Leonard Jacob and Ella Jane Crawford
From the Biographical Cyclopedia of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, published by the John M Gresman Company, Chicago-Philadelphia 1896
LEONARD J CRAWFORD, distinguished lawyer and leading Republican politician of Newport, son of Jacob H Crawford and Mary Elizabeth Eckert, was born in Newport, Kentucky, April 29, 1860.
His father a native of Fleming County, removed to Newport when he was a young man and was a resident of the city at the time of his death. He was a pilot on steamers plying the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh and was highly esteemed by his numerous acquaintances along the river and by all who knew him. Mary Elizabeth Crawford (moher) is a native of Campbell County, Kentucky now residing near Newport, a devout Christian, member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and a lady of the highest intelligence, education and refinement.
L M Eckert (maternal grandfather) a native of Campbell County and for many years a resident of Newport, retired from business and spent the latter part of his life on his farm in his native county. During his residence in Newport he was president of the City Council through several terms and was otherwise prominent as a leading and influential citizen. He was imposing in appearance, being six feet four inches in height and proportionately built; was very genial in his disposition and could tell a good story with great zest. He was a very strong and uncompromising Republican; a member of the Methodist Church and died in the Christian faith in 1876; aged sixty-four years.
L J Crawford was educated in the Campbell County schools and in Hughes High School in Cincinnati, from which he graduated in 1880; read law with Ben Butterworth and graduated from the Cincinnati Law School in 1882; located in Newport during the same year, where he has practiced law ever since, with the exception of one years practice in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has a large business of the most lucrative character and is one of the best known attorneys in Kentucky; is very prominent in politics and a leader in the Republican party, not only in his city and county, but throughout the state; was the candidate of that party for Attorney General in 1891; was presidential elector for the state at large in the campaign of 1892, and delivered the address of welcome in behalf of the Kentucky Republicans at the National Convention held in Louisville in 1893.
He is not only a lawyer and politician of wide spread reputation, but a man of affairs and of means; director in the Newport National Bank and in the Covington Trust Company. He is a member of the Methodist Church and in all of his relations to the legal profession, his political party, his business interests, the church and in society, he is known and respected as a good and true citizen.
Mr. Crawford was married in 1883 to Ella J Horner of Campbell County and they have two sons; Leonard J and Clay Crawford. As this goes to press he is conducting the defense of Scott Jackson in the celebrated case of the Commonwealth of Kentucky vs Jackson in the Campbell County Circuit Court.
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Leonard Jacob Crawford 1925 Obituary