By that I mean, he's bothers us. We take him out for a pee before we go to bed and then tell him to go to his bed. We'll just be about to sleep and he'll get up and whine, jump up on the bed, or just walk back on forth from his bed to ours.
We adopted him from a friend, he's rather old. We were told he was trained to sleep in his crate at night. We've tried to put him in it but he'll just whine and cry all night.
This is beginning to become a real problem, we do not get enough sleep and are feeling physically ill from sleep deprivation.
We just don't know what to do anymore!
Any suggestions or advice?

He's homesick, misses his previous owners, depressed, anxious. It's no different from adopting a middle aged dog or a puppy! It takes time and a lot of patience.
It sounds like he needs a real walk before going to bed, as well as some patting and play time (such as while you watch TV), lots of touching and attention. Try a nightlight and Big Ben windup clock for the ticking by his bed. Give him a treat as he settles in on his bed. Put his bed inside the crate with the door open. Answer back tomorrow.