John Crawford

Who was John Crawford?

John Crawford was a Canadian politician.

Born in Kintail, Huron County, Ontario, the son of James Crawford and Catherine McGregor, Crawford received his education in the Port Albert public school, and after spending six years in a flour mill in Port Albert moved to Gladstone, Manitoba. In 1876, he took up land in Neepawa district and carried on an implement business also, until 1883, when he removed to the town and conducted the implement, lumber and grain business until August 1890 when he opened a general store.

He was elected to Council in 1884, and was, for some years, Reeve of the Rural Municipality of Rosedale. At the time of the outbreak of the North-West Rebellion, he raised a company of volunteers, which was attached to the 95th Battalion, and was gazetted as captain. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as the Liberal candidate for Beautiful Plains in 1886 and 1888, but was defeated by John Andrew Davidson in 1892. He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons for Portage la Prairie in the 1904 federal election. A Liberal, he was defeated in 1908 losing to future Prime Minister of Canada Arthur Meighen.