James A. Crews was the son of James Crews and Sarah Jane Earl. On 11 Aug 1834, he married Martha Ann Hunt the daughter of David and Charity High Hunt. James A, Crews was also called "Little Jimmie" or "Tar River Jimmy" because he bought a farm on the Tar River near Minor's mill in Granville County having decided that there was more rain and better soil than the farm he owned. James A. Crews built "Tar River" the 4 up, 4 down Federalist/Italian Revivalist Mansion located at the source of the Tar River for Martha in the 1830s. James A Crews and Martha Ann Hunt Crews had eleven children, one of whom died in infancy. He lived there until he was nearly 90.

From Sketches of William Hicks, Abner Hicks, Jasper Hicks, George Harris, James Crews, John Earl and Something of their Descendants With Comparisons of Present Conditions of Living With those of Sixty Years Ago by Thurston Titus Hicks.

p. 27 of the 1954 edition:

"To go back to the family of James Crews: James Crews, the son of Gideon the first, born July 1785, married Sarah, third daughter of John Earl. ..

Their next child was born May 15th, 1913 and was James A. Crews. He was called "Little Jimmie" or "Tar River Jimmie". He married Martha Hunt, not a sister, but of the same family of which two sons, Joseph and George married his two sisters Martha and Susan. "Little Jimmie", as he was called was much of a man. He soon bought a fine farm on the south side of the Tar River near Minor's mill and lived there until he was nearly 90 rearing the following children: 1. David G. Crews married Flemming, reared a large family and lived to be old. 2. Sarah A. Crews married William Lyon. They had three children: Kate who married James T. Cozart and died young, Ira who married James T. Cozart’s sister. Ira Lyon and wife have several children and are both living. 3. Lorena, who married Rogers, and afterwards R.G. Bobbitt, and is now a widow. She has two sons, Ira Rogers and Glenn Bobbitt. Sara A. Crews Lyon later married Rev. Thomas J. Horner of Henderson. They both lived to be nearly 80. He died first. 4. Robert T. Crews married a daughter of Kizaeh Stark. Robert lived to be old. They had no children. 5. Louisa Crews married William D. Mitchell, of Wake. About 1880 they removed to near Middleburg, in Vance County. Mr. Mitchell died at a good old age, about 1920. His wife still lives. They have the following children: Ed. D. Mitchell, W.G. Mitchell, Bunn Mitchell, Marvin Mitchell, and one who went to California and died leaving children there. 6. Edward H. Crews married Laura, daughter of Rev. Thomas J. Horner. She died. He removed to Rocky Mount, N.C. and there married again many years later. He is dead. No children survive him. 7. Caroline Crews, called “Callie”, married John Smith. They had three children: Lonnie Smith, who long lived and does yet, in Oxford, N.C., Lennie Smith of Oxford, Maude married Mr. Jackson. They all have families. 8. Leroy Crews, married, lives at Thelma, in Halifax, members of his family unknown to me. 9. Flora Crews married Best; lived near Goldsboro, died, children unknown to me. 10. Albert A. Crews, youngest son of James A. and Martha Crews, married Miss Stark, no children. Lives in Oxford. 11. Rebecca Crews. Now living, never married.

p. 28 James A. Crews was a good man, a Christian. He loved the church and worked much in its ranks. I never heard anyone speak evil of him. He prospered in buisness. He farmed on a large scale and made his boys work...