Revolutionary War Soldiers Series: Remembering John Crawford
Editor's note: Next year, the United States of America will celebrate its semiquincentennial, its 250th anniversary. The semiquincentennial marks the first nationwide celebration of America's birth since the bicentennial in 1976. Of course, America's independence cannot be celebrated without also honoring the efforts of the Revolutionary War soldiers that led to independence. The Waw-wil-a-way Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, along with the Southern Ohio Genealogical Society, will be presenting a series of articles featuring Revolutionary War soldiers who lived and died within the borders of Highland County.
By Betty F. Crum and Pat Young
Waw-wil-a-way Chapter Daughters
of the American Revolution, 250 Project
Few records can be found on John Crawford in Highland County. Sometime after 1820, John and his wife, Catherine, moved to Highland County, settling in Liberty Township.
On Jan. 26, 1829, William Keys, Highland County auditor, conveyed 49 acres of land to Andrew Holt, “tax sale of land formerly owned by John Crawford."
John is listed in the 1830-1840 census of Highland County. Common Pleas Court Records of Highland County, Order Book No. 5, 1829-1834; page 282, Aug. 22, 1832 is the following, “John Crawford appeared in open court making a declaration under oath that he was a Revolutionary soldier and the Court certified to that effect.”
On March 2, 1847, in the same court: “This day it was made to appear to the satisfaction of the Court that John Crawford was a pensioner of the United States at the rate of eighty dollars per annum that he was a resident of Highland County, Ohio and died in said county on the 1st day of December AD 1846, leaving his widow, Catherine Crawford, ordered to be certified.”
At the time of his death, John Crawford was 101 years, 3 months and 4 days. There is little doubt that he was the oldest Revolutionary soldier, with a recorded stone, buried in Highland County. His wife, Catherine, may rest beside him in the Auburn Cemetery, Penn Twp.
Wills, Administrations, Guardianships and Adoptions of Highland County, Ohio 1805-1880 Page 186, Apr. 19, 1853: “This day satisfactory evidence was presented to the court that John Crawford, who was in his lifetime a pensioner of the United States on the Ohio Roll at the rate of $80 per annum, departed this life on the first day of December, A.D. 1846, in Highland County, Ohio, where he had resided for about twenty years prior to his death, leaving Catherine Crawford, his widow, who has not again married, but remains his widow.”
Note: The will only listed the wife, no other heirs.
U.S., The Pension Roll of 1835: Name - John Crawford, Rank: Private, age: 85, Birth Year: about 1746, Pension Enrollment Date: March 4, 1831, Residence Place: Highland, Ohio, USA, Service Description: Virginia Continental.
1840 United States Federal Census: Name - John Crawford, Military service: Veteran, Age 92, Township: Liberty, County Highland, State: Ohio.
U.S. Pensioners, 1818-1872: Name - John Crawford, Widow’s Name: Catharine Crawford, Pension Office City/Town: Cincinnati Pension Office State: Ohio, Year Range: 1848-1868.