Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-07-25
The First West Va. Legislature.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
Sketches Personal. Political and BIZ
ographIcaL III. -


Sketches Personal. Political and Bi
ographIcal, ,s. aas-
WM. L. CRAWFORD, OF HancOck.
WILLIAM LEDLIE CRAWFORD, themembel
from Hancock, was born in the county ht
now represents, August %, 1927 He i,
therefore neaFly SO years of age. His faith
Ter, a native of Donegal county, Ireland, wa.
descended from the Orawfords OF Scotland
His grandfather, William Ledlie, native
of Ireland also, was an emihent christia n
Land one of the first scholars of bis day
| was educated iu Dublin, Ireland, and on
| subsequently removing to America became
one OF the first settlers of Western Virginia.
| The patent for the land on which the sub
Iject of this sketch now resides, was pro,
lcured by Mr.. Ledlie aud signed by Patrick
I henry, then Governor of Virginia. This
/ ancient document with Patrick Henry's sig
nature attached, is still in Mr.. Crawford's g
| possession, and is esteemed valuable
! heirloom. Mr.. Ledlie served in the Indian
! war, subsequent to the defeat aud death
! by torture OF Col. Crawford, and was often
! on scout with Capt. Brady, of "Brady's
| Leap" notoriety. Mr. Crawford's grand
mother was sister OF Col. Lusk of Penusyl-
! vania, of Revolutionary fame. Mr. Craw-
| fords father, John Crawford, died at the
advanced age of sixty. six. He was most
estimable man. For thirty years he was
an elder in the church at Paris, Pa. The
editor Of the 'PhiladelPhia Ghristiani In
Slructor said of him in noticing the an :
nouncement of bis death H'sH was Une of
the best men we ever knew-genial,
sPrightly, large hearted and unatfectedly
pous, he was universally respected and
Iloyed.9fliIt may bereasonahly Inferred that
5sgsss 5s ssqs@o so%s 81 tBe family tFafs aud those
Who know Mr.. Crawford say he does pos.
sess them in an eminent degree. -tl
lie was raised a farmer, and is yet
farmer, likes The eoccupAtionand would not
exchange il for any other. Duriug boyhood
| he bad the advantages of education afford
| ed by the common schools in his section of
country. at the age of nineteen he en-
entered Richmond College (0hiO), where
| he remained something over two years,
when he was called home by the illness of
| his father, at whose earnest solicitation he
! remained at home and took charge of his
! business. While at College he made rapid
| progress in classic studies, stood high in
| his Glasses, and distinguished himself in
the literary contest, of the institution. 1t
| was the design of Mr.. Crawford, (as well as
the wish of his latherl to study tor a pro-
| Ifessiuu = and he had chosen the law, but
| the circumstances which compelled him to
lleaVe College interlered with this arrdnge'
meut and made him "a farmer, then almost
against his WILL though he now cougratu
Hates himself that IL happened as It did
lHe is very successful farmer, and has
/ thousands Of sheep grazing on "broad an
ceslraIacres. admirably adapted both In
soil and climate to wOpl-growing.g =; nv
He was elected Justice of the Peace at
the youthful age of twenty five, and im-
i rnediayely afterwards was made Presiding
Justice, aud held the position some years.
In 1856 he married, at the age OF ~, thus
barely, ,escapiug the reprObCh of old bic b.
4 elorhood. In 1860 hsfwas reelected Pre-
lsidIng Justice of his county and held The
position up TO the time Of his election 70
his present position. iI i. ai dU :.
: la politics, he was, before the rebellion
obliterated party lines, an old line Wing,
J Ia 1860 he took the first active part ~
rnalters of a political, nature, and stumped
@ the county for George Porter who had been
} brought out as she Union candidate for the
IN ,chmondr OuaYenli0n against his uncle
|. y hO was running on the peace" platform
The former was AT Richmond attending 10
his duties as ~ member of the 4Tegl-laf Fe
The Latter ht bole With, npiny plph :. ene "a
J frienhs 10 aid IN securing his election =
! Mr. Ora wford threw hitilseIf into the con
tHAt with It9 acCuSIOuleu ZGhl anu
Whether The result wtEs due to the exer
tious of bts sffie ndss OF bis. own siTs4gth
lGeorpe Porter, was handsomely elected
and fTasyone oil the few Western VItgin'
: iaos in that Convention who WAS neither
IbulIied nor bought over into rebelilon.-
RVer since the rebellion, MIR. O. has beer
very active as public sPe4kers ga sfs f ssln
+ the peopIe in every part of his county FOL
/. The UuiDn I a4dI pewIstete fls has spee.
2 the Ieadihk spirit iptorEauizine volun' ee
Z companies and. the militia force totl hl
3 county, and is now the commandant oil I'M
g rEl63d militia regiment. ,,,,
! He was In the mass Convention OF MA!
J, l96Tiianti was also member OF the Con
{ vention ghieh.EeorgapJzedt ed the State IRON
that time to the present he has oeen an ac
liive worker for The success ot the ne'
State and the Federal Union, and has aon
!; at least one mans share IN keeping "a
y people of Hancock right on these great II
: lshes.u p He occupies his present poslllo1
4 lsimply because his fellow citizens IN Vie'
Of his abilities udysFrViGes, deeteed with
out onpositiou; that he should do so.a
Il Ia view of the facts already stated IL J
hsesrceIv necessary 10 add that Mr.. Craw
\ lfnrd is an anu slavery man. de has al
= Iavs been moderate. and practical in hi
4, Views ON this Subject running after q
sh shininraeticablei theories, but earnestly
II vor Of every effort to remove the inst
.sE,h,inn, nv those whorhad the power TO d
eslsb. 1t was ON this principle that be $
y warmly advocated its removal from WEI
3 :. Belonging to the Scotch Irish race 9
Il Mr.. Crawford does, he is of course a Pre-.
lbSterian, and, 1t may be added, an eld'
HHH