I took some time this past week to do some research on my family tree. Well, I found this gem of an article with my great grandfather, Sands Crawford, mentioned. Or, should I say he appears to have been the catalyst for a lawsuit. As the saying goes, “you can’t make this stuff up”. Let me explain.
Searching through old newspapers is a great means of finding extended family members. In 1900, they didn’t have Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. All the social news was reported in the local papers. Family visits were mentioned, church socials, Grange meetings as well as legal notices of land transactions and estate settlements. Besides being a great source of finding relatives, it’s also an extremely amusing way to spend a snow bound afternoon.
I previous wrote about the Swamp Tavern in Leptondale, giving a brief history of the watering hole as well as some of those involved with it. It was a landmark for years for people traveling through the community as well as a place locals would gather.
Around the end of the 19th Century, long before MADD, there was the Anti-Saloon League. Temperance societies battled the sins of alcohol across the nation. And, the Town of Newburgh was not left out. How I discovered this was by chance.
I have been going through old family papers and found a deed from 1850, for Isaac L. Harris. I wasn’t sure how he figured into my family tree as the Harris name is quite common in this area. My paternal grandmother’s surname is Harris. So, this is where I began.

After failure after failure to establish the connection, I reached out to others who have ancestors on this branch of my family tree. No one had an answer or solution, but began digging. Clue after clue was examined and dismissed.
After a few weeks, I remembered, my paternal great grandmother on the Crawford side was also a Harris. My great grandfather, Sands Crawford, had married Emma Harris. When I first began being infatuated with genealogy, and documenting my ancestors in 1974, I asked my grandmother if she was related to this Emma Harris, who would have been her mother-in-law, though she was already deceased when Granny married my grandfather. She said as far as she knew, they were not related.
Well, after a little digging, I discovered Isaac L. Harris was Emma Harris’ father. This is how the property deed became included with family documents. Now, let me get back to the main gist of this story.
I discovered a newspaper article which had Sands Crawford’s name mentioned. When I read it, I couldn’t help but smile. The article was about a gentleman who had a shop at the Swamp Tavern who had been accused of selling my great grandfather liquor. The charges were serious enough to warrant a jury trial! Over a single bottle! And, when you read the article, the action originated with my great grandmother, Emma!
Intrigued, I had to learn about this Anti-Saloon League. In the article, it mentions the Brown sisters. From what I remember being told, their farm was about where the NYS Thruway crosses Mill Street. I believe if you look close there, you will find part of the foundation of their structures.
The Anti-Saloon League was the first organized group which tackled the issue of alcohol abuse. Its founder, and first leader, was Howard Hyde Russell. His organizational strategy was to build from the bottom up, promoting local groups and individuals who were pro-temperance to battle alcohol abuse.
Founded as a state society in Obelin, Ohio, in 1893, its popularity rocketed across the country and by 1895, was a national organization. It did not focus on individuals, but on having laws passed to aid their cause, becoming the largest lobbying group for prohibition. It has continued through the years with a number of name changes and is now known as the American Council on Addiction and Alcohol Problems.
I have to include a photo of Emma Harris Crawford, my great grandmother, who took a stand against alcohol, and probably a frying pan to my great grandfather, with this early organization to stem alcohol abuse. I somehow have to think that somewhere, in the great beyond she’s still berating him and he’s still winking at everyone, with a grin on his face.