Asa Lee CROW

At the funeral of my dear grandfather Asa Lee Crow Sr. (died November 13, 1967), Rev. Edmund Gibson, Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Galveston, Texas, gave the following eulogy. When Mr. Gibson said "The gates of heaven flung wide open as he approached," all the electricity went off in the church. This had a profound effect on me! I like to think Pop was letting us know he had arrived home. A finer man never lived.

EDMUND H. GIBSON
4527 AVENUE N
GALVESTON, TEXAS

The Bible tells us "Greater love hath no man than that he lay down his life for his friends." But Asa Lee Crow lived his whole life for his loved ones and friends. Probably no greater honor will ever come to any of us then when he called us friend.

Asa was a wonderful husband and father and was devoted to his extensive family. He was a man of noble character with simple tastes and desirous of no public acclaim for his many accomplishments. He was kind, tender and self-effasive. He was outstanding in his loyalties to his God, Church and Country. Each he served faithfully all his days. If you ever want to have a definition for Charity just review Asa's life. He gave generously to most every worthy cause and the number of people in distress whom he aided was legion. In business he was just and believed that others should prosper as he prospered. Asa had a special fondness for little children and young people and never slackened in his youthful spirit.

The gates of Heaven flung wide open as he approached. No passport was required because his righteous record in life had long been established. As he entered Angels sang Alleluias, and we shall never cease to sing them as long as we live. Asa loved and loves us and we loved and love him.

Funeral Notice, 20 Sept 1861. Janette E. STAFFORD, daughter of J. S. (Josiah Seth) and Mrs. J. K. (Jeannetta KIRKLAND) STAFFORD.

William Maner STAFFORD, Jr., firstborn of Col. William Maner STAFFORD and Kate VEDDER. Galveston, Texas

Kate Eleanor Vedder Stafford, died 14 Feb 1910, From a Galveston newspaper:

The funeral of Mrs. W. M. Stafford, which will be private, will take place this afternoon at 3 o'clock from the late residence, 2723 Broadway.

Kate Eleanor Vedder Stafford, From a Galveston newspaper:

Many friends regretted to hear of the death on Monday evening of Mrs. Kate Vedder Stafford, wife of Captain William Manor [sic] Stafford. She was one of this city's most loveable ladies and her loss will be greatly felt. Her funeral took place at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The Opera Glass joins in extending sympathy to sorrowing relatives.

The Galveston Daily News, February 16, 1910

MORTUARY

Mrs. W. M. Stafford.

Mrs. W. M. Stafford died at her residence, 2723 Broadway, at 8:30 o'clock Monday night. Her death was entirely unexpected, as her health had been good up to within a few hours before she died. The funeral is to take place this afternoon at 3 o'clock from the residence and will be private.
Mrs. Stafford was an old resident of Galveston, having been born and reared in this city. She was 69 years of age. She was the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Vedder, her mother, Mrs. Vedder, having died at Galveston in 1901. The deceased leaves a husband, W. M. Stafford; five children, four sisters, a brother and numerous other relatives to mourn her loss.

Earl A. STAFFORD died July 23, 1903; he was a brother of Col. William Maner STAFFORD of Galveston, Texas. The following two were from a Galveston newspaper(s).

Galveston, Texas, July 24--Mr. E. A. (Texas) [sic] died at the home of his brother, Colonel W. M. Stafford, yesterday afternoon shortly before 6 o'clock. Mr. Stafford was formerly a resident of Houston and the remains were shipped there for interment. More recently he has been engaged in business at Palestine. He was about 55 years of age and is survived by his brothers, Colonel W. M. Stafford...

A Well Known Texan Passed Away in Galveston Yesterday

Yesterday afternoon, after a lingering illness, Mr. E. A. Stafford, better known as "Tex" Stafford, breathed his last at the residence of his brother, Col. W. M. Stafford, Twenty-Seventh and Broadway.

Mr. Stafford was a native Texan and was one of the best known men in the State. For a quarter of a century he resided in Houston, but some years ago removed to Palestine, where he has made his home ever since, being one of the leading and influential citizens of that place. Of a quiet and retiring disposition and naturally opposed to ostentation and show, only a few of his most intimate friends knew the deep treasure of his mind. He was studious and a deep thinker, slow to form opinion, but most thorough in his conclusions. The announcement of his untimely end will be received with sincere sorrow not only in Houston and Palestine where he was best known, but in all parts of the State. He leaves two brothers, Maj. Ike Stafford of Houston and Col. W. M. Stafford of this city, besides a number of nieces and nephews, to mourn his loss.

The remains will be taken to Houston where interment will take place this afternoon in Glenwood Cemetery.

