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Giles Carter Sr. of Henrico Va seems to have married a widow with one child Theodorick as his [Theodoricks] descendants show a different Ydna Haplo group from Giles Carter jr. Giles Carter of Henrico's older family is shown in the Will of his good friend James Crewes will of 1676 which said his wife was Hannah and her son was Theodorick who receives nothing in this will but Susannah and Mary called the daughters of Giles Carter jr. get 10,000 lbs of tobacco each which is the value of James Crewes estate.. James Crewes had no living wife or surviving children by the time of his execution in 1676 and left the value of his estate to his good and loving friend Giles Carter/ his land could not be devised by will at that time to any person other than a blood related descendant [primogentre] so his land was taken by his administrators nephew Mathew Crewes in london and his niece Sarah Whittingham who later sold the land 542 acres to William Randolph in 1684.
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Captain James Crewes was one of Nathaniel Bacon's supporters, during the 1676 Bacon Rebellion. After the rebellion failed, because of the death of their leader, the ringleaders were hung. James Crewes was one of them, but it would seem that he was given time to settle his estate (Rick Branch).
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Crewes, James (1622 or 1623–1677)
James Crewes took part in Bacon's Rebellion (1676–1677). Born in England, by 1655 Crewes had settled in Virginia, where he kept a store at his Henrico County home and engaged in the fur trade. Fearful of Indian attacks, Crewes and his neighbors persuaded Nathaniel Bacon to organize local men to defend the colony. After Bacon attacked some Indians during the spring of 1676, he was rebuked by Governor Sir William Berkeley. Crewes took Bacon's side and possibly marched with a company of Bacon's men to Lower Norfolk County. He was captured and was among a group of prisoners delivered to the governor on January 19, 1677. Singled out at a court-martial as "a most notorious Actor & Assistor in the Rebellion," Crewes was one of seven men convicted of treason and rebellion against the king on January 24. He was sentenced to hang two days later.
Contributor: Katharine E. Harbury
Crewes, participant in Bacon's Rebellion, was born in England and was the brother of Edward Crewes and Francis Crewes, residents of London. The place or places of their births and names of their parents are not known. James Crewes consistently signed his name in that fashion, but contemporaries sometimes spelled the surname without the second e. While in London on December 1, 1652, Crewes signed a deposition concerning the death of an acquaintance in Virginia the previous year. At that time Crewes described himself as a twenty-nine-year-old merchant. Little else is known about his life in England other than that he was educated; he later owned a Latin Bible, which suggests he knew that language.
The 1652 deposition indicates that Crewes had been in Virginia in 1651, and the appearance of his name on headright lists suggests that in his capacity as a merchant he may have made four or more trips to Virginia. Like many other merchants, he eventually settled in the colony, certainly not later than 1655. He acquired 541 acres of land on Turkey Island in Henrico County. The house that he owned there twenty years later was substantial, with four fireplaces, brick chimneys, and a separate kitchen. As part of his continued commercial interests, Crewes also kept a store, engaged in the fur trade, and dealt with business associates back in England. By 1670 he was a captain of militia.
Charles City County Court records beginning in December 1655 contain references to Crewes acting as a merchant, witness, jury member, trustee, and executor of estates. During the winter of 1655–1656 one of the disputes in which he was involved led to blows and a stabbing that was not fatal. Crewes acquired a few servants, including two or more of African descent, and he obtained permission to keep an Indian servant. He probably married Margaret Llewellin, who witnessed a will as Margaret Crewes on May 1, 1662, but when Crewes wrote his own will in 1676, he had no living wife or children. He bequeathed property to relatives of Giles Carter, but whether he was related to Carter by marriage or otherwise is not certain.
Arrest of Nathaniel Bacon
During the winter of 1675–1676, Crewes, William Byrd I, and a few other residents of Henrico County persuaded their near neighbor Nathaniel Bacon to take the lead in organizing local men to defend the colony against anticipated Indian attacks. In the spring, after Bacon had attacked and defeated some Indians and Governor Sir William Berkeley had rebuked him and removed him from his seat on the Council, Crewes and Bacon won election to the House of Burgesses from Henrico County. On May 26, 1676, a week before the General Assembly met, Crewes told Berkeley that Bacon wished to appeal to the Crown the governor's condemnations of his actions. When the assembly met, Bacon made repeated demands that he be commissioned a general to wage war on the Indians, and the colony then erupted into civil war. Crewes took the side of Bacon against the governor. In Berkeley's colorful phrase, Crewes acted throughout as "Bacons Parasite, and Trumpett that continually went about the Country extollinge all Bacons actions & Justifyinge the Rebellion."
The actions of Crewes are poorly documented, but he took the precaution of writing his will on July 23. Eleven days later, on August 3, 1676, when Bacon issued one of his proclamations at Middle Plantation, Crewes signed the document. He was probably one of the men who circulated copies for subscription and perhaps carried along his small English-language Bible to administer oaths of allegiance. It is possible that he marched with a company of Bacon's men as far southeast as Lower Norfolk County during the autumn. Crewes may have been one of the last of Bacon's principal followers to be captured. He was almost certainly among the fifteen or sixteen men the captain of the warship Young Prince delivered to the governor on January 19, 1677.
Berkeley presided at a court-martial at Green Spring, in James City County, on January 24, 1677, at which Crewes and six other men were tried and convicted of treason and rebellion against the king. The trial record singled out Crewes as "a most notorious Actor & Assistor in the Rebellion." James Crewes was sentenced to be hanged at Jamestown on the following Friday, January 26, 1677. The place of his burial is not recorded. The property of the condemned men was subject to confiscation, but the king declined to proceed against Crewes's estate. In August 1684 William Randolph purchased a portion of the Turkey Island property, which became the seat of the subsequently influential Randolph family of Virginia.
TIMELINE
1622—1623 - In one of these years, James Crewes is born in England. Like his brothers Edward and Francis Crewes, he lives in London.
1651 - James Crewes is in Virginia this year, but the date of his arrival is unknown.
1 Dec 1652 - James Crewes, who describes himself as a twenty-nine-year-old merchant, signs a deposition in London concerning the death of an acquaintance in Virginia the previous year.
1655 - By this year, James Crewes permanently settles in Virginia. He acquires 541 acres of land on Turnkey Island in Henrico County.
1670 - By this year, James Crewes is a captain of the Henrico County militia.
Winter 1675—1676 - James Crewes, William Byrd I, and a few other Henrico County residents persuade their near neighbor Nathaniel Bacon to take the lead in organizing local men to defend the colony against anticipated Indian attacks.
26 May 1676 - James Crewes tells Governor Sir William Berkeley that Nathaniel Bacon wishes to appeal to the Crown the governor's condemnation of his actions.
5 Jun 1676 - The House of Burgesses gathers in Jamestown. Among the participants is Nathaniel Bacon of Henrico County who, with James Crewes, is engaged in a rebellion against Governor Sir William Berkeley in part over Bacon's intentions to attack Virginia Indians.
6 Jun 1676 - Nathaniel Bacon and a company of armed men arrive in Jamestown, where Bacon is seized by armed agents and taken before Governor Sir William Berkeley and the General Assembly. Bacon apologizes on bended knee for his rebellion. Berkeley pardons Bacon but then changes his mind.
23 Jun 1676 - Nathaniel Bacon returns to Jamestown with 500 men and demands Governor Sir William Berkeley commission him as a general to lead the colony against the Indians. After a standoff, the governor yields to Bacon's demands.
Jul 1676 - Governor Sir William Berkeley reverses course and again declares Nathaniel Bacon a rebel and travels to Gloucester County to recruit men to fight him. Bacon and his men march to Middle Plantation, the site of present-day Williamsburg.
23 Jul 1676 - James Crewes writes his Last Will & Testament.
3 Aug 1676 - Nathaniel Bacon, in rebellion against the Virginia governor, obtains the endorsement of seventy leading Virginia men to his leadership against the Indians.
19 Jan 1677 - James Crewes is almost certainly among the fifteen or sixteen men who the captain of the warship Young Prince delivers to Governor Sir William Berkeley at the end of Bacon's Rebellion.
24 Jan 1677 - In a court-martial over which Governor Sir William Berkeley presides at Green Spring in James City County, James Crewe and six other men are tried and convicted of treason and rebellion against the king.
26 Jan 1677 - Records indicate that James Crewe likely hangs this day, having been convicted of treason and rebellion against the king during Bacon's Rebellion.
August 1684 - William Randolph purchases a portion of the late James Crewes's Turkey Island property, which becomes the seat of the subsequently influential Randolph family in Virginia.
FURTHER READING
Harbury, Katharine E. "James Crewes." In Dictionary of Virginia Biography, Vol. 2, edited by Sara B. Bearss et al., 557–558. Richmond: Library of Virginia, 2001.
https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/crewes-james-1622-or-1623-1677/
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https://encyclopediavirginia.org/892hpr-9899981dfdd60e4/
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https://reynoldspatova.org/histories/13959Hannah%20Crew%20Carter.pdf
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Will of James Crewes
July ye 23d, 1676.
In the name of God Amen. I James Crewes of Turkey Island Planter in Henrico County, being of sound and perfect memory prased be God doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and forme following first and principle I committ my soule into the hands of Almighty God my creater hoping and assured by believing through the merritts death and passion of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer to have and obtaine free and full remission and pardon for all my sins, as touchinge concerninge al my worldly estate, either here in Virginia in England or elsewhere dew either by bill bond or account.
Imprimis.
Item I give and bequeath unto Mary Carter daughter to Giles Carter ten thousand pounds of tobo: & cask one feather bed two blankets & one good rugge, this to be paid in three years after my decease, the interest thereof to be towards her cloathinge.
Item I give unto Susan Carter tenn thousand pounds of tobao: & casq: one feather bed two blanketts & one rugge to be payd as above said.
Item. I give unto my man Tero his freedome he serving three years after my decease, and at the expiration of the said tyme I give unto him one cow, one sow, if I have any left, and as much land as he shall tend for him and another [some transcribers interpret this word to be "mother," but there is no indication that James Crewes' mother was in the vicinity] during life.
Item. I give unto Hannah Carter, wife of Giles Carter my negroe maid keate forever and her increase.
Item. I give unto Daniel Price [future husband of Susannah Carter] my best suite & cloathe I have.
Item. I give unto Giles Carter what he owes me by bill or booke and further the plantation which I have formerly lett [rented to] him that he and his wife Hannah Carter shall have it during both their lives rent free, only paying one graine of Indian Corne when demanded and further it is my will that what I have given to the said Giles Carter's children, that if either of them should dye that it should come to the rest of his children. It is further my will that when the said Hannah Carter wife to the said Giles Carter shall die, then the said negroe wench return to Theodorick Carter her son and if she [the slave] hath any children them is to be at her [Hannah's] disposing who she will give them too.
