John Barr Crawford

“Crawford” or “JBC” (5/1911 to 3/1913)

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John Barr Crawford (12/20/1877 to 4/9/1948 (National Memorial Park in West Fairfax,  Virginia) was a very important early employee of the firm.  He was the son of James Y. and Martha Crawford and was born in Abingdon, Virginia.  On September 10, 1912 in Richmond Virginia he married Laura Frances Edmonson.  She was born in 1875 in Glad Spring, Virginia, the first of three daughters born to Henry Horne and Sally Matilda Edmondson, both listed in the 1890 Census as farmers.  She died in 1954 and is buried next to her husband. 

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Mr. Crawford may have responded to a March 13, 1911 classified advertisement in the Richmond Times-Dispatch stating “Wanted Architectural Draftsman, State Experience and Salary Expected, Charles M. Robinson, Architect, Richmond, VA.”

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The 1912 City of Richmond Directory lists Mr. Crawford as “Draftsman, Charles M. Robinson” and living at 2621 Grove Avenue.  The 1913 directory lists him as “Chief Draftsman” and living at 25185 Hanover Avenue.

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His WWI draft card lists the Crawfords as living at 132 Price Street in Greensboro and his employment being “Architectural Draftsman” for “Harry Brown c/o McAdoo Building in Greensboro.”  The 1920 Census confirms that they rent 132 Price Street and that they have a five-year-old daughter, Frances.  The 1930 Census states that they rent 42 North 18th Street in Washington DC and that he is an “architect for the US Government.”  The 1940 census shows the family of three still living in Washington, but renting Apartment #174 at the McReynolds Apartments.  His employment is “Architect for F(ederal) W(orks) A(dministration) and his daughter is a stenographer for the “Dept of Armies.”  His 1942 WWII Draft Card states that he lives with his wife at 705 18th Street in Washington and that he is an architect for the US Government at age 64.  An article in the Bristol-Herald Courier on April 13, 1948 states that he was a “prominent architect with the US Government for many years and that he had died at his home.”  His wife and daughter survived him.