Calling all Genea-Musings Fans:
It’s Saturday Night again –
Time for some more Genealogy Fun!!
Come on, everybody, join in and accept the mission and execute it with precision.
1) Share a recent genealogy find about an ancestor or family, such as a new name, document or even a clue towards cracking a brick wall.
Andrew Crawford genealogy research
Even though my recent research has focused on the descendants of Eli Bland, I recently took a detour to work on my Crawford line. Operating under the assumption that my James Crawford line will eventually connect with the other James Crawford families in early Garrard County, Kentucky, I decided to start gathering records from Virginia.
The other James Crawford lines are believed to descend from James Crawford [L5FF-1NF] and his wife, Margery. According to the FamilySearch tree, James and Margery had four sons: John, William, Andrew, and James. Their son John is thought to be the father of the James Crawford who married Martha Knight in Lincoln County, Kentucky. Their son James is believed to be the James Crawford who owned land on Paint Lick Creek in Garrard County. Their son William is said to have migrated through Kentucky to St. Genevieve, Missouri, before the Louisiana Purchase.
That leaves Andrew Crawford. Since I hadn’t come across any records directly connecting Andrew Crawford to these other lines, I decided to use FamilySearch’s Experimental Labs to investigate further. This search uncovered a 1776 deed from Botetourt County, Virginia, where Andrew Crawford and his mother, Margery, sold land to Alex Wyley.
At this point, I don’t have enough information to definitively connect Andrew and Margery to anyone on the FamilySearch tree. However, this deed is a promising clue. As I continue uncovering more records, I hope to determine which Andrew Crawford sold this land and how he fits into the larger Crawford family puzzle.
Andrew Crawford Deed
Botetourt County, Virginia
Deed Book 2, 1773-1780
Film # 007893747, item 3“Botetourt, Virginia, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4C-9WLW?view=fullText : Jan 15, 2025), image 65 of 231; .
image 65 of 231
page 235This Indenture made the second Day of January in the
year of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred & seventy six
between Andrew Crawford & Margery Crawford his Mother of the
County of Botetourt in the Colony of Virginia of the one part &
Alexander Wyley of the said County & Colony aforesaid of
the other Part Witnesseth that for & in consideration of the
Sum of sixty three Pounds current Money of Virginia to the
said Andrew Crawford & Margery in Hand paid by the sd
Alex Wyley at or before the sealing & Delivery of these Present
the Receipt whereof he doth hereby acknowledge & thereof
doth release acquit & discharge the said Alex Wyley his Exors
& Administrators by these Presents they the said Andw Crawford
& Margery hath granted bargained sold aliened & confirmed &
by these Presents doth grant bargain sell alien confirm
unto the said Alex Wyley & his Heirs one certain Tract of
Land containing one hundred & eighty one acres (more or less)
lying & being in the County of Botetourt & Colony of Virginia
& bounded as follows ( ie) Beginning at a Bunch of Linns
on the Bank of the North River Corner to Robert McCheney
& run with his line & John Wyley ‘ s North 16 Degrees West
308 Poles to two Pines Corner to the said Wyleys Land thence south
30 Degrees West 200 Poles to three white Oaks Corner to James
Campbells thence with his Lines South East 100 Poles to Post
thence South west 64 Poles to two Hicorys South East 40 poles
to a white Oak North East sixty four poles crossing a branch to
[two nd] Oaks South East 6 4 Poles to a Cedar & H[ic]ory on [a steep]
Bank on the River then up the River to the Beginning and
all Houses Buildings orchards Ways Waters Water Courses
Profits Commodities Hereditaments & appurtenances whatever
to the said Premises hereby granted on my part thereof belonging
or in any wise appertaining & the Reversion & Reversions remains
& remainders Rents Issues & Profits thereof & also all the Estate
Right Title Interest use [trust] Property Claim & Demand
whatsoever of him the said Alexander Wiley of in & to the said
Premise and all Deeds Evidences & writings touching or in any
wise concerning the same To have & to hold the same hereby
conveyed & all & singular other the Premises hereby bargained
& sold & every part & parcel thereof with their & every of their
appurtenances unto the said Alex Wiley his Heirs & Assigns
forever to the only proper use & Behoof of him the said Alexr Wiley
& of his Heirs & assigns forever And the said Andw Crawford andpage 236
Margery Crawford his Mother pr hims of his Heirs Exrs
& admistrators doth covenant promise & grant to & with
the said Alexr Wyley his Heirs & assigns by these Presents t
hat the said Andrew Crawford & Margery now at the Time of sealing
and delivering of these Presents seized of a good sure perfect &
indefeasable Estate of Inheritance in fee simple of & in the
[inmisor] hereby bargained & sold & that he hath good Power &
lawful & absolute authority to grant & convey the same to the
said Alexr Wyley in Manner & form aforesaid and that the
said Premises now are & so forever here after shall remain &
[] free & clear from all former & other G[ifts] Grants Bargain
sales Dower Right & Title of Dower judments Executions
Titles Tenables Charges & Encumbrances whatsoever made
done committed or afixed by the said Andrew Crawford
sd Margery or any other person or Persons whatsoever ( the Q
quit rents hereafter to grow due & payable to our sovereign
Lord the King his heirs & sucessors for & in Respect of the
Premises only excepted & foreprised , & that the said Andw
Crawford & sd Margery & his heirs all & singular the [premises]
hereby bargained & sold with the appurtenances unto the
said Alexr Wyley his Heirs & assigns against them the
said Andw Crawford & Margery & their Heirs & all & every other
Person & persons this & their heirs anything having or claiming in the Premises herein before mentioned or
intended to be hereby bargained & sold shall & will from
time to Time & at all Times hereafter at the reasonable
Request & at the proper cost & charges in the Law him
The said Alexander Wyley & her Heirs or assigns make
so & Execute or cause or procure to be made done & executed
all & every such further & other lawful & reasonable act
acts thing & things conveyance & assurances for the
further better & more perfect conveying & assuring the [premises]
aforesaid with their & every of their appurtenances unto
the said Alexander Wyley & his Heirs & assigns as by the said
Alexr Wyley & his heirs
or assigns or their Council [learned]
in the [same] shall be reasonably devised advised or required
In Witness whereof the -sd Andw Crawford hath hereunto set his Hand
&Seal the Day & year first above written
Andrew Crawford (seal)
Margery (her mark) Crawford (seal)Sealed & delivered
in the presence of
John Gabriel Jones [P A] Lockart
John Armstrong Geo . Rutledge
Thos Bowyer Jr Christion Samuel
Walker Wm McNeil James Ritchey
George Poage
At a Court held for Botetourt County the 14th of May 1776
This Indenture was proved by the Oaths of George Rutledge
Thos Bawyer & George Poage Witnesses & ordered to be recorded
Teste John May C BC
Botetourt County records are pretty good. Since Margery was likely a widow, I’d look for probate and court records next. There might be tax records that early. Cumberland County has them from 1782. Also check for more Crawford deeds. Good luck! You may be onto something.
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