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 1850, Ray county
From History of Ray County, Mo. (1881)
S. N. CROWLEY.
Samuel L. Crowley was born in Ray county, Missouri, May 20, 1850. He grew upon his father's farm, which was the present site of the town of Vibbard, and has spent the greater part of his past life here, engaged for the greater time in buying and shipping live stock to market. From 1873 to 1879 he lived in Vernon county, Missouri, occupied in farming and dealing in stock. He returned to Ray county in 1879, and is now located at Vibbard, where he owns and operates a large flouring and saw mill, and his business is in a highly prosperous condition. Mr. Crowley was married in the month of June, 1869, in Vernon county, Missouri, to Miss Fannie Hughes, by Rev. W. Ditzler. She was born in Ray county, Missouri, May 27, 1851. The issue of this union has been four children: James W., born April 9, 1872; Eugene, born January 9, 1874; Robert and Frank dead. Mr. Crowley is a member of Harmony Lodge, No. 384, A. F. & A. M., and his wife is a member of the Christian Union Church. Mr. Crowley is a man of great energy, industry and enterprise in business, and he has, in consequence, been more than ordinarily successful. He is respected and esteemed for his many excellent qualities as a man and a citizen, by all who knew him.
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.