Confirming Relationships

Have you ever faced the challenge of proving a lineage when a child was born after his father’s death? That is the case with my fourth cousin’s ancestor, William Clay Crawford. He was born on 30 January 1861 in Warren County, Indiana—nearly three months after the death of his presumed father, William C. Crawford, who passed away on 6 November 1860.

William Clay’s obituary confirms his birth date and notes that he was left an orphan at an early age. While the probate file of his father exists, it is dated before William Clay’s birth and therefore cannot, on its own, establish the relationship.

Fortunately, another court record bridges this gap. It specifically identifies William C. Crawford as the son of Marcy E. Crawford, widow of the late William C. Crawford, and the grandson of Nelson Crawford—providing the crucial link needed to prove the parentage.

Warren County Indiana
Court Order Books

6 May 1868
page 195 -196

“Warren, Indiana, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://
http://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSN4-99MV-2?view=fullText : Sep 8,
2025), image 248 of 802; Indiana. Circuit Court (Warren County).
Image Group Number: 008071909

Warren County Circuit Court Civil Order Book, 1827-1920
Order books, v. 8 (from p. 304) 1866-1867 Order Books v. 9-10 1867-1872

195
Martha Crawford
vs
JamesH Crawford et al
Comes the Plaintiff by Park & Miller her attorneys
and also comes the adult defendants herein and on
motion file their appearance in writing to the action
and waive the issue and service of process herein
and consent to the Jurisdiction of the Court and
said Waiver of process reads as follows to wit ( insert )
And on motion it is shown to the court by summons filed
that said defendants Mary E William C & Calia C Crawford
have each been duly served with process herein ten
days prior to the first day of this term of this Court
On motion it is suggested that two of said defendants
are infants under the age of twenty one years . On motion
the Court appoint Jesse Harper an attorney at Law of
this Court Guardian adlitem for said infant defend-
ants and said Guardian now on motion files
his answer herein as follows to wit ( insert)
On motion and by order of the Court said adult
defendants are now these times
solemnly called come not but so to do wholly fail and make
default
This cause is therefore on motion set down for final +
hearing and decree upon Petition Consent & waiver
Summons & Service thereof default and the Oral
and documentary evidence adduced and it is
now proven to the Court that Nelson G Crawford
died in 1864 leaving
him surviving as his heirs at
Law Martha Crawford Widow and as his children
and heirs James H Crawford Marion Crawford
Mary E Briggs Sarah A Woodard formily Sarah A

page 196

196
6 Day .
April 25 1868
Crawford & since intermaried with Harrison Woodward
who is now deceased & Celia C Crawford Mary
E Crawford Widow of William C Crawford a son of
said decedent who died in 1860 and as his grand
Children William C Crawford who was a son of William
C Crawford Sr deceased
On motion it is also proven to the Court that said
Nelson G Crawford died seized of the following lands at
the time of his death in Warren County , Indiana to wit
the North West quarter of section Eight 160 acres the East
half of the North East quarter of section seven 80 acres
and also the following described land towit :
32 acres of land lying and being in Warren
County Indiana and in said section eight
Township twenty one Range eight west and
being the North East quarter of the South West quarter
of said section except eight acres of land out of
the South East corner and cut off from said 40
acres tract by the road leading from Williamsport
to the old town of West Lebanon in said County
and known as the Danville Road the said 8 acres
cut off all lying on the South side of said Road
& the said 32 acres all lying on the North side of
said Road all of said three tracts of land lying &
being in township ( 21 ) Twenty one North of Range
eight west
And the Court further find that by the Last Will & Testam
ent of said decedent that among other
things he devised to the said Martha Crawford his widow
One third of all said Real Estate in fee simple and
also the life estate in and to the remaining two
thirds of said real estate the Court therefore find that
said Martha Crawford widow is entitled to the one third
of said lands in fee simple and also a life estate in
& to the remaining two thirds of said lands
And the Court further find that James H Crawford
Marion Crawford Mary E Briggs Sarah A Woodard Celia
C Crawford are each entitled to the equal undivided
One Sixth of two thirds of said land in fee
simple duly subj
ect to the widows life estate in and to said land
And the Court further find that Mary E Crawford widow
of the said William C Crawford Sr Deceased and William
C Crawford JR are each entitled to the equal undivided
one half of one sixth of two thirds of said lands in fee
simple subject to the widow Martha Crawfords life estate
in and to said lands
The Court therefore Order Adjudge & decree that

page 197
partition be made of said lands and by assigning
and setting over to Martha Crawford Widow the one third
of said lands
And that the one sixth of two
thirds be set off and ass
igned to each of the aforesaid heirs to wit James H Crawford Marion
Crawford Mary E Briggs Sarah A Woodward & Celia C
Crawford charged with the life estate of Martha Crawford aforesaid
And that the one half of one sixth of two thirds of said
lands be assigned & set off to each of the aforesaid
heirs to wit : Mary E Crawford & William C Crawford subject
to the life estate of said Martha Crawford
And the Court on motion appoint Zebulon FOster
Anthony Swisher & Isaiah Sharp Commissioniers to
make prtition in accrodance with this decree
and the Court order a certified copy of decree to issue
and that the commissioners report at this term

This court record not only confirms William Clay Crawford’s parentage but also highlights the importance of looking beyond the obvious probate or estate files when seeking proof of relationships. In cases where a child was born after the father’s death, traditional records may leave gaps. Supplementary documents—like guardianship proceedings or other court actions—can provide the missing connections that secure a family’s place in the lineage. For researchers of the Crawford family, this record strengthens the evidence linking William Clay Crawford to his father, William C. Crawford, and his grandfather, Nelson Crawford.