Vedder, O. F. and Lyman, H. S. "History of Seattle, Washington - With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers." Frederic James Grant, Ed. New York: American Publishing and Engraving Co., 1891. p. 487. SAMUEL LEROY CRAWFORD is among the comparatively few citizens of Seattle of adult age born upon the Pacific coast. He is a native of Oregon and a grandson on the maternal side of Robert Moore, who came across the plains in 1842 and settled in the Willamette valley, and who figures prominently in the pioneer history of Oregon, having been one of the organizers and an officer under the first civil government established west of the Rocky Mountains. He was a man of great force of character, well educated and by nature and training well adapted to lead and direct the forces of civilization in the remote west. During the entire period of the provisional government, as the government of the settlers was termed in Oregon, which existed until the government of the United States was extended over the territory, Mr. Moore rendered efficient service in the maintenance of law and order, and was one upon whom the settlers in this trying and dangerous period relied with absolute confidence and trust. He located his claim upon the site now occupied by Linn City, where he lived, honored and respected until his death. The parents of our subject, Ronald C. and Elizabeth J. (Moore) Crawford, came to Oregon in 1847 and settled near Oregon City, where their son, Samuel, was born in 1855. Ronald C. Crawford is a brother of Medorem Crawford, who, with Dr. Elijah White, crossed the plains in 1842 and settled in the Willamette valley, and was a member of the first territorial legislature. He has done much in the way of preserving a record of the early pioneer days in Oregon, his public addresses before the Oregon Pioneer Association in 1881 and his contributions to the press at various times throw much light on the earliest attempts to carry civilization to the shores of the Pacific. In 1862 the family of Ronald C. Crawford removed to the Walla Walla valley, Washington Territory, and two years later to Walla Walla. In 1864 Ronald C. Crawford was appointed deputy collector of internal revenue for Oregon, and for the next five years the family lived a portion of the time at Oregon City and later at Salem. In the public schools of these two cities, and, for a brief period, at the Willamette University, the principal part of the education of our subject was received. With his parents young Crawford, in the fall of 1869, removed to Olympia, Washington, where his father engaged in the furniture manufacturing business. Here for two years he attended school, but in September, 1871, entered the printing office of the Washington Standard to learn the printers' trade. He remained in this office four years. In the meantime his parents had moved to a farm in Lewis county and the support of the family largely fell upon him, and, that he might fully discharge his duty in this regard, he not only worked during the day but spent his evenings engaged upon work for the public printer. In 1875 he was elected enrolling clerk in the territorial legislature, at which time his father was a member of the legislature from Lewis county. Later on he was employed by C. B. Bagley, at that time public printer, and also worked on the Daily Echo in connection with the latter, at times performing the various duties of city editor, compositor and pressman. When the Daily Intelligencer of Seattle was established in June, 1876, Mr. Crawford took charge of the mechanical part of the paper and was thus employed for about four years, when he was placed at the head of the local department where his energy and natural talent for newspaper work at once became manifest. In 1880 in connection with Thomas W. Prosch he purchased the paper, and for two years they most successfully conducted it. Under their management, with Mr. Crawford at the head of the local department, this journal assumed the first place in Washington Territory journalism. It was at the most trying period of its existence, and the success attained was largely due to Mr. Crawford's tireless activity and well directed efforts in its behalf. Mr. Crawford continued as joint proprietor until the paper was consolidated with the Post as the Post-Intelligencer, when he sold out his interest, but remained in charge of its news department until November, 1888. It was while serving in this responsible and arduous position that Mr. Crawford performed not only a highly appreciated work in behalf of the paper, but acquired an enviable reputation for integrity and business ability, and became one of the best known characters in Washington Territory. That his endeavors in behalf of the paper and his connection with it contributed greatly to its success is a fact universally conceded by all cognizant of the important service he rendered. Upon his withdrawal from the paper the Post-Intelligencer, in token of the high appreciation in which his efforts in the service of the paper were held, gave expression to the following: " 'Sam' Crawford, as he is familiarly known from Olympia to Neah bay, has been connected with the Daily Intelligencer and its successor, the Post-Intelligencer, ever since the first day of publication, and the best years of his life have been devoted to building it up through storm and sunshine, prosperity and adversity --- principally through storm and