From a Houston newspaper:

News reached the city last night of the death of Mr. E. A. (Texas) Stafford of Palestine and formerly a well known resident of this city. Death took place at Galveston yesterday afternoon at 6 o'clock after an illness of about four weeks. The deceased has for some years been a prominent merchant of Palestine and went to Galveston about a month ago for his health. He was 55 years old and leaves many friends, both in Palestine and this city, to mourn his loss. He is survived by two brothers, Major I. C. Stafford of this city, and Col. W. M. Stafford of Galveston, and three nephews, Mr. Fort Smith of this city, Stafford Smith of Letitia and Terry Smith of New York City, besides other relatives in the city.

The remains will be shipped to the city this afternoon over the Santa Fe, and the funeral will take place at 3 o'clock this afternoon from the Santa Fe depot, Rev. Sam Hay officiating. Interment in Glenwood cemetery.

The following named gentlemen have been selected to act as pall bearers: Messrs. W. H. Lloyd, Jr., O. L. Cochran, John T. Browne, Stephen Spence, George C. Davis, and William Lilly.

Earl A. Stafford

Special to the News
Houston, Tex., July 24--

The remains of Mr. E. A. Stafford reached the city from Galveston this afternoon via the Santa Fee. Funeral services took place from the station, with interment in Glenwood Cemetery. Rev. Sam R. Hay, pastor of Shearn Church, read the burial service. W. H. Lloyd Jr., O. L. Cochran, John T. Browne, Stephen Spence, George C. Davis and William Lily were the pallbearers. Deceased, who was a resident of Palestine at the time of his death, formerly lived in Houston. Many friends here are saddened by his death, which followed an illness of four weeks. He was about 55 years of age. The surviving relatives are two brothers--Major I. C. Stafford of this city and Col. W. M. Stafford of Galveston; three nephews, Fort Smith of this city, Stafford Smith of Letitia, and Terry Smith of New York City. P> The funeral was attended by old friends of the family, especially of Maj. I. C. Stafford of this city. Hon R. M. Hall of this city accompanied Major Stafford to Galveston yesterday evening and returned with the funeral party this afternoon.

Death of Isaac C. STAFFORD, brother of Col. William Maner STAFFORD, of Galveston, was 21 Nov 1906; following articles from unknown Houston, Texas, newspaper(s):

Major Isaac C. Stafford, one of the best known citizens of Houston, and widely known in the State, died suddenly at 7 o’clock yesterday morning at the residence of a relative, Mrs. E. C. Compton, 1910 Walker Avenue.

The funeral will be under the auspices of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of which he was a member in high rank, from the place of demise at 1 o’clock this afternoon, with interment in Glenwood.

Active pallbearers: Fort Smith, Stafford Smith, Dr. Brooks Stafford, W. M. Stafford, Jr., J. S. Stafford, and W. H. Lloyd.

The honorary pallbears have been named as follows:

O. L. Cochran, Y. W. Luccock, W. P. Hamblen, Rm M. Hall, Dr. G. A. McDonnell, D. P. Shepherd, W. H. Gayle, J. W. Bell, General H. B. Stoddard, William Habermacker (?) and George C. Davis.

Deceased is survived by one brother, Maynard [sic] Stafford of Galveston.

Resided here Sixty Years

Major Isaac C. Stafford was born in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, in August 1837, and was therefore at the time of death a little past 69 years of age.

His father was a native of South Carolina and was of pure Anglo-Saxon stock. His mother was a native of Louisiana and was a French Creole and deceased combined the very best features and character of these two strong native temperaments.

He came to Houston in 1846 at the age of 9 years with his parents and grew to strong and vigorous manhood here forming ties and friendships that lasted till death, and which will still be fondly remembered as a virtue by those who knew him at that period of his career.

A few years before the commencement of the Civil War he formed a partnership with Mr. W. L. Macatee of Houston under the firm name of Macatee, Stafford & Co., and this connection laid the foundation of a great and enduring business.

Interesting War Record

In April, before the State of Texas had passed the ordinance of secession, Major Stafford hastily formed and led a company of men to effect the capture of Fort Brown at the mouth of the Rio Grande river.

After the ordinance of secession was passed by the State of Texas, he led the first company of volunteer troops out of Harris county in defense of his country, the company being a part of the regiment of Colonel Rip Ford, of which John R. Baylor was lieutenant colonel and Edwin Waller major.

Colonel Ford, with six companies, went to the Rio Grande for the purpose of defending the frontier, while Lieutenant Colonel Baylor with the balance of the regiment went to New Mexico and Arizona, and Captain Stafford’s company was part of the little army last mentioned.

Within the year he was promoted for gallantry on the famous fields of Val Verde, Glorietta and other fields in the West.

MEMBER OF MAGRUDER’S STAFF

On returning to Texas he was made a member of the staff of General Magruder and served with distinction during the remainder of the war.

