Lyscum Elbert Crowson
American Methodist preacher (1903-1993)
Reverend Lyscum Elbert Crowson (June 26, 1903 - August 26, 1993) was a Methodist preacher who gained notoriety in the 1960s for leading West Virginia's "dry" movement, aimed at prohibiting the sale of "liquor by the drink;" and pressing a successful campaign to abolish capital punishment. As the chairman of the West Virginia Citizens Committee for Defeat of the Liquor Amendment, Crowson frequently engaged in high-profile debates with politicians, the press, and citizens. Crowson won attention for being fiery and unwavering in his political views.
Personal life
L.E. Crowson was born in De Kalb, Mississippi in 1903 to Frederick Lawrence Crowson, a Methodist preacher and Elizabeth S. Pope. Frederick was active in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Crowson and his family moved often around the South, spending large amounts of time in Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama.
At 18, Crowson received his license to preach. He subsequently graduated from Asbury College (now Asbury University). After returning to Florida from Asbury, he married Aline Purdom in 1927; they had two daughters. Crowson established his influence in West Virginia from the 1930s to the 1980s while serving in local churches across the state.
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This entry incorporates text from “Lyscum Elbert Crowson” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.