Coe Isaac Crawford (January 14, 1858 – April 25, 1944) was an American attorney and politician from
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...
. He served as the
sixth Governor and as a U.S. Senator.
Biography
A native of
Volney, Iowa
Volney is an unincorporated community in Allamakee County, Iowa, United States.
History
Volney was platted in 1856. By the 1870s, Volney contained gristmills, a sawmill, and a cooperage business. Volney's population was 60 in 1902, and 99 in 1925 ...
, Crawford graduated from the
University of Iowa College of Law
The University of Iowa College of Law is the law school of the University of Iowa, located in Iowa City, Iowa. It was founded in 1865. Iowa is ranked the 28th-best law school in the United States by the '' U.S. News & World Report'' "Best Law Sch ...
in 1882 and practiced law in
Independence, Iowa
Independence is a city in, and the county seat of, Buchanan County, Iowa, United States. The population was 6,064 in the 2020 census, an increase from 6,014 in 2000.
History
Independence was founded in 1847 near the center of present-day Buc ...
before moving to
Pierre
Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...
,
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of ...
in 1883.
Active in politics as a Republican, Crawford served as
Hughes County's prosecuting attorney in 1887 and 1888. In 1889, he was elected to the Territorial Council, the upper house of Dakota Territory's legislature. After South Dakota achieved statehood in 1889, Crawford served in the
South Dakota State Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota Legislature. It consists of 35 members, one representing each legislative district; it meets at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre.
Composition
:''92nd Legislature (2019)''
Officers
...
, and was
Attorney General of South Dakota
The Attorney General of South Dakota is the state attorney general of the U.S. state of South Dakota. The attorney general is elected by popular vote to a four-year term and holds an executive position as the state's chief legal officer. In 199 ...
from 1893 to 1897.
In 1906, Crawford was the successful Republican nominee for governor, and he served from 1907 to 1909. In 1908, he ran successfully for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Crawford served one term, 1909 to 1915, and was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1914. After leaving the Senate, Crawford resumed practicing law in
Huron, South Dakota
Huron is a city in Beadle County, South Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Beadle County. The '' Huron Daily Plainsman'', also referred to as the ''Plainsman'', is the newspaper. The first settlement at Huron was made in 1880. The cit ...
. He practiced until 1934, when he retired. Crawford died in
Yankton, South Dakota
Yankton is a city in and the county seat of Yankton County, South Dakota, United States.
The population was 15,411 at the 2020 census, and it is the principal city of the Yankton Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the entirety of Y ...
in 1944, and was buried at Oakland Cemetery in
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City, offically the City of Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is the home of the University of Iowa and county seat of Johnson County, at the center of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the ti ...
.
Early life and education
Crawford was born by
Volney, in
Allamakee County, Iowa
Allamakee County () is the northeasternmost county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,061. Its county seat is Waukon.
History
Allamakee County was formed on February 20, 1847. The derivation of the name i ...
. He attended the common schools and received additional instruction from a private tutor. In 1882, he graduated from the
University of Iowa College of Law
The University of Iowa College of Law is the law school of the University of Iowa, located in Iowa City, Iowa. It was founded in 1865. Iowa is ranked the 28th-best law school in the United States by the '' U.S. News & World Report'' "Best Law Sch ...
with a
LL.B.
Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...
degree. He began his practice in
Independence, Iowa
Independence is a city in, and the county seat of, Buchanan County, Iowa, United States. The population was 6,064 in the 2020 census, an increase from 6,014 in 2000.
History
Independence was founded in 1847 near the center of present-day Buc ...
, moving to
Pierre
Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...
, in what was the
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of ...
, in 1883. He was twice married; firstly to May Robinson and then to Lavinia Robinson.
He had five children.
[
]
Career
He was the prosecuting attorney for Hughes County, South Dakota
Hughes County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 17,765, making it the least populous capital county in the nation, and the twelfth-most populous county in South Dakota. Its c ...
in 1887 and 1888. In 1889, he was elected to the Territorial Council, the upper house of the Dakota Territorial Legislature.
When South Dakota was admitted as a state in 1889, he was elected as a member of the first South Dakota State Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota Legislature. It consists of 35 members, one representing each legislative district; it meets at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre.
Composition
:''92nd Legislature (2019)''
Officers
...
. He went on to serve as the state Attorney General from 1893 to 1897. He ran for the United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...
seat for South Dakota in 1896, but lost the election. He then moved to Huron, South Dakota
Huron is a city in Beadle County, South Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Beadle County. The '' Huron Daily Plainsman'', also referred to as the ''Plainsman'', is the newspaper. The first settlement at Huron was made in 1880. The cit ...
, and served as an attorney for the Chicago & North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western was a Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states befor ...
from 1897 to 1903, when he resigned.
He was elected as a Republican to the position of Governor of South Dakota in 1907, and served in that capacity through 1909. He ran for the United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and ...
that year, and won the election. He served in the Senate through 1915, and lost his bid for renomination in 1914. He then returned to Huron and the practice of law until 1934, when he retired from active business and political life.
Death
He died in Yankton, South Dakota
Yankton is a city in and the county seat of Yankton County, South Dakota, United States.
The population was 15,411 at the 2020 census, and it is the principal city of the Yankton Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the entirety of Y ...
in 1944. His burial was in Oakland Cemetery, Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City, offically the City of Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is the home of the University of Iowa and county seat of Johnson County, at the center of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the ti ...
.[
]
References
External links
National Governors Association
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crawford, Coe I.
1858 births
1944 deaths
People from Allamakee County, Iowa
Republican Party United States senators from South Dakota
Republican Party governors of South Dakota
South Dakota Attorneys General
Republican Party South Dakota state senators
Members of the Dakota Territorial Legislature
District attorneys in South Dakota
19th-century American politicians
People from Pierre, South Dakota
People from Huron, South Dakota
Iowa lawyers
South Dakota lawyers
University of Iowa College of Law alumni