Forwarded from another mail list. Please respond to the writer. Thanks Wanda --------- Forwarded message ---------- To: ILFRANKL-L@rootsweb.com From: cpulliam@midwest.net (Carla Pulliam) Newspaper 2 Jan 1919: A brief resume of the life of Judge Crawford: (contains photograph) John CRAWFORD was born in Virginia, he was of Scotch descent. He moved from Virginia to North Carolina and from there to Tennessee, coming to Illinois and settling in Franklin County in 1811. The locality where he opened up a farm is still called "Crawford's Prairie." John CRAWFORD was married to Elizabeth RANDOLPH in 1830. She was born and reared at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, her ancestors coming to that state from Virginia. She belonged to the celebrated RANDOLPH family of Virginia. Monroe Carroll CRAWFORD was born to them at Crawford's Prairie on 26 May 1835. His mother died in 1841, when he was six years old. He never forgot her. On 7 March 1844 he became a member of the family of Tilman B. CANTRELL of Franklin County, who had married a member of the CRAWFORD family. According to the custom of the time, he was regularly apprenticed to Col. CANTRELL to learn the art of farming. In 1845 CANTRELL moved to Benton and desired that Monroe enter the store. He managed to educate himself as well as circumstances would permit and at age 16 was teaching a school in Jefferson County. He attended McKendree College and later took up the study of law in the office of Judge William K. PARRISH at Benton. He then entered the law department of the University of Kentucky at Louisville. He returned to Benton and opened a law office in May 1854, at the age of 19. In 1856 he became a candidate for the office of State's attorney. The district was composed of the counties of Hardin, Pope, Massac, Johnson, Williamson, Franklin, Jackson, Union, Alexander and Pulaski. CRAWFORD mounted his horse on June 1st and started on a campaign that did not end until Oct. 1st and during the four months he visited every precinct in the ten counties. He and his opponent, Thomas H. SMITH, of Pope County, were warm personal friends and met frequently during the campaign, on one occasion sleeping together in the same bed at some country tavern. But CRAWFORD proved the more persuasive campaigner and was elected over his friend. During these years he remained a member of the family of Col. CANTRELL, who was always his kind and helpful friend. On 1 Nov. 1858 in Benton, CRAWFORD married Miss Sarah Illinois WILBANKS, who used to say that she "married him to get rid of him." On 24 March 1859 they moved to Jonesboro which place has been his home ever since. Judge CRAWFORD served in the 110th Regt. IL. Vol. Inft. and participated in several hard fought battles, including the Battle of Stone's River near Murfreesboro, Tn. In 1867 he ran for circuit judge and was elected.