Have you ever encountered a will that identifies quite a few family members to only discover that online trees don’t match the will? As I’m searching records in Montgomery, Boutetourt and Augusta counties in Virginia for any record that might help piece together Crawford families, I came across such a will.
The 1798 Augusta County, Virginia will signed by James Crawford identifies the following family members:
- wife, Mary
- youngest son, John Crawford
- son George Crawford
- son James Crawford
- son William Crawford
- daughter Sarah Crawford
- daughter Elizabeth Crawford
- brother William Crawford
- brother in law William Robertson
- witness George Crawford
- witness Robert Crawford
- witness Robert Craig
- adjoining land owner: John Poages
- adjoining land owner: William Craig
- adjoining land owner: Samuel Bell
- adjoining land owner Goerge Poffs
- adjoining land owner Johnson
I did find one Ancestry tree that cited the will. However, it is missing one of the daughters. When Mary Robertson’s profile is viewed, this tree does not include the brother-in-law.
Another tree has a James Crawford who died in 1798 in Augusta County, Virginia with a wife named Mary. Again the family in the tree does not match the family in the will. However, this tree shows James to be the son of George Crawford and Elizabeth Poage. With the Poage connection, it is possible that the 1798 will is for this James Crawford.
Since the will mentions land in Kentucky, further research is needed to see if there is any connection to the Crawford families in Garrard county, Kentucky.
Augusta County Virginia
Will Book 8, 1792-1799
Image 188 of 216
page 300
In the name of God Amen I James Crawford Crawford of the County
of Augusta and State of Virginia Being in a sick and Low condition of Body
But of Perfect Mind and Memory believing and knowing that it is appoint
ted for all men to die do make this my last Will and Testament first of all
I Commit my Soul to Almighty God The Giver & my Body to the dust
Hoping that I shall receive them United & united to Jesus my Great
Spiritual Head at the resurrection of the Just and as for what worldly Estate
it hath pleased God to Bless me with I dispose of it in the following
Manner & form first of all It is my will that my Just & Lawfull
Debts be Justly & Honestly paid secondly I give & Bequeath to my well
beloved wife Mary my dwelling house Mill & one fourth part of my land
extending down the river on the side the Buildings are on To John Poages
Line and up the river on the same side to where Saml Bells Line
[juts] in and up the several courses of Bells & my line to a corner
of my Land & sd Bells south Eastward of the Big spring and wotj sd
line of Bels & mine to a corner of Bells & mine The [draft] Below George Poffs
junr & from thence Including said draft as far as it is fined upwards thence
To [the] lake a South East Course till it strikes Willm Craigs Line & thence
with sd Craigs Lines including a small entry Betwext Sd Craig & Johnson
& with said Johnsons Line till it Joins John Poages Corner & with the same
to the river to my sd well beloved wife Mary her lifetime & at her death to
decend to my youngest son John Crawford to him his heirs & assigns forever , the
Remainder of my Lands Both on the North West and South East sides of
Middle River I give to my three sons George Crawford James Crawford
& William Crawford To them their heirs & assigns forever to be divided equally
Betwext them Good Land & Bad Justly as can Possibly be done and further
if a right can be obtained by me or my heirs or executors for Land which
I have purchasd in Kentuckey it is my will that it be divided Equally
Betwixt Betwixt my four sons George Crawford , James Crawford , William Crawford
& John Crawford to them their heirs & assigns or each of them forever
furtherpage 301 (image 189 of 216)
Further I give & Bequeath to my Daughter Sarah Crawford & To my Daugh
Elizabeth Crawford their Heirs & to each of them five Hundred pounds Cur
Money in Gold or silver to Be Paid By my Executors out of my Estate and
further I give & Bequeath to my well Beloved wife Mary Crawfd four
Negroes Candace Winna Moll & [Ju]ll to be wholly at her disposal I [also]
Bequeath to my Daughter Sarah Crawford to her her heirs etc one Ne
girl named Hannah – also I give & Bequeath to my Daughter Eliza
Crawfd to her her Heirs etc one Negro girl named Easter . and f[inally]
It is my will that my well Beloved wife Mary have my four Negroe
& four Horses for the Term of Ten years for the purpose of Carrying on
Business on the Premises That I have left to her & my younest son after
her , To support & Educate my children & also the other part of my Planta
on which I now Live over the river to her my sd wife Mary the sd Term
the sd purpose also I give unto my well Beloved wife Mary for the affore
Ten years for the afforesaid Purposes Twenty Head of Nea[t] Cattle
what sheep I now Have & what Hogs I now have I also give & Bequeath
my well Beloved wife Mary her Choice of my Horses for a riding Bea
wholly hers etc also I give unto my son George Crawford his Choice of [t]
Colts I now have to him his heirs & further I give & bequeath to my well
Beloved wife Mary my houshold Furniture to be disposd of as she shall thereto
to our Children – also it is Probable that my wife Mary is Insant with
if she should have of a living child in future it is my will that it be p
for By my Executors out of every Ballance of my Estate of it be a m
Child Equal to my other sons so far as the Ballance of my Estate may
if a Female Equal with my girlss so far as the Ballance of my Estate
not already Bequeathed & that movable property left my wife for the sup
of my children ( & Education of them) may amount of there is more for a
than an Equal proportion the over plus I will to be Divided amongst
my children the Ballance not will before and that Granted my wife for a
Term for the Support & Education of my chil Childs are Both to be Count
whether it be mail or Femall , and if my wife Mary Should not have
a living child the Ballance of my Estate & mentiond in the last clause
is to be Divided amongst all my children Equally ; & Further
Duringpage 302
During the said Term of Ten years that my Mary is to Support & Educate
my children if she should make a surplus it is my will that it be
Devided Betwixt my children , also it is my will that all the Grain that
is now Gatherd in that can be spared from the Support of my family the
Ensuing season be assets in the hand of my Executors & further I constitute
Ordain & appoint my Brother William Crawford & Brother in law William
Robertson Executors of this my last will & Testament revoking & disannulling
all other wills & Testaments by me in any wise made heretofore & Confirm
ing this to be my last will & Testament Witness my hand & seal this 25th
Day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred &
Ninety Eight
James Crawford ℗
Signed Sealed & acknowledged
in the presence of – Robert Craig
George Crawford
Robert Crawford
At a Court Cont & held for Augusta County February the 21st 1798
This last will and Testament of James Crawford decd was proved by the oath
of George Crawford and Robert Crawford two of the witnesses thereto & ordered to
be recorded , & on the motion of William Crawford & William Robertson execut –
ors named in said will who made oath according to law & together with George
Crawford & Robert Crawford their Securities entered into & acknowledged their
Bonds in the penalty of twenty thousand Dollars condition as the Law directs
Certificate is granted them for obtaining & probate thereof in due form
Teste
Jacob Kinney Clk
