to Ft. Murry, he rounded up 4,000 head of as fine cattle as then could be found in Western Texas. His cattle were in the care of a man named Thomas Mullin, and as the Indians were at that time continually making depredations upon the property of the settlers, every precaution was taken to avoid loss from this source; but in spite of all, nearly one-half of Mr. Crawford's cattle were stolen; the Indians taking 400 head of beef steers at one time.
Mr. Crawford's first wife had died in 1858, and on the 12th of June, 1862, he was married to Mrs. Mary Brown, the widow of the first citizen of Parker County, who fell a victim to Indian cruelty. She was originally a Miss Mary Tarkington, and was born in Hickman, Tennessee, February 4, 1836, and married in 1850 to John Brown, a native of Alabama. Mr. Brown first moved to Texas in 1837 and settled in Bastrop County, but the Indians became so troublesome that he was compelled to move to the eastern part of the State. He returned to the west, however, in 1855, and located in the northwestern part of Parker County, securing a good home on the land patent, and interesting himself in farming and stock raising. In the fall of 1860 the Indians made a raid upon the settlements of Jack County, killing several men, and late at night a messenger reached Mr. Brown's house, on his way to Weatherford where he hoped to secure assistance to bury the dead. Mr. Brown gave him a fresh horse, and when daylight came told his wife that he would alarm the neighbors and render what assistance he could. As he was preparing to go he turned to his wife who had lately received mail from the East, and asked her if there was any important news. She replied that South Carolina had seceded from the Union, and he turned away with the remark that in that case he would not turn between life and death; that he had served his country and had received his honorable discharge, and that in any case he was for his country and government. These were the last words he was ever heard to speak. A short time after his departure a party of sixty-five Indians surrounded the house, and the family took refuge in the upper rooms, and, as it chanced, were not disturbed, though the Indians remained at the place three-quarters of an hour and carried away thirteen head of horses belonging to Mr. Brown. At last, hearing what she thought to be the rattle of her husband's bridle chain, Mrs. Brown ventured out upon the veranda, in time to see the Indians ride away, and two of the last turned and shot at her with arrows, one of them passing through her hair. Shortly afterwards two shots were heard, which were probably those that killed Mr. Brown. The Indians met him as they were departing, and a terrible struggle must have ensued. His body was found one day later, lying by a tree, three-fourths of a mile from the house, and though he had nothing in the way of arms save a knife, it was plain to see that he made a gallant fight for his life, and it is supposed that he killed an Indian, as the body of one was found concealed some distance away, and had in all probability wounded others. Mr. Brown was a man of education and intelligence, and if his life had been spared would have doubtless become one of the leading citizens of Western Texas. He was the father of five children, three of whom died young. Of those who are yet living, F. J. Brown is a prosperous farmer at Seymour, Texas, and Anna E. is the wife of A. M. Lasater, of Palo Pinto County.
After his marriage with Mrs. Brown, Simpson Crawford continued in the active management of his farm and cattle herds until 1870, when he sold his cattle to Charles Rivers, the stipulated price being $l5,000, but he received in the outcome only $10,000. Again taking up the business of buying and selling, his holdings of cattle rapidly increased until, in 1883, he had quite a large herd collected, which he was holding in King County, but he again sold, this time to his son and step-son, J. D. Crawford and Joseph Brown. With the $10,000 received for this herd he purchased land, and at the present time is the owner of 3,100 acres of the most desirable farm lands in Keechi Valley, The soil is rich, and in its natural state coated with a rank growth of mesquite grass. There is an abundance of timber and water, and in every respect it is an ideal location.
Mr. Crawford's life has been a remarkably active one and full of incident. During the war he was connected with a ranger company, and the adventures which befell him during this period would fill a volume of themselves. He is a man who makes many friends and retains the respect and confidence of all who know him, and his long years of residence in Palo Pinto County have served to make him one of the best known and highly respected of its citizens. Mrs. Crawford is a lady remarkable alike for the kindness of her heart and the diversity of her accomplishments. Her life has been marked by constant study, and, self-taught, she has perfected herself in the knowledge and practice of medicine-an accomplishment that has often proved invaluable in the thinly settled districts in which her life has been passed. She shares with her husband the love and esteem of their many acquaintances.
