Proposing Merger

Have you ever looked at two different family groups and wondered if they were the same? As I’m trying to research the descendants of Alexander and Margaret (McElwee) Crawford, I’m struggling with their probable grandson, Jones A. Crawford, and his family.

The FamilySearch profile for Alexander’s son John Andrew Crawford includes two sons named Jones A. Crawford. Lt. Jones A. Crawford is shown with two wives: Mary A Fish and Amanda Lawrence Wilson with children identified for both wives.

• Children of Mary A Fish and Jones A. Crawford
  • John Crawford (1854-?)
  • Jones A. Crawford (1856-1925)
  • Mary Mollie Crawford (1858-1901)
• Children of Amanda Lawrence Wilson and Jones A. Crawford
  • Josiah Crawford (1868-?)
  • Emma Crawford (1870-?)
  • Charles Henry Crawford (1872-1948)

I’ve been able to find some records to support both of these families.

The 1860 census for Lincoln County, Kentucky includes the following household:

• Johnes Crawford, age 26 born in Kentucky
• Mary F. Crawford age 25 born in Kentucky
• John Crawford age 6 born in Kentucky
• Mary Crawford age 2 born in Kentucky

Missing from the above census record is Jones A. Crawford (born 1856). However, there is a 4 year old James Crawford in the household of John and Mary Fish. John and Mary are likely the parents of Mary Fish Crawford.

In 1870, the Mary Fish household includes two Crawford children: James, aged 14 and Mary, aged 11.

While I can’t explain why these Crawford children were living in the FISH household, I believe they are the children of Jones A. Crawford and his wife Mary Fish. However, I’m still searching for records connecting John and Mary Fish to the Crawford children.

The 1870 census for Laclede County, Missouri includes the following household:

• Jones Crawford, age 36 born in Kentucky
• Amanda Crawford, age 22 born in Kentucky
• John Crawford, age 15 born in Kentucky
• Josiah Crawford, age 2 born in Kentucky
• Emma Crawford, age 4/12 born in Missouri

This census record supports the family of Jones Crawford and Amanda Wilson.

The profile for the second Jones A Crawford is based on one source: an 1880 census record for Marion County, Arkansas. This record includes the following in the household:

• Jones A. Crawford, age 45 head of household born in Missouri
• Adeline Crawford, 35 year old wife born in Missouri
• Joseph Crawford 12 year old son born in Missouri
• Charles Crawford 8 year old son born in Missouri
• Sarah Briggs 15 year old step-daughter born in Arkansas

This census record could be the family of Jones A. Crawford.

• Charles is the correct age
• Joseph could easily be Josiah and is the correct age

However, there are some discrepancies.

• Jones’ wife in 1880 is identified as Adeline while the name is Amanda in 1870
• The birth locations are different.
• Emma is missing.

The missing Emma is found in the household of her half sister, Mary Crawford and her husband Reuben Brown.

Thus, I believe these two Jones A. Crawford profiles on FamilySearch are for the same man.

• Amanda could have had a middle name of Adeline
• Amanda could have died and Jonas married for a third time

Unfortunately, the profile for Jonas’ wife, Amanda Wilson indicates she died in May 1916 in Alabama. While these Crawford families seemed to move a lot, it was mostly between Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. So far, I haven’t found anything connecting them to Alabama. Thus, I started searching for records that support unattaching Find a Grave source for Amanda Lawrence Wilson. I was able to find an obituary in The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama) that indicates Amanda Wilson was not married.

Thus, this Find a Grave record is for a different Amanda Wilson. Without the Find a Grave record, there is no source for Amanda Crawford’s death. Thus, it is possible that she died prior to the 1880 census and that Jonas Crawford married for a third time.

I will merge these two men in my tree. However, I will wait to locate additional sourcing before merging them on FamilySearch. In the meantime, I will post a note suggesting the possible merger.