Have you ever felt like you’re searching for a needle in a haystack when doing genealogy research? That’s exactly how I feel as I try to unravel the mystery surrounding my CRAWFORD line.
I can confidently place my ancestor, James Crawford, in Garrard County, Kentucky, in 1799 when he married Sally Duggins. Clues suggest he may be the son of Mary Crawford, who purchased land along Sugar Creek in 1791. Mary appears in Madison County, Kentucky tax records beginning in 1787 and is named in court records by 1788. In 1793, she married Alexander Moore, and the couple sold her land in 1797. It’s believed that Mary and Alexander Moore later migrated to Fleming County, Kentucky, where she likely passed away.
To confirm or refute the theory that Mary Crawford is the mother of my James Crawford, I continue to search for documents that shed light on her identity and connections.
Recently, while using FamilySearch’s full-text search, I came across a North Carolina record for a Mary Crawford. While I don’t believe this record pertains to my Mary Crawford, it proved to be a valuable genealogical discovery in its own right.
The document supports the family structure of Colonel John Crawford, a known descendant of David Crawford of Jamestown. Below is a transcription of that record, including FamilySearch and WikiTree IDs.
“North Carolina, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9GF-2WTT?view=explore : Sep 3, 2025), image 111 of 332; . Image Group Number: 007641174
North Carolina Bible Records, Church Records and Genealogies
Compiled by
The Alexander Martin Chapter
Daughters of the American RevolutionImage 110
81
John Crawford .
Records :
From manuscripts of the late Edward Aiken Crawford sent to Mrs. William
Sinclair Stewart3rd , ( Jennie Watson Stewart ) by Charles T. Crawford
of Lawrenceburg , Tenn .
” The first Crawfords to come to America , and the founders of the
Rockingham , N. C. Paris , Tenno branch of American Crawfords , were
John and David Crawford [Crawford-335] , father and son . John Crawford, son of Cadet
of the Ayrshire , Scotland Crawfords was born in Kilburnie in 1600 .
His wife died in Scotland , leaving one son , David , who was brought
by his father to Jamestown , Va . , in 1643 . John was killed in 1676 ,
in one of the fights during Bacon ‘ s Rebellion .
David [LDPV-1XH] , born in 1625 , married in James City County , Va . , at the age of
24 , and died in New Kent County , Va . , in 1710 . He had three daughters
and two sons , Captain David [Crawford-334] and John [LDPK-M4W]. Captain David [L6PL-5VL] , born 1662 ,
called ” Good old Captain David , ” in New Kent Co . , Va . , married Eliza
beth Smith [LC58-VXL] 1695 in Hanover County , Va . , died 1762 , in New Kent County ,
Va . , over a hundred years of age . His sons were David [Crawford-336] [L6PG-M1B], born in 1697 ,
who married Ann Anderson : John [Crawford-449] [L8DK-H9C], born in 1701 , who married Mary Duke :
and Michael [LJKN-FLR] , born in 1707 , who married Elizabeth Terrell in Southimage 111
82
Carolina
The Descendants of Col . John A. Crawford
Col . John A. Crawford [L2WJ-BW3], of the family in North Carolina , coming there
in 1739 , was a son of John [L8DK-H9C] and Mary (Duke)[LZNK-L5M] Crawford, mentioned above .
He commanded a regiment of ” Tar Heels ” in the Continental Army . He
was born in 1731 ( or 1733) and died in 1802 . His first wife was a
Miss Mastin [LHXB-P4V], probably the mother of his sons ; after her death he
married a widow Clark [9QN4-VK4] , who had two daughters , Rachel [LYJT-1RL] and Julia Clark [9QN4-VK4].
Col . Crawford had three sons , Thomas [LZLD-1WD], Mastin Duke [LY3S-MTD], and James [L44D-NGN]. The
last named is said to have moved to Texas , and whether he was married
or left descendants is not known .
