This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Crawford, Fitzwilliams Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/hkB.2ACE/5681 Message Board Post: Cameron Herald – Thur., 3 April 1902 “W. F. Crawford - One of the Largest Attended Funerals Ever Witnessed in Cameron - Glance at his Character - Biographical” Capt. Wilbur Fisk Crawford died Friday, March 28, 1902 at 11 p.m. in Austin where he had been about a month under treatment. The body was brought to Cameron on the northbound Sap passenger and was taken to the family home where it remained until Sunday afternoon. The funeral was at the Methodist church on Sunday at 3 p.m. Pallbearers: John H. Bickett, W. M. Jeter, John B. McLane, Dr. W. W. Greer, T. F. Hardy, B. J. Baskin, John B. Wolf and W. K. Dickinson. Burial was at Oak Hill cemetery in Cameron. He was born on March 31, 1850 in Brunswick, ME. His father, Rev. Geo. C. Crawford, moved to Kents Hill, ME where he was educated in the public schools and later entered the Maine Wesleyan Seminary, at that point, one of the best schools in the state. After finishing his education, he entered the post office at Brunswick, ME as assistant this his father, who was for many years pastor in charge of the Methodist Church of that city. This position he filled through three terms of office which proved the beginning of his political career and years devoted to postal service. While very young, he was town committeeman, railway mail agent and deputy post master, being postal clerk between Boston and Bangor, ME. While in this service he received severe injuries in a railroad collision from which he was incapacitated for 3-years. This being the direct cause of his last fatal illness. In 1880, he moved to Illinois where he purchased a republican newspaper, the “Bloomington Daily Leader.” This he succeeded in making one of the strongest voices for his party for 7-years. In 1882, Pres. Garfield appointed him a U.S. post office inspector and was made the special agent of the department and assigned to duty in Texas. This office comprised much daring detective work along the boarders and through the wilds of this state. He was later transferred from this field as post office inspector to the district of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and the Carolinas. In 1882, he came to Cameron with his brother Henry Crawford, and established the first bank in Cameron under the firm name of Crawford, Arnold & Crawford. In 1884, he bought out Arnold’s interested and established a new bank known as the Milam County Bank, which for 12-years remained one of the foremost banking institutions in the state. He organized the Milam County Oil Mill and was closely identified with many business enterprises of the community, controlling and loaning large sums of Eastern capital. He was instrumental in assisting many farmers of Milam County establish homes. On Dec. 29, 1887, he married Miss Anna Fitzwilliams of Bloomington, IL, with whom he had one son, William Fisk Crawford, Jr., who both survive. He was a mason. He was a delegate to every national convention with the exception of two from 1876 and was a McKinley elector at large in 1900. At the time of his death, he was post master at Cameron, having been appointed on May 9, 1901 by Pres. McKinley, this appointment being made during a recess of Congress; was later appointed by Pres. Roosevelt and confirmed by the Senate in Feb. 1902. [extremely lengthy article]