Do you ever feel like you are putting together a jigsaw puzzle when researching in a new area? That’s the feeling I have as I’m trying to research the descendants of Alexander Crawford and his wife Margaret McElwee. Since this family did not follow the same migration path as my James Crawford research, I’m venturing into new research territory.
While working the hints for James Madison Crawford, one of Alexander’s grandsons, I was puzzled by an 1850 census record hint for Andrew county, Missouri. Alexander’s line is found in Pulaski and Rockcastle counties Kentucky. Several of the lines I’ve already researched did migrate to Missouri and other points west. However, James Madison Crawford died in Rockcastle Kentucky. Thus, I’m not sure about this 1850 Andrew County Missouri census record showing a James Crawford and wife Mary of the appropriate ages.
So I started digging thru land records for Andrew county to see if I could find a deed that would connect the James Crawford of Missouri to the James Crawford of Kentucky. So far, I’ve only found a deed for the sale by James and Mary Crawford of over 300 acres of land in Andrew County in 1856.
Andrew County, Missouri
Deed Records, 1841-1900Deed records v. 6-7 1855-1858
Film 1006153 DGS 8197311Vol. 6 page 335
This deed made and entered into this fifth day of May in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred
and fifty six by and between James Crawford and Mary Crawford his wife of the county
of Andrew and State of Missouri of the first part and David Butcher of the county of
Rockcastle and State of Kentucky of the second part witnesseth that the said parties
of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of four thousand one hundred
dollars to them in hand paid by the said party of the second part the receipt
whereof is hereby confessed and acknowledged have given granted bargained
and sold and by these presents do give, grant, bargain, sell convey and
confirm unto the said party of the second part and to his heirs and assigns
forever two certain tracts pieces parcels of and lying and being in the County
of Andrews and State of Missouri, to wit: the southwest quarter of section six
(6) in township fifty nine (59) of Range thirty four (34) containing one hun
dred and forty six acres and 88/100 of an acre and also the southwest quarter
of section eight (8) in the same township and range containing 160 acres
more or less and in both tracts 306 88/100 acres more or less to have and to the said
tracts, pieces or parcels of land with the privileges and appertenances thereto
belonging or in any wise appertaining unto him the said party of the second
part and to his heirs and assigns forever, and the said party of the first part
for themselves their heirs executors and administrators do covenant and
agree that they will warrant and forever defend title to the said tracts pieces or
parcels of land and every par thereof unto him the said party of the second
part his heirs and assigns against the lawful claim or claims of all per
sons whatsoever In testimony whereof the said parties of the first part
have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first herein written
James Crawford (seal)
Mary Crawford (seal)State of Missouri
County of Andrew
Be it remembered that on this sixth day of May in
the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and fifty six before me Hugh Mc
Cafferty a Justice of peace within and for the county aforesaid personally
appeared James Crawford and Mary Crawford his wife who are
personally known to me to be the persons whose names are subscribed
to the within and foregoing deed as parties thereto and severally acknowl
edged the same to be their act and deed for the uses and purposes therein
mentioned, and she the said Mary Crawford being by me first made
acquainted with the contents of said deed and examined separate
and apart from her husband acknowledged as such examination
that she executed the same and relinquished his dower in the real estate
therein mentioned freely and without ocmpulsion or undue influence
of her said husband given under my hand day and year first above
written
Hugh McCafferty Justice of the Peace
received for record 8th of May 1856
Recorder
While trying to figure out whether this information is for the James Madison Crawford I’m researching, I remembered that the 1860 census from Rockcastle county, Kentucky indicates his two oldest children were born in Missouri. While that doesn’t prove they were in ANDREW COUNTY, it does support the family living in Missouri.
This census record also indicates the family was back in Kentucky by 1860.
Since James Crawford sold a farm referred to as the ‘old Hiatt farm’ in 1900, I’m guessing the family may have returned to Kentucky to help James’ father-in-law, William Peasley Hiatt, on his farm.
Unfortunately, I still need more information connecting the Andrew County Crawford family to the Rockcastle County, Kentucky family. And I had already read a comment on a post on the Rockcastle County KY History and Genealogy Facebook group that supports the connection.
This is from a few years ago: While I was working on the “Founders of Mt. Vernon” project this morning, I made an interesting discovery. I was looking for James Madison Crawford, son of John Crawford and Elizabeth Adams Crawford. John died early and Elizabeth married Josiah Joplin. I didn’t find James M. Crawford in the censuses of Rockcastle, but I did find one of the same name in Andrew County, Missouri. When I looked at the record to see if it was the same person, I discovered a whole list of people whose names I recognized. Among the Crawford’s neighbors were Daniel and Cynthia Miller, L.M. and Margaret Dysart, Hardin and Sarah Dysart, Joseph and Margaret Carson, George Riddle, Benjamin and Rachel King, Uriah and Mary Griffith, and M.L. and Permelia Swinney. All these people were born in Kentucky. I didn’t take time to read the entire census, but according to the names and dates of the children born in Missouri, it appears there was a large caravan of young couples who left Rockcastle about 1853, on their way to Missouri. The exodus from Kentucky to Missouri actually started thirty or so years earlier and a lot of Rockcastle County people went west (also to Kansas and Texas) over the years, but this is the largest number of families living in close proximity that I have found.
James Crawford later returned to Kentucky and died near Brodhead. I believe his brother, Jones A. Crawford, had also gone west and returned to Lincoln County, Kentucky, in time to serve in the Civil War. Jones, incidentally, owned slaves, but he served in the Union Army. His uncle, Dr. Jones L. Adams of Garrard County, for whom he was named, was a surgeon for John Hunt Morgan’s Confederates. I wonder what their relationship was after the war.
Comment on a Facebook Post in the Rockcastle Kentuckyt History and Genealogy Facebook group
While the above comment does not ‘prove’ that the James Crawford of Andrew County, Missouri is the James Crawford of Rockcastle County, KY, it does provide support for that argument!
The Rockcastle KY Facebook group has been very quick to respond to my queries and has been extremely helpful. I am very thankful for the help they have provided me.