Husband William Reid Crawford 1 2 3
Born: 28 Jun 1827 - Perry Twp, Armstrong Co, PA 1 4
Christened:
Died: 19 Jul 1905 5
Buried: 12 Jul 1905 - Franklin Cemetery, Franklin, Venango Co, PA 6
Father: Ebenezer Crawford (1789-1859) 3 7 8
Mother: Jannette Grant (1789-1877) 8
Marriage: 15 May 1851 4
• Residence: : Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
Wife Jane Kerr 1 3 9
Born: - Scrubgrass Twp, Venango Co, PA
Christened:
Died: 1902 5
Buried: 14 Feb 1902 - Franklin Cemetery, Franklin, Venango Co, PA 6
Father: Thomas P. Kerr (1793-1857) 1 10 11 12
Mother: Isabella Craig (1801-Bef 1879) 1 11 13
Children
1 F Zelia E. Crawford
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: John Gill ( - )
2 F Jessie Benton Crawford 14
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Robert McCalmont (1859- ) 15
3 M John Kerr Crawford
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
4 F Jennie June Crawford
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
5 M Lewis L. Crawford
Born: Abt Jan 1853
Christened:
Died: 4 Apr 1857
Buried: - Scrubgrass Stone Church Cemetery, Scrubgrass Twp, Venango Co, PA 16
Spouse: Did Not Marry
6 F Dora Jeannette Crawford
Born: Cal 28 Feb 1857
Christened:
Died: 26 Mar 1858
Buried: - Scrubgrass Stone Church Cemetery, Scrubgrass Twp, Venango Co, PA 16
Spouse: Did Not Marry
7 M [Infant] Crawford
Born: Cal 31 Dec 1868
Christened:
Died: 17 Feb 1869
Buried: - Scrubgrass Stone Church Cemetery, Scrubgrass Twp, Venango Co, PA 16
General Notes: Husband - William Reid Crawford
He and his brothers John P., Ebenezer, Robert J. and Samuel W., went to California in 1850, making the journey overland. All returned safely, pursued trades, became merchants and were large owners of oil and gas lands.
Like his father, he was a farmer. In 1854, he went to California, via Panama, and remained a year. On his return he again resumed his old avocation, and after residing on a tract of land which he purchased in Scrubgrass township for nine years, he removed to Franklin. He was among the first oil operators on the river. He organized the “Big Bend Oil Company,” (60 members,) the first to sink a well on the river below Franklin. They drilled three hundred and sixty-five feet with a spring pole; then secured horse power and sank the well to a depth of 560 feet, and then lost the tools. After drilling nineteen wells he struck the No. 5 at Coal City, which flowed 140 barrels. It flowed over a year, and at the end of the year it produced 40 barrels. He was interested in 150 wells. His most noted well was the “Big Injun,” in the “Bullion District.” It was struck on the first of June, 1877, and flowed 4,375 barrels per day for several weeks. This was the most noted well ever known in the region. It was flowing for three months, and then was pumped. Six months after it began flowing it pumped 100 barrels per day. A year after, it was producing 30 barrels per day. [HVC 1879, 493]
He was reared on the old homestead, and received a limited education in the schools of his neighborhood. He followed farming up to the spring of 1853, and then went to California, where he spent about fifteen months in the gold mines. Returning to his home in 1854, he removed to Scrubgrass township, Venango county, and was engaged in farming about ten years. In March, 1865, he located in Franklin and engaged in oil operating, which he followed up to taking office as sheriff in January, 1887. Politically Mr. Crawford was an ardent Republican, served three terms as mayor of Franklin, and also in the council and school board of the city. In November, 1886, he was elected sheriff of Venango county, and filled the office until January, 1890. He was a member of the Masonic order many years. [HVC 1890, 819]