Thomas [LZLD-1WD] married Rebecca Covington [LZLD-14D], and they had children as follows :
Thomas[LZLD-R2T], married Harriet Wall [LTD4-1L2]; William [MKG6-4S9], married Miss Cole[L4H4-NSX], Mastin Duke [LHS7-WZC],
married Miss Covington [L44D-JZY] ( this was probably a son of Mastin Duke 1st,
and not of Thomas ) ; John [LY39-52V] married Miss Covington; and Ann [LZF2-9RQ]who married
a Randle[LZL6-MDH], and was the grandmother of the late Henry B. Gaines of Mc
Kenzie , Tenn . “
Other references from same Manuscripts as above ; written by Hon .
Walter Leak Parsons, of Rockingham , N. C. ( he died Dec . 1931 ) . He
was the great grandson of Mastin D. Crawford ( Methodist preacher ) ,
who was born in 1779 , as shown in his grandmother ‘ s family Bible now
in possession of his family .
Other references are from ” Family Records ” of Capt . William I. Everett
of Rockingham , N. C. ( deceased ) .
Also ” Family Records ” of C. E. D. Edgerton, Richmond County Historian ,
Rockingham , N. C.
Supplimentary Details — Partly from Records of No . 1067 N. C. Society
Colonial Dames of America ,
The said John Crawford was born 1731 ( or 1733 ) in Virginia , and
was in North Carolina as early as 1749 . He resided in the Colony or
Province of North Carolina ( Anson County ) . He died 17 — or 1802?
At a council held at Newbern 11 th day Oct . 1749 , 300 acres of land
was granted to Jno . Crawford of Anson Co .
John Crawford was Justice of Peace for Anson Co . , N. C. , appointed by
Council held at Brunswick , Dec . 31 , 1762 . N. C. Col Records Vo . 6 ,
pg . 799 , Vol . 4 , pg . 966 .
John Crawford was elected member of the Assembly from Anson Co . ,
held at Wilmington , N. C. Feb . 1764 .
Also member of Assembly held at Newbern , 1766 , from Anson County . He
was elected again in 1768 , but resigned on account of his inform state
of health . N. C. Col Records , Vol . V , pg . 655 – 656 .
” Read the petition of Jno . Crawford of Anson Co . setting forth
that he is possessed of a patent for 100 acres of land in Anson County ,
lying on Hitchcock ‘ s Creek , which was granted to John Crawford Sr.
the 4th of April 1750 , and since purchased by the Petitioner etc .
N. C. Col . Records , Vol . 6 , p. 1084 .
John Crawford married Ann Mastin, and their son Thomas Crawford ,
( Born 1751 died 1788 ) married in 1775 Rebecca Covington, ( born 1756
died after 1789 ) , dau . of John Covington. Thomas Covington’ s Will
was probated in Jan . 1789 . Book 1 , p. 29 , 30 Richmond Co .
William Crawford ( born 1784 died 1836 ) , son of Thos . Crawford Crawford and wife
Rebecca Covington ( born 1756 , died after 1789 ) married Elizabeth Cole
in 1802 . She was born 1796 and died Oct . 3rd 1829 .
Their daughter Elmira Jane Crawford, was born Dec . 6 , 1815 and died
July 16 , 1902 . She married on Jan . 20th 1831 William Boneparte
Cole, born July 15 , 1810 and died Feb . 8th 1881 . ( Both these latter
are buried in Eastside Cemetery , Rockingham , N. C. ).83
Their daughter , Elizabeth Jane Cole Cole was born Feb . 16th 1842 and died
Sept . 7 , 1891 . She married ( June 17 , 1858 ) John Crawford Ellerbe,
born Jan . 30 , 1832 , and died July 23 , 1902 . ( These also are buried
in Eastside Cemetery , Rockingham , N. C. ).
Their daughter , Jennie Crawford Ellerbe was born Nov . 20th 1861 .
She married ( Aug . 30 , 1883 ) Henry Clay Watson , b. Dec . 4 , 1854 , and
died May 7 , 1926 .
These are the parents of Jennie Watson Stewart.
For above details see N. C. Col . Records , Vol . 4 , p. 965 ; Vol . 6 ,
P. 799 , 1157 , 1170 , 1299 ; Vol . 7 , p. 342 , 655 , 656 , 690 , 698 , 722 , 692 ,
725 , 788 . Also No . 1067 , N. C. Society Colonial Dames of America .