Laura Olivia (Slate) Crawford (1866 - 1966)

Ancestors Descendants

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Note 1.2 Health Note 2 Sources

Biography

Laura O. (Slate) Crawford was born in 1866 in Alabama.^[1] No record has been found of her birth. In 1880 the 13-year-old Laura is living with her stepfather Sydney Gilbert, her mother Camilla Ellen Jordan listed as Ella Gilbert, and her 11-year-old sister, Florence, in Collin, Texas. On 11 June 1885 she married Archibald Latham in Hunt, Texas.^[2][3][4] Her daughter, Iona Latham Greer, was born in March of 1886. Although there is no known record of her divorce from Latham, a record exists of Mrs Laura Latham's marriage to Robert Clayton Crawford on 4 Mar 1891^[5] In 1900 she was living in Hunt, Texas, with her husband Robert and her three oldest children, Mamie Ada (Crawford) Allen (inaccurate translation on census record), Roy Calvin Crawford, and Otho Ellie Crawford.^[6] In 1910 she (L O) is still in Hunt, Texas, with her husband, three youngest children, Roy, Otho, and Roxie, and two grandchildren, Verga and Berda Record.^[7] In 1910 Laura and Robert purchase 30 acres of land. The Warranty Deed is attached. It is signed by both Laura, as L O Crawford, and Robert, as R C Crawford.^[8]

On 19 December 1914, her husband, Robert Crawford had her arrested and charged with lunacy. She was examined by an M.D., declared not insane, and released by a judge as not guilty of the charge of lunancy on the same date.^[9] On February 19, 1915, The Commerce Journal (Commerce, Texas), published the following announcement: "Laura Crawford vs Robert C Crawford, suit for divorce and division of property, tried by Judge Pierson in Judge Dohoney's court, resulting in granting divorce and order for division of property.^[10] On 7 Dec 1918 Laura Bush and her husband G. W. Bush of Little River, Arkansas, sold 88 acres for $800 to her son, Otho. This land was part of her divorce settlement.^[11] On 17 March 1928 George Bush divorced Laura.^[12]

The following section is information obtained primarily from Laura O. (Slate) Crawford, her daughter Mamie Ada (Crawford) Allen, and other family members. Documentation is scarce during this time. Sometime after 1920, Laura left Robert and the children. According to my grandmother, Mamie Ada (Crawford) Allen, a divorce was obtained and Laura received a generous settlement. Another genealogist argues that Laura died during that time period and offers as proof the 1930 census listing Robert Crawford as widowed. On the other hand, Robert Crawford's death certificate indicates he was divorced (Laura was still living at his death). I saw and talked to both of them several times in my childhood when my grandmother Mamie Ada (Crawford) Allen was providing care to both of them in her home in Arkansas. Lest it be argued that the woman we knew as Grandma Bush was not Laura Slate, two sets of Social Security Claims document that Laura Crawford was the mother of Mamie Ada (Crawford) Allen^[13] and of Roy Calvin Crawford^[14], my grandmother and great uncle, the death certificate of Roy Calvin Crawford,^[15] family lore, and Laura Slate Latham Crawford Bush's own narrative was that she left to be an itinerant preacher and that she had several husbands. Laura used the name Bush for the remainder of life, or at least, when not married, and it is on her tombstone. I first met her when I was 6 years old. I vividly remember the very old woman with an ear trumpet, who walked with a cane, and had a cobbler's shoe form on the rail of her front porch. I visited with her many times after that, at her home in Vandervort, Arkansas, at one of several nursing homes, and at my grandmother's home. When she was in her early 80s she lived 2 miles from my grandmother. Laura walked those 2 miles daily to visit her daughter and youngest grandson, Fred Earl Allen. On one of those walks her hip broke and she fell. She spent the remaining years of her life in a wheelchair or hospital bed. She was thrown out of every nursing home because she wheeled her chair up to the door of each resident and prayed for them--listing all their sins, and she knew their sins, in a very loud voice. She did not like my grandfather, her son-in-law. I remember her lying in her bed in the house one summer day and praying for my grandfather, her son-in-law of many years, in a like manner. On another occasion, she and I sat outside removing the pits from cherries. I had just had another miscarriage and we were discussing it. She told me that she had trouble with miscarriages also but eventually had more children. Many years later we learned that several women in our family have genetic clotting disorders. This very likely caused her miscarriages. According to my mother, Catherine Allen Kline, and my uncle Fred Earl Allen, the family was angry about her leaving her husband and young children, particularly as my grandmother, Mamie Crawford Allen, was left to care for them. Shortly before my mother's death she suggested that Grandma Bush, aka, Laura O. Slate, had "baby blues" and that is why she left.^[16] Laura Bush passed away in 1966 at almost 100 years old. She is buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Cove, Arkansas.^[17]

This was the most amazing woman I have known. She was very, very smart and sharp-witted. One of my treasures were the times I could sit and talk with her. I am proud to be her great-granddaughter.