Item I make my loving Cozen [actually nephew, son of his deceased brother Francis] Mr. Mathew Crews my sole executor of all my lands here in Virginia or elsewhere & all the rest of my estate to him or his heirs forever, my just debts being payd.
Item it is my desire that my loving friend Giles Carter shall live here in my said house and command my servants and make crops or any other thing as shall be convenient and necessary for the said plantacon and soe to give account yearly as my said executor shall order.
Signed and sealed Ja: Crewes.
[Henrico County, VA Wills & Administrations, pg. 6.]
He gave to GILES and HANNAH and their children personal property, which he had a right to bequeath anyway he wanted to. He gave them only the use of lands that they had been renting, not the title or ownership of the property, which would revert to his estate upon the death of GILES and HANNAH. However, as we shall see, they sold this "life interest" in the property at a later date. Crewes also appointed GILES overseer of the rest of his estate, and allowed the CARTERS to live in the house and manage the estate for his heirs.
James' will was probated December 10, 1677, in Henrico County, Virginia. The 10,000 pounds of tobacco left to GILES' daughters by James Crewes was a large sum of "money." Tobacco was the "currency" of the colony, and 10,000 pounds would buy a nice plantation, 12 or 14 nice horses, and the interest from it would support the needs for a young woman. It was about equal to the year's production of five to 10 acres of tobacco crop. One or two acres was about all a family could cultivate per year. So, essentially, he was giving her the equivalent of five or 10 years' labor from a family, or half the yearly income of the local minister, whose wages were set at 16,000 pounds yearly. [Henrico County, VA Wills & Administrations, pg. 7.]
https://oliverdreams.tripod.com/CarterHistory.html
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The following is the work of Joyce Hetrick. All persons mentioned are our ancestors also.
Giles Carter of Virginia & His Wife Hannah
Giles Carter-1; Theodorick-2; Theodorick-3; William-4; Joseph-5; Elizabeth-6
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Regardless of his ancestry, the man we know to be our ancestor, GILES CARTER-1 of Virginia, born about 1634, somewhere in England, came to Virginia before 1653. He gave a deposition in 1680, stating his age as 46. [Henrico County, VA Deeds 1677-1705, pg. 148.]
We can be sure that our GILES-1 was in the colony before 1653, when he is listed as among those imported by Mr. William Fry, who claimed land for GILES' importation, along with 15 other persons. [Virginia Colonial Records, patent book 3, page 192.] In the year 1653, many claims were filed for head-rights for persons who had probably been imported several years previously, so we don't know the exact date of GILES' importation. It is quite likely that he was fleeing the problems created in England by Cromwell's rise to power. It is also quite probable that he was seeking his own fortune as a younger son with few prospects at home, but with good family contacts
The Colony granted 50 acres to each person who imported a colonist at his expense, or brought in a slave or indentured servant. If a man paid his own passage, he would receive the 50 acres of land. This policy resulted in great lists of imported persons, when they were imported, and by whom. The imported person must stay in the colony for three years, or die in the colony, for the land grant to be valid. Thus, we may be reasonably sure that GILES was actually in the colony by 1650 or before. If his birth date of 1634 is about right, then he would have been 16 years old, or thereabouts, when he came to the colony. This is consistent with the customs for indentured servants at that time, most of whom were very young males. These lists are a great help to genealogists.
If a man is listed as imported by another man, it is fairly conclusive that he was imported as an indentured servant or family member. At this time in Virginia's history, many former indentured servants rapidly moved into the ranks of land owners. In one study of the records, the term of years between importation and owning land varied, but averaged about 12 years.
In Genealogical Evidence, the author points out on page 23, "The terms "indentured servant," and "bond servant" may be confusing. The term "indenture" actually refers to the document or contract between the master and the apprentice or servant. The indenture actually means the wavy line caused when the two copies of the contract written on one piece of parchment, vellum, or paper was cut in two-one copy for each party."
The fact that GILES CARTER-1 never claimed land for the importation of his wife or children means that they were either transported by others or born in the colony. GILES' wife, HANNAH, was most likely, imported by someone else or born in the colony. Since we are not sure of her maiden name, we are unable to find a record of her importation or birth. GILES-1 may have worked as a "servant" [employee] for Mr. Fry, or the indenture could have been sold to another. Labor was dear in the colony, and land cheap, so it was not difficult for a man to rise in the financial scheme of things, especially if he came from a family connection with some influence in the mother country. Even though he might have been an impoverished younger son, having "family connections" to help him would have been a great benefit in advancing financially. There were many opportunities in the colony to make financial advances, but they were greatly assisted by "connections" which could give a person a leg up and put them in a position to benefit from the opportunities.
GILES' friends and associates seem to have been better "fixed" than he was, and left him legacies in their wills, as if they were related or were very close family friends. The legacies speak well of his family connections in England.
It is possible that our ancestor, GILES-1, may have returned to Britain after he first came to Virginia, and then returned to Virginia again. It was not uncommon for men to make the crossing several times, though we have no proof that he did. The lists of people that GILES later imported as immigrants to Virginia, whose names are shown on the court land grants, are not found on any published lists of persons sailing from ports in England, according to General Carter. He also states that those lists are intact. This strengthens the evidence that GILES came from Gloucestershire and sailed from Bristol, as did the first Giles Carter in 1620. There are only two passenger lists preserved from Bristol. He could have returned home to recruit these settlers and his name be on the missing lists from Bristol.
Our GILES-1 probably served out an indenture of from four to seven years working for someone else. We find no mention of GILES between 1653, when he is on the headright list, and the next item nine years later, in 1662, in the will of John Rowan [Rowen], written May 1, 1662. John Rowan leaves items to his son, his nephew, and his brother, in addition to a bequest to GILES CARTER of "a cow and gift of a house and land on this plantation for one year, then to brother Henry." This was a substantial bequest, and probably meant that GILES was living on Rowan's plantation, or very near by. It also indicates that GILES may have been working for Rowan or renting a place from him.
John Rowan was obviously the guardian for the Price orphans. He also mentioned that his brother, Henry, was to have the upbringing of the John and Daniel Price, who were orphans of John Price. Daniel Price would later marry Susannah Carter-2, the daughter of GILES CARTER. One of the witnesses to the will was a woman named Margaret Crewes.. She may have been the wife of Captain James Crewes, who was later executed after Bacon's Rebellion. Daniel Price was left the clothing of James Crewes in Crewes' will in 1676. He also owed a debt to the estate for which he was sued by the heirs. Daniel Price [Sr.] was probably born at least by 1655, which would mean he was a few years older than Susannah Carter-2.
By Rowan's bequest we know that GILES-1 probably did not have land of his own yet in the colony. He may have been working for Mr. Rowan in some capacity. GILES had probably been in the colony for more than 12 years at the time of John Rowan's will. The next mention we have of GILES CARTER-1 and his family is fourteen years later, in 1676, in the will of James Crewes. By 1676, GILES CARTER had been in the colony at least 23 to 26 years, but still apparently did not own land outright.
By the time of Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, GILES and his wife, HANNAH, lived in an area called Turkey Island in Henrico County, Virginia, on the plantation of James Crewes. GILES still apparently did not own land of his own and was renting land from Crewes, and by this time, had several children. [Will of James Crewes.] This land was located in Henrico Parish on the James River between Shirley and Bremo, the later residence of the Cocke family for 200 years. The area was named for the large number of wild turkeys located there by the first party sent up river from Jamestown. William Randolph, acting as an attorney, bought the property in 1684 from the heirs of James Crewes. GILES and HANNAH transferred their [life] interest in 50 acres of the land in 1684/5.
The history of Henrico dates back to the very earliest times of the settlement of Virginia. It was the second established settlement in Virginia, after Jamestown. Sir Thomas Dale founded the settlement in September 1611, lading 350 men, chiefly German laborers. It was called Henricopolis after Prince Henry, the eldest son of James I. John Rolfe and Pocahontas lived there until she and her husband went to England. In 1622, when the Indians attacked the settlements, the survivors of the massacre fled to Jamestown. In 1624, the Virginia Company was dissolved by the King. From this time on to 1730, the annals of Henrico Parish are more fragmentary and uncertain. We do know, though, that the Reverend James Blair was rector from 1685 until 1694. He was a determined Scotsman who had been educated at Edinburg University. Mr. Blair was later the first president and founder of William and Mary College. [History of Henrico.]
In 1695, the Reverend George Robinson became the rector, but little else is known about the man besides his name and position. A report in 1724 mentions that the minister present had been minister for fourteen years, but his name is missing from the records. The report stated that in 1724 there were 400 families resident and 1,100 tithables within the parish which had two churches. The remaining records of the vestry commence with the vestry book in 1730. Goochland County had been cut off from the Parish in 1727.
We aren't sure about everything that happened to GILES during the 23 years between 1653 and 1676, but we do know that during that time he acquired a wife, named HANNAH, and that they had several children. We don't find any record that GILES owned land up to this point, and he may have been working as an "overseer" for the plantations of John Rowan and then James Crewes, or simply renting lands from them to farm for himself. Crewes mentioned in his will, in 1676, that he had "lett" [or rented] a plantation to GILES and gave use of it to him "rent free" for life, except for a "grain of Indian corn yearly" for the rest of his life. He also gave GILES the oversight of his house, servants, and plantation, with specific instructions to live there, run the plantation, make crops, and give account to Crew's administrator. The 50 acres that GILES sold his interest in might have been the lands that he had been renting, that James Crewes had given him rent free for life. The heir[s] of James Crewes did not live in Virginia, but were residents of London. That Crewes gave only a "life interest" in his lands, while giving generously of his personal property, again underscores the probability of there being no close blood relationship.
There has been much speculation among researchers of this line about the kinship and/or relationship of HANNAH and James Crewes, who willed a significant portion of his Virginia personal property estate to HANNAH, GILES, and their children. Many researchers think HANNAH was a sister of James Crewes or he was her father. The legacy and mention of HANNAH in the will is used as "proof" that she was the daughter of James Crewes in published accounts. This myth, without substantial foundation, found its way into print and has been impossible to stamp out with the truth of the matter. This author has received many "pedigrees" attesting to the relationship of HANNAH and her "father" James Crewes. Many of these false pedigrees are presented with all sincerity and pride in being descended from this early revolutionary.
The way the will is actually worded, however, implies that there was no close blood relationship. He named the blood relationship to other heirs, but no kinship relationship was mentioned concerning GILES or HANNAH. James Crewes' leaving his property to his nephew precludes his having children. First, a man in Virginia was precluded by law from cutting his children entirely out of the estate. If he had children, a man could leave only one-third of his real estate to anyone outside his immediate family. That one-third was called "the dead man's third." [Reference: Women and the Law of Property in Early America, by Marylynn Salmon.]
