In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1857, Fishing River township
From History of Ray County, Mo. (1881)
JAMES M. CROWLEY.
James M. Crowley was born in Fishing River township, Ray county, Missouri, April 26, 1857. He was educated in the district schools of this county, and when he had grown up engaged in farming, which is his present occupation. He was married at Lawson, in 1879, to Miss Bettie Whitsett, by Rev. Mr. Linn. Mrs. Crowley was born in Ray county, in the year 1858. The issue of this marriage has been one child: William, born May 26, 1880. Mr. Crowley is an enterprising, industrious and rising young farmer and a good citizen.
As printed in History of Ray County, Mo. (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1881. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.