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Decendent of Thomas Jefferson Crouch
1. Was an adult in 1750. 2. Was supposed to have come to America with two older brothers in about 1750
Here are some notes on the subject of Welsh Crouches from Glenn Crouch's Crouch Family Researcher newsletter. Web site is reportedly http://members.aol.com/ggcrouch/index.htm
"From Maxwell's History of Randolph Co VA, 1898, p.354: "About 1750 three brothers named Crouch came from Wales and settled in the United States. It cannot be ascertained where they first made their home, but subsequently one went to Tennessee, one to Kentucky and one, whose name was John, and who is the subject of this sketch, settled in Tygart's Valley, near the mouth of Shaver Run."
In an article sent by Mr. David Boatman that was compiled by Flora Lusk Ward we find: "Three brothers by the name of Crouch immigrated to America in the early part of the seventeenth century. They were Welchmen. (About 1740). Their names were John, James, and perhaps Andrew." [I believe 1740 is in eighteenth century].
In an article titled Crouch sent by Dr. Edith Shuman we find: "A traditional account says that three brothers went from Wales to Maryland, and then, to Virginia, John Crouch, James Crouch, and Andrew Crouch. John Crouch was in Augusta County, Virginia, by 1750, and later settled in Randolph County, (West) Virginia. Andrew Crouch about the same time then, on to Kentucky, went west. James Crouch was not heard from after Randolph County in the early days."
From an article titled The Crouch Name sent by Mr. Charles Lilly we find: "A family tradition in a history book of Randolph County stated three brothers, John Crouch, James Crouch, and Andrew Crouch went from Wales to Maryland, and then to Virginia. John Crouch was in Augusta County, Virginia, in 1750, and later went to Randolph County, created from Harrison County in 1787. Randolph County was in the western part of Virginia that became West Virginia in 1863. In the early days, James Crouch was in Randolph County not heard from again. Andrew Crouch went on to Kentucky, and went west."
"From Mr. Warner Crouch in The Name and Family of Crouch, manuscript no. 659, Roots Research Bureau, Ltd., 1984, p.7: "John, James, and Andrew Crouch, who are said to have been brothers, came from Wales to America about 1750 and made their homes in Randolph County, W.Va.""
there is alot of confusion on this family, and several documents have recently been located that prove that Maxwell's History of Randolph County, WV, on the Crouch Family was incorrect, and that the information he gives listing John, Andrew, and James as brothers is wrong. Several documents have been found which contradict some of the assumptions made by Hu Maxwell, [ History of Randolph County, WV] and Homer Fansler, [ History of Tucker County, WV], about the family of John Crouch Sr. One document in particular is a record of an interview with David Crouch, son of John Crouch Sr, which substantiates and contradicts Fansler's information, [ David Crouch Interview, Draper Collection Manuscripts, Volume 12CC225-29, Nicholas County, Kentucky] Fansler had no information showing where John Crouch Sr. lived prior to his settlement on Cheat River in present Tucker County. David Crouch stated that his father lived some years on the South Branch, went from there to the Carolinas, lived two or three years on the Yadkin in the same section with Boone, then came back again to the South Branch. David described their settlement as being 50 miles from the South Branch with five mountains to cross going there that were so steep a horse could hardly carry a man over them. David also said that "he was born in August 1767 on the heads of the Mnongahela in Randolph County, Virginia and that his father was one of the first settlers there. His father came to Tygart's Valley when David was 3 years old." This part of his statement appears to be in agreement with Fansler's article. John Crouch's settlement in 1766 on the Cheat River, in present Tucker County, WV, would be considered on a head of the Monongahela. According to David his father moved to the Tygart's Valley in 1770 and not 1772 as Fansler concluded. Maxwell's and Fansler's theory that John Crouch Sr., Andrew Crouch and James Crouch were brothers and that Andrew had a mature son Joseph before coming to the area appears to be totally incorrect. The name James Crouch first appears in Alexander Scott Wither's account of an Indian Ambush which occured in Tygarts Valley,[ Withers, Alexander Scott, Chronicles of Border Warfare, 1895, pg. 287]. Withers states in his book that James Crouch was wounded during an Indian ambush in March 1780 when John Nelson, John McLean and James Ralston were killed. David Crouch named the same men as being killed in an ambush during which his brother Jonathon Crouch was shot through the arm. The name James Crouch does not appear in any of the early records of Randolph County.
