Hester (Thrift) Critcher (1726 - aft. 1778)

Born 6 Sep 1726 in Farnham, Richmond, Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of John Rochester — married 1740 in Westmoreland, Virginia

Descendants

Died after 15 Nov 1778 after age 52 in Granville County, North Carolina

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Biography

Hester (Esther) Thrift was born in the Virginia Colony 1 Sep 1726, the daughter of William Thrift and Ann Gower. About 1745, she married John Rochester in Richmond County, Virginia.^[1]

Esther was named in the will of her maternal aunt, Winifred Gower.^[2]

Children:

1. William Rochester
2. John Rochester, b. abt. 1746; d. Dec 1794; m. 1) 1766, Ann Jordan; 2) 9 Jun 1793, Ann McClannahan.
3. Ann Rochester, b. abt. 1748; d. 1843; m. Benjamin Rayland
4. Phyllis Rochester, b. abt.1750; d. Oct 1822; m. Samuel Morse.
5. Nathaniel Rochester, b. 21 Feb 1752; d. 14 May 1831
6. Esther (Hester) Rocheter, b. abt. 1753; d.1812; m. 13 Nov 1770, Reuben Pyles.

Esther's husband John died in 1754, and she remarried to Thomas Critcher about 1757.^[3] They removed to Granville County, North Carolina about 1763, taking the entire family with them. ^[4] Esther was named in her father's will of 24 Apr 1775 as Esther Critcher.^[5]

Children:

1. Thomas Critcher, b. abt. 1759; d. abt. 1835
2. James Critcher, b. abt. 1761; d. abt. 1798
3. Sally Critcher, b. abt. 1763; d. 1837; m. 3 Mar 1779, Elijah Mitchel^[6]
4. Jane Thrift Critcher, b. abt. 1765; m. 1) 16 Dec 1785, Charles Mitchell (d. bet. Apr 1800 & Apr 1801); m. 2) 4 Sep 1806, James Downey, Jr.
5. John Gore Critcher, b. abt. 1770; m. 14 Jan 1794, Sarah Marshall

FindAGrave list's Esther's date of death as 1 Jun 1773,^[7] which is incorrect. Her husband, Thomas Critcher wrote his will on 15 Nov 1778 (proven in Feb. Court 1779), naming Esther and their children (all under age).^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Headley, Robert K., Jr. Married Will and Often: Marriages in the Northern Neck of Virginia, 1649-1800. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. (2003). p. 301. Sources: Richmond County Will Book 7. p. 213. and King, George H. S. (1964) Marriages of Richmond County Virginia 1668-1853. Fredericksburg, VA. [King provided several pages of corrections to this in 1969.] p. 172 (and corrections:G).

   "ROCHESTER, John & THRIFT, Hannah (or Hester); bef. 21 Feb 1752; bride was born 1 Sep 1726, a dau. of Wm. (d. 1776) & Ann (GOWER) THRIFT of RC; she mar. (2) Thos. CRITCHER & later moved to Granville Co., NoCar where she d. c. 1773."

2. ↑ Virginia Will Records from The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, the William and Mary College Quarterly, and Tyler's Quarterly. Compiled by Judith Mc Ghan. Baltimore, MD: Genealogy Publishing Co., Inc. (1993). p. 312.

   "Gower, Winifred. 15 July, 1727. All estate to sister Anne Thrift; legacies to sister Elizabeth Gower and rings to cousin Frances Gower and Esther Thrift."

3. ↑ Headley. p. 94. Sources: Richmond County Will Book 7. p. 213. and Westmoreland County Deeds & Wills, 15. p. 296. and Order Book, 1758-1761. p. 57. and Order Book, 1761-1764. p. 11, 67a.

   "CRITCHER, Thomas & ROCHESTER, Esther (or Hester or Hannah) (wid.); bef. 28 Sep 1773 (prob.c. 1757); bride was a dau. of Wm. THRIFT (d. RC 1776) of LP & the wid. of Jn. ROCHESTER; Thos & Hestor or Hannah CRITCHER later moved to Greenville Co., NoCar."

4. ↑ Early History of the Rochester Family in America. Collected and compiled by Nathaniel Rochester. Buffalo, NY: Printing House of Matthews, Northrup & Co. (1882). p. 7.Available here.
5. ↑ Richmond County Wills.
6. ↑ Marriages of Granville County, North Caolina, 1753-1868. Compiled by Brent H. Holcomb. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. (1981). p. 228.
7. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #105032577.
8. ↑ Wills and Estate Papers (Hillsborough District), 1772-1806; Author: North Carolina. Division of Archives and History; Probate Place: Orange, North Carolina.