William Shreve (1701 - abt. 1750)

Born 26 Mar 1701 in Little Compton, Newport, Rhode Island

Ancestors

Husband of Freelove (Dyer) Shreve — married [date unknown] in Little Compton, Newport, Ri

Descendants

Died about 1750 at about age 48 in Fairfax, Virginia

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Biography

William was born on 26 Mar 1701. Seventh child and fourth son of Daniel Shreve and Jane, William Shreve appears to be the founder of the Loudon County Shreves, and, hence of the West Virginia Shreve lineage.

Luther Allen indicates that "about 1745 William Shreve and Freelove Dyer went to Fairfax County, Virginia to live."^[1] At this time Loudon County was a part of Fairfax County. The following Fairfax land surveys confirm Allen's report:

William Shrieve, no wart, date from surv, 26 Feb. 1744 - 2 Apr. 1745; 335 a. on Secolon Br; adj Joh Phillips, Stacy Beaks, Landon Carter, Majr. Cock. CC - Jacob Lasswell & Thos Ellison. Surv. Amos Janney.

William Shrieve of Fairfax Co. 335 A. in said Co. Surv. Amos Janney. Adj. John Philips, Secolin's Br. Stacey Beaks, Col. Landon Carter, Maj. Cocke. 17 June 1745.

William Shrever of Fairfax Co. 665 A. in Fairfax Co. Surv. Mr. Amos Janney. Near Round Hill, adj. Herman Cox, Thomas Gregg, William Harris, John Hanby. 9 Sept 1746.

22 Nov. 1750 To be drawn in Benja Shrives name if he brings it under the hand of any two Evidences that it was his Fathers desire at the time of his Death.

Marriage

William Shreve (1701-1750) married Freelove Dyer, daughter of James Dyer and Elizabeth.

The couple had the following children:

Joseph (aft. 1719-)

Daniel (aft. 1719-1750 )

Abraham m Anne

John (1720-1791) m Mary Burke (~1730-1789)

William (~1720-1763) m1 Anna Smalley (1720- ), m2 Catherine Martin (1735-1830)

Benjamin (1730-1791) m Anne Berry (1738-1791)

James (~1750, in Kentucky)^[2]

Luther Allen's History and Genealogy is the primary source of information about the offspring of William Shreve and Freelove Dyer. Allen records the following children: William, Elizabeth, Mary, James, and Benjamin. There is evidence to suggest that at least three sons are missing from this accounting: Daniel, Joseph and John.^[1]

He died in Fairfax, Virginia about 1750. His widow, Freelove, appears upon the court records of Fairfax and Loudon Counties, petitioning for her dower, and her sons, Benjamin and William are acting for her. (WFT 16, #2071)

Research

Some of William's descendants remained in Loudon County until 1800, while others were involved in exploring Harrison, Pendleton and Randolph counties in what is now West Virginia between 1750 and 1800.

There is ample documentary evidence to support the missing sons hypothesis, adding Daniel, Joseph and John to the list of sons of William and Freelove Dyer.

For Shreve Genealogists it is the addition of John Shreve that is so important. Together James and John founded most of the Shreve lines in West Virginia. John Senior's son John Shreve (m. Eliza Platt) founded the Pendleton Shreves, John Shreve's son William founded the Randolph County Shreves, and James' sons founded the Upshur, Monongalia and Lewis County Shreves.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Allen, Luther P.; The Genealogy and History of the Shreve Family, Greenfield, Illinois: Privately Printed, 1901, p. 28.
2. ↑ http://www.wvgenweb.org/wetzel/descendants/shreve/d1.htm#c36975

• "Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F87K-TM2 : 17 December 2019), William Shrieve, 1701.
• "Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F87K-TMP : 17 December 2019), William Shrieve in entry for William Shrieve, 1720.

See also:

• Wilbour, Benjamin Franklin; Little Compton Families, Volume I and Volume II. Baltimore, Maryland: Clearfield Company, Inc. by Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., 1967.
• Arnold, James Newell; Vital Records of Rhode Island 1636-1850, Births, Marriages & Deaths Vol.4, Newport County. Narraganset Hist. Publishing Co., Providence, RI. 1893
• https://archive.org/details/genealogyhistory00alle