During the interview David does not mention his father by name, however he does say that "the Commisoners appointed to adjust land claims sat a day or two at my Father's." The records of the Commissioners show that they met at John Crouch's on March 23 and 24 in 1780. David stated that Joseph Crouch was his older brother, therefore Joseph was a son of John Crouch and not Andrew Crouch as Fansler assumed. Fansler's account of the circumstances surrounding the death of John Crouch Sr., also appears to be false. He states that John Crouch Sr. was killed by a rattlesnake bite at his home in Randolph County in 1787. David said that his father lived in Tygart's Valley for seventeen years and that he and his father came to Kentucky in 1787. David also said that when his father came to Kentucky, he bought 5 miles this side of Lexington, moved to Bourbon and from there to Ohio where he died. Fanler's reference to Deed Book 6, pages 659,663, and 665 for information on John Crouch Sr was found to be incorrect. These deeds were recorded in 1815 from John Crouch, [son of Andrew Crouch and Judith Westfall] Sheriff of Randolph County, and do not provide any information about John Crouch Sr. as Fansler states. A petition by the inhabitants of the Tygart's Valley in 1776 shows John Crouch Sr, John Crouch Jr, Joseph Crouch, Jonathan Crouch, and Andrew Crouch were all living in the valley at the time. Records also show that Joseph Crouch was born in 1748, and Andrew was born in 1750, which also shows that they were brothers, not father and son. In the first census of Harrison County in 1785 the following were listed as living in the Tygarts Valley between Petty's Ford [near present day Valley Bend] and the County line, John Crouch Sr., John Crouch Jr., Jonathon Crouch, Jacob Crouch, Judy Crouch and Joseph Crouch. It appears that Judith Crouch, [Judy] was the widow of Andrew Crouch who died or was killed prior to 1782. The exact date and circumstances surrounding the death of Andrew Crouch is not known. The records show that the estate of Jonathon Crouch was settled in 1786 and it was Jonathon, not John Sr. that was killed by a rattlesnake bite as the legend states. Based on the David Crouch interview and deeds recorded in Randolph County all of the Crouch families, except the family of Andrew and Judith Crouch, moved from Tygart's Valley to Kentucky prior to 1800. The 1802 tax records of Randolph County shows only John Crouch, and Andrew Crouch as being heads of households and Jacob Crouch was living with Andrew Crouch, [ John, Andrew, and Jacob were all children of Andrew Crouch and Judith Westfall ].
On June 7, 1786 John Crouch, son and heir of Andrew Crouch recieved 210 acres of land in Randolph County, [Randolph County Deed Book 1 page 15]. John would have been about 12 years of age at that time and this conveyance may have been the land transfer, under the law of "primogenetin" [ giving all of the property to the eldest son ], that Fansler was referring to in his book. On March 28, 1801 John Crouch and wife Mary Nelson Crouch, [ daughter of Charles Nelson Sr. and Elizabeth Fore ] conveyed this same 210 acres of land in Randolph County to Jacob and Andrew Crouch, [ John's brother's ]Fansler states in his book that John Crouch's son, Major John Crouch, was the first white child born in what is now Randolph County. The census records show that Major John was born in 1774, however other recorded documents show that John Crouch's sons, John Jr. and Jonathon, were both born prior to his moving to Tygart's Valley. Their names appearing on the petition in 1776 would indicate that they were both over sixteen years of age at that time. Records show that the following were the children of John Crouch Sr.: Joseph Crouch, married to Elizabeth Warwick Andrew Crouch married to Judith Westfall Elizabeth Crouch, married to Henry DeLay Eleanor Crouch, married to Chalres Nelson Jr. John Crouch Jr., married to Sarah Nelson Jonathon Crouch, died 1786 unmarried Jacob Crouch Sarah Crouch, married to John Ryan David Crouch, married to Elizabeth Cassity.
John Crouch Sr. and his wife Mary, along with son David and his family, left WV in 1787. John Sr.'s daughter Elizabeth, married to Henry Delay had left the following year, and in 1789, His son's John Crouch Jr., his family, and his oldest son Joseph left as well. They all owned land in Tygart's Valley except for David, and they all show up in land records after they leave WV in Bourbon County Kentucky. John Sr.s daughter Sarah married John Ryan and settled in Mercer County. John Sr. had 2 more sons, one named Andrew, who was born in 1750, and died in 1780, married to Judith Westfall, his four children remained in WV and show up on tax lists and census records, as well as land. Andrew by the way also had a son named John, born in 1773, who was married to Mary Nelson. Mary's sister Sarah, was married to John Crouch Sr.'s sons John Jr., and both are mentioned in Mary and Sarah's fathers [ Charles Nelson/ Fornelson ] will, and if you would like the documentation, I have it. Charles Nelson also obtained a joint land grant with Andrew Crouch, Joseph Crouch, and James Lackey. Charles widow, Eleanor, moved to Kentucky as well. I have further info if needed. John Sr.'s last child was Johnathon, who died in 1785, and his letter of administration of estate is also documented.
