County of marker: Crawford County
Location of waymark: County courthouse
Marker location: N 38° 07.111 W 091° 18.814 (MO H & CR 508, S. service road to I-44, near Leasburg
Marker erected by: Sta of Missouri Historical Society and Missouri Highway Department
Date marker erected: 1961
The county's present boundaries were established in 1870
Clark National Forest was combined with the Mark Twain National Forest in 1976
The Person:
Born: February 24, 1772, Amherst County, VA
Died: September 15, 1834, Crawford, GA
Spouse: Susanna Gerardine
Party: Democratic-Republican Party
Previous office: Senator (GA) 1807–1813
"William Harris Crawford was one of the first national politicians from the state of Georgia. Although born in Virginia, he moved to Augusta in 1796, attracted to the large school (Carmel Academy) where he taught. In 1798 he was admitted to the Georgia bar and became a lawyer in rural Oglethorpe County the following year.
"At the time the Georgia political process was factional at best. Crawford aligned himself with James Jackson, who reformed the state government following the Yazoo Land Fraud. It was Crawford's association with Jackson that shaped many of his political viewpoints.
"In 1802 Crawford completed a digest of Georgia Laws. From 1803 to 1807 he served in the Georgia legislature, being appointed to the U. S. Senate upon the death of Abraham Baldwin. Known for his financially conservative philosophy, Crawford was a strong supporter of the First Bank of the United States when its charter came up for renewal in 1811. The rechartering was defeated.
"He served as president pro tem and declined an offer to be Secretary of War in 1813, instead accepting the position of minister to France. Upon his return from France, Crawford accepted the position of Secretary of War and ran for President in 1816 against James Monroe.
"President Monroe offered Crawford the position of Secretary of the Treasury in his cabinet, a position that William Crawford accepted in 1817. He began an aggressive reorganization of the department, starting with the Reform Bill of 1817, which gave the Treasury financial oversight responsibility for all federal departments. During his term at Treasury he advocated extensive infrastructure investment including federal funding of selective roads and canals and the building of coastal defenses.
"As Secretary of Treasury Crawford had more political appointments to make than all the other Secretaries combined, but removing old appointees had become a problem, which Crawford solved by proposing a four year tenure for political appointees. Congress liked the idea so much it quickly passed the Tenure of Office Act, limiting political appointments to four years. Crawford promptly used his new power to build up a strong political machine in the Treasury Department, devoted to his personal advancement. He was nominated for the presidency by a Congressional caucus and became the "regular" candidate.
"During the campaign for President in 1824 Crawford was incapacitated by severe paralysis. He finished third in the Electoral voting behind Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams. Crawford returned to Georgia where he served as a judge until his death in 1834." ~ Our Georgia History
The County:
Crawford County "Early noted for its rich banks of iron ore, Crawford County was organized 1829, and
named for Georgia Sen. W.H. Crawford. In territory ceded by Osage tribes 1808, the county was roamed by the Delaware and Shawnee into the period of settlement by Southern pioneers in the early 1820's.
"Steelville, the county seat, was laid out 1836, and named for James Steel who sold the 40-acre townsite for $50. First settler at the site was William Britton, 1833. Court first met at James Harrison home in what is now Phelps County. Steelville (Presby.) Academy, chartered in 1853, closed in 1880's.
"During the Civil War, guerrilla raids and troop movement devastated the area. The Southwest Br. of the Pac. R.R. (now Frisco) built through Bourbon, Leasburg, and Cuba in the county 1860, was almost destroyed. Union Gen. Thomas Ewing's troops, escaping undetected from Fort Davidson after the battle of Pilot Knob, were overtaken by Confederate Army units at Leasburg and a 36-hour engagement ensued, Sept. 29-30, 1864. Confederates withdrew before Union reinforcements arrived. The site is marked.
"A leading iron producer before decline of the industry in early 1920's, Crawford County had the first iron furnace in this central ore district of Missouri's eastern Ozarks. Near Bourbon, it was opened 1818, by William Harrison, first settler in the county, and Josiah Reeves. Other furnaces were Scotia in 1870's and Midland, 1874-94. Near Steelville, it used ore from the rich Cherry Valley Mines. Mining drew German and Austro-Hungarian settlers.
"The St. Louis, Salem & Little Rock R.R. (Frisco) reached from Cuba to Steelville and south through the county, 1873. Cuba was laid out in 1857; Leasburg had its first house in 1859; Bourbon, in 1863. Cherryville, Huzzah, Dillard, Berryman, Davisville, Cooks Sta., Wesco are other communities. Part of the county lies in Clark National Forest.
The county with its Meramec River and big springs, has many pre-historic Indian sites. Near Leasburg are Cathedral and Onondaga caves. Old mills standing are Oak Hill, Westover, and Dillard. In Steelville for a time lived J.J. Upchurch, founder Ancient Order of United Workmen in PA., 1868." ~ State of Missouri Historical Society & Missouri State Highway Department