At the close of the war he at once turned his attention to business and had the satisfaction of knowing long before his death that he had been successful. His business carried him into various parts of the State and he thus formed an acquaintance large and influential and many who knew him in those days will shed tears of sincere regret when they are informed that the gallant, chivalrous man is no more.

Major Stafford was a Mason of high degree, and also past master of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Isaac C. Stafford, From unknown Houston, Texas, newspaper:

Special to the News
Houston, Tex., Nov. 23.--

In connection with the death of Maj. Ike Stafford, the gallant old Confederate officer and Texas, Maj. W. L. Davidson, an old comrade in arms, who came over from Fort Bend County to attend the funeral, related some very interesting features of the campaign through which they fought together.

It was known as the "New Mexico campaign," and on account of the limited telegraphic and railroad facilities those days, between Texas and that section, the people here were unable to keep up with the hard-fought battles, the daring deeds and the hardships that came to the Texans while there. While the boys from Texas lost many in battle, they also lost many on account of the scarcitiy of water on the plains and among the canyons.

Maj. Davidson, who is noted in this whole section for his accuracy of memory, in telling the thrilling deeds and odds against which Texas won victory after victory, spoke as follows:

"Our army, composed almost entirely of Texans, consisted of 3,700 men when it started under Gen. Sibley first, and later under Gen. Green, moved up there primarily for the purpose of capturing arms, ammunition and supplies known or believed to be in those forts in that section. Our strength when we got there was naturally reduced by the fact that we had to post detachments along the route for obvious reasons. Upon arrival there we found we were up against Gen. Canby's army of 7,200 men well armed. The first real battle was that of Val Verde, where we had 1,800 against 7,100 of the enemy, and I think the fight was one of the hottest of the whole war. We drove the enemy from the field and won a complete victory. They left dead and wounded 2,200 men on the field and we had 450 killed and wounded. Here my lamented friend Stafford bore himself with conspicuous gallantry. Later we won another hard fought battle at Glorietta, into which we went with 800 men under Gen. Wm. R. Scurry, a gallant Texan, while the enemy, under Gen. Slough, with 3,050 men, faced us. The odds were great, but we drove them eight miles through Apache Gap, which also gave another name to the battle. We later fought two battles at Albuquerque and won them both. Other victories were won at Socorro, Santa Fe and Parata, in all of which Ike Stafford demeaned himself with a daring that characterized him through the war. He was under Col. Pyron of the Second Texas, and I was under Col. Tom Green of the Fifth Texas Regiment. The death of Maj. Stafford has taken from life one of the best fighters that ever went to war. His men were all devoted to him and had a confidence in him that followed wherever he led or wherever he commanded. Well, we are dropping off one by one."

Maj. Davidson has lived in Fort Bend all his life and has had his popularity proven at the ballot box several times. His wife is a dughter of one of the soldiers that fought in Sam Houston's army for the independence of Texas.

The following Col. W. M. STAFFORD was the uncle of the above STAFFORDs; rather, he was the sixth child of Leroy STAFFORD and Rachel Providence AUDEBERT and half-brother of General Leroy Augustus STAFFORD. There are quite a few William Maner Staffords in this family, which can be confusing.

The webmaster's ancestor, Col. Wm. M. STAFFORD b. 25 Apr 1843 Rapides Parish, LA, d. 21 Nov 1930 Galveston, TX, was the son of Josiah Seth STAFFORD and Jeannetta KIRKLAND. The following Wm. M. STAFFORD was the brother of Josiah Seth STAFFORD and the webmaster's uncle.

Col. William M. Stafford died very suddenly yesterday morning at his residence of pneumonia. On Saturday last he took to his bed with a severe cold and for a time his friends and physician cherished the hope that it was only a cold; but on Sunday morning, symptoms of pneumonia, the dred disease of this climate, set in and it was apparent to his nurses and most watchful friends, that the days of the old pioneer were numbered. He had no idea himself that he was seriously ill, and only the evening before his death he assured a TIMES-REVIEW reporter, who called on him, that he was mending, would soon be able to resume his business. Alas, for human hopes! That night he was taken worse, and early yesterday morning he surrendered to the King of Terrors. His death has cast a gloom of the entire community for no man was more popular or had more friends than he. Col. Stafford was a native of Louisiana, but left his home at the time of the gold excitement in California and arrived on this coast in the spring of 1850. For a number of years he practiced his profession in California, and afterwards removed to Montana, where he took a prominent position as a lawyer. Some ten years ago he came to Elko county and practiced his profession at the county seat until April last when he removed to Rock Creek, then a promising camp, and there held the position of Justice of the Peace. When that town went down last August, he came to Tuscarora (Nevada), and has since resided here. He was a candidate for the office of District Judge this year, but was defeated in the Republican convention by a small vote. Wherever he was known, he was popular. His heart was set to the music of friendship, and the announcement of his sudden demise will carry sorrow to many a fireside on this coast. Col. Stafford was warm hearted and generous to a fault. No one in distress or trouble ever made a vain appeal to him, and upon none more than the poor and needy will the news of his death fall more heavily. He will be buried in the cemetery here at two o'clock this afternoon, under the auspices of the order of F.& A. M. of which he has been a member for many years. Funeral services will be held at the grave.