Note: From Tom Wright 9-9-02 John Sr. came from MD (some say from Wales) about 1750 1750 John came from MD (some say Wales) to South Branch River area, VA to NC to Cheat River area, VA 1770 Tygart Valley 1787 Fayette Co., KY Bourbon Co., " 1800 Ross Co., OH Henry Delay administered John's estate in 1800
FHL Rowan County Register 975.671 H25r p.1381 V.6 John Barlow b. abt 1740 VA m. Elizabeth and had 6 children in Va. In 1779 he came to Beaver Creek in Wilkes Co. NC., had 6 children: 1) John Jr 2) Ruth m. John Wallace 3) Mary Barlow who m. the Rev. Jacob Crouch 4) Thomas 5) Eliphalet 6) Elizabeth m. John Carlton
FHL Deed Abstracts Rowan Co., NC 975.671 R21r V.1 p.57 John Crouch to Daniel Garret for 40 pounds 200 acres on N bank of Yadkin River including mouth of Reedy branch July 11, 1760 Martin Fifer, William Giles, Mary Crouch also signs proved July 1760 p.59 Granville to Thomas Mills for 10 sh sterl 640 acres on E side Yadkin River adjoining John Crouch Aug 22, 1759 W. Churton p.60 Benjaming Pennington and wife Elizabeth to Jacob Lykans for 30 pds 100 acres on E side Yadkin River adjoining John Crouch Oct 21, 1760 Isaac Holdman, William Lynvill, James Carter
FHL Deeds of Rowan Co., NC 1753-1785 975.671 R28l p.85 29 Nov 1766 Jacob Likens and wife Ann to James Creswell 130 pds proc, 100 acres on E side Yadkin River adj John Crouch, William Giles, Hance Lycan, Provd court 1767 (also mentions above 3 transactions in Deed Abstracts p.57, 59, 60)
1790 Census Monongalia County, Virginia ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/wv/monongalia/census/census1790.txt
Crouch, John 04 Crouch, John, Jr 04 Crouch, Joseph 11 Crouch, Judith 05
From Tom Wright 9-9-02 John Sr. came from MD (some say from Wales) about 1750 1750 John came from MD (some say Wales) to South Branch River area, VA to NC to Cheat River area, VA 1770 Tygart Valley 1787 Fayette Co., KY Bourbon Co., " 1800 Ross Co., OH Henry Delay administered John's estate in 1800
They are generally in agreement that John Crouch came from Wales about 1750 with two brothers James and Andrew From 1743 until 1753-54 this whole area was in Frederick and Augusta Counties, Virginia. After Hampshire County was formed in 1753-54 it was in Hampshire and Augusta Counties until additional counties were formed well after the period when John Crouch was there. John Crouch was apparently located in the portion of the South Branch Manor area of Lord Fairfax that was originally in Augusta County then in Hampshire County after it was organized in 1754 Apparently John Crouch was among those who took their families and went to North Carolina about 1756. There is an entry in the Rowan County North Carolina Court Record of October 19, 1756 that shows him purchasing 220 acres on the Yadkin River - right where David tells us it was. On July 11, 1760 John sold his 220 acres. The deed for this sale also gives us a more complete location for the land as it says that it includes the Mouth of Reedy Creek. It also gives us his wife's name as it is signed by both John and Mary Crouch. . In February 1760 they killed several settlers near the Yadkin and settlers there began to leave their homes. About that time John sold his land on the Yadkin and, since David says that his father stayed in North Carolina 2 or 3 years then "came back again," it seems likely that they he and his family returned to Virginia at that time. . David says that he was born in 1767, which would have been while they lived there at the fork of the Cheat River, and that they moved to Tygart Valley when he was three years old. Henry Delay married John's daughter, Elizabeth and settled in Tygart Valley about 1771. When David was three they moved to Tygart Valley where they lived for 17 years until 1787 when they went to Kentucky and settled about five miles east of Lexington before moving on to Bourbon County. The Crouches settled in Tygart Valley in the vicinity of present day Huttonville, Mill Creek, and Valley Bend in Randolph County, West Virginia. At that time it was still part of Augusta County, Virginia. The area became part of Monongalia County when it was established in 1776, then Harrison County in 1784 and finally Randolph County in 1786 just shortly before most of the Crouches moved on to Kentucky. The whole region then became West Virginia in 1863. John Sr. settled on four hundred acres lying on both sides of the Tygart Valley River just below the present site of Mill Creek. His survey was made October 30, 1780 and granted, by right of settlement, May 1, 1784 He sold his 400 acres on September 9, 1787 and moved to Kentucky. The first records of the family in Kentucky are for Henry Delay (Elizabeth's husband) who appears in the tax records of Fayette County in 1787. By 1791 Henry Delay had moved to Bourbon County Kentucky. Within the next couple of years David, John Sr., John Jr. and Joseph had also made that move. John Crouch, Sr., Joseph Crouch, and Henry Delay all moved on to Ross County in the Territory of the United States Northwest of the Ohio (Ross County, Ohio) in the mid 1790's. After John died, Mary apparently returned to Kentucky and lived with her son David where she died about a year later.
