In the history of families as well as nations, there are peculiar and marked characteristics which preserve an individual type, having its origin perhaps in a remote ancestry. For an illustration of the truth of this observation we refer to the native genius which seems to be almost "part and parcel" of the history of the Crawford family. This peculiar and leading trait is a natural gift for invention and mechanism, and has displayed itself in a number of instances and at different times. Mr. Crawford's father, Josiah W. Crawford, was a natural mechanic, millwright, gunsmith, and wheelwright. He preceded Mr. Ross of Ohio in the invention of the celebrated Ross water wheel, but neglecting to apply immediately for a patent, Mr. Ross subsequently invented the same wheel and secured the patent.

Josiah Crawford was born in Warren county, Kentucky, in 1802, where he was raised, and where also he married Miss Lydia, daughter of Henry Sears. Mr. Crawford came to Illinois in 1822 and settled near Vandalia, the former capital of the state. About 1824 he moved into that part of Sangamon county, now forming Menard, and located near the present town of Petersburg. He afterwards moved to Mason county, and finally to Fulton county, where he died October 3, 1863, in the town of Cuba, where he was engaged in his duties as a Christian minister. He was a preacher of the Christian Church for a period of some thirty years. His wife is still living, now in the 72d year of her age.

They raised six children, Henry P., John B., Josiah W., Joseph A., Mrs. Elizabeth (Isaac) Willey, and Mrs. Harriet (Royal) Hudspeth. Of these the Doctor Joseph of the city of Peoria, Elizabeth of Hancock county, Harriet of Cass county, Iowa, are the only children of this family now living. Rachel and William died in minority.

The sons were all natural mechanics like their father, and those now living are well-to-do in life. The Doctor is well located on a good farm of some 100 acres, in Kilbourne township, and has a large practice as a physician, in which he has been very successful. He took his first lessons in medicine during boyhood, under Dr. Chandler, one of the first physicians of Cass county. For the lack of sufficient means he could not push up his reading with rapidity, but devoted all his spare time to books treating on the profession. In 1853 he commenced a course of reading under Dr. Mastick of Mason county. In about a year his preceptor died, and, by request, Dr. Haughton succeeded in his practice, under whom Dr. Crawford continued his course for about two years, when, at the suggestion of his preceptor, he commenced practice for himself, which was continued up to the time of the breaking out of the Rebellion.

In 1861, under the second call of the Federal government for troops, he entered the Union service. He was elected first lieutenant of his company, was afterwards appointed quartermaster of his regiment, and was afterwards elected to the captaincy of his company. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Cold Water Station, Miss., and fell into the hands of the Confederate general, Chalmer. He was sent as a prisoner of war to Richmond, Va.; he remained a prisoner some eighteen months, and was altogether in five military prisons. For fourteen of the eighteen months he acted on the petition of the captured Federal officers, and by the permission of the Confederate surgeon, in the capacity of assistant surgeon. And so well and faithfully did he perform his duty, that after a general parole and exchange of prisoners there was tendered to him a $3,000 medical library, in connection with a vote of thanks, as a slight token of appreciation for his labors. The testimonial was participated in by 1,465 released officers and soldiers. The gift of the library he declined as savoring of pay for his services, but the vote of thanks was published in all the leading journals of the North.

He returned home on leave of absence in December, 1864, but remained in active duty till the close of the war in 1865. He spent the winter of 1866 and '67 in Rush Medical College, of Chicago, completing his medical course. The following spring he returned home and reengaged in his practice, in which he has been employed ever since as one of the most successful practitioners of his county. In an important sense he is self-made, and his life shows what a poor boy can achieve when determined on usefulness and success. He yet is a diligent student, thought now in the 53d year of his age.

The Doctor was born August 22, 1822, in Bond county, Illinois. May 3, 1846, he married Miss Ruth Lane, daughter of Richard and Ruth (Drake) Lane, formerly of Tennessee. Mr. Lane was a colonel in the war of 1812 and served under General Jackson.

Mr. Crawford and wife have been blessed with four obedient and amiable children, all of whom, with their parents, belong to the Baptist Church. Their names and dates of birth are as follows: Josiah W., born January 5, 1850; Cicero A., December 31, 1853; Philander T., January 3, 1856; and Miss Melissa D., April 12, 1860. Rachel, Jordan R., Elisa L., and Rosette died when young. The two eldest sons are married and settled in Mason county, near the home place.

The Crawford family is Scotch-English in descent. The ancestry were in this country some time before the Revolutionary war, during which they were active patriots. Colonel Crawford, mentioned in history as massacred by the Indians, was of this lineage. Charles Crawford, the Doctor's grandfather, was a Continental soldier throughout the whole struggle of the colonies for independence. He was a native of the state of Virginia, but moved to Kentucky late in life, where he died. James, William, John, Isaiah, Josiah and Abel are the names of his sons. John, Abel and James were in the war of 1812. John is yet living, and has been over forty years a prominent clergyman of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He has three sons, also ministers of the same order. True to the family trait, they are all mechanics and men of the most excellent reputation.

Politically, Mr. Crawford was rocked in the cradle of Democracy. He now stands identified with the Grange organization, and was a charter member of the first lodge for his county, and was elected lecturer by the first county council.

The Doctor is a partaker also of the hereditary genius of his ancestry and does "cunning work in wood." He has now on hand a model wheat drill, corn planter, and a new water wheel adapted to and run by hydraulic pressure. They will doubtless become popular when patented and known to the public.



Maintained by Mason County Coordinator Donna Mayer