Born in Indiana, Samuel J. Crawford moved to the Kansas Territory to estab-lish a law practice in the town of Garnett in Anderson County. Crawford soon became active in politics as a member of the newly formed Republican Party. Crawford was elected to the first state legislature. Crawford resigned from the legislature and volunteered for service, mustering in on June 20, 1861 as captain of Company E, 2d Kansas Infantry. When his enlistment expired, Crawford reenlisted and was commissioned captain of Company A, 2d Kansas Cavalry. In 1863, Crawford was commissioned colonel of the 2d Kansas Colored Infantry. In 1864, the Kansas Republican party nominated Crawford to run against Governor Thomas Carney and Crawford won the election. To run for governor, Crawford had taken a leave of absence from military service, but returned to serve as an aide to Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis during Price’s invasion of Missouri.
Wikipedia. “Samuel J. Crawford,” January 19, 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_J._Crawford.
Kansas Adjutant General. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kansas, 1861-’65, 71, 79, 600.