James, a wine and spirit merchant of Calendar Street and Donegall Place, Belfast, was married to Ellen FERGUSON possibly shortly after 1st September 1823. They had eleven children, of whom one, Thomas Douglas married Eleanor Fridiswid SHARMAN-CRAWFORD his second cousin, and one, George settled in Melbourne. One of Thomas Douglas's grandchildren, Basil, settled in Vancouver.

James CRAWFORD died at Belfast and was buried in the Clifton Street Ground ground. His Will was proved 18th October 1860 at Belfast by Henry CRAWFORD, solicitor, one of his younger sons.