James O. Crawford, a farmer of Garfield Township, Ida County, was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, February 17, 1828, a son of Alexander and Mary (Floyd) Crawford, natives also of Scotland. The father was a farmer and weaver by trade. The parents reared a family of four children: William, James O., Alexander, and John.
James O. was reared and educated in his native land. He was there engaged for many years in a cotton factory, then in boiler making, and ship building. He then became a member of the police force in Glasgow.
In 1879 he came to America, locating near Cascade, Dubuque County, Iowa, and resided there and in other sections of Iowa until 1882. In 1882, he purchased wild land in Garfield Township, Ida County, to which he has since added until he now owns 620 acres of Ida County’s finest soil. Mr. Crawford residence was 16 x 24 feet, with an “L” 16 x 16 feet, a barn 32 X 34 feet, a modern windmill with 700 feet of pipes sending water through all his buildings, stock scales, and many other conveniences. Five acres of his place was devoted to a beautiful grove and orchard.
James O. was married at the age of 28 years old to Miss Janet Scott, a native of Douglas Castle, Lanarkshire, Scotland, and a daughter of James and Lilly (Muir) Scott. To this union eight children were born: Lilly, Alexander, Mary, James S., Thomas D., Janet, Agnes B, and William S. Lilly married Manley Kelley of Delaware County, Iowa. Mary married Jesse Norton of Garfield Township, and Janet married Jacob Spotts of Maple Township.