Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/52

 CRAWFORD

CRAWFORD

been modeled in Rome and cast in bronze at Munich. His " Liberty "' surmounts the dome of the national cajntol at AV;ii>hington; his bronze doors on which are depicted scenes from the public life of 'Washington, ojten the way from the rotunda to the senate chamber, and his marble i>ediment illustrating the " progre.ss of Ann'rican civiliz-ition and the ileca<lence of the Indian races" decorates the tymi)anum of the senate extension, and are tributes i)ai<l to his g -nius by American legislators. In 18.)6 iie was a llicted with blindne.ss and died in London, iinirland. 0.<t. 10. 1 **■■):.

CRAWFORD, Thomas Hartley, representa- tive, was lK»rn in Cliambersburg. Va.. Nov. 14, 1786. He was graduated at t!ie College of New Jersey in 18<)4 and was admitted to the bar in 1807, practising at Chambersl)urg, Pa. He was a representative in the '-1st and 2'2d congresses, 1829-33, and was a state legisbitor in 1833-34. In 1836 he was appointed by President Jackson to investigate alieged frauds in the purcha.se of the Creek Indian reservation. He was commis- sioner of Indian affairs, 1838-45, and was judge of the criminal court of the District of Columbia, l,H46-r.:!. He died in "Washington, Jan. 27, 1863.

CRAWFORD, William, representative, was l>orn in Paisley, Scotland,^ in 1760. He was brought to America by his parents, was gradu- ated from the College of New Jersey in 1781 and took his M.D. degree at the University of Edin- burgli in 1791. He then returned to the United States and settled near Gettysburg, Pa., in 1795. He was associate judge of Adams county and a rejiresentative in the llth-14th congre.sses, 1809-1:. He .lied in A.lams county, Pa., in 1823.

CRAWFORD, William Harris, statesman, was born in Amlierst county, Va., Feb 24, 1772. He was taken by his parents to Edgefield dis- trict. S.C., in 1779, and to Columbia county, Ga., in 1783. He received a fair education under the tuition of Dr. Mo.ses Waddell, in wlicse cla.ssical school he also taught, and he was a tutor in Rich- mond academy, Augusta, (ia., for two years, at the same time studying law. He was admitted to the bar in 1799 and located in Lexington, Ga., where he shortly afterward prepared the first dige.st of the laws of Georgia. He served in the state senate, 180;j-06, and was elected to the U.S. senate in 1807, to succeed Senator George Jones, and filled out the unexpired term of Senator Baldwin. He was re-elected for a full term in 1811. On March 24, 1812, he was elected presi- dent pro tempore of the senate. He favored the United States bank, and the war with Great Britain. In 1813 President Madi.son offered him the portfolio of war, which he declined. The President then sent him as U.S. minister to France where he enjoyed the personal friendship

of Liifayette. In 1^15 he returned to America and was apix)inted secretary of war, succeeding James Monroe, and in 1816 on the retirement of Secretary Dallas from the cabinet as secretary of the treasury, President Madison appointed Mr. Crawford to the vacancj". On the accession of James Monroe to the presidency Mr. Crawford's services in the treasury department were re- tained and he lield the position during the two administrations of Monroe. In 1824 he was a candidate for the presidency as an exponent of the policy of Jefferson. His pronounced views as a strict con.structionist divided the Republican party and engendered the opposition of Mr. Cal- houn, who was the vice-presidential candidate. Andrew Jackson. John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay, all Republicans, were also presidential can- didates. Mr. Crawford had received the nomi- nation of a congressional caucus in February, 1824. The electors chosen in November, gave Andrew Jackson, 99 votes; John Quincy Adams, 84; Henry Clay, 37, and William H. Crawford. 41 for President, and John C. Calhoun, 182 for vice-president. There being no choice for Presi- dent the election was thrown in the house of representatives, where through the machinations of New York politicians, together with the influ- ence of Henry Clay, who was not a candidate before the house, John Quincy Adams secured the election. After his retirement Mr. Crawford wrote a letter from Georgia, in which he stated that Calhoun, when serving as secretary of war in Monroe's cabinet, in 1817, had proposed that General Jackson's conduct of the Florida war be investigated. This letter fell into the hands of Senator Van Buren, who showed it to Jack.son and thus defeated the hopes of Calhoun who was ambitious to become Jackson's successor. Van Buren became President and earned the sobriquet of " the old fox," but in 1844 Calhoun seized his opportunity and repaid Van Buren for his perfidy. Mr. Crawford on his return to Georgia served as circuit judge, 1827-34. His course as secretary of the treasury was criticised by his political oppo- nents and was made the subject of congressional investigation, but the committee, which included Daniel Webster and John Randolph, unanimously declared the charge unfounded. He was mar- ried to Miss Gardine. Mr. Crawford fought two duels, in one of which he killed his opix)nent and in the other he wa.s himself woimded. The Uni- versity of Georgia gave him the degree of LL.D. in 1824. He died in Ellx^rt county, Ga., while on his circuit. Sejit. I"), 1^:54.

CRAWFORD, William Henry, educator, was born in Will county. 111., Oct. 6, 1855; son of Jolm and Lucy Jane (Graves) Crawford. He was graduated at Northwestern university and at the Garrett Biblical institute in 1884. He