Court records mention that James Crewes was "unmarried at the time of his death." That didn't mean he was never married, but that at the time of his death he had no living wife. There is a theory that "Margaret Crewes" [who witnessed some deeds] was the wife of James and was deceased before 1676. There is some evidence that this Margaret Crewes was nee Llewelyn. Much work needs to be done on these lines, however, to clarify several theories. [Henrico County Wills and Administrations, part 1, pg. 7]
Later lawsuits over the estate, and suits in an effort to collect debts owed to the estate, indicate that there was no blood relationship between our CARTERS and James Crewes. The only surviving children of James' two [and only] brothers were Matthew Crewes and Sarah Crewes Whittingham. If James Crewes had had living children, his nephew and niece would not have inherited his lands.
Other researchers think that HANNAH's surname might have been Sewell. William Sewell, who also left legacies to the family, and was guardian of Giles Carter-2, a minor child, after GILES' death, might have been HANNAH's father or brother. There was obviously some close relationship, and probably blood, between either GILES or HANNAH and William Sewell. The fact that William Sewell left his entire estate to Giles Carter, Jr., and was allowed to do so [i.e. it was more than the "Dead Man's Third."] indicates a blood relationship.
After GILES's death, a note about William Sewell was "it ordered that the clerk take bond with secty of William Sewell for that estate he hath in his hands belonging to Giles Carter an orphan of Giles Carter late of this county, decd." [Orphans Court Book, 1677-1739 of Henrico Virginia, page 91.]
This did not necessarily mean that HANNAH __?__ CARTER was deceased. Frequently, when a man died, his children were given appointed [male] guardians, even though their mother was alive.
William T. Sewell in his own will, recorded February 7, 1725, willed his entire estate to Giles Carter, Jr. William Sewell had given Giles [Jr] a mare before GILES [Sr.] died about 1699 and GILES [Sr.] mentioned this mare in his own will. In 1699, a gift of a horse was a princely gift indeed. February 1, 1708/9 [OS/NS] a deed given by William Sewell, witnessed by Giles Carter-2, mentions the wife of Sewell, named Elizabeth.
It is logical to assume that there was some close relationship between the CARTERS and both William Sewell and James Crewes, as well as John Rowen, but we are not sure just what it was.
General Carter makes the circumstantial case that the Crewes and Carters were close in England before coming to America. Though we may never know the exact relationship[s], we do know that GILES and HANNAH lived on the plantation of James Crewes prior to Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, and had a close relationship. GILES may have been the overseer of the plantation. The mention by James Crewes that GILES was to control the plantation seems to indicate this. James Crewes was one of the leaders in the Rebellion. However, we do not find any proof that GILES was actively engaged in the fighting, though he very well could have been. In any case, he was well aware of what was going on. Almost all of the local planters were involved in the fray to one degree or another. This author believes it is highly unlikely that James Crewes would have left such large legacies to someone who did not agree with his political views, or to someone who was not a close friend.
James Crewes was executed for his participation in the rebellion. He was a merchant and business partner of Daniel Llewelyn, the last husband of Ann__?__ Price Hallom Llewelyn, the mother of Daniel Price and John Price, Jr., and the widow of John Price, Sr., mentioned in the will of John Rowan. Her son, Daniel Price, would marry Susannah Carter, daughter of GILES and HANNAH.
James Crewes' brothers, Francis and Edward, were also merchants in London. Francis was a grocer and silkman by trade. Their father, Matthew Crewes, had been a leather seller of London.
James Crewes apparently was a bit hot-headed. A suit prior to the rebellion brought before the "two houses" by Captain David Peibiles concerned some sort of debt. The quarrel had resulted in a physical fight, as well as an exchange of words. Crewes ended up being fined 2,000 pounds of tobacco, and the court said that Piebiles' assault on James Crewes was justified and was occasioned by the "unworthy and uncivil provocation" of Crewes. In other words, James Crewes got what he deserved for acting a fool…"stabs and blows."
The children of Giles Carter-1 and his wife, Hannah
Susannah Carter-2, born before 1676, and mentioned in James Crewes' will, the first wife of Daniel Price, Sr.-ii, the man to whom James Crewes left his best clothes. Daniel-ii was also the child mentioned in the will of John Rowan in the 1660's. Her second husband was Thomas Williamson. She was the mother of Daniel Price, Jr.-iii Daniel, Sr.-ii was the son of John Price-i mentioned in John Rowan's will. His mother had married, as her third husband, the man who was James Crewes' business partner.
Ann Carter-2, was probably born after 1676, as she was not mentioned in the Crewes will. Married James D. Davis.
THEODORICK CARTER-2, born before 1676, and mentioned in James Crewes' will, married a woman named ELIZABETH, possibly surnamed WEBB, and they were the author's ancestors. THEODORICK-2 died in 1736/7 leaving his widow and a child just born. He would have been in his sixties, so his wife must have been several years younger than he was. She died about 1751, when her will was probated.
Giles Carter-2, born after 1681, married a woman named Mary [Henrico Co. Deeds 1706-1737, pg 174] and died in King George County in 1745. Giles-2 and Ann-2 were the only known children of GILES-1 and HANNAH not mentioned in the Crewes will. Giles-2 was a minor when his father wrote his will in 1699. The guardian for Giles-2, William T. Sewell, left his entire estate to Giles-2. William Sewell was probably related to HANNAH or GILES and may have been HANNAH's brother, or less likely, her father. William Sewell was listed in the 1705 Quit Rent Rolls as owning 59 acres. His widow's name was Elizabeth.
Mary Carter-2, born before 1676, married Thomas Davis, and was mentioned in the Crewes' will.
From 1620 to 1720 Henrico Parish was referred to as Varina Parish and the principle church in the parish referred to as Varina Church. In 1680, the Reverend John Ball was the minister of Henrico County, serving Varina Parish and the half of Bristol Parish north of Appomattox. Ball was replaced in 1685. At one point he had been publicly referred to as "fitter to make a hangman than a minister." Reverend James Blair was the minister from 1685 to 1694. Apparently, the early ministers that came to Virginia were not of the "best" sort and were men who could not find parishes in England. They were certainly not heroic "missionaries" who cared much for their flocks.
In January 1686, the Middlesex County Records contain an order for:
Stephen Cocke having moved this court to assigne certain gentlemen of this countye to meet such as shall be appointed by the court of Charles Citye County to view and receive the bridge over Turkeye Island Creek, it is ordered that Captain William Randolph and Captain Frances Epps doe meete these gents. As shall be appointed.
https://oliverdreams.tripod.com/CarterHistory.html
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Contributor: David Goode (49372965)
Giles Carter Sr. of Henrico Va seems to have married a widow with one child Theodorick as his [Theodoricks] descendants show a different Ydna Haplo group from Giles Carter jr. Giles Carter of Henrico's older family is shown in the Will of his good friend James Crewes will of 1676 which said his wife was Hannah and her son was Theodorick who receives nothing in this will but Susannah and Mary called the daughters of Giles Carter jr. get 10,000 lbs of tobacco each which is the value of James Crewes estate.. James Crewes had no living wife or surviving children by the time of his execution in 1676 and left the value of his estate to his good and loving friend Giles Carter/ his land could not be devised by will at that time to any person other than a blood related descendant [primogentre] so his land was taken by his administrators nephew Mathew Crewes in london and his niece Sarah Whittingham who later sold the land 542 acres to William Randolph in 1684.
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Captain James Crewes was one of Nathaniel Bacon's supporters, during the 1676 Bacon Rebellion. After the rebellion failed, because of the death of their leader, the ringleaders were hung. James Crewes was one of them, but it would seem that he was given time to settle his estate (Rick Branch).
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Crewes, James (1622 or 1623–1677)
James Crewes took part in Bacon's Rebellion (1676–1677). Born in England, by 1655 Crewes had settled in Virginia, where he kept a store at his Henrico County home and engaged in the fur trade. Fearful of Indian attacks, Crewes and his neighbors persuaded Nathaniel Bacon to organize local men to defend the colony. After Bacon attacked some Indians during the spring of 1676, he was rebuked by Governor Sir William Berkeley. Crewes took Bacon's side and possibly marched with a company of Bacon's men to Lower Norfolk County. He was captured and was among a group of prisoners delivered to the governor on January 19, 1677. Singled out at a court-martial as "a most notorious Actor & Assistor in the Rebellion," Crewes was one of seven men convicted of treason and rebellion against the king on January 24. He was sentenced to hang two days later.
Contributor: Katharine E. Harbury
Crewes, participant in Bacon's Rebellion, was born in England and was the brother of Edward Crewes and Francis Crewes, residents of London. The place or places of their births and names of their parents are not known. James Crewes consistently signed his name in that fashion, but contemporaries sometimes spelled the surname without the second e. While in London on December 1, 1652, Crewes signed a deposition concerning the death of an acquaintance in Virginia the previous year. At that time Crewes described himself as a twenty-nine-year-old merchant. Little else is known about his life in England other than that he was educated; he later owned a Latin Bible, which suggests he knew that language.
The 1652 deposition indicates that Crewes had been in Virginia in 1651, and the appearance of his name on headright lists suggests that in his capacity as a merchant he may have made four or more trips to Virginia. Like many other merchants, he eventually settled in the colony, certainly not later than 1655. He acquired 541 acres of land on Turkey Island in Henrico County. The house that he owned there twenty years later was substantial, with four fireplaces, brick chimneys, and a separate kitchen. As part of his continued commercial interests, Crewes also kept a store, engaged in the fur trade, and dealt with business associates back in England. By 1670 he was a captain of militia.
Charles City County Court records beginning in December 1655 contain references to Crewes acting as a merchant, witness, jury member, trustee, and executor of estates. During the winter of 1655–1656 one of the disputes in which he was involved led to blows and a stabbing that was not fatal. Crewes acquired a few servants, including two or more of African descent, and he obtained permission to keep an Indian servant. He probably married Margaret Llewellin, who witnessed a will as Margaret Crewes on May 1, 1662, but when Crewes wrote his own will in 1676, he had no living wife or children. He bequeathed property to relatives of Giles Carter, but whether he was related to Carter by marriage or otherwise is not certain.
Arrest of Nathaniel Bacon
During the winter of 1675–1676, Crewes, William Byrd I, and a few other residents of Henrico County persuaded their near neighbor Nathaniel Bacon to take the lead in organizing local men to defend the colony against anticipated Indian attacks. In the spring, after Bacon had attacked and defeated some Indians and Governor Sir William Berkeley had rebuked him and removed him from his seat on the Council, Crewes and Bacon won election to the House of Burgesses from Henrico County. On May 26, 1676, a week before the General Assembly met, Crewes told Berkeley that Bacon wished to appeal to the Crown the governor's condemnations of his actions. When the assembly met, Bacon made repeated demands that he be commissioned a general to wage war on the Indians, and the colony then erupted into civil war. Crewes took the side of Bacon against the governor. In Berkeley's colorful phrase, Crewes acted throughout as "Bacons Parasite, and Trumpett that continually went about the Country extollinge all Bacons actions & Justifyinge the Rebellion."