FHL Rowan County Register 975.671 H25r p.1381 V.6 John Barlow b. abt 1740 VA m. Elizabeth and had 6 children in Va. In 1779 he came to Beaver Creek in Wilkes Co. NC., had 6 children: 1) John Jr 2) Ruth m. John Wallace 3) Mary Barlow who m. the Rev. Jacob Crouch 4) Thomas 5) Eliphalet 6) Elizabeth m. John Carlton
FHL Deed Abstracts Rowan Co., NC 975.671 R21r V.1 p.57 John Crouch to Daniel Garret for 40 pounds 200 acres on N bank of Yadkin River including mouth of Reedy branch July 11, 1760 Martin Fifer, William Giles, Mary Crouch also signs proved July 1760 p.59 Granville to Thomas Mills for 10 sh sterl 640 acres on E side Yadkin River adjoining John Crouch Aug 22, 1759 W. Churton p.60 Benjaming Pennington and wife Elizabeth to Jacob Lykans for 30 pds 100 acres on E side Yadkin River adjoining John Crouch Oct 21, 1760 Isaac Holdman, William Lynvill, James Carter
FHL Deeds of Rowan Co., NC 1753-1785 975.671 R28l p.85 29 Nov 1766 Jacob Likens and wife Ann to James Creswell 130 pds proc, 100 acres on E side Yadkin River adj John Crouch, William Giles, Hance Lycan, Provd court 1767 (also mentions above 3 transactions in Deed Abstracts p.57, 59, 60)
1790 Census Monongalia County, Virginia ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/wv/monongalia/census/census1790.txt
Crouch, John 04 Crouch, John, Jr 04 Crouch, Joseph 11 Crouch, Judith 05
Research: on IGI, Internet, there is a John b. abt 1741 md to Mary Asby, another one md to Mary Duke, and another to Mary Ruck. All same one? One source on IGI has the children dying in Jackson county, Ohio. My information had David in Ky and another source on IGI has the complete death date and place for John in Ky.
The above John Crouch who married Mary Ashby IS NOT part of the Goochland County, Virginia Crouch clan. See the well documented website ‘Descendants of Richard Crouch of Goochland County, VA.’ at: [1]
In searching the online family files on Rootsweb.com the five submitted family files show the John Crouch who married Mary Ashby was born in Henry County, VA. btwn. 1720-1728 and died in Ross County, Ohio in January 1800. See: [2]
The family file submitted by shermancrouch on Rootsweb.com has significant documentation: [3]
Veteran of the Revolutionary War:
“ served under Captain John Brice in the Maryland Infantry - as per Pay Roll dated Oct 1778. He received bounty land in Ohio for his service”
John was born about 1728 in Somerset, Maryland. His ancestry and parents are unknown. He married Mary Margaret Ashby about 1747 and they had ten children together. He had relocated to Virginia by 1749-1750 as is documented by a 1750 land entry of 200 acres on the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River in Augusta County, Virginia, which he sold the same day. There is an August 1753, Augusta County record where he was appointed to be a ‘surveyor of the highway’.
In 1756, John Sr. purchased 220 acres on the east side of the Yadkin River in Rowan County, North Carolina and the family relocated there. The next year he was in court to prove his land rights and was listed with seven whites in his family, possibly two adults and five children. By 1760, though the French and Indian War was over, conditions in Virginia had not improved. In addition, the previously friendly Cherokees were becoming a bigger problem in North Carolina, killing several settlers near the Yadkin in 1760. Settlers began to leave their homes in this area, and it is likely that John Sr. went back to Virginia at this time. He sold his 220 acres in Rowan County on July 11, 1760 and his wife Mary was named in the deed. (Land records verify John Sr.’s sale of this 220 acres in July 1760. His land was described as “at the mouth of Reedy Creek on the east side of the Yadkin River”. The family then relocated to Randolph County, West Virginia by 1766.
