John Crawford (1819-1892)

John Crawford was born into a wealthy Presbyterian family in Northern Ireland. He forfeited his family wealth after his conversion and became a Baptist. After college in England and ministry there and in Ireland, he immigrated to Canada after the Irish potato famine.

After numerous pastorates and a professorship in college, Crawford put his livelihood and family savings into an endeavour to pioneer a Bible college in Western Canada, the first footprint of Baptist theological education in Western Canada.

He lost it all and died a broken hearten man in 1892, and was buried in an unmarked grave.