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From: Debbie Clough Gerischer <>
Subject: [IASCOTT] Jennings Price Crawford, M. D., Bio
Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2000 07:03:35 -0700


Posted on: Scott County Biographies
Board URL: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ia/ScottBios?read=964

Surname: Crawford, Price, Peck, Williams, Seig
-------------------------

"From Vol 2 History of Davenport and Scott County" by Harry E. Downer -
S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1910 Chicago

You may view a picture of this subject by going back to the main page of
Scott County and clicking on Pictures/Documents

The life work of Dr. Jennings Price Crawford was of signal service to his
fellowmen in the city in which he long made his home. Not only his professional
skill and ability but his social characteristics and his genuine personal
worth endeared him to all who knoew him. He was kindly and sympathetic
in nature and he wisely used the talents with which he was endowed for
the benefit of those with whom he came in contact. His history, therefore,
cannot fail to prove of interest to many of our readers. He came of an
old New England family, the ancestry being traced back to John Crawford,
who left his home in the Scottish highlands and settled in the new world
during its early colonization. To the same family belonged Colonel William
Crawford, who figured in both the colonial and Revolutionary wars, his
military service covering thirty years.

Dr. Crawford was born near Marion, Iowa, August 27, 1855. He and his twin
brother, Dr. A. J. Crawford, now deceased but formerly a distinguished
physician of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, were the sons of Jennings and Sarah (Price)
Crawford. In his youthful days Dr. Crawford, of this review, mastered the
branches of learning in the public schools of his native county, thus spending
a portion of each year in study until he reached the age of seventeen,
when he had opportunity to attend Western College at Western, Iowa, and
in that institution completed his literary course. His professional education
was acquired in the medical department of the Iowa State University, from
which he was graduated in 1883 on the completion of a four years' course
with the valedictory honors of his class. During the two vacations he had
acted as house physician at Mercy Hospital in Davenport and thus to his
theoretical training added the broad and invaluable experience of hospital
practice. The late Dr. W. F. Peck was his preceptor and professor in surgery
and, no doubt, he inspired Dr. Crawford with his preference for surgical
work as the latter always had the greatest admiration for his teacher,
who was a noted surgeon. He took a post-graduate course at Bellevue Hospital
College, New York city.

Opening an office in Davenport in 1883, Dr. Crawford steadily advanced
in his chosen field, winning high professional honors that made him regared
as one of the eminent physicians and surgeons of Davenport up to the time
of his death. He never ceased to be a student of his profession but throughout
his life read broadly and with thoughtful consideration carried his researches
into the realms of scientific knowledge, doing everything in his power
to promote his own efficiency and add to that general knowledge of medicine
and surgery which constitutes a source of public health. He stood high
in the ranks of his profession, not only in this city but in the state,
and was not unkown beyond the borders of Iowa. He held membership in the
American Medical Association and frequently attended its meetings. He was
also seen in the meetings of the Iowa State Medical Society, the Iowa and
Illinois District Medical Association and the Scott County Medical Society.
He was a frequent contributor to medical literature and one of his last
public appearances was for the presentation of a paper which he had prepared
on surgery before the Iowa State Medical Society, at Des Moines. The addresses
which he delivered in such meetings were frequently published in the leading
medical journals, for they were carefully prepared and presented not only
the results of his own experience but also of his wide research. He served
as a member of the staff of both Mercy and St. Luke's Hospitals and was
one of the most active promoters of the interest of those two institutions.
His large surgical practice took him to the hospitals almost daily and
his skill and ability were of such high order that his death came as a
distinct loss to both. He acted as district surgeon for the Chicago, Milwaukee
& St. Paul Railroad and took a prominent part in arranging for the meeting
of the Iowa State Medical Society, which was held in Davenport about two
years before his death - an important meeting still pleasantly remembered
by the physicians of this vicinity who shared with him in the honors and
responsibilities of being the entertainers on that occasion. The Illinois
Society met in Rock Island at the same time and joint gatherings were features
of their meetings. As his health began to fail Dr. Crawford gradually withdrew
from his professional service, for he realized the advance that was being
made by the disease which eventually terminated his life.

In no other environment did Dr. Crawford find the happiness and contentment
which came to him in his own home, for he was a man of domestic tastes
and his greatest joy was in the companionship of his wife and children.
On the 14th of October, 1885, he married Miss Anna Williams, a daughter
of A. F. Williams, who at one time was a member of the Seig Iron Company
and prominent in the business circles of Davenport. He died many years
ago but is still survived by his widow, who spends the summer seasons in
Davenport and the winter months in California, where she has a daughter
living. Unto Dr. and Mrs. Crawford were born five children, Frances Louise,
Genevieve, Helen, Dorothy and Margaret, the last two being twins.

Dr. Crawford held membership in the Calvary Baptist church, in which he
was an active and loyal worker, being a trustee of the church and superintendent
of the Sunday school for many years. He was also one of the charter members
of the San Grail Club and belonged to the Masonic fraternity. He was interested
in all those movements which had for their object the betterment of mankind
and he was also a stalwart champion of projects for the public good, rejoicing
in the growth, advancement and welfare of his city. He was so widely known
and such was the hold which he had upon the affection of his fellow townsmen
that his death, which occurred in 1907, brought a sense of personal bereavement
to the large majority of Davenport's citizens. On the Sunday following
his demise, in place of the regular lesson in the Sunday school of the
Calvary Baptist church, there was held a memorial service in his nonor,
in which many who had known him long and well testified to his goodness
of heart and the honor of his life, which in all of its phases was of such
high character as to constitute an example that is well worthy of emulation.

Link: Scott County Page
URL: <http://www.rootsweb.com/~iascott/scott.htm>;

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