crawford was born in dublin, texas and attended local public schools. he went to business college at peniel (now part of greenville, texas), and attended the university of michigan at ann arbor. he engaged in accountancy at des moines, iowa, and detroit, michigan, 1914-1917. he built, financed, and operated beet sugar mills in various sections of the united states, 1917-1935. he also engaged in manufacturing, ranching, and overland transportation. he was director of the michigan national bank and the refiners transport & petroleum corporation of detroit at time of his death.