JOHN CRAWFORD.
 

	  John Crawford, vice president and general manager of the firm of
MacDonald-Crawford, Limited, of Moose Jaw and head of the largest
wholesale grocery and produce house in Saskatchewan, came to Canada
from Ireland sixteen years ago, a young man with far more ambition
and energy than capital. Immediately setting to work at the trying busi-
ness of making his visions of wealth and prosperity materialize, he has
Since had the satisfaction of attaining a position of influence in the com-
mercial world far beyond that of his expectations when he left his native
land. A brief survey of his career will reveal the fact that Mr. Craw-
ford has always worked hard, has held himself in readiness to take ad-
vantage of any favorable opportunity to advance his interests that might
arise, and has had the constructive type of imagination that enabled him
to see into the future and anticipate its needs. Given an ordinary amount
of what is generally known as "luck" this combination of qualifications
is rather certain to bring a man success.
	John Crawford was born on the 11th of October, 1877, in Coleraine,
County Londonderry, Ireland, the oldest child of Hugh and Ellen (Mont-
gomery) Crawford. His parents were natives of the Emerald Isle, where
they lived until about nine years ago, when they came out to Moose Jaw
which has since been their home.  In the old country Hugh Crawford
followed his trade as blacksmith. He is a Conservative in his political
views and his religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church, in which
he was for a number of years an elder. All of the ten children born to
Hugh and Ellen Crawford, six sons and four daughters, are living in
Canada. The oldest son, John, was educated by the Honorable Irish So-
ciety of North Ireland. His first work was done in the business house of
a grain merchant and he was connected with the grain trade in Ireland
for ten years.
	In 1908 John Crawford came to Canada, where he found employment
in a wholesale grocery establishment of Winnipeg and was connected
with the MacDonald concern of that city for two years. In 1910 he was
sent to Moose Jaw to manage the branch of the A. MacDonald Company,
Limited, in this city. MacDonald-Crawford, Limited, of which Mr. Craw-
ford is vice president and general manager, was organized three years
later and is now the largest wholesale grocery house in the province. The
business is mail order business carried on by catalogue, but in addition
branches are maintained at Saskatoon, Regina, North Battleford and
Swift Current, as well as the home office at Moose Jaw, and the territory
extends over the entire province.  In addition to carrying the regular
grocery staples, the MacDonald-Crawford concern does a fruit and pro-
duce business that ranks it as the leading produce firm in Saskatchewan.
A cannery is operated at Kelowna, British Columbia, to supply canned
goods for the trade. As this house is the oldest in Moose Jaw engaged
in the grocery branch of the wholesale trade, Mr. Crawford "got in on
the ground floor," as the saying goes, and by being the first wholesale
dealer to sell groceries to Saskatchewan merchants has enjoyed the pres-
tige that is usually accorded the older firms, as well as a reputation for
reliability built up through years of conscientious and dependable service.
This company is in reality a monument to Mr. Crawford's ability, for he
has been the man who has been personally identified with its work from
the very start and it is due to his efforts and wise management that it
has succeeded to such a conspicuous degree.
	Mr. Crawford was married in 1912 to Miss Margaret C. Magowan,
who was born in County Antrim, Ireland, and to them have been born
three children: Kathleen, Betty and John, Jr., all of whom are attending
school. The family attend St. Andrew's Presbyterian church, of which
Mr. and Mrs. Crawford are members, Mr. Crawford having formerly
served as manager.  Politically Mr. Crawford votes independently and
fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order. He belongs, to the
Prairie Club and the Moose Jaw Aquatic Club, of which he is president
and holds a position on the executive board of the Navy League of the
province. As a member of the local library board he has been active in
gaining support for this worthy institution and the work it is doing in
the community in promoting the reading of good books and elevating the
general educational and cultural standards. In connection with his busi-
ness work, he belongs, of course, to the Moose Jaw Board of Trade and
for three years acted as its president. Boating and gardening are the
hobbies of this busy man and the recreations in which he seeks diversion
from the cares and responsibilities of his business.  It will readily be
seen from the foregoing that Mr. Crawford's contribution to Moose Jaw
has not been alone in a commercial way. While he has greatly assisted
the development of the city as a trading center by building up a great
house that extends its influence into the far-away corners of the province,
he has likewise proven himself a public-spirited citizen who is ready and
glad to lend his personal support to those worthy causes that make a com-
munity a better place in which to live. Moose Jaw is proud to number
him among her representative citizens and business men.



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