Crutchfield was a friend of noted author George Washington Harris, and helped Harris become president of the Wills Valley Railroad after the Civil War. In a fictional discussion with the title character in the "Dedicatory" of his 1867 book, "Sut Lovingood: Yarns Spun by a Nat'ral Born Durn'd Fool", Harris proposes they dedicate the book to Crutchfield, though Sut disagrees. The dedication to Crutchfield read: "My friend in storm and sunshine, brave enough to be true, and true enough to be singular; one who says what he thinks, and very often thinks what he says."