The actions of Crewes are poorly documented, but he took the precaution of writing his will on July 23. Eleven days later, on August 3, 1676, when Bacon issued one of his proclamations at Middle Plantation, Crewes signed the document. He was probably one of the men who circulated copies for subscription and perhaps carried along his small English-language Bible to administer oaths of allegiance. It is possible that he marched with a company of Bacon's men as far southeast as Lower Norfolk County during the autumn. Crewes may have been one of the last of Bacon's principal followers to be captured. He was almost certainly among the fifteen or sixteen men the captain of the warship Young Prince delivered to the governor on January 19, 1677.
Berkeley presided at a court-martial at Green Spring, in James City County, on January 24, 1677, at which Crewes and six other men were tried and convicted of treason and rebellion against the king. The trial record singled out Crewes as "a most notorious Actor & Assistor in the Rebellion." James Crewes was sentenced to be hanged at Jamestown on the following Friday, January 26, 1677. The place of his burial is not recorded. The property of the condemned men was subject to confiscation, but the king declined to proceed against Crewes's estate. In August 1684 William Randolph purchased a portion of the Turkey Island property, which became the seat of the subsequently influential Randolph family of Virginia.
TIMELINE
1622—1623 - In one of these years, James Crewes is born in England. Like his brothers Edward and Francis Crewes, he lives in London.
1651 - James Crewes is in Virginia this year, but the date of his arrival is unknown.
1 Dec 1652 - James Crewes, who describes himself as a twenty-nine-year-old merchant, signs a deposition in London concerning the death of an acquaintance in Virginia the previous year.
1655 - By this year, James Crewes permanently settles in Virginia. He acquires 541 acres of land on Turnkey Island in Henrico County.
1670 - By this year, James Crewes is a captain of the Henrico County militia.
Winter 1675—1676 - James Crewes, William Byrd I, and a few other Henrico County residents persuade their near neighbor Nathaniel Bacon to take the lead in organizing local men to defend the colony against anticipated Indian attacks.
26 May 1676 - James Crewes tells Governor Sir William Berkeley that Nathaniel Bacon wishes to appeal to the Crown the governor's condemnation of his actions.
5 Jun 1676 - The House of Burgesses gathers in Jamestown. Among the participants is Nathaniel Bacon of Henrico County who, with James Crewes, is engaged in a rebellion against Governor Sir William Berkeley in part over Bacon's intentions to attack Virginia Indians.
6 Jun 1676 - Nathaniel Bacon and a company of armed men arrive in Jamestown, where Bacon is seized by armed agents and taken before Governor Sir William Berkeley and the General Assembly. Bacon apologizes on bended knee for his rebellion. Berkeley pardons Bacon but then changes his mind.
23 Jun 1676 - Nathaniel Bacon returns to Jamestown with 500 men and demands Governor Sir William Berkeley commission him as a general to lead the colony against the Indians. After a standoff, the governor yields to Bacon's demands.
Jul 1676 - Governor Sir William Berkeley reverses course and again declares Nathaniel Bacon a rebel and travels to Gloucester County to recruit men to fight him. Bacon and his men march to Middle Plantation, the site of present-day Williamsburg.
23 Jul 1676 - James Crewes writes his Last Will & Testament.
3 Aug 1676 - Nathaniel Bacon, in rebellion against the Virginia governor, obtains the endorsement of seventy leading Virginia men to his leadership against the Indians.
19 Jan 1677 - James Crewes is almost certainly among the fifteen or sixteen men who the captain of the warship Young Prince delivers to Governor Sir William Berkeley at the end of Bacon's Rebellion.
24 Jan 1677 - In a court-martial over which Governor Sir William Berkeley presides at Green Spring in James City County, James Crewe and six other men are tried and convicted of treason and rebellion against the king.
26 Jan 1677 - Records indicate that James Crewe likely hangs this day, having been convicted of treason and rebellion against the king during Bacon's Rebellion.
August 1684 - William Randolph purchases a portion of the late James Crewes's Turkey Island property, which becomes the seat of the subsequently influential Randolph family in Virginia.
FURTHER READING
Harbury, Katharine E. "James Crewes." In Dictionary of Virginia Biography, Vol. 2, edited by Sara B. Bearss et al., 557–558. Richmond: Library of Virginia, 2001.
https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/crewes-james-1622-or-1623-1677/
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https://encyclopediavirginia.org/892hpr-9899981dfdd60e4/
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https://reynoldspatova.org/histories/13959Hannah%20Crew%20Carter.pdf
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Will of James Crewes
July ye 23d, 1676.
In the name of God Amen. I James Crewes of Turkey Island Planter in Henrico County, being of sound and perfect memory prased be God doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and forme following first and principle I committ my soule into the hands of Almighty God my creater hoping and assured by believing through the merritts death and passion of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer to have and obtaine free and full remission and pardon for all my sins, as touchinge concerninge al my worldly estate, either here in Virginia in England or elsewhere dew either by bill bond or account.
Imprimis.
Item I give and bequeath unto Mary Carter daughter to Giles Carter ten thousand pounds of tobo: & cask one feather bed two blankets & one good rugge, this to be paid in three years after my decease, the interest thereof to be towards her cloathinge.
Item I give unto Susan Carter tenn thousand pounds of tobao: & casq: one feather bed two blanketts & one rugge to be payd as above said.
Item. I give unto my man Tero his freedome he serving three years after my decease, and at the expiration of the said tyme I give unto him one cow, one sow, if I have any left, and as much land as he shall tend for him and another [some transcribers interpret this word to be "mother," but there is no indication that James Crewes' mother was in the vicinity] during life.
Item. I give unto Hannah Carter, wife of Giles Carter my negroe maid keate forever and her increase.
Item. I give unto Daniel Price [future husband of Susannah Carter] my best suite & cloathe I have.
Item. I give unto Giles Carter what he owes me by bill or booke and further the plantation which I have formerly lett [rented to] him that he and his wife Hannah Carter shall have it during both their lives rent free, only paying one graine of Indian Corne when demanded and further it is my will that what I have given to the said Giles Carter's children, that if either of them should dye that it should come to the rest of his children. It is further my will that when the said Hannah Carter wife to the said Giles Carter shall die, then the said negroe wench return to Theodorick Carter her son and if she [the slave] hath any children them is to be at her [Hannah's] disposing who she will give them too.
Item I make my loving Cozen [actually nephew, son of his deceased brother Francis] Mr. Mathew Crews my sole executor of all my lands here in Virginia or elsewhere & all the rest of my estate to him or his heirs forever, my just debts being payd.
Item it is my desire that my loving friend Giles Carter shall live here in my said house and command my servants and make crops or any other thing as shall be convenient and necessary for the said plantacon and soe to give account yearly as my said executor shall order.
Signed and sealed Ja: Crewes.
[Henrico County, VA Wills & Administrations, pg. 6.]
He gave to GILES and HANNAH and their children personal property, which he had a right to bequeath anyway he wanted to. He gave them only the use of lands that they had been renting, not the title or ownership of the property, which would revert to his estate upon the death of GILES and HANNAH. However, as we shall see, they sold this "life interest" in the property at a later date. Crewes also appointed GILES overseer of the rest of his estate, and allowed the CARTERS to live in the house and manage the estate for his heirs.
James' will was probated December 10, 1677, in Henrico County, Virginia. The 10,000 pounds of tobacco left to GILES' daughters by James Crewes was a large sum of "money." Tobacco was the "currency" of the colony, and 10,000 pounds would buy a nice plantation, 12 or 14 nice horses, and the interest from it would support the needs for a young woman. It was about equal to the year's production of five to 10 acres of tobacco crop. One or two acres was about all a family could cultivate per year. So, essentially, he was giving her the equivalent of five or 10 years' labor from a family, or half the yearly income of the local minister, whose wages were set at 16,000 pounds yearly. [Henrico County, VA Wills & Administrations, pg. 7.]
https://oliverdreams.tripod.com/CarterHistory.html
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The following is the work of Joyce Hetrick. All persons mentioned are our ancestors also.
Giles Carter of Virginia & His Wife Hannah
Giles Carter-1; Theodorick-2; Theodorick-3; William-4; Joseph-5; Elizabeth-6
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Regardless of his ancestry, the man we know to be our ancestor, GILES CARTER-1 of Virginia, born about 1634, somewhere in England, came to Virginia before 1653. He gave a deposition in 1680, stating his age as 46. [Henrico County, VA Deeds 1677-1705, pg. 148.]
We can be sure that our GILES-1 was in the colony before 1653, when he is listed as among those imported by Mr. William Fry, who claimed land for GILES' importation, along with 15 other persons. [Virginia Colonial Records, patent book 3, page 192.] In the year 1653, many claims were filed for head-rights for persons who had probably been imported several years previously, so we don't know the exact date of GILES' importation. It is quite likely that he was fleeing the problems created in England by Cromwell's rise to power. It is also quite probable that he was seeking his own fortune as a younger son with few prospects at home, but with good family contacts
The Colony granted 50 acres to each person who imported a colonist at his expense, or brought in a slave or indentured servant. If a man paid his own passage, he would receive the 50 acres of land. This policy resulted in great lists of imported persons, when they were imported, and by whom. The imported person must stay in the colony for three years, or die in the colony, for the land grant to be valid. Thus, we may be reasonably sure that GILES was actually in the colony by 1650 or before. If his birth date of 1634 is about right, then he would have been 16 years old, or thereabouts, when he came to the colony. This is consistent with the customs for indentured servants at that time, most of whom were very young males. These lists are a great help to genealogists.
If a man is listed as imported by another man, it is fairly conclusive that he was imported as an indentured servant or family member. At this time in Virginia's history, many former indentured servants rapidly moved into the ranks of land owners. In one study of the records, the term of years between importation and owning land varied, but averaged about 12 years.
In Genealogical Evidence, the author points out on page 23, "The terms "indentured servant," and "bond servant" may be confusing. The term "indenture" actually refers to the document or contract between the master and the apprentice or servant. The indenture actually means the wavy line caused when the two copies of the contract written on one piece of parchment, vellum, or paper was cut in two-one copy for each party."