Note

I located a Thomas and Laura Bush in the 1930 Waxahachie, Texas, census records. Thomas listed his occupation as Brethern, which I am interpreting as unlicensed pastor. Laura did not list an occupation, however, the age cited is within her age range. On the other hand, her birthplace was listed as Texas rather than Alabama. Further evaluation suggests this Laura Bush had been married to Thomas for a longer period than 10 years, perhaps as much as 36 years. Thus it is very unlikely that this is our Laura Bush. As noted above, I have located documentation of her marriage to George W Bush of Little River, Arkansas.--Kline-1865 19:28, 7 November 2021 (UTC)

The legal documents cited above are available to view by searching for Crawford L O on the Hunt County Clerk's website.^[18] It is free to view and download. The Probate document for Laura is NOT a will and she did not die. It is a sanity hearing brought by her second husband.--Kline-1865 21:20, 11 November 2021 (UTC)

I apologize for the use of Ancestry.com sources, but these important documents were not available anywhere else. If anyone should locate a free source copy of any item, please include it.--Kline-1865 21:20, 11 November 2021 (UTC)

Health Note

It is very possible that she had a genetic clotting disorder called Prothombin-B. Several of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren have the genetic marker for it. The two prominent problems from this are miscarriages and dying from clots to the lung when hospitalized. Following several miscarriages I sat with Grandma Bush under the tree in the backyard of Hatton when she told me that she had several miscarriages.--Kline-1865 19:28, 7 November 2021 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFFB-1VQ : 15 July 2017), Laura Slate in household of Sidney Gilbert, Precinct 5, Collin, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district ED 26, sheet 228D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1296; FHL microfilm 1,255,296.
2. ↑ "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV14-VZS7 : accessed 9 November 2018), A K Latham and Laura Slate, 11 Jun 1885, Marriage; citing Hunt, Texas, United States, various county clerk offices, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Texas Dept. of State Health Services and Golightly-Payne-Coon Co.; FHL microfilm 1,024,967.
3. ↑ Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8Y-9NPR : 10 December 2017), A K Latham and Laura Slate, 11 Jun 1885; citing Hunt, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 1,024,967.
4. ↑ "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6YF-7MR : 11 February 2018), A K Latham and Laura Slate, 11 Jun 1885; citing Hunt, Texas, , reference P 27; FHL microfilm 1,024,967.
5. ↑ Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8Y-955R : 10 December 2017), R C Crawford and Laura Latham, 04 Mar 1891; citing Hunt, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 1,024,968.
6. ↑ United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3PM-795 : accessed 9 November 2018), Laura Crawford in household of R C Crawford, Justice Precinct 7, Hunt, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 138, sheet 1A, family 9, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,648.
7. ↑ United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M29H-V16 : accessed 9 November 2018), L O Crawford in household of R C Crawford, Justice Precinct 7, Hunt, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 133, sheet 8A, family 127, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1566; FHL microfilm 1,375,579.
8. ↑ https://huntcountytx-web.tylerhost.net/web/document/DOCC275831?search=DOCSEARCH149S1
9. ↑ Probate: "Texas, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1833-1974"
   Probate Packets, Ca. 1849-1925, Hunt County, Texas; Author: Texas, County Court (Hunt County); Probate Place: Hunt, Texas
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2115 #399466 (accessed 3 November 2021)
   Laura Crawford probate.
10. ↑ Unclassified: "The Commerce Journal (Commerce, Texas)"
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7245 #479808520 (accessed 7 November 2021)
11. ↑ https://huntcountytx-web.tylerhost.net/web/document/DOCC39789?search=DOCSEARCH149S1
12. ↑ Unclassified: "Arkansas, Divorces, 1923-1969"
    Arkansas Department of Vital Records; Little Rock, Arkansas; Divorces; Year: 1928; Film Number: 1
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61776 #90122314 (accessed 7 November 2021)
    Name: Laura Bush; Gender: Female; Divorce Date: 17 Mar 1928; Divorce Place: Little River, Arkansas, USA; Spouse: George W Bush; Certificate Number: 1862.
13. ↑ the U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007. Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Provo, UT, USA. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=60901&h=40132175&ssrc=pt&tid=107497216&pid=380057475345&usePUB=true
14. ↑ Social Security: "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007"
    Ancestry Record 60901 #9256336 (accessed 11 November 2021)
    Name: Roy Crawford; Gender: Male; Race: White; Birth Date: 4 Nov 1895; Birth Place: Quinlan Hunt, Texas; Father: Robert C Crawford; Mother: Laura O State; SSN: 454307858; Signature on SSN Card: Roy Crawford; Relationship of Signature: Signature name differs from NH’s name.; Notes: May 1942: Name listed as ROY CRAWFORD.
15. ↑ Death Registration: "Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903-1982"
    Texas Department of State Health Services; Austin Texas, USA
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2272 #772793355 (accessed 11 November 2021)
    Lora State death.
16. ↑ Information told to Virginia (Kline) Norris Ph.D. by Laura O. (Slate) Crawford and Mamie Ada (Crawford) Allen . 1950-1985.
17. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 9 November 2018), memorial page for Laura Bush (2 Aug 1866–23 May 1966), Find A Grave: Memorial #89309900, citing Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Cove, Polk County, Arkansas, USA ; Maintained by #graveyardpoet (contributor 47246586) .
18. ↑ https://huntcountytx-web.tylerhost.net/web/user/disclaimer

See Also

• See attached copies of land sales and purchases referenced above.