Thomas Crawford
b. 12 April 1817 in Benton, Polk County, Arkansas
d. 17 August 1859 in Searcy, Arkansas
Thomas Crawford'
s family had been early settlers to the America's.
His great-grandfather Alexander Crawford arrived about 1736 from
Clydesdale, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Alexander Crawford first settled in
Pennsylvania but the family moved on and became one of the early
settlers in Augusta County, Virginia, about 1740. Alexander and his
wife Mary farmed in Buffalo Gap, Augusta, Virginia and were
massacred by Shawnee Indians, though their children survived by
virtue of not being home at the time.
Thomas Crawford's grandfather Samuel Crawford was a
Revolutionary War patriot for Virginia. Though he was born in
Virginia, after the war he ended up in the Knoxville area of
Tennessee.
Thomas Crawford himself was a farmer in Polk County, Tennessee.
He married Amanda Cate in 1839 when he was 22 and she only 17.
They had 12 children. Three of their girls and a boy died as children
in Tennessee. The family moved to Marion County, Arkansas by
1857.
Only two years after the move to Arkansas,Thomas died in Searcy in
August 1859 at age 42. He left wife Amanda with 8 surviving children
to provide for, the youngest age 3.
The Civil War broke out not long after Thomas's death and claimed 3
more of the boys - (Thomas Jefferson, William H, and John B.) in the
years 1863 and 1864. They all were in the 1st Cavalry, Arkansas for
the Union. Two are buried in the National Cemetery at Fayetteville.
The third (John B.) has an unknown burial place. He was wounded at
Searcy and was killed after surrendering (may have died of his
wounds).
By 1865, only wife Amanda and 5 children remained.
