Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/26

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6
CRAWFORD
CREIGHTON

death. The story is told by N. N. Hill, Jr., in the "Magazine of Western History" for May, 1885, under the title of " Crawford's Campaign."


CRAWFORD, William Harris, statesman, b. in Amherst county, Va., 24 Feb., 1772 ; d. in Elbert county, Ga., 15 Sept., 1834. His father, who was in reduced circumstances, removed first to South Carolina and then to Columbia county, Ga. After teaching school at Augusta the boy studied law, began practice at Lexington in 1799, and was one of the compilers of the first digest of the laws of Georgia. He became a member of the state senate in 1802, and in 1807 was chosen U. S. senator to fill a vacancy. The political excitement of the period led him to engage in two duels, in one of which his opponent fell, and in the second of which he was himself wounded. He was re-elected in 1811, acquiesced in the policy of a U. S. bank, and in 1812 was chosen president 2)ro tern, of the senate. He was at first opposed to the war with Great Britain, but eventually gave it his support ; and in 1813, having declined the place of secretary of war, accepted that of minister to France, where he formed a personal intimacy with Lafayette. In 1816, on the re- tirement of Mr. Dallas, he was appointed sec- retary of the treasury. He was prominently urged as a can- didate for the presidency, but remained at the head of the treas- ury department, where he adhered to the views of Mr. Jefferson, and opposed the federal policy in regard to in- ternal improve-

ments, then supported by a considerable section of his own party.

This position on the great question of the time subjected him to virulent hostility from opponents of

his own party ; and Mr. Calhoun, who was one of these opponents, became a dangerous rival for the democratic nomination for the presidency, to suc- ceed Monroe. Crawford, however, as the choice of the Virginia party, and the representative of the views of Jefferson^ secured the nomination of a con- gressional caucus in February, 1824; and in the election that followed he received the electoral votes of Virginia and Georgia, with scattering votes from New York, Maryland, and Delaware— in all, 41. No choice having l)een made by the electoral college, the election reverted to the house of representatives, where John Quincy Adams was elected over Jackson and Crawford, through the influence of Henry Clay, the fourth candidate before the people, who brought his friends to the support of Adams. The result was also due, in a measure, to the confirmed ill health of Mr. Crawford, and perhaps to imputa- tions brought against his conduct of the treasury department. These charges he promptly refuted, and a committee that included Daniel Webster and John Randolph unanimously declared tliem to be unfounded. But his health rendered it impossible for him to continue in public life ; and, although he recovered his strength partially, he took no part after this date in politics. Returning to Georgia, he became circuit judge, which office he continued to fill with great efficiency, by successive elections in 1828 and 1831, until nearly the end of his life. He had no connection with the nullification move- ment, to which he was opposed ; and his last days were spent in retirement. Personally he was a man of conspicuous social gifts, an admirable conversationalist, religious in his views and feel- ings, and a supporter of Baptist convictions. At his home he dispensed a hearty republican hospi- tality, and his name is eminent among the illus- trious citizens of Georgia. — His son, 'Nathaniel Macon, educator, b. in Oglethorpe county, Ga., 22 March, 1811 ; d. in Walker county, Va., 27 Oct., 1871, was graduated at the University of Georgia in 1829 with the first honor. At the age of twen- ty-five he was elected to a professorship in Ogle- thorpe college, at Milledgeville, Ga. He had been a Presbyterian, but changed his views and entered the Baptist ministry. In 1846 he accepted the chair of theology in Mercer university, and ten years later was elected to the presidency, but soon retired to accept the professorship of moral philoso- phy in the University of Mississippi. In 1857 he became professor of theology in Georgetown, Ky., but returned to Georgia again as president of Mer- cer university, where he remained for seven years. At the close of the war, in 1865, he accepted the presidency of Georgetown college, Ky., and con- tinued to fill this office until near the time of his death. He was the author of a volume entitled " Christian Paradoxes."


CRAZY HORSE, Indian chief, b. about 1842. He was an Ogallalla Sioux, brother-in-law of Red Cloud, and one of the principal chiefs of the hostile Indians that for several years defied the authority of the U. S. government in the northwestern territories. He left Fort Laramie, and went to war, after the murder of his brother in 1865. He soon established a reputation as a brave and cunning leader, and gathered a strong band, whom he ruled with despotic rigor. With Sitting Bull he surprised and destroyed Gen. Custer's command on the Little Big-Horn river, 25 June, 1876. He was pursued by Gen. Terry into the Black Hills, and the following spring Gen. Crook conducted an expedition against him and forced him to surrender, with 900 followers, at the Red Cloud agency.


CREERY, William Rufus. educator, b. in Baltimore, Md., 9 May, 1824; d. there, 1 May, 1875. He was graduated at Dickinson college, Carlisle, Pa., in 1842, and at once began teaching in the pub- lic schools of Baltimore, continuing in this occu- pation until 1854, when he became professor of belles-lettres in Baltimore city college. In 1859 he was chosen president of the Lutherville female seminary, where he remained imtil 1862, when he renewed his teaching in the public schools of Bal- timore. Five years later he was elected city super- intendent of public instruction for a term of four years, and in 1872 was re-elected. In conjunction with Prof. M. A. Newell he prepared the Maryland series of school-books, which includes " Primary- School Spelling-Book " ; " Grammar-School Spell- ing-Book " ; a series of six " Readers," and " Cate- chism of United States History."


CREIGHTON, John Orde, naval officer, b. in New York city about 1785 ; d. in Sing Sing, N. Y., 13 Oct., 1838. He entered the navy as a midshipman in June, 1800, served under Preble before Tripoli, became a lieutenant, 24 Feb., 1807, and was attached to the frigate " Chesapeake," in June, 1807, when she was attacked by the " Leopard." He was afterward attached to the " President," and was first lieutenant in her action with the " Little Belt," 16 May, 1811. In 1813 he commanded the brig " Rat-