Mary Kate Crow Sinclair

Albert Henry "Al" Sinclair

Albert Henry "Al" Sinclair, 86, Salem, a former long-time Klamath Falls resident, died Friday, June 22, 1990, in Salem (OR).
Mr. Sinclair was born May 9, 1904, at Camp Plattsburg, NY, to Col. William S. and Mary Van Alstyne Sinclair and grew up at various army posts where his father was stationed.
He attended the University of Oregon and was an honor student, captain of the football team and a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.
Upon his graduation, he became football coach at Klamath Union High School. He also coached the tennis team for many years and taught physics, chemistry, general science and math until his retirement in 1959.
During World War II, he served overseas with the Army Signal Corps.
He loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter, fisherman and backpacker. He enjoyed experimenting and tinkering with mechanical and electrical objects.
Survivors include his brother, William S. Sinclair, Jr., Houston, Texas, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by another brother, Van Alstyne Sinclair, and a sister, Mary L. Sinclair Ford.
Interment of his cremated remains will be in the Sinclair family plot in Galveston, Texas.
Memorial donations may be made to Klamath Union High School for use by its student body.

Mrs. John Ford

Arrangements for private graveside services are pending for Mrs. John (Loraine Sinclair) Ford, 64, former Galveston resident who died Saturday in Austin after a short illness.
She was the daughter of the late Col. and Mrs. William S. Sinclair, pioneer Galveston residents.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by three brothers, Van Sinclair of San Diego, Calif., Albert Sinclair of Klamath Falls, Ore., and William S. Sinclair, Jr., of Houston, and other relatives.

Death of Colonel Sinclair

Galveston Daily News, January 12, 1897

The older citizens of Galveston were shocked last night on receipt of the news of the sudden death of Colonel William H. Sinclair yesterday at Rochester, N.Y. Mr. Sinclair has been closely identified with the growth of Galveston since the civil war. In 1861, at the age of 21, he entered the federal service as a private and rose to the rank of colonel. He was throughout the war conspicuous because of his bravery and ability. Soon after the war he settled permanently at Galveston and became closely identified with the city's interests. He was sent to the Twelfth legislature, where he was elected speaker of the house. He later held the position of internal revenue collector and was postmaster at Galveston under President Harrison's administration. Galveston's fine system of street railway is in large measure the result of his energy. He was the organizer of the Brush electric light company and the Island City Ice Company and was the founder of the Beach hotel. He was a Mason, a Shriner, a Knight of Honor, a member of the Army of the Cumberland and of the Grand Army of the Republic. He was a loving husband and a good father. Since the death of his wife in August, 1895, Colonel Sinclair had not been the same jovial spirit of former years. It was apparent to his closest friends that he never got over the terrible blow he suffered in the loss of the gentle helpmate of his maturer years. William H. Sinclair was one of the most enterprising citizens Galveston has ever had. To enumerate his sterling qualities, he was generous to a fault, always just, kind and true. He possessed the esteem and honor of all who came in contact with him. It is said by his friends that his mission to New York was to work up an enterprise to be started in Galveston.

In his death Galveston meets with a great loss.

HEADQUARTERS SEALY RIFLES
Galveston, Tex., Feb. 8, 1897--The following resolutions were adopted at a meeting held Monday, Feb. 8, 1897:
Resolved, that in the death of William H. SINCLAIR, for many years a citizen of the city of Galveston, his family has lost an affectionate father, the Sealy Rifles a warm and devoted friend and the community one of its truest and noblest citizens.
Resolved, that this organization will hold in lasting and kind remembrance the many favors conferred upon it, acts of substantial encouragement rendered it collectively and individually, by its patron and nature's model soldier, William H. SINCLAIR.
J. ZIEGLER, JR.
W. H. SEAMAN, JR.
MORGAN M. MANN,
Committee

My mother's notes say "Daddy's (Asa Lee CROW Sr.) cousin, Charleston, MS." Correct Ida BARNES' mother's name to "Ida MANLEY." Correction to one of Mom's notes: Mr. William Ball MARSHALL was the brother of Asa Lee CROW Sr.'s grandMOTHER, Susan MARSHALL).

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