The fact that GILES CARTER-1 never claimed land for the importation of his wife or children means that they were either transported by others or born in the colony. GILES' wife, HANNAH, was most likely, imported by someone else or born in the colony. Since we are not sure of her maiden name, we are unable to find a record of her importation or birth. GILES-1 may have worked as a "servant" [employee] for Mr. Fry, or the indenture could have been sold to another. Labor was dear in the colony, and land cheap, so it was not difficult for a man to rise in the financial scheme of things, especially if he came from a family connection with some influence in the mother country. Even though he might have been an impoverished younger son, having "family connections" to help him would have been a great benefit in advancing financially. There were many opportunities in the colony to make financial advances, but they were greatly assisted by "connections" which could give a person a leg up and put them in a position to benefit from the opportunities.
GILES' friends and associates seem to have been better "fixed" than he was, and left him legacies in their wills, as if they were related or were very close family friends. The legacies speak well of his family connections in England.
It is possible that our ancestor, GILES-1, may have returned to Britain after he first came to Virginia, and then returned to Virginia again. It was not uncommon for men to make the crossing several times, though we have no proof that he did. The lists of people that GILES later imported as immigrants to Virginia, whose names are shown on the court land grants, are not found on any published lists of persons sailing from ports in England, according to General Carter. He also states that those lists are intact. This strengthens the evidence that GILES came from Gloucestershire and sailed from Bristol, as did the first Giles Carter in 1620. There are only two passenger lists preserved from Bristol. He could have returned home to recruit these settlers and his name be on the missing lists from Bristol.
Our GILES-1 probably served out an indenture of from four to seven years working for someone else. We find no mention of GILES between 1653, when he is on the headright list, and the next item nine years later, in 1662, in the will of John Rowan [Rowen], written May 1, 1662. John Rowan leaves items to his son, his nephew, and his brother, in addition to a bequest to GILES CARTER of "a cow and gift of a house and land on this plantation for one year, then to brother Henry." This was a substantial bequest, and probably meant that GILES was living on Rowan's plantation, or very near by. It also indicates that GILES may have been working for Rowan or renting a place from him.
John Rowan was obviously the guardian for the Price orphans. He also mentioned that his brother, Henry, was to have the upbringing of the John and Daniel Price, who were orphans of John Price. Daniel Price would later marry Susannah Carter-2, the daughter of GILES CARTER. One of the witnesses to the will was a woman named Margaret Crewes.. She may have been the wife of Captain James Crewes, who was later executed after Bacon's Rebellion. Daniel Price was left the clothing of James Crewes in Crewes' will in 1676. He also owed a debt to the estate for which he was sued by the heirs. Daniel Price [Sr.] was probably born at least by 1655, which would mean he was a few years older than Susannah Carter-2.
By Rowan's bequest we know that GILES-1 probably did not have land of his own yet in the colony. He may have been working for Mr. Rowan in some capacity. GILES had probably been in the colony for more than 12 years at the time of John Rowan's will. The next mention we have of GILES CARTER-1 and his family is fourteen years later, in 1676, in the will of James Crewes. By 1676, GILES CARTER had been in the colony at least 23 to 26 years, but still apparently did not own land outright.
By the time of Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, GILES and his wife, HANNAH, lived in an area called Turkey Island in Henrico County, Virginia, on the plantation of James Crewes. GILES still apparently did not own land of his own and was renting land from Crewes, and by this time, had several children. [Will of James Crewes.] This land was located in Henrico Parish on the James River between Shirley and Bremo, the later residence of the Cocke family for 200 years. The area was named for the large number of wild turkeys located there by the first party sent up river from Jamestown. William Randolph, acting as an attorney, bought the property in 1684 from the heirs of James Crewes. GILES and HANNAH transferred their [life] interest in 50 acres of the land in 1684/5.
The history of Henrico dates back to the very earliest times of the settlement of Virginia. It was the second established settlement in Virginia, after Jamestown. Sir Thomas Dale founded the settlement in September 1611, lading 350 men, chiefly German laborers. It was called Henricopolis after Prince Henry, the eldest son of James I. John Rolfe and Pocahontas lived there until she and her husband went to England. In 1622, when the Indians attacked the settlements, the survivors of the massacre fled to Jamestown. In 1624, the Virginia Company was dissolved by the King. From this time on to 1730, the annals of Henrico Parish are more fragmentary and uncertain. We do know, though, that the Reverend James Blair was rector from 1685 until 1694. He was a determined Scotsman who had been educated at Edinburg University. Mr. Blair was later the first president and founder of William and Mary College. [History of Henrico.]
In 1695, the Reverend George Robinson became the rector, but little else is known about the man besides his name and position. A report in 1724 mentions that the minister present had been minister for fourteen years, but his name is missing from the records. The report stated that in 1724 there were 400 families resident and 1,100 tithables within the parish which had two churches. The remaining records of the vestry commence with the vestry book in 1730. Goochland County had been cut off from the Parish in 1727.
We aren't sure about everything that happened to GILES during the 23 years between 1653 and 1676, but we do know that during that time he acquired a wife, named HANNAH, and that they had several children. We don't find any record that GILES owned land up to this point, and he may have been working as an "overseer" for the plantations of John Rowan and then James Crewes, or simply renting lands from them to farm for himself. Crewes mentioned in his will, in 1676, that he had "lett" [or rented] a plantation to GILES and gave use of it to him "rent free" for life, except for a "grain of Indian corn yearly" for the rest of his life. He also gave GILES the oversight of his house, servants, and plantation, with specific instructions to live there, run the plantation, make crops, and give account to Crew's administrator. The 50 acres that GILES sold his interest in might have been the lands that he had been renting, that James Crewes had given him rent free for life. The heir[s] of James Crewes did not live in Virginia, but were residents of London. That Crewes gave only a "life interest" in his lands, while giving generously of his personal property, again underscores the probability of there being no close blood relationship.
There has been much speculation among researchers of this line about the kinship and/or relationship of HANNAH and James Crewes, who willed a significant portion of his Virginia personal property estate to HANNAH, GILES, and their children. Many researchers think HANNAH was a sister of James Crewes or he was her father. The legacy and mention of HANNAH in the will is used as "proof" that she was the daughter of James Crewes in published accounts. This myth, without substantial foundation, found its way into print and has been impossible to stamp out with the truth of the matter. This author has received many "pedigrees" attesting to the relationship of HANNAH and her "father" James Crewes. Many of these false pedigrees are presented with all sincerity and pride in being descended from this early revolutionary.
The way the will is actually worded, however, implies that there was no close blood relationship. He named the blood relationship to other heirs, but no kinship relationship was mentioned concerning GILES or HANNAH. James Crewes' leaving his property to his nephew precludes his having children. First, a man in Virginia was precluded by law from cutting his children entirely out of the estate. If he had children, a man could leave only one-third of his real estate to anyone outside his immediate family. That one-third was called "the dead man's third." [Reference: Women and the Law of Property in Early America, by Marylynn Salmon.]
Court records mention that James Crewes was "unmarried at the time of his death." That didn't mean he was never married, but that at the time of his death he had no living wife. There is a theory that "Margaret Crewes" [who witnessed some deeds] was the wife of James and was deceased before 1676. There is some evidence that this Margaret Crewes was nee Llewelyn. Much work needs to be done on these lines, however, to clarify several theories. [Henrico County Wills and Administrations, part 1, pg. 7]
Later lawsuits over the estate, and suits in an effort to collect debts owed to the estate, indicate that there was no blood relationship between our CARTERS and James Crewes. The only surviving children of James' two [and only] brothers were Matthew Crewes and Sarah Crewes Whittingham. If James Crewes had had living children, his nephew and niece would not have inherited his lands.
Other researchers think that HANNAH's surname might have been Sewell. William Sewell, who also left legacies to the family, and was guardian of Giles Carter-2, a minor child, after GILES' death, might have been HANNAH's father or brother. There was obviously some close relationship, and probably blood, between either GILES or HANNAH and William Sewell. The fact that William Sewell left his entire estate to Giles Carter, Jr., and was allowed to do so [i.e. it was more than the "Dead Man's Third."] indicates a blood relationship.
After GILES's death, a note about William Sewell was "it ordered that the clerk take bond with secty of William Sewell for that estate he hath in his hands belonging to Giles Carter an orphan of Giles Carter late of this county, decd." [Orphans Court Book, 1677-1739 of Henrico Virginia, page 91.]
This did not necessarily mean that HANNAH __?__ CARTER was deceased. Frequently, when a man died, his children were given appointed [male] guardians, even though their mother was alive.
William T. Sewell in his own will, recorded February 7, 1725, willed his entire estate to Giles Carter, Jr. William Sewell had given Giles [Jr] a mare before GILES [Sr.] died about 1699 and GILES [Sr.] mentioned this mare in his own will. In 1699, a gift of a horse was a princely gift indeed. February 1, 1708/9 [OS/NS] a deed given by William Sewell, witnessed by Giles Carter-2, mentions the wife of Sewell, named Elizabeth.
It is logical to assume that there was some close relationship between the CARTERS and both William Sewell and James Crewes, as well as John Rowen, but we are not sure just what it was.
General Carter makes the circumstantial case that the Crewes and Carters were close in England before coming to America. Though we may never know the exact relationship[s], we do know that GILES and HANNAH lived on the plantation of James Crewes prior to Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, and had a close relationship. GILES may have been the overseer of the plantation. The mention by James Crewes that GILES was to control the plantation seems to indicate this. James Crewes was one of the leaders in the Rebellion. However, we do not find any proof that GILES was actively engaged in the fighting, though he very well could have been. In any case, he was well aware of what was going on. Almost all of the local planters were involved in the fray to one degree or another. This author believes it is highly unlikely that James Crewes would have left such large legacies to someone who did not agree with his political views, or to someone who was not a close friend.
James Crewes was executed for his participation in the rebellion. He was a merchant and business partner of Daniel Llewelyn, the last husband of Ann__?__ Price Hallom Llewelyn, the mother of Daniel Price and John Price, Jr., and the widow of John Price, Sr., mentioned in the will of John Rowan. Her son, Daniel Price, would marry Susannah Carter, daughter of GILES and HANNAH.
James Crewes' brothers, Francis and Edward, were also merchants in London. Francis was a grocer and silkman by trade. Their father, Matthew Crewes, had been a leather seller of London.
James Crewes apparently was a bit hot-headed. A suit prior to the rebellion brought before the "two houses" by Captain David Peibiles concerned some sort of debt. The quarrel had resulted in a physical fight, as well as an exchange of words. Crewes ended up being fined 2,000 pounds of tobacco, and the court said that Piebiles' assault on James Crewes was justified and was occasioned by the "unworthy and uncivil provocation" of Crewes. In other words, James Crewes got what he deserved for acting a fool…"stabs and blows."
The children of Giles Carter-1 and his wife, Hannah
Susannah Carter-2, born before 1676, and mentioned in James Crewes' will, the first wife of Daniel Price, Sr.-ii, the man to whom James Crewes left his best clothes. Daniel-ii was also the child mentioned in the will of John Rowan in the 1660's. Her second husband was Thomas Williamson. She was the mother of Daniel Price, Jr.-iii Daniel, Sr.-ii was the son of John Price-i mentioned in John Rowan's will. His mother had married, as her third husband, the man who was James Crewes' business partner.
