The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-11-29
Death of Adrlel A. Crawford.

After as brave a fight as man ever
made for life, Adriel A. Crawford pass
ed quietly away at 415 a. m. Tuesday
morning at the home of his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Robert d. Crawford, corner
OF Saginaw and Goodhue streets.
! The announcement of his death caused
genuine sorrow throughout the entire
city, and to many the news came as a
great shock as it was not generally
known that his condition was critical.
To the friends who saw him as late as
Saturday. Mr.. Crawford expressed the
hope-and in it was the determination
which wins-that he would soon be
able to regain his strength and get
about again. That same hope and
courage had previously made him the
victor in a struggle to overcome the
disease from which he suffered and the
calmness with which he battled against
great odds during the past few weeks,
never complaining, always endeavor.
ing to Tighten the burdens of his loved
ones, will remain as blessed memory
to the family and friends. With moth
ing to fear as to the future, Mr.. Craw
ford passed on to the reward which
comes to those who lived as he did-an
upright, christian life, guided solely by
the precepts of the Master. Life to
him meant service, the opportunity to
tighten the burden of some friend by an
act of kindness done in quiet way, the
dropping of a word of good cheer, the
carrying out of the spirit of the golden
rule.
Adriel Alanson Crawford was born in
this city, Dec. 16, 1871, and except dur
ing the time spent at the University
and few months in the south as a
member of Co. A 31st Michigan Infan-
try during the Spanish American war,
his entire life was passed in Owosso.
While yet mere lad he becaue inter
ested in newspaper work and entered
the employ of THE TINES. working such
hours as he could spare from his school
duties. After his graduation from the
high school with the class of 1892, he
gave his entire time to newspaper work
until he entered the University of Mich.
igan in 1894, and during the four years
of his college life his vacations were al
ways spent in doing local or editorial
work for THE TIMES. When the call
came for troops April, 1893, Mr.. Craw-
ford went south with the Ann Arbor
company which he had joined but few
months before. After three months
service he received an honorable dis
charge and returned home in poor
health. AS soon as his health permitted
he resumed his position with this paper
and continued the same until he be-
came assistant postmaster in 1901; fire.
quently during the years following con-
tributing to its columns He was a
ready writer, always expressing him
self tersely and without doubt would
have made reputation for himself as
an editorial writer if he had continued
in the newspaper business. At one
time Mr.. Crawford had an ambition to
take the course at the West Point Mil
itary Academy and was named as an
alternate for the cadet examination by
Congressman Linton, failing to receive
the appointment because of the fact
that the principal passed his entrance
examination. Mr.. Crawfords standing
was so high that the authorities at the
Academy expressed regret that he was
not to become cadet After this he
determined upon course at the Uni
versity and graduated with the class of
1898 from the literary department, hav-
ing made his way through largely by
his own efforts.
For two years following his return
from the south Mr.. Crawford kept
about and attended to his work, de-
termined not to give up. In the sum-
mer of 1906, the disease-diabetes-
again began to trouble Mr.. Crawford
and from that time on he slowly lost
strength. In September last he took
treatment at one of the hospitals in
Ann Arbor, failing however, to receive
much benefit. After his return early
in October he was able to be at the
post office few times after which he
was confined to the house and for two
weeks to his bed. Not once during
that time did he give up hope althoug h