adversity. A harder worker is nowhere to be found. He never knows what it is to be tired, and in his years of service to this paper he has been the exemplification of loyalty. His personal friends in Seattle and the Sound country he numbers by thousands, and to many of them it will be odd to visit this office and not find him." Upon retiring from newspaper work Mr. Crawford, in connection with Charles T. Conover, who had also formerly been employed upon the Post-Intelligencer, formed a co-partnership in the real estate business. Both of them thoroughly known and of the highest standing in the commercial community, their success was not only instantaneous, but they at once stepped to a foremost place among the real estate firms of the city, their transactions for the first year aggregating over $1,250,000. Their success can be easily accounted for. In the first place they determined upon a course of action which they have persistently followed, and that is to handle nothing but strictly inside and business property; to conduct their business as other lines of trade are conducted, and to eschew everything which savored of the methods which have brought the real estate business into disrepute in all parts of the country. The result was that they quickly gained the absolute confidence of the people and have been entrusted with many of the most important real estate transactions ever consummated in this part of the country. It is also a fact that no firm has done more to elevate and give an honorable tone to the business in which they are engaged, a business which has suffered perhaps more than any other through disreputable practices of dishonest men. They have spent large sums of money in advertising the advantages of Seattle and the resources of Washington and their work in this direction has had a far reaching effect in attracting capital and aiding in the development of this section of the country. In this regard, as well as in hearty co-operation with all honorable means to advance the good of Seattle, they are always foremost. Mr. Crawford is not only a hard worker but a man of fine business capacity. His life from early boyhood had been one of the incessant activity, and in every position in which fortune has placed him he has most admirably discharged every obligation placed upon him. His faith in the city of his home and his steadfast loyalty to its interest has ever been marked in his career, and no one has more willingly devoted of his time and means to advance her material welfare. The substantial success which has rewarded his effort in business has placed him, while young in years, in affluent circumstances and broadened his opportunities to still further contribute to the good of the community in which his lot is cast. As one of the native sons of the Pacific coast, he has reflected honor upon hi sturdy ancestors who braved all the dangers and suffered all the privations of the remote West to make possible the rich inheritance of their posterity. Mr. Crawford was married April 30, 1890, to the youngest daughter of Dr. M. F. Clayton of Sacramento, California. The only child of his wife by a former marriage, a son of ten years, is not only a loved and cherished member of his family but will be henceforth known as Frank Clayton Crawford. Transcriber's additional notes: Census 1860, June 22; Clackamas Co, OR; Linn City Pct, Oregon City PO, p 53 Ronald Crawford, 32, NY, carpenter, $1000 / $300 Elizabeth J, 22, IL Ada M, 6, OR, att. school Samuel L, 5, OR Fannie E, 4, OR Ronald M, 1, OR 1870, July 16; Thurston Co, WA; Olympia, p 229 Ronald C. Crawford, 43, NY, cabinet manufacturer, $2000 / $2000 Elizabeth J, 32, IL, keeping house Samuel, 14, OR, att. school Fanny, 12, OR, att. school Ronald M, 9, OR, att. school Elizabeth, 5, OR 1871, April 21; Thurston Co, WA, p 18 R. C. Crawford, 43, NY, furniture dealer E. J., 33, IL Fannie, 14, OR Samuel, 15, OR Ronald, 12, OR Melvin, 8, OR Lizzie, 7, OR 1880, June 14; King Co, WA; Seattle, p 249 Ronald C. Crawford, 52, NY, NY, NY, printer Elizabeth J, wife, 43, IL, PA, VA, keeping house Samuel L, son, 24, OR, NY, IL, editor, single Ronald M, son, 21, OR, NY, IL, student, single Melvin K, son, 17, WA, NY, IL, att. school Nellie P, dau, 6, WA, NY, IL 1900, June 1; King Co, WA; Seattle Wd 4, p 93; 1114 Marion st. Samuel Crawford, 44, June 1855, OR, NY, IL, mar 21 yrs, real estate, rents house Clara M, wife, 4_, May 1859, IN, OH, MD, mar 21 yrs, 2 children-2 living Clifton, son, 20, Nov 1879, __, OR, IN, clerk in office Wallace, son, 9, April 1891, WA, OR, IN, att. school Marian C. Warren, niece, 19, May 1881, WA, WA, OR, nurse Crawford, nephew, 10, March 1890, WA, WA, OR, att. school Margaret E. Adams, cousin, 22, June 1878, WA, OH, OR, single, school teacher 1 servant, 6 roomers 1910, April 18; King Co, WA; Seattle Wd 4, p 46; 1120 Merion st. Samuel L. Crawford, 54, Or, NY, IL, 1st mar, mar 19 yrs, president, real estate, rents Clara M, wife, 52, 2nd mar, mar 19 yrs, IN, OH, DE, 1 child-2 living (as stated on census, probably reversed) Clayton, son, 30, CA, OR, IN, secretary, real estate, single Samuel L, nephew, 20, WA, MI, OR, laborer, dentist, single Washington State Archives (see additional records) http://www.digitalarchives.wa. gov/default.aspx * * * * Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in October 2006 by Diana Smith. Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individual featured in the biographies.