Willard Crawford

Willard Crawford

Willard Crawford (August 14, 1747 - December 28, 1809) was, along with Aaron Burr II, one of the founders of the Republican Union. 

Born in 1747 in New York City, Crawford was a teenager during the years that lead up to the American Revolution. During his early 20's he followed in his fathers footsteps and became a moderately successful merchant in New York City. In 1776, after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the 29 year old Crawford joined the American Army. While still a patriot, he returned to his business affairs after the war ended in 1781. Crawford latter went into politics during the mid-1790's. 

Crawford rebelled against the Adams presidency in the wake of the Franco-American War and led a local militia against the President Mansion in New York City.

Crawford was one of the key architects of the new government of the remnants of the United States, which reformed itself into the Republican Union. He set up the Consulate as way to avoid the excess of power under the Adams Administration. Unknowingly, the government he put in place would lead to further problems, as the Chief Consuls proved nearly powerless against the corporate domination of Goodyear Enterprises, and the racism and revanchism which would haunt the Union for generations. Without a secure government, the R.U. fell to fascism in due time. Crawford never lived to see any of this come to pass, or the R.U.'s humiliation in the War of 1812 for that matter. He died of pneumonia on December 28, 1809, at the age of 62.