Johnny Crawford

Crawford in 2016, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: John Ernest Crawford

Date of Birth: March 26, 1946

Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States

Date of Death: April 29, 2021

Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish (paternal grandfather), German, Swiss-German, Belgian Flemish, English, Scottish

Johnny Crawford was an American actor, singer, and musician. He is known for his role on the show The Rifleman.

He was the son of Elizabeth and Robert Crawford, Sr., a film editor. His brother was actor Robert L. Crawford, Jr. Johnny was married to Charlotte, until his death.

Johnny’s paternal grandfather was Robert Lawrence “Bobby” Crawford (born Samuel Faden, the son of Isaac Faden and Rose Isserman). Robert was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Russian Jewish parents. He was a horse jockey who became a successful music publisher and founded De Sylva, Brown & Henderson and Crawford Music Corp. Isaac was born in Tiraspol, the son of Moses Faden. Rose was born in Bessarabia, the daughter of Nathan Isserman and Alice.

Johnny’s paternal grandmother was Thelma Irene Briney (the daughter of Harry E./T. Briney and Minnie Bell Bair). Thelma was born in Pennsylvania. Harry was the son of William Briney and Caroline Beck, and had German and Swiss-German ancestry. Minnie was the daughter of John Bair and Caroline Klingensmith.

Johnny’s maternal grandfather was prominent violinist Alfred Eugene Megerlin/Megerlein (the son of Emile/Emil Megerlin and Joanna Elisabeth/Elizabeth Wilhelmina Crabeels/Brabeels/Crabells). Alfred was born in Antwerp, Belgium. He was a concertmaster for and the first violinist of the New York Philharmonic, and concertmaster of the Minneapolis Symphony and The Los Angeles Philharmonic. Emile was born in Stuttgart, Germany, the son of Eduard Christian Alexander Friedrich Megerlin and Heinrike Adelheid Moegling.

Johnny’s maternal grandmother was Frances Wilson Sinclair (the daughter of James Fraser Sinclair and Frances Ann Baol/Boal). Johnny’s grandmother Frances was born in Antwerp, Belgium, to English parents. James was born in Huntingdon, Huntingdonshire, the son of Charles Alexander Sinclair and Emma Fraser, and was of fully or partially Scottish origin. Johnny’s great-grandmother Frances was born in Bishop Auckland, the daughter of John Boal and Ann Wilson.

Sources: Genealogy of Johnny Crawford – https://www.geni.com

Johnny’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Birth records of Johnny’s paternal grandfather, Samuel Faden – https://www.familysearch.org
https://www.familysearch.org

Johnny’s paternal grandfather, Samuel Faden/Robert Lawrence “Bobby” Crawford, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Samuel Faden/Robert Lawrence “Bobby” Crawford on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Johnny’s paternal great-grandfather, Isaac Faden – https://www.familysearch.org

Johnny’s mother on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Johnny’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Johnny’s maternal grandparents, Alfred Eugene Megerlin and Frances Wilson Sinclair – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of Johnny’s maternal grandfather, Alfred Eugene Megerlin – https://www.familysearch.org