CRAWFORD, Isaac

CRAWFORD, MOORE, NEWLAND, TOWNER, SEWRIGHT, WALLING, DAVIS, DARBY, ARMENT

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 1/29/2011 at 15:50:03

Isaac Crawford has been a resident of Mitchell county for fifty-four years and has contributed in notable measure to its growth and development. He was not only closely associated with its farming interests but he was also the promoter of the first cooperative creamery in the state and thus instituted an enterprise which has been of great value to the business interests of Iowa. Other business affairs have prospered by his cooperation and in the management of his personal interests he has won substantial success that now enables him to enjoy all of the comforts and some of the luxuries of life.

While he now lives retired, he still makes his home upon his farm on section 10, West Lincoln Iowa, when his son Isaac was nineteen years of age, and with the exception of two years passed in Mitchell county, James Crawford continued a resident of Allamakee county until his death, which occurred about 1872. He always followed general farming and in the winter months, when the work of the farm was largely over, he gave his attention to broom making. He was also greatly interested in community affairs and willingly cooperated in plans and measures for the public good. He was reared in the Quaker faith. In early manhood he married Charlotte Arment, a native of Pennsylvania, who died about 1850. They were the parents of nine children: Thomas A., Benjamin F., James and Elisha, all of whom are deceased; Isaac, of this review; Mary A. and Phoebe J., who have also passed away; Sarah, who is a resident of Woodbury county, Iowa; and Nelson, living in Whittemore, Iowa.

Isaac Crawford, whose name introduces this review, was reared at Hagerstown, Indiana, and is indebted to its public school system for the educational opportunities which he enjoyed. At the age of sixteen years he started out in life on his own account and he came west to Iowa with his father when nineteen years of age, after which he lived upon the old homestead farm in Allamakee county for four years.

In 1858 Mr. Crawford was united in marriage to Miss Elmira Newland, a native of Erie county, New York, born in 1834, and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Newland, both of whom have long since passed away. They, too, became residents of Iowa, settling in Mitchell county, but after a short time the mother died and the father returned to New York, where he continued until called to the home beyond. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Crawford there were eight children: Frederick H., Frank E. and George W., who are engaged in farming in Mitchell county; Mrs. Phoebe Towner, living in Osage; Mrs. Lottie Davis, who makes her home in Floyd county; Mrs. Lillian Walling; Mrs. Beatrice Sewright; and Ella, deceased. The mother of these children died January 11, 1886, and on the 7th of May, 1898, Mr. Crawford married Mrs. Mary Moore, who is the youngest in a family of ten children. She was born in Lake county, Illinois, and is a daughter of Edward and Marriet Darby. By occupation her father was a farmer.

Following his marriage Mr. Crawford removed to Clayton county, Iowa, where he resided for four years and in 1864 came to Mitchell county, where he has since made his home. He settled in West Lincoln township and has devoted his life to general agricultural pursuits, cultivating as high as four hundred acres of land at a time. About 1910, however, he gave up active farming, his son George now cultivating the old homestead. Mr. Crawford was one of the organ­izers of the first cooperative creamery in the state of Iowa and thus took the initial step in a work that has been steadily carried forward, there being at least one hundred cooperative creameries in the state at the present time. Mr. Crawford managed the creamery for six years after its organization. It was located in the town of Orchard and he placed it upon a substantial paying basis. He was also one of the organizers of the Farmers' Mutual Life Insurance Com­pany of Mitchell county, being one of two men still living in the county who attended its first meeting.

He served as a director of the insurance company for many years, resigning only in 1915. This organization was the outgrowth of the Grange and Mr. Crawford was one of the organizers of the first Grange in Mitchell county, of which he served as the secretary. He was likewise one of the organizers of the West Lincoln Farmers' Club, which was probably the first club formed in Mitchell county. Mr. Crawford has thus been very active in many local enterprises which have led to the upbuilding and development of the county, and to the promotion of the interests of its people.

In politics he is independent and for two or three terms served as township trustee. His aid and influence have ever been on the side of progress and improvement and his work has been of great worth to his community and to his section of the state. His life has indeed been a busy and useful one and he now receives the respect and veneration which should ever be accorded one of his years.

Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1918. Vol. II, Pages 318-320.