Of late years Mr. Crawford has been working to improve the quality of his cattle, and though he now owns only 500 head, they are, without exception, finely bred animals of short horn and Hereford strains. His residence is a commodious and pleasant one; one of those typical Southern homes which captivates one's fancy at a glance, with its large and airy rooms, lighted up with the warm sunshine by day, and with the cheerful glow from the broad fireplaces to illumine them in the twilight hours, when the first song of the whip-poor-will is being wafted by the evening breeze from the swaying branches of the live oaks without. There are three children now living at home: Irene and Alberta, two beautiful girls, who are graduates of the Cedar Bluff, Kentucky, Female College, and Simpson Crawford, Jr., who, though only twenty years of age, has a cattle brand of his own and is the possessor of quite a herd. He has inherited his father's business talent, and bids fair to become in time one of the leading stockmen of his county. There is also an elder daughter, Ida, who is the wife of J. C. Rider, a leading cattleman of the Texas Pan Handle.
Mr. Crawford has suffered severe losses in the past through security debts, in all an aggregate of $10,000; but the reverses he has encountered in this way have been powerless to impair his faith in the truth and honesty of his fellow man. Owing no man a dollar, he is yet ready to assist the needy, and his donations to public and private charities are prompt and ample. Though his locks are now touched with the frosts of age he can review the past without sorrow or regret, and look to the future with an assurance that springs from the consciousness of a well spent life. (Source: Historical and Biographical Record of the Cattle Industry and the Cattlemen of Texas by James Cox, Published by Woodward & Tiernan Printing Co, St Louis, 1895
He married in 1849 in KY, (1) Elizabeth Evans (buried at this cem.); they had 2 children: Laura E., and a son (both buried at this cem.).
He married on 12 Jun 1862 in Palo Pinto Co., TX, Mary Brown; they had 4 children.
~
CRAWFORD, SIMPSON
Simpson Crawford was born in Estill County, Kentucky, October 13, 1824. Archibald Crawford, his father, was a Virginian by birth, and a veteran of the old Indian wars. He was with General Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe, and saw service at different points along the border, afterwards settling down to farming and stock raising in Kentucky, where he became the owner of a large plantation, working at one time thirty slaves. He married Margaret Brown, of Pennsylvania, and was the father of thirteen children, seven boys and six girls. Simpson was the second youngest of the children, and his early youth was spent on his father's plantation, learning the lesson of industry and thrift. He had but very limited opportunities for schooling, and at the outbreak of the Mexican war enlisted in a regiment that was going direct to the front, by way of New Orleans. He was at Vera Cruz, and participated in the memorable advance to the City of Mexico, returning to Kentucky in 1848. The following year he was married to Elizabeth Evans, by whom he had two children: Sallie, now the wife of Mr. Tarkington, a citizen of Parker County, of which he has been treasurer for several years, and J. D. Crawford, who, like his father, is a well-known cattleman of West Texas.
In 1852 Mr. Crawford came to Texas and settled first in Titus County, where he bought a farm of 320 acres, and for the next three years was engaged in farming and stock raising. Then disposing of his interests there, he removed to Palo Pinto County and chose a location in the now famous Keechi Valley upon 320 acres of the "Peters Colony" land. Cattle raising was the common pursuit of the residents of that region, and Mr. Crawford engaged in it with the others, starting in with 500 head and increasing his holding as rapidly as circumstances would permit. He found a convenient market for his stock with the Indian agents, and was continually selling his fat cattle and buying young stock, making a profit on every transaction. He also farmed a great deal, and his surplus of corn and other products were always saleable to the new settlers who were flocking into the country. Mr. Crawford possessed the great advantage of being located in a typical grazing country, where there was an abundance of grass and good shelter for the cattle, and his herds increased rapidly without the necessity of giving them much care or attention. In 1859 he branded 1,000 head of calves, and in 1864, when he drove his herd to Ft. Murry, he rounded up 4,000 head of as fine cattle as then could be found in Western Texas. His cattle were in the care of a man named Thomas Mullin, and as the Indians were at that time continually making depredations upon the property of the settlers, every precaution was taken to avoid loss from this source; but in spite of all, nearly one-half of Mr. Crawford's cattle were stolen; the Indians taking 400 head of beef steers at one time.