Ann Carter-2, was probably born after 1676, as she was not mentioned in the Crewes will. Married James D. Davis.
THEODORICK CARTER-2, born before 1676, and mentioned in James Crewes' will, married a woman named ELIZABETH, possibly surnamed WEBB, and they were the author's ancestors. THEODORICK-2 died in 1736/7 leaving his widow and a child just born. He would have been in his sixties, so his wife must have been several years younger than he was. She died about 1751, when her will was probated.
Giles Carter-2, born after 1681, married a woman named Mary [Henrico Co. Deeds 1706-1737, pg 174] and died in King George County in 1745. Giles-2 and Ann-2 were the only known children of GILES-1 and HANNAH not mentioned in the Crewes will. Giles-2 was a minor when his father wrote his will in 1699. The guardian for Giles-2, William T. Sewell, left his entire estate to Giles-2. William Sewell was probably related to HANNAH or GILES and may have been HANNAH's brother, or less likely, her father. William Sewell was listed in the 1705 Quit Rent Rolls as owning 59 acres. His widow's name was Elizabeth.
Mary Carter-2, born before 1676, married Thomas Davis, and was mentioned in the Crewes' will.
From 1620 to 1720 Henrico Parish was referred to as Varina Parish and the principle church in the parish referred to as Varina Church. In 1680, the Reverend John Ball was the minister of Henrico County, serving Varina Parish and the half of Bristol Parish north of Appomattox. Ball was replaced in 1685. At one point he had been publicly referred to as "fitter to make a hangman than a minister." Reverend James Blair was the minister from 1685 to 1694. Apparently, the early ministers that came to Virginia were not of the "best" sort and were men who could not find parishes in England. They were certainly not heroic "missionaries" who cared much for their flocks.
In January 1686, the Middlesex County Records contain an order for:
Stephen Cocke having moved this court to assigne certain gentlemen of this countye to meet such as shall be appointed by the court of Charles Citye County to view and receive the bridge over Turkeye Island Creek, it is ordered that Captain William Randolph and Captain Frances Epps doe meete these gents. As shall be appointed.
https://oliverdreams.tripod.com/CarterHistory.html
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Contributor: David Goode (49372965)
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Giles Carter Sr. of Henrico Va seems to have married a widow with one child Theodorick as his [Theodoricks] descendants show a different Ydna Haplo group from Giles Carter jr. Giles Carter of Henrico's older family is shown in the Will of his good friend James Crewes will of 1676 which said his wife was Hannah and her son was Theodorick who receives nothing in this will but Susannah and Mary called the daughters of Giles Carter jr. get 10,000 lbs of tobacco each which is the value of James Crewes estate.. James Crewes had no living wife or surviving children by the time of his execution in 1676 and left the value of his estate to his good and loving friend Giles Carter/ his land could not be devised by will at that time to any person other than a blood related descendant [primogentre] so his land was taken by his administrators nephew Mathew Crewes in london and his niece Sarah Whittingham who later sold the land 542 acres to William Randolph in 1684.
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Captain James Crewes was one of Nathaniel Bacon's supporters, during the 1676 Bacon Rebellion. After the rebellion failed, because of the death of their leader, the ringleaders were hung. James Crewes was one of them, but it would seem that he was given time to settle his estate (Rick Branch).
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Crewes, James (1622 or 1623–1677)
James Crewes took part in Bacon's Rebellion (1676–1677). Born in England, by 1655 Crewes had settled in Virginia, where he kept a store at his Henrico County home and engaged in the fur trade. Fearful of Indian attacks, Crewes and his neighbors persuaded Nathaniel Bacon to organize local men to defend the colony. After Bacon attacked some Indians during the spring of 1676, he was rebuked by Governor Sir William Berkeley. Crewes took Bacon's side and possibly marched with a company of Bacon's men to Lower Norfolk County. He was captured and was among a group of prisoners delivered to the governor on January 19, 1677. Singled out at a court-martial as "a most notorious Actor & Assistor in the Rebellion," Crewes was one of seven men convicted of treason and rebellion against the king on January 24. He was sentenced to hang two days later.
Contributor: Katharine E. Harbury
Crewes, participant in Bacon's Rebellion, was born in England and was the brother of Edward Crewes and Francis Crewes, residents of London. The place or places of their births and names of their parents are not known. James Crewes consistently signed his name in that fashion, but contemporaries sometimes spelled the surname without the second e. While in London on December 1, 1652, Crewes signed a deposition concerning the death of an acquaintance in Virginia the previous year. At that time Crewes described himself as a twenty-nine-year-old merchant. Little else is known about his life in England other than that he was educated; he later owned a Latin Bible, which suggests he knew that language.
The 1652 deposition indicates that Crewes had been in Virginia in 1651, and the appearance of his name on headright lists suggests that in his capacity as a merchant he may have made four or more trips to Virginia. Like many other merchants, he eventually settled in the colony, certainly not later than 1655. He acquired 541 acres of land on Turkey Island in Henrico County. The house that he owned there twenty years later was substantial, with four fireplaces, brick chimneys, and a separate kitchen. As part of his continued commercial interests, Crewes also kept a store, engaged in the fur trade, and dealt with business associates back in England. By 1670 he was a captain of militia.
Charles City County Court records beginning in December 1655 contain references to Crewes acting as a merchant, witness, jury member, trustee, and executor of estates. During the winter of 1655–1656 one of the disputes in which he was involved led to blows and a stabbing that was not fatal. Crewes acquired a few servants, including two or more of African descent, and he obtained permission to keep an Indian servant. He probably married Margaret Llewellin, who witnessed a will as Margaret Crewes on May 1, 1662, but when Crewes wrote his own will in 1676, he had no living wife or children. He bequeathed property to relatives of Giles Carter, but whether he was related to Carter by marriage or otherwise is not certain.
Arrest of Nathaniel Bacon
During the winter of 1675–1676, Crewes, William Byrd I, and a few other residents of Henrico County persuaded their near neighbor Nathaniel Bacon to take the lead in organizing local men to defend the colony against anticipated Indian attacks. In the spring, after Bacon had attacked and defeated some Indians and Governor Sir William Berkeley had rebuked him and removed him from his seat on the Council, Crewes and Bacon won election to the House of Burgesses from Henrico County. On May 26, 1676, a week before the General Assembly met, Crewes told Berkeley that Bacon wished to appeal to the Crown the governor's condemnations of his actions. When the assembly met, Bacon made repeated demands that he be commissioned a general to wage war on the Indians, and the colony then erupted into civil war. Crewes took the side of Bacon against the governor. In Berkeley's colorful phrase, Crewes acted throughout as "Bacons Parasite, and Trumpett that continually went about the Country extollinge all Bacons actions & Justifyinge the Rebellion."
The actions of Crewes are poorly documented, but he took the precaution of writing his will on July 23. Eleven days later, on August 3, 1676, when Bacon issued one of his proclamations at Middle Plantation, Crewes signed the document. He was probably one of the men who circulated copies for subscription and perhaps carried along his small English-language Bible to administer oaths of allegiance. It is possible that he marched with a company of Bacon's men as far southeast as Lower Norfolk County during the autumn. Crewes may have been one of the last of Bacon's principal followers to be captured. He was almost certainly among the fifteen or sixteen men the captain of the warship Young Prince delivered to the governor on January 19, 1677.
Berkeley presided at a court-martial at Green Spring, in James City County, on January 24, 1677, at which Crewes and six other men were tried and convicted of treason and rebellion against the king. The trial record singled out Crewes as "a most notorious Actor & Assistor in the Rebellion." James Crewes was sentenced to be hanged at Jamestown on the following Friday, January 26, 1677. The place of his burial is not recorded. The property of the condemned men was subject to confiscation, but the king declined to proceed against Crewes's estate. In August 1684 William Randolph purchased a portion of the Turkey Island property, which became the seat of the subsequently influential Randolph family of Virginia.
TIMELINE
1622—1623 - In one of these years, James Crewes is born in England. Like his brothers Edward and Francis Crewes, he lives in London.
1651 - James Crewes is in Virginia this year, but the date of his arrival is unknown.
1 Dec 1652 - James Crewes, who describes himself as a twenty-nine-year-old merchant, signs a deposition in London concerning the death of an acquaintance in Virginia the previous year.
1655 - By this year, James Crewes permanently settles in Virginia. He acquires 541 acres of land on Turnkey Island in Henrico County.
1670 - By this year, James Crewes is a captain of the Henrico County militia.
Winter 1675—1676 - James Crewes, William Byrd I, and a few other Henrico County residents persuade their near neighbor Nathaniel Bacon to take the lead in organizing local men to defend the colony against anticipated Indian attacks.
26 May 1676 - James Crewes tells Governor Sir William Berkeley that Nathaniel Bacon wishes to appeal to the Crown the governor's condemnation of his actions.
5 Jun 1676 - The House of Burgesses gathers in Jamestown. Among the participants is Nathaniel Bacon of Henrico County who, with James Crewes, is engaged in a rebellion against Governor Sir William Berkeley in part over Bacon's intentions to attack Virginia Indians.
6 Jun 1676 - Nathaniel Bacon and a company of armed men arrive in Jamestown, where Bacon is seized by armed agents and taken before Governor Sir William Berkeley and the General Assembly. Bacon apologizes on bended knee for his rebellion. Berkeley pardons Bacon but then changes his mind.
23 Jun 1676 - Nathaniel Bacon returns to Jamestown with 500 men and demands Governor Sir William Berkeley commission him as a general to lead the colony against the Indians. After a standoff, the governor yields to Bacon's demands.
Jul 1676 - Governor Sir William Berkeley reverses course and again declares Nathaniel Bacon a rebel and travels to Gloucester County to recruit men to fight him. Bacon and his men march to Middle Plantation, the site of present-day Williamsburg.
23 Jul 1676 - James Crewes writes his Last Will & Testament.
3 Aug 1676 - Nathaniel Bacon, in rebellion against the Virginia governor, obtains the endorsement of seventy leading Virginia men to his leadership against the Indians.
19 Jan 1677 - James Crewes is almost certainly among the fifteen or sixteen men who the captain of the warship Young Prince delivers to Governor Sir William Berkeley at the end of Bacon's Rebellion.
24 Jan 1677 - In a court-martial over which Governor Sir William Berkeley presides at Green Spring in James City County, James Crewe and six other men are tried and convicted of treason and rebellion against the king.
26 Jan 1677 - Records indicate that James Crewe likely hangs this day, having been convicted of treason and rebellion against the king during Bacon's Rebellion.
