Have you ever worked with a family on FamilySearch that may be two families merged together? That’s my thought when it comes to Samuel Crawford, son of Alexander and Mary McPheeters Crawford.
Assuming that the book, Descendants of Alexander and Mary McPheeters Crawford would have some information about Samuel, I decided to see what it had to say about Samuel and his family.
page 260
Samuel Crawford
110 — Samuel Crawford, born 17 March 1759, Augusta County, Va. and will
proved in Augusta County, August 1795. He married 12 October 1790 (marriage
bond, 9 October), Elizabeth Craig, daughter of Samuel and Margaret Craig.
Margaret Craig gives her consent for this marriage. Augusta County Order Bk. XV,
p. 17 shows that Samuel, age 14, orphan of Alexander Crawford, chose Samuel
McPheeters as guardian, 17 March 1773. He is named as one of the executors in the
will of his brother, William Crawford, proved December 1792.Samuel Crawford’s will is found in Will Bk. VIII. p. 176
“First: In the Name of God Amen, this the fourteenth day of February in the
year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety five, I, Samuel Crawford
of the County of Augusta and State of Virginia, bequeath my soul to God that gave
it never doubting but at the general resurrection, I shall receive the same by the
mighty power of God. And as having such worldly goods as it hath pleased God to
bless me with in this life.“Second: I bequeath to my well beloved wife Elizabeth the whole use and profit
of my place where I now live: likewise the deeds, lands and locations adjoining the
same, until my son comes to the age of twenty-one years old, only that my son is
to be schooled and raised out of said profits and I give likewise to her the whole of
my household furniture and all my family tools and two cows her choice of the
flocks her saddle and one horse, her choice, and after my son comes to age to have
and enjoy to have one third of the profits of said lands.“Thirdly: I bequeath to my son William the whole of the lands above written
and if he shall die under age then my wife is to enjoy lands forever or her heirs or
her heirs; and do empower my executors to sell a survey on the North Mountain
known by the name of ‘Timber Land’.“I hereby authorize my brother James Crawford to recover settle for and sell a
certain tract of land in Cumberland granted to John Sawyers by William Griffin
and assigned to me and to account for same with my executors, and I authorize my
executors to sell a lot in the town of Nashville in Cumberland and to make a title
for the same. And I appoint my trusty friends William McFeeters, John Crawford
and my wife Elizabeth the executors of this my last Will and Testament.“In witness whereof I herewith set my hand and seal this day and year
mentioned.
Signed, sealed, published and proclaimed in the presence of
John Young
Robert Wallace
Daniel Freelpage 261
“Recorded in bond of two thousand dollars in Augusta County Court in August
1795.”
Teste: Jacob Kinney, ClerkSamuel’s estate was appraised, 23 September 1795 by William Moffett,
Benjamin Brown, Samuel Bell.Elizabeth Crawford, Samuel’s widow was living in Augusta County, Va. in June
1798 when her name appears on a deed from heirs of Samuel Craig deceased (Dd.
Bk. 30, pp. 48, 50, 51). 20 June 1798, John Crawford, William Jameson and
Margaret, James Craig and Elizabeth, Elizabeth Crawford, Samuel Craig, all heirs
of Samuel Craig, deceased who died intestate, now deed to Alexander Craig 112
acres on little River of the Calf Pasture.Evidently Samuel and his brother John (#111) married sisters and their sister
Martha (#118) married a Craig brother.According to Samuel’s will he and Elizabeth had one son:
1101 William Crawford, under age in February 1795. We have no further record
of this son.References:
Amanda Crawford Arbogast Forbes and Lucetta Crawford Sammis, compilers, Descendants of Alexander & Mary McPheeters Crawford: Pioneer Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia (Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, 1980), page 260 Samuel Crawford; FHL microfiche 6110842 at MidWest Genealogical Library.
Mildred Crawford papers, Augusta County, Va. Historical Society
Alexander Warwick Crawford chard, Alderman Library, University of Virginia
Will of Samuel Crawford, Augusta County, VA. Will Bk. VII, p. 176, 197
Augusta County Dd. Bk. 30, pp. 50, 51
Augusta County Marriages, Chalkley, Vol. II, p. 349; bond, Vol. II, p. 287
Augusta County Order Bk. XV, p. 17, orphan records.
This book identifies William Crawford as a son of Samuel and Elizabeth Craig as his wife. Thus, I have the following information about Samuel in my records.
Samuel Crawford was born in 1759 in Augusta, Virginia, United States.1
He chose Samuel McPheeters as his guardian on 17 Mar 1773 .2
He was witness to the marriage license for William Jameson and Margaret Craig. on 2 May 1789 in Augusta, Virginia, United States.3
Samuel died before 1795 at the age of 36.
He signed a will on 14 Feb 1795 in Augusta, Virginia, United States.1,4
Samuel Crawford and Elizabeth Craig obtained a marriage license on 9 Oct 1790 in Augusta, Virginia, United States.1,5–6
They were married on 12 Oct 1790 in Augusta, Virginia, United States.1
1. Amanda Crawford Arbogast Forbes and Lucetta Crawford Sammis, compilers, Descendants of Alexander & Mary McPheeters Crawford: Pioneer Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia (Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, 1980), page 260 Samuel Crawford; FHL microfiche 6110842 at MidWest Genealogical Library.
2. Lyman Chalkey, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia (Roselyn, Virginia: The Commonwealth Company, 1912), page 169; digital images, FamilySearch, http://www.familysearch.org viewed online 21 January 2023.
3. Chalkley Lyman, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia: Extracted from the Original Court Records of Augusta County 1745-1800, volume 2 (Rosslyn, Virginia: The Commonwealth Company, no date), page 289 – marriage William Jameson and Margaret Craig; digital images, FamilySearch.org, http://www.familysearch.org viewed online 25 January 2023.
4. Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900, Samuel Crawford, 14 February 1795; database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 24 January 2023). Original Source: Virginia County, District and Probate Courts.
5. Vogt John & T. William Kethley. Augusta County Marriages, 1748-1850. Iberian Publishing Company | n.p., 1986), p. 66 Samuel Crawford.
6. Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia Volume 2, page 287 Marriage Samuel Crawford / Elizabeth Craig.
A marriage between Elizabeth Bradley and Samuel Crawford has not been found. However, it is possible that Samuel was married in 1780 to Elizabeth Bradley prior to his marriage to Elizabeth Craig. Samuel’s son, William, could be the son of either Elizabeth.