Mr. Crawford's first wife had died in 1858, and on the 12th of June, 1862, he was married to Mrs. Mary Brown, the widow of the first citizen of Parker County, who fell a victim to Indian cruelty. She was originally a Miss Mary Tarkington, and was born in Hickman, Tennessee, February 4, 1836, and married in 1850 to John Brown, a native of Alabama. Mr. Brown first moved to Texas in 1837 and settled in Bastrop County, but the Indians became so troublesome that he was compelled to move to the eastern part of the State. He returned to the west, however, in 1855, and located in the northwestern part of Parker County, securing a good home on the land patent, and interesting himself in farming and stock raising. In the fall of 1860 the Indians made a raid upon the settlements of Jack County, killing several men, and late at night a messenger reached Mr. Brown's house, on his way to Weatherford where he hoped to secure assistance to bury the dead. Mr. Brown gave him a fresh horse, and when daylight came told his wife that he would alarm the neighbors and render what assistance he could. As he was preparing to go he turned to his wife who had lately received mail from the East, and asked her if there was any important news. She replied that South Carolina had seceded from the Union, and he turned away with the remark that in that case he would not turn between life and death; that he had served his country and had received his honorable discharge, and that in any case he was for his country and government. These were the last words he was ever heard to speak. A short time after his departure a party of sixty-five Indians surrounded the house, and the family took refuge in the upper rooms, and, as it chanced, were not disturbed, though the Indians remained at the place three-quarters of an hour and carried away thirteen head of horses belonging to Mr. Brown. At last, hearing what she thought to be the rattle of her husband's bridle chain, Mrs. Brown ventured out upon the veranda, in time to see the Indians ride away, and two of the last turned and shot at her with arrows, one of them passing through her hair. Shortly afterwards two shots were heard, which were probably those that killed Mr. Brown. The Indians met him as they were departing, and a terrible struggle must have ensued. His body was found one day later, lying by a tree, three-fourths of a mile from the house, and though he had nothing in the way of arms save a knife, it was plain to see that he made a gallant fight for his life, and it is supposed that he killed an Indian, as the body of one was found concealed some distance away, and had in all probability wounded others. Mr. Brown was a man of education and intelligence, and if his life had been spared would have doubtless become one of the leading citizens of Western Texas. He was the father of five children, three of whom died young. Of those who are yet living, F. J. Brown is a prosperous farmer at Seymour, Texas, and Anna E. is the wife of A. M. Lasater, of Palo Pinto County.
After his marriage with Mrs. Brown, Simpson Crawford continued in the active management of his farm and cattle herds until 1870, when he sold his cattle to Charles Rivers, the stipulated price being $l5,000, but he received in the outcome only $10,000. Again taking up the business of buying and selling, his holdings of cattle rapidly increased until, in 1883, he had quite a large herd collected, which he was holding in King County, but he again sold, this time to his son and step-son, J. D. Crawford and Joseph Brown. With the $10,000 received for this herd he purchased land, and at the present time is the owner of 3,100 acres of the most desirable farm lands in Keechi Valley, The soil is rich, and in its natural state coated with a rank growth of mesquite grass. There is an abundance of timber and water, and in every respect it is an ideal location.
Mr. Crawford's life has been a remarkably active one and full of incident. During the war he was connected with a ranger company, and the adventures which befell him during this period would fill a volume of themselves. He is a man who makes many friends and retains the respect and confidence of all who know him, and his long years of residence in Palo Pinto County have served to make him one of the best known and highly respected of its citizens. Mrs. Crawford is a lady remarkable alike for the kindness of her heart and the diversity of her accomplishments. Her life has been marked by constant study, and, self-taught, she has perfected herself in the knowledge and practice of medicine-an accomplishment that has often proved invaluable in the thinly settled districts in which her life has been passed. She shares with her husband the love and esteem of their many acquaintances.
Of late years Mr. Crawford has been working to improve the quality of his cattle, and though he now owns only 500 head, they are, without exception, finely bred animals of short horn and Hereford strains. His residence is a commodious and pleasant one; one of those typical Southern homes which captivates one's fancy at a glance, with its large and airy rooms, lighted up with the warm sunshine by day, and with the cheerful glow from the broad fireplaces to illumine them in the twilight hours, when the first song of the whip-poor-will is being wafted by the evening breeze from the swaying branches of the live oaks without. There are three children now living at home: Irene and Alberta, two beautiful girls, who are graduates of the Cedar Bluff, Kentucky, Female College, and Simpson Crawford, Jr., who, though only twenty years of age, has a cattle brand of his own and is the possessor of quite a herd. He has inherited his father's business talent, and bids fair to become in time one of the leading stockmen of his county. There is also an elder daughter, Ida, who is the wife of J. C. Rider, a leading cattleman of the Texas Pan Handle.
Mr. Crawford has suffered severe losses in the past through security debts, in all an aggregate of $10,000; but the reverses he has encountered in this way have been powerless to impair his faith in the truth and honesty of his fellow man. Owing no man a dollar, he is yet ready to assist the needy, and his donations to public and private charities are prompt and ample. Though his locks are now touched with the frosts of age he can review the past without sorrow or regret, and look to the future with an assurance that springs from the consciousness of a well spent life. (Source: Historical and Biographical Record of the Cattle Industry and the Cattlemen of Texas by James Cox, Published by Woodward & Tiernan Printing Co, St Louis, 1895
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