August 1684 - William Randolph purchases a portion of the late James Crewes's Turkey Island property, which becomes the seat of the subsequently influential Randolph family in Virginia.
FURTHER READING
Harbury, Katharine E. "James Crewes." In Dictionary of Virginia Biography, Vol. 2, edited by Sara B. Bearss et al., 557–558. Richmond: Library of Virginia, 2001.
https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/crewes-james-1622-or-1623-1677/
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https://encyclopediavirginia.org/892hpr-9899981dfdd60e4/
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https://reynoldspatova.org/histories/13959Hannah%20Crew%20Carter.pdf
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Will of James Crewes
July ye 23d, 1676.
In the name of God Amen. I James Crewes of Turkey Island Planter in Henrico County, being of sound and perfect memory prased be God doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and forme following first and principle I committ my soule into the hands of Almighty God my creater hoping and assured by believing through the merritts death and passion of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer to have and obtaine free and full remission and pardon for all my sins, as touchinge concerninge al my worldly estate, either here in Virginia in England or elsewhere dew either by bill bond or account.
Imprimis.
Item I give and bequeath unto Mary Carter daughter to Giles Carter ten thousand pounds of tobo: & cask one feather bed two blankets & one good rugge, this to be paid in three years after my decease, the interest thereof to be towards her cloathinge.
Item I give unto Susan Carter tenn thousand pounds of tobao: & casq: one feather bed two blanketts & one rugge to be payd as above said.
Item. I give unto my man Tero his freedome he serving three years after my decease, and at the expiration of the said tyme I give unto him one cow, one sow, if I have any left, and as much land as he shall tend for him and another [some transcribers interpret this word to be "mother," but there is no indication that James Crewes' mother was in the vicinity] during life.
Item. I give unto Hannah Carter, wife of Giles Carter my negroe maid keate forever and her increase.
Item. I give unto Daniel Price [future husband of Susannah Carter] my best suite & cloathe I have.
Item. I give unto Giles Carter what he owes me by bill or booke and further the plantation which I have formerly lett [rented to] him that he and his wife Hannah Carter shall have it during both their lives rent free, only paying one graine of Indian Corne when demanded and further it is my will that what I have given to the said Giles Carter's children, that if either of them should dye that it should come to the rest of his children. It is further my will that when the said Hannah Carter wife to the said Giles Carter shall die, then the said negroe wench return to Theodorick Carter her son and if she [the slave] hath any children them is to be at her [Hannah's] disposing who she will give them too.
Item I make my loving Cozen [actually nephew, son of his deceased brother Francis] Mr. Mathew Crews my sole executor of all my lands here in Virginia or elsewhere & all the rest of my estate to him or his heirs forever, my just debts being payd.
Item it is my desire that my loving friend Giles Carter shall live here in my said house and command my servants and make crops or any other thing as shall be convenient and necessary for the said plantacon and soe to give account yearly as my said executor shall order.
Signed and sealed Ja: Crewes.
[Henrico County, VA Wills & Administrations, pg. 6.]
He gave to GILES and HANNAH and their children personal property, which he had a right to bequeath anyway he wanted to. He gave them only the use of lands that they had been renting, not the title or ownership of the property, which would revert to his estate upon the death of GILES and HANNAH. However, as we shall see, they sold this "life interest" in the property at a later date. Crewes also appointed GILES overseer of the rest of his estate, and allowed the CARTERS to live in the house and manage the estate for his heirs.
James' will was probated December 10, 1677, in Henrico County, Virginia. The 10,000 pounds of tobacco left to GILES' daughters by James Crewes was a large sum of "money." Tobacco was the "currency" of the colony, and 10,000 pounds would buy a nice plantation, 12 or 14 nice horses, and the interest from it would support the needs for a young woman. It was about equal to the year's production of five to 10 acres of tobacco crop. One or two acres was about all a family could cultivate per year. So, essentially, he was giving her the equivalent of five or 10 years' labor from a family, or half the yearly income of the local minister, whose wages were set at 16,000 pounds yearly. [Henrico County, VA Wills & Administrations, pg. 7.]
https://oliverdreams.tripod.com/CarterHistory.html
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The following is the work of Joyce Hetrick. All persons mentioned are our ancestors also.
Giles Carter of Virginia & His Wife Hannah
Giles Carter-1; Theodorick-2; Theodorick-3; William-4; Joseph-5; Elizabeth-6
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Regardless of his ancestry, the man we know to be our ancestor, GILES CARTER-1 of Virginia, born about 1634, somewhere in England, came to Virginia before 1653. He gave a deposition in 1680, stating his age as 46. [Henrico County, VA Deeds 1677-1705, pg. 148.]
We can be sure that our GILES-1 was in the colony before 1653, when he is listed as among those imported by Mr. William Fry, who claimed land for GILES' importation, along with 15 other persons. [Virginia Colonial Records, patent book 3, page 192.] In the year 1653, many claims were filed for head-rights for persons who had probably been imported several years previously, so we don't know the exact date of GILES' importation. It is quite likely that he was fleeing the problems created in England by Cromwell's rise to power. It is also quite probable that he was seeking his own fortune as a younger son with few prospects at home, but with good family contacts
The Colony granted 50 acres to each person who imported a colonist at his expense, or brought in a slave or indentured servant. If a man paid his own passage, he would receive the 50 acres of land. This policy resulted in great lists of imported persons, when they were imported, and by whom. The imported person must stay in the colony for three years, or die in the colony, for the land grant to be valid. Thus, we may be reasonably sure that GILES was actually in the colony by 1650 or before. If his birth date of 1634 is about right, then he would have been 16 years old, or thereabouts, when he came to the colony. This is consistent with the customs for indentured servants at that time, most of whom were very young males. These lists are a great help to genealogists.
If a man is listed as imported by another man, it is fairly conclusive that he was imported as an indentured servant or family member. At this time in Virginia's history, many former indentured servants rapidly moved into the ranks of land owners. In one study of the records, the term of years between importation and owning land varied, but averaged about 12 years.
In Genealogical Evidence, the author points out on page 23, "The terms "indentured servant," and "bond servant" may be confusing. The term "indenture" actually refers to the document or contract between the master and the apprentice or servant. The indenture actually means the wavy line caused when the two copies of the contract written on one piece of parchment, vellum, or paper was cut in two-one copy for each party."
The fact that GILES CARTER-1 never claimed land for the importation of his wife or children means that they were either transported by others or born in the colony. GILES' wife, HANNAH, was most likely, imported by someone else or born in the colony. Since we are not sure of her maiden name, we are unable to find a record of her importation or birth. GILES-1 may have worked as a "servant" [employee] for Mr. Fry, or the indenture could have been sold to another. Labor was dear in the colony, and land cheap, so it was not difficult for a man to rise in the financial scheme of things, especially if he came from a family connection with some influence in the mother country. Even though he might have been an impoverished younger son, having "family connections" to help him would have been a great benefit in advancing financially. There were many opportunities in the colony to make financial advances, but they were greatly assisted by "connections" which could give a person a leg up and put them in a position to benefit from the opportunities.
GILES' friends and associates seem to have been better "fixed" than he was, and left him legacies in their wills, as if they were related or were very close family friends. The legacies speak well of his family connections in England.
It is possible that our ancestor, GILES-1, may have returned to Britain after he first came to Virginia, and then returned to Virginia again. It was not uncommon for men to make the crossing several times, though we have no proof that he did. The lists of people that GILES later imported as immigrants to Virginia, whose names are shown on the court land grants, are not found on any published lists of persons sailing from ports in England, according to General Carter. He also states that those lists are intact. This strengthens the evidence that GILES came from Gloucestershire and sailed from Bristol, as did the first Giles Carter in 1620. There are only two passenger lists preserved from Bristol. He could have returned home to recruit these settlers and his name be on the missing lists from Bristol.
Our GILES-1 probably served out an indenture of from four to seven years working for someone else. We find no mention of GILES between 1653, when he is on the headright list, and the next item nine years later, in 1662, in the will of John Rowan [Rowen], written May 1, 1662. John Rowan leaves items to his son, his nephew, and his brother, in addition to a bequest to GILES CARTER of "a cow and gift of a house and land on this plantation for one year, then to brother Henry." This was a substantial bequest, and probably meant that GILES was living on Rowan's plantation, or very near by. It also indicates that GILES may have been working for Rowan or renting a place from him.
John Rowan was obviously the guardian for the Price orphans. He also mentioned that his brother, Henry, was to have the upbringing of the John and Daniel Price, who were orphans of John Price. Daniel Price would later marry Susannah Carter-2, the daughter of GILES CARTER. One of the witnesses to the will was a woman named Margaret Crewes.. She may have been the wife of Captain James Crewes, who was later executed after Bacon's Rebellion. Daniel Price was left the clothing of James Crewes in Crewes' will in 1676. He also owed a debt to the estate for which he was sued by the heirs. Daniel Price [Sr.] was probably born at least by 1655, which would mean he was a few years older than Susannah Carter-2.
By Rowan's bequest we know that GILES-1 probably did not have land of his own yet in the colony. He may have been working for Mr. Rowan in some capacity. GILES had probably been in the colony for more than 12 years at the time of John Rowan's will. The next mention we have of GILES CARTER-1 and his family is fourteen years later, in 1676, in the will of James Crewes. By 1676, GILES CARTER had been in the colony at least 23 to 26 years, but still apparently did not own land outright.
By the time of Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, GILES and his wife, HANNAH, lived in an area called Turkey Island in Henrico County, Virginia, on the plantation of James Crewes. GILES still apparently did not own land of his own and was renting land from Crewes, and by this time, had several children. [Will of James Crewes.] This land was located in Henrico Parish on the James River between Shirley and Bremo, the later residence of the Cocke family for 200 years. The area was named for the large number of wild turkeys located there by the first party sent up river from Jamestown. William Randolph, acting as an attorney, bought the property in 1684 from the heirs of James Crewes. GILES and HANNAH transferred their [life] interest in 50 acres of the land in 1684/5.
The history of Henrico dates back to the very earliest times of the settlement of Virginia. It was the second established settlement in Virginia, after Jamestown. Sir Thomas Dale founded the settlement in September 1611, lading 350 men, chiefly German laborers. It was called Henricopolis after Prince Henry, the eldest son of James I. John Rolfe and Pocahontas lived there until she and her husband went to England. In 1622, when the Indians attacked the settlements, the survivors of the massacre fled to Jamestown. In 1624, the Virginia Company was dissolved by the King. From this time on to 1730, the annals of Henrico Parish are more fragmentary and uncertain. We do know, though, that the Reverend James Blair was rector from 1685 until 1694. He was a determined Scotsman who had been educated at Edinburg University. Mr. Blair was later the first president and founder of William and Mary College. [History of Henrico.]
