The 1736 Land Warrant of Ann Craford
Have you ever followed a footnote in a genealogy publication only to discover the cited source might not support the conclusion—or even pertain to the same person?
That’s exactly what happened when I took a closer look at a claim published in Miami Valley Genealogies, Volume 2. It states:
The first mention of this family in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is when Ann Crawford, a widow, mother of Patrick, James, George and Alexander, is granted 200 acres of land, Mar. 31, 1736. The son James was granted 200 acres on the same date. This is the James Crawford, merchant, who later settled on Middle River, Augusta County, Virginia
Having recently researched James Crawford of Augusta County, Virginia, I decided to track down the original land records. Fortunately, Ancestry’s database, Pennsylvania, Land Warrants and Applications, 1733–1952, includes digitized images of these warrants.
What I found raised more questions than answers.
Here’s the text of the warrant for Ann Craford, dated March 31, 1736:
Pennsylvania, ss.
By the Proprietaries.WHEREAS Ann Craford of the County of Lancaster
hath requested that We would grant her to take up Sixty four
Acres of Land situate in Drummore Township between Fishing Creek
& the River Susquehannah being part of 464 Acres formerly [run out] by
Elisha Gatchell to William Brackyn
in the
said County of Lancaster, for which she agrees to pay to our Use at the Rate of
Fifteen Pounds Ten Shillings current Money of this Province for one Hundred Acres, and the
yearly Quit-rent of one Half-penny Sterling for every Acre thereof; THESE are therefore to au-
thorize and require thee to survey or cause to be surveyed unto the said Ann Craford
at the Place aforesaid, according to the Method of Townships appointed, the said Quantity of 64
Acres, if not already survey’d or appropriated, and make Return thereof into the Secretary’s Office, in
order for further Confirmation; for which this shall be thy sufficient Warrant; which Survey, in case
the said Ann Craford — fulfill the above Agreement within six Months from the
Date hereof, shall be valid, otherwise void. GIVEN under my Hand, and the lesser Seal of our
Province, at Philadelphia, this 31st Day of March — Anno Dom. 173 6.To Benjamin Eastburn, Surveyor-General.
(Signature) [Tho Penn]
Additional warrants issued on the same day include one for Patrick Craford and one for James Craford.
At first glance, this seems to confirm the narrative in Miami Valley Genealogies. But further investigation casts doubt on the connection.
According to entries on the FamilySearch tree, Ann Crawford—the supposed widow of William Crawford—died in 1726, a full decade before this land warrant. Furthermore, her husband William is said to have lived until 1767, which would mean Ann was not a widow in 1736.
Questions also arise about the James Crawford mentioned. If, as FamilySearch suggests, he was born in 1719, he would have been just 17 years old in 1736—not yet of legal age to hold property under colonial law.
These inconsistencies suggest that the Ann, Patrick, and James Craford of the 1736 Lancaster County land warrants may belong to a different branch of the Crawford family altogether.
The takeaway? This is a reminder of how essential it is to verify sources rather than rely solely on published family histories or online trees. It will take more research—comparing land records, tax lists, and court documents—to determine whether these Pennsylvania Crafords eventually connect to the Augusta County Crawfords, or if they represent a distinct line altogether.