Tarleton Perry Crawford

Tarleton Perry Crawford (May 8, 1821 – April 7, 1902) was a Baptist missionary to Shandong, China for 50 years with his wife.

At the close of 1850 Crawford was appointed as missionary to Shanghai, China by the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Posted initially to Shanghai in 1852, Crawford and his wife Martha moved to Dengzhou in Shandong, perhaps to gain more independence from mission oversight.

His friend Dr. George Burton's becoming exhausted due to excessive medical work in Shanghai reinforced Crawford's central conviction.

His singlemindedness meant that he closed down his wife's school in 1879, perhaps out of jealousy at her success with Lottie Moon at Shaling.

Crawford formed the Gospel Mission, and eight (of fourteen) Southern Baptist missionaries joined him.

Southern Baptist Convention missionaries struggled with Crawford's "unattractive social philosophy and his refusal to give sensible leadership to the Christian Chinese.