Robert Tew (abt. 1720 - aft. 1787)

Born about 5 Sep 1720 in Chowan, North Carolina [uncertain]

Descendants

Died after 11 Oct 1787 after about age 67 in Sampson, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

Robert Tew was born in North Carolina.

Robert Tew was a North Carolina colonist.

Robert Tew was born (circa 1720) in Chowan (formed from Bertie, then later named Northampton, then Duplin, then Sampson) County, North Carolina, his father was John Tew, and his mother, Mary.^{[citation needed]}

He married Eliza Cameron^[1][2] about 1744 in North Carolina.

Among their children were:^[2]

1. Daniel Tew I (abt.1745-abt.1785)
2. Jeremiah Tew I (abt.1747-bef.1829), husband of Rachel Holley (1750-1830)^[1]
3. Marmaduke Tew
4. Phillip Tew
5. Alexander Tew
6. John Tew (1762-1846)

Unconfirmed children:

• Sarah (Tew) Gilbert (abt.1760-abt.1807)
• FamilySearch shows additional children and has dates for everyone, but very few sources; the birth date for Alexander does not agree with Tew (1992).

Land Grants

• 26 Oct 1767 - Duplin County Grant #323: 200 acres On the East side of Great Cohera (sic) Coharie File No. 1406^[3]
• 10 Nov 1784 - Duplin County Grant #653: 100 acres On the South side of Cezars (sic) Ceasars Branch File No. 2400^[4]

Robert Tew died before 13 Nov 1787, when the vestry minutes of the Wardens of the Poor reported that Paid Jack Wiggins the sum of... for burying said Tew.^[2]

Summary

One text, in describing his grandson, Daniel Tew II (born 1782), briefly outlines the following:^[5][2]

• Robert Tew (died circa 1786/7) married Eliza Cameron
  • Daniel Tew (circa 1742-before 1790) married Jean, seven children

Research Notes

Disputed Origins

FamilySearch records indicate that his mother may have been either

• Mary Elizabeth Bedo (ca. 1690-1743), or
• Sarah Briggs (born Dec 1699 Berkley, Bristol, Massachusetts) - the latter seems unlikely because of the large land mass difference.

It is entirely possible that a different John Tew, husband of Elizabeth Bedo, is the correct parent set (for both Robert and his brother Daniel, or some other scenario of origins).

It is noted that a Robert Tew was christened 5 Jun 1709, in St Andrew Holborn, London,^[6] so either the birth date and location is incorrect or if Bertie (later Chowan) County, North Carolina is known to a certainty, then that would help to rule out the particular John Tew who married Mary Bedo as parents. Traditional Tew researchers place his father as having been born in Halifax, North Carolina, so the St Andrew Holborn christening seems highly unlikely, though on FamilySearch it shows that his parents married at All Hallows, London (7 Sep 1707), but without an actual source record.

Regarding His Wife

The following references have been cited by some research as being supportive of Sarah Briggs as his mother, but review of these works is inconclusive:

• Cutter, William Richard (1912)^[7] A comment on the outcome of the Cutter review was added to her FamilySearch profile.
• Downs, John P. & Fenwick Y. Hedley. (1921)^[8] Review of Downs et. al. (1921), produced nothing definitive, but something about the page referenced is apparently incorrect.

Other Notes

• Ron Hudson found Ancestry data on Robert Tew that he has linked to Robert Tew's profile page in his family tree.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Mentions parents Robert (1720-1787) and Eliza (Cameron) Tew (1718-1785). Find a Grave, database and images www.findagrave.com/memorial/83871423/jeremiah-tew accessed 22 Feb 2023, memorial page for Jeremiah Tew Sr (1747–1829), Find A Grave: Memorial #83871423, citing Starling Cemetery, Spiveys Corner, Sampson County, North Carolina, USA; Maintained by Jeff Hubbard (contributor 47361123).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Bentley, Thelma Tew. The Family of John Adam Tew and Related Branches: Baggett, Butler, Eppes, Fisher, Fowler, Naylor, Royal. 6 Jun 1992. Sampson, North Carolina: Author. Courtesy of Sampson County Historical Society.
3. ↑ NC Land Grant Images and Data. Land Patent Book 23, p. 140. MARS: 12.14.57.1347.
4. ↑ Duplin County Entry 1362. Original request 29 Jan 1783. NC Land Grant Images and Data. Land Patent Book 55, p. 165. MARS: 12.14.57.2340.
5. ↑ Bizzell, Oscar M, ed. The Heritage of Sampson County, North Carolina. 1983, p. 623. Entry 1038: Daniel Tew II. Winston-Salem, North Carolina: The Sampson County Historical Society and Hunter Publishing Company.
6. ↑ This christening record is an unconfirmed match (now detached) and is unsupported by traditional vital dates attributed to Robert (5 Sep 1720-11 Oct 1787): "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch: indexed 11 Feb 2018, John and Elizabeth Tew in entry for Robert Tew, 05 Jun 1709; citing Christening at St Andrew Holborn, London, England, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 374,352.
7. ↑ Cutter, William Richard. Genealogical and Family History of Central New York: A Record of the Achievements of Her People. Vol. 2. 1912, p. 1005. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company.
8. ↑ Downs, John P. & Fenwick Y. Hedley. History of Chautauqua County, New York, and Its People. Vol. 2. 1921, p. "62"(?). Boston, New York, Chicago: American Historical Society, Inc.

• North Carolina, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890: Robert Tew, Residence: 1783 Duplin County, North Carolina Ancestry Record 3566 #16613192. Cf. Ancestry Record 3566 #16608759. These records have not yet been matched on FamilySearch.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Greg Rose for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Greg and others.