Surveyor, MLA (1883-1886).
Born in South Leeds, Canada West [now Ontario] on 28 August 1847, son of John Crawford, he was educated and married there, coming to Manitoba in 1871 as an assistant surveyor to subdivide the province. In 1875, he was admitted to practise as Dominion Lands Surveyor and in 1877 was employed by the federal governmentas valuator of the Canadian Pacific Railway right-of-way.
He became interested in provincial politics and in 1879 contested the riding of High Bluff but was defeated. In 1883 he again contested the same constituency and was elected to the Legislature where he sat until 1886. He was also appointed Swamp Lands Commissioner. A few years before his death Crawford became interested in the Dauphin district and took up farming there. He established a sawmill in partnership with David Howard Harrison of Neepawa and managed that business, as well as his farm, up to his death. He was a prominent Mason and a member of the Prince Rupert’s Lodge, Prince Rupert’s Chapter and Albert Edward Preceptory.
He died at Dauphin on 2 April 1897. The funeral was held in the Winnipeg Masonic Temple.
“William Crawford dead,” Manitoba Free Press, 5 April 1897, page 4.
Pioneers and Early Citizens of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Manitoba Library Association, 1971.
We thank Oliver Bernuetz (Legislative Library of Manitoba) for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 15 January 2021
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