Crawford Gravesite Number

Alfred Galen Crawford, the son of Galen Allen and Alvira Noyes Crawford, was born Frederick Galen Crawford on March 21st 1847 at Oakham, Massachusetts in Worcester County, in the Worcester metro area named after a village in England. His father, Galen Allen Crawford, was a son of Alexander and Bethiah (Willis) Crawford. His mother, Alvira Noyes, was daughter of Luther and Azuba (Smith) Noyes.

He lived at home with his mother and worked as a Clerk, enlisting for military service during the American Civil War on August 9, 1864, under the name of Frederick Galen Crawford; presumable because he was under age. He was mustered into Co. D, 20th Massachusetts unattached Heavy Artillery on August 18, 1864, which was afterwards turned into the 4th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Regiment and along with other unattached companies, was sent to Arlington, Washington D.C. in early September 1864.

At the time he was eighteen years of age and listed as a clerk. The 4^th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Regiment was formerly organized on November 12, 1864, by the consolidation of the 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th Unattached Companies of Heavy Artillery. It was organized in August, 1864, for one year's service, consolidated to a Regiment on November 12, 1864 and attached to the 3rd Brigade, DeRussy's Division, 22nd Army Corps, Dept. of Washington.

Samuel Oakley Crawford

Also know as the Reverend Arthur Worthington

The Melbourne "Weekly Times", 13th. September 1902

It then stood garrison duty in the Defenses of Washington, south of the Potomac, until June, 1865 and mustered out on June 17, 1865. The regiment lost 23 men and 2 officers to disease but none were killed or mortally wounded.

What most records do not say is that the Heavy Artillery's were the cushy job for those that did not want battlefield action. Similar to going into the National Guard during the Vietnam war.

They were stationed in forts around Washington D.C. and got the bejesus scared out of them when the Confederate forces got close to Washington. When Grant took over the Army one thing he did was to replace these units locations with Black Troops and put the Heavy's in the field to fight the long campaign to Appomattox. These men as a whole distinguished themselves once they were forced to fight and were present in the Shenandoah Campaign.

During the greater part of his service, however, Crawford served as a musician, mustering out on June 17th 1865 at Washington, D.C. and returning to Oakham, Massachusetts at the close of the war, mustering out on June 17, 1865.After the war Crawford became an employee of the Street Railroad Company of New York City, New York and on October 15, 1866 married Jane Wilson, the daughter of Robert and Caroline Wilson, in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts. The couple had a daughter, Cora, born April 25, 1867. Crawford remained employed by the Street Railroad Company until 1875; when Alfred moved to Australia when Hiram, his brother who was already living in Australia, returned to Australia from a visit to the United States.

It appears Crawford’s wife and daughter did not accompany Alfred to Australia. After arriving in Australia Alfred met Elizabeth Jane Gunn with whom he had six more children; even though they were not married; Florence Gertrude was born in 1882 and later married James Joseph Devitt in 1900, Alfred Gunn was born in 1883, Ruby Lillian was born in 1885, Arthur Richmond was born in 1887 and died 1888, Herbert Galen was born in 1893 and Horace Allen was born in 1897 and died on August 15, 1936. Each child was officially registered in the name of the mother, Gunn, and the father, Crawford; indicating that the parents, Alfred and Elizabeth, were never married. Alfred then married Elsie May Banfield in Queensland in 1915, but divorced hernineteen years later, in 1934. Alfred and Elsie had one child whom they named Horace Allen; born in 1915 at Carlton, Victoria.

From 1883 until 1886 Alfred worked as a Hotel and Business broker in Melbourne. In 1877 Alfred was Manager of the Eastern Arcade, owned by Hiram his brother and he also had his own business importing and manufacturing trunks and travel bags. He operated his business as the Eastern Arcade shops from 1879 until 1884. After two years of importing, the company began manufacturing their own trunks and travel bags, bringing from America the workmen and all the necessary machinery to produce them in Melbourne. They were manufactured in the upstairs floors of the Eastern Arcade. In 1887 he was also Assistant Traffic Superintendent and Inspector to the Melbourne Tramway Omnibus Company Ltd., a suburban street railway line running from Melbourne to Richmond, a position he held until his death. In 1888 he still had his business offices at the Eastern Arcade and his luggage business was still operating from there as well.

Sands and MacDougal’s Directories reveal that Alfred moved his residence several times over the years. He lived in Richmond from 1882 until 1884, then in 1885 he moved to Auburn, then moved back to Richmond in 1886 and remained there until 1889, when he moved to East Melbourne. By 1892 he had moved to "Alvira” estate, the home named after his mother and from 1893 through 1898 he was shown living in Richmond again; at a number of different addresses.

Alfred began receiving a Military Pension from the United States in January 1899 and died from “Laryngeal Plutisis” with which he had suffered for some 18 months, on February 23, 1900 at his home at "Alvira", Richmond, Victoria; at the age of 52. He was buried in Boroondara Cemetery, Kew, Victoria the Church of England Section, grave number B2274; where his grave was said to be taken care of by a Melbourne man who was interested in Civil War Veterans. There was no headstone on his gravesite, but a solid cast bronze memorial plaque was acquired through the efforts of the American Civil War Round Table of Queensland, Inc and Mr. James Gray of Brisbane, and it will be installed on his grave during a dedication ceremony. Alfred is buried with his son Arthur Richmond Crawford who died in 1888, at 10 months of age.

Jane Wilson, the American wife of Alfred Galen Crawford applied for a Widows Pension in a declaration dated November 2, 1900 in the United States. She stated that she had insufficient income to support herself after Alfred’s death, so it is believed Alfred had been sending money to her in the United States while he was alive. Jane Wilson died on January 28, 1915.

There was no headstone on his gravesite until a memorial plaque was acquired by the American Civil War Round Table of Queensland in 2007. Alfred is buried with his son Arthur Richmond Crawford who died in 1888, at 10 months of age.