He wrote extensively on religious matters and was vocal in his adherence to the established Church of Scotland both during and following the Disruption of 1843.
Life
13 Great King Street, EdinburghThomas Jackson Craword's grave, Dean Cemetery
He was born in St Andrews in Fife on 13th February 1812 the son of Agnes McDermeit and the Rev Prof William Crawford DD (died 1822), Professor of Moral Philosophy at United College at the University of St Andrews. Thomas was educated at the High School in Edinburgh and then returned to St Andrews to study divinity at the University, graduating with MA in 1831.[1]
In 1834 he became a minister in Cults, and in 1838, transferred to Glamis to the west. In 1844 he moved to Edinburgh as "second charge" minister of St Andrew's Church on George Street, firstly under Rev Thomas Clark then under Rev John Stuart.[2] During the Disruption of 1843 within the church, he was a strong advocate and campaigner of remaining within the established Church of Scotland. In 1859, over and above his ministering duties, he was made professor of divinity at the University of Edinburgh and continued in this role until 1875. At this time he was living at 13 Great King Street, a large Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh’s Second New Town.[3]
His body was returned to Edinburgh, where he was buried in Dean Cemetery on 12 January 1876 next to his wife, Mary Rankin (1830–1853) who had died young. The grave lies on the north wall of the original cemetery.
Publications
Reasons of Adherence to the Church of Scotland (1843)
An Argument for Jewish Missionaries (1847)
Presbyterianism Defended Against the Exclusive Claims of Prelacy (1853)
Presbytery or Prelacy (1867)
The Fatherhood of God (1867)
The Doctrine of Holy Scripture, Respecting the Atonement (1871)
The Mysteries of Christianity (1874)
Family
He married twice: firstly to Mary Rankine (1830-1853) daughter of Robert Rankine, a Liverpool merchant, who died aged only 23; secondly to Elizabeth Robertson, daughter of William Robertson of Malta. He had two sons by the second marriage: William Thomas Crawford MD (d. 1925) and George William Crawford.[4]
