Wayman Crow

Wayman Crow (March 7, 1808 – May 10, 1885) was one of the founders of Washington University, a St. Louis businessman, and a politician.

Early life Born in Hartford, Kentucky, on March 7, 1808, Crow was the youngest of eight children. His parents, Joshua and Mary Wayman Crow, came to Kentucky from Maryland. Joshua practiced law until his death in 1830. Until Wayman was twelve, he attended the Hopkinsville, Kentucky country school. At that point, he became an apprentice to a dry goods storekeeper, Strother J. Hawkins.

Business career At Hawkins' store, Wayman learned bookkeeping and how to run a business while working at the store and sleeping on a cot there. Hawkins retired when Crow was fifteen and he moved to an apprenticeship at another firm, Anderson and Atterbury. After completing his apprenticeship, Crow was given responsibility for an entire store in Cadiz, Kentucky. Crow was given the opportunity to buy this business when Anderson and Atterbury moved to Pittsburgh. Crow then sold the business in 1835, amassing what was then a fortune of twenty thousand dollars.

He continued his activities with the university and continued to be a member of the board of trustees until his death in 1885.

Personal life Crow married Isabella Conn in 1829. Isabella came from Union County, Kentucky. Isabella's sister married Crow's brother, Phillips Crow. Cornelia Louisa Crow Carr, was born in 1833 and died in 1922.

The couple's son, Wayman Crow Jr., died in England in 1878. Wayman built a memorial in downtown St. Louis to honor his son when he died. Crow employed Boston architects Peabody and Stearns to design the three-story Renaissance/Romanesque building located at 19th and Lucas Place (now Locust Street). The building was razed in 1919. Later life and death Wayman Crow died on May 10, 1885, and Isabella died in 1892.