After the Virginia Land Office was established, John Sr. received title to 400 acres from his 1766 settlement. His son son stated they “were living in Tygart Valley [West Virginia] by circa 1770. David described his father as living “on the gun and the range. As soon as the range was gone, he wanted to move.” However, John Sr. was at Tygart Valley seventeen years before moving on to Kentucky. Moving another forty miles into the mountains, John Sr. settled on 400 acres lying on both sides of the Tygart River, just below the present site of Mill Creek. He was granted this land by right of settlement in 1784, when he also had an adjoing 142 acres surveyed but apparently sold before the grant was issued.
John Sr. and all of his sons (except David) signed a 1776 Tygart Valley inhabitant’s petition asking for three companies of rangers to garrison forts in the ‘Tigers’ Valley to protect the inhabitants from Indians. In 1782, the Crouch families were on the tax list. John Sr. had four in his family, probably only two children still at home, Jonathan and David. In the 1782 Revolutionary War Claim, Monongalia County, a John Crouch was listed as providing 25 rations for the state, (possibly John Sr. or son John Jr).
During the entire time the Crouch family was in Virginia there was a constant danger of Indian attacks. Tygart Valley residents built forts, generally four to six miles apart, to protect themselves from the Indian hunting and raiding attacks that generally occurred in the spring. People lived in their cabins, but often moved into the forts. In 1787, John Sr. sold his 400 acres at Tygart Valley and moved to Kentucky. By 1789, John Sr. was on the Fayette County, Kentucky tax list.
John Sr., his son Joseph, and son-in-law our Henry DeLay all moved to Ohio (now Ross County, Ohio) in the mid 1790s, less than ten years after their move to Kentucky. It was here that John Sr. died in 1800. After John Sr. died, his wife Mary returned to Kentucky to live with son David where she died about a year later. There is a will for a Mary B. Crouch, dated November 1, 1800, Bourbon County, Kentucky, that mentioned her husband John Crouch and son David…
Children of John Crouch Sr and Mary Margaret (Ashby) Crouch:
Notations on his son, Andrew Crouch and Judith (Westfall) Crouch:
“ Jacob and Judith (Hornbeck) Westfall's daughter Judith Westfall was born on October 12, 1754 in Frederick (now Hardy Co. (WVA), and died October 6, 1841 in Huttonsville, Randolph County, in what is currently West Virginia. She married Andrew Crouch in 1772 at Ft Pleasant, Hampshire Co. WVA. He was born 5 Sep 1750 Frederick (now Hardy) Co. WVA. He died 26 Jul 1780 at Huttonsville, Randolph Co. WVA. He was a son of John Crouch Sr. and his wife Mary (maiden name unknown). John Crouch Sr. was born in 1728 in Somerset, MD, and died in 1800 in Ross Co., OH. John Crouch Sr. was an early settler and pioneer in that part of Randolph County that later became Tucker County, WVA. The John Crouch cabin stood a half mile from the forks of the Cheat River, and a half mile from the city of Parsons, in Blackman Flats. The West Virginia Historical Marker, located near the South intersection of First and Main Streets in Parsons reads: "John Crouch, pioneer settler, established "tomahawk rights" here in 1766.".….excerpted
Notations on John Crouch Sr:
“John Crouch was born in Somerset County, Maryland. Census records from that time period verify his year of birth and residence in Maryland. He served in the Revolutionary War in the Maryland Infantry. He was married to Mary Asby [Ashby] prior to 1740. He received bounty land in Ohio for his service in the Revolutionary War. His will is recorded in Ross County, Ohio and lists all of his children. “…. Excerpted
Notations on Tomahawk Rights Settlers:
“ John Crouch was probably one of the first seven tomahawk right men in Western Virginia, called Tomahawk Right Settlers. After the French and Indian War people believed that Indians would no longer be a problem in the region between the mountains and the Ohio River. They believed that anyone who settled on land and improved it could have it. These pioneers did finally get their land if they lived up to what was popularly known as the “tomahawk right.” A tomahawk right meant a small improvement to show that a man had stopped at that place and intended to stay. Some claimants merely hacked a few trees near a spring with their hatchet or ax or cut their name or initials on the bark of trees. In actual practice, most built a cabin, cleared land, and settled down permanently. If he wanted to move away, a claimant could usually sell his right – not called a “right” but a “settlement” in some records – to someone who took a chance that a deed or patent would eventually be given for the land.”……excerpted
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C > Crouch > John Wedge Crouch Sr
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