 His lineage became known as Crawford of Jordanhill, his estate in the present-day suburbs of Glasgow, of which he was made provost in 1577.He was also the first person to provide a bursary out of his own wealth at Glasgow University, (16 bolls of oatmeal from the mill at Partick) - an amount large enough to completely support one student.It was while Crawford held the office of Provost that Glasgow Cathedral was threatened with destruction (as part of the religious unrest during the Reformation).