William H. Crawford
American politician and judge (1772-1834)
William Harris Crawford (February 24, 1772 – September 15, 1834) was an important American politician and judge during the early 19th century.[1] He served as United States Secretary of War from 1815 to 1816 and United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1816 to 1825, and was a candidate for President of the United States in 1824.
William Harris Crawford | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 9th United States Secretary of War | |
| In office August 1, 1815 – October 22, 1816 | |
| President | James Madison |
| Preceded by | James Monroe |
| Succeeded by | John C. Calhoun |
| 7th United States Secretary of the Treasury | |
| In office October 22, 1816 – March 6, 1825 | |
| President | James Madison (1816-1817) James Monroe (1817-1825) |
| Preceded by | Alexander J. Dallas |
| Succeeded by | Richard Rush |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 24, 1772 Amherst County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | September 15, 1834 (aged 62) Crawford, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican |
| Profession | Lawyer, Politician, Judge, Farmer, Teacher |
Legacy
changeIn 1875, Crawford appeared on the 50 cent bill.
The town of Crawfordsville, Indiana, as well as Crawford County, Illinois; Crawford County, Iowa; Crawford County, Missouri; Crawford County, Arkansas; Crawford County, Wisconsin; Crawfordville, Georgia; and Crawford County, Georgia, are named for Crawford.
References
change- ↑ "William Harris Crawford (1772-1834)". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
In 1804 he married a former pupil, Susanna Gerardin, soon after purchasing his Woodlawn estate in Lexington. They had nine children; their son Nathaniel would become a mathematics professor at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta and the president of Mercer University in Macon. William Crawford aspired to live the life of a country gentleman, but he would not get the chance to do so until the end of his career. In the meantime he gradually added to his landholdings at Woodlawn and became the overseer of a good-sized plantation. By 1834 he owned 1,300 acres and enslaved forty-five people.