In 1695, the Reverend George Robinson became the rector, but little else is known about the man besides his name and position. A report in 1724 mentions that the minister present had been minister for fourteen years, but his name is missing from the records. The report stated that in 1724 there were 400 families resident and 1,100 tithables within the parish which had two churches. The remaining records of the vestry commence with the vestry book in 1730. Goochland County had been cut off from the Parish in 1727.
We aren't sure about everything that happened to GILES during the 23 years between 1653 and 1676, but we do know that during that time he acquired a wife, named HANNAH, and that they had several children. We don't find any record that GILES owned land up to this point, and he may have been working as an "overseer" for the plantations of John Rowan and then James Crewes, or simply renting lands from them to farm for himself. Crewes mentioned in his will, in 1676, that he had "lett" [or rented] a plantation to GILES and gave use of it to him "rent free" for life, except for a "grain of Indian corn yearly" for the rest of his life. He also gave GILES the oversight of his house, servants, and plantation, with specific instructions to live there, run the plantation, make crops, and give account to Crew's administrator. The 50 acres that GILES sold his interest in might have been the lands that he had been renting, that James Crewes had given him rent free for life. The heir[s] of James Crewes did not live in Virginia, but were residents of London. That Crewes gave only a "life interest" in his lands, while giving generously of his personal property, again underscores the probability of there being no close blood relationship.
There has been much speculation among researchers of this line about the kinship and/or relationship of HANNAH and James Crewes, who willed a significant portion of his Virginia personal property estate to HANNAH, GILES, and their children. Many researchers think HANNAH was a sister of James Crewes or he was her father. The legacy and mention of HANNAH in the will is used as "proof" that she was the daughter of James Crewes in published accounts. This myth, without substantial foundation, found its way into print and has been impossible to stamp out with the truth of the matter. This author has received many "pedigrees" attesting to the relationship of HANNAH and her "father" James Crewes. Many of these false pedigrees are presented with all sincerity and pride in being descended from this early revolutionary.
The way the will is actually worded, however, implies that there was no close blood relationship. He named the blood relationship to other heirs, but no kinship relationship was mentioned concerning GILES or HANNAH. James Crewes' leaving his property to his nephew precludes his having children. First, a man in Virginia was precluded by law from cutting his children entirely out of the estate. If he had children, a man could leave only one-third of his real estate to anyone outside his immediate family. That one-third was called "the dead man's third." [Reference: Women and the Law of Property in Early America, by Marylynn Salmon.]
Court records mention that James Crewes was "unmarried at the time of his death." That didn't mean he was never married, but that at the time of his death he had no living wife. There is a theory that "Margaret Crewes" [who witnessed some deeds] was the wife of James and was deceased before 1676. There is some evidence that this Margaret Crewes was nee Llewelyn. Much work needs to be done on these lines, however, to clarify several theories. [Henrico County Wills and Administrations, part 1, pg. 7]
Later lawsuits over the estate, and suits in an effort to collect debts owed to the estate, indicate that there was no blood relationship between our CARTERS and James Crewes. The only surviving children of James' two [and only] brothers were Matthew Crewes and Sarah Crewes Whittingham. If James Crewes had had living children, his nephew and niece would not have inherited his lands.
Other researchers think that HANNAH's surname might have been Sewell. William Sewell, who also left legacies to the family, and was guardian of Giles Carter-2, a minor child, after GILES' death, might have been HANNAH's father or brother. There was obviously some close relationship, and probably blood, between either GILES or HANNAH and William Sewell. The fact that William Sewell left his entire estate to Giles Carter, Jr., and was allowed to do so [i.e. it was more than the "Dead Man's Third."] indicates a blood relationship.
After GILES's death, a note about William Sewell was "it ordered that the clerk take bond with secty of William Sewell for that estate he hath in his hands belonging to Giles Carter an orphan of Giles Carter late of this county, decd." [Orphans Court Book, 1677-1739 of Henrico Virginia, page 91.]
This did not necessarily mean that HANNAH __?__ CARTER was deceased. Frequently, when a man died, his children were given appointed [male] guardians, even though their mother was alive.
William T. Sewell in his own will, recorded February 7, 1725, willed his entire estate to Giles Carter, Jr. William Sewell had given Giles [Jr] a mare before GILES [Sr.] died about 1699 and GILES [Sr.] mentioned this mare in his own will. In 1699, a gift of a horse was a princely gift indeed. February 1, 1708/9 [OS/NS] a deed given by William Sewell, witnessed by Giles Carter-2, mentions the wife of Sewell, named Elizabeth.
It is logical to assume that there was some close relationship between the CARTERS and both William Sewell and James Crewes, as well as John Rowen, but we are not sure just what it was.
General Carter makes the circumstantial case that the Crewes and Carters were close in England before coming to America. Though we may never know the exact relationship[s], we do know that GILES and HANNAH lived on the plantation of James Crewes prior to Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, and had a close relationship. GILES may have been the overseer of the plantation. The mention by James Crewes that GILES was to control the plantation seems to indicate this. James Crewes was one of the leaders in the Rebellion. However, we do not find any proof that GILES was actively engaged in the fighting, though he very well could have been. In any case, he was well aware of what was going on. Almost all of the local planters were involved in the fray to one degree or another. This author believes it is highly unlikely that James Crewes would have left such large legacies to someone who did not agree with his political views, or to someone who was not a close friend.
James Crewes was executed for his participation in the rebellion. He was a merchant and business partner of Daniel Llewelyn, the last husband of Ann__?__ Price Hallom Llewelyn, the mother of Daniel Price and John Price, Jr., and the widow of John Price, Sr., mentioned in the will of John Rowan. Her son, Daniel Price, would marry Susannah Carter, daughter of GILES and HANNAH.
James Crewes' brothers, Francis and Edward, were also merchants in London. Francis was a grocer and silkman by trade. Their father, Matthew Crewes, had been a leather seller of London.
James Crewes apparently was a bit hot-headed. A suit prior to the rebellion brought before the "two houses" by Captain David Peibiles concerned some sort of debt. The quarrel had resulted in a physical fight, as well as an exchange of words. Crewes ended up being fined 2,000 pounds of tobacco, and the court said that Piebiles' assault on James Crewes was justified and was occasioned by the "unworthy and uncivil provocation" of Crewes. In other words, James Crewes got what he deserved for acting a fool…"stabs and blows."
The children of Giles Carter-1 and his wife, Hannah
Susannah Carter-2, born before 1676, and mentioned in James Crewes' will, the first wife of Daniel Price, Sr.-ii, the man to whom James Crewes left his best clothes. Daniel-ii was also the child mentioned in the will of John Rowan in the 1660's. Her second husband was Thomas Williamson. She was the mother of Daniel Price, Jr.-iii Daniel, Sr.-ii was the son of John Price-i mentioned in John Rowan's will. His mother had married, as her third husband, the man who was James Crewes' business partner.
Ann Carter-2, was probably born after 1676, as she was not mentioned in the Crewes will. Married James D. Davis.
THEODORICK CARTER-2, born before 1676, and mentioned in James Crewes' will, married a woman named ELIZABETH, possibly surnamed WEBB, and they were the author's ancestors. THEODORICK-2 died in 1736/7 leaving his widow and a child just born. He would have been in his sixties, so his wife must have been several years younger than he was. She died about 1751, when her will was probated.
Giles Carter-2, born after 1681, married a woman named Mary [Henrico Co. Deeds 1706-1737, pg 174] and died in King George County in 1745. Giles-2 and Ann-2 were the only known children of GILES-1 and HANNAH not mentioned in the Crewes will. Giles-2 was a minor when his father wrote his will in 1699. The guardian for Giles-2, William T. Sewell, left his entire estate to Giles-2. William Sewell was probably related to HANNAH or GILES and may have been HANNAH's brother, or less likely, her father. William Sewell was listed in the 1705 Quit Rent Rolls as owning 59 acres. His widow's name was Elizabeth.
Mary Carter-2, born before 1676, married Thomas Davis, and was mentioned in the Crewes' will.
From 1620 to 1720 Henrico Parish was referred to as Varina Parish and the principle church in the parish referred to as Varina Church. In 1680, the Reverend John Ball was the minister of Henrico County, serving Varina Parish and the half of Bristol Parish north of Appomattox. Ball was replaced in 1685. At one point he had been publicly referred to as "fitter to make a hangman than a minister." Reverend James Blair was the minister from 1685 to 1694. Apparently, the early ministers that came to Virginia were not of the "best" sort and were men who could not find parishes in England. They were certainly not heroic "missionaries" who cared much for their flocks.
In January 1686, the Middlesex County Records contain an order for:
Stephen Cocke having moved this court to assigne certain gentlemen of this countye to meet such as shall be appointed by the court of Charles Citye County to view and receive the bridge over Turkeye Island Creek, it is ordered that Captain William Randolph and Captain Frances Epps doe meete these gents. As shall be appointed.
https://oliverdreams.tripod.com/CarterHistory.html
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Contributor: David Goode (49372965)
Giles Carter Sr. of Henrico Va seems to have married a widow with one child Theodorick as his [Theodoricks] descendants show a different Ydna Haplo group from Giles Carter jr. Giles Carter of Henrico's older family is shown in the Will of his good friend James Crewes will of 1676 which said his wife was Hannah and her son was Theodorick who receives nothing in this will but Susannah and Mary called the daughters of Giles Carter jr. get 10,000 lbs of tobacco each which is the value of James Crewes estate.. James Crewes had no living wife or surviving children by the time of his execution in 1676 and left the value of his estate to his good and loving friend Giles Carter/ his land could not be devised by will at that time to any person other than a blood related descendant [primogentre] so his land was taken by his administrators nephew Mathew Crewes in london and his niece Sarah Whittingham who later sold the land 542 acres to William Randolph in 1684.
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Captain James Crewes was one of Nathaniel Bacon's supporters, during the 1676 Bacon Rebellion. After the rebellion failed, because of the death of their leader, the ringleaders were hung. James Crewes was one of them, but it would seem that he was given time to settle his estate (Rick Branch).
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Crewes, James (1622 or 1623–1677)
James Crewes took part in Bacon's Rebellion (1676–1677). Born in England, by 1655 Crewes had settled in Virginia, where he kept a store at his Henrico County home and engaged in the fur trade. Fearful of Indian attacks, Crewes and his neighbors persuaded Nathaniel Bacon to organize local men to defend the colony. After Bacon attacked some Indians during the spring of 1676, he was rebuked by Governor Sir William Berkeley. Crewes took Bacon's side and possibly marched with a company of Bacon's men to Lower Norfolk County. He was captured and was among a group of prisoners delivered to the governor on January 19, 1677. Singled out at a court-martial as "a most notorious Actor & Assistor in the Rebellion," Crewes was one of seven men convicted of treason and rebellion against the king on January 24. He was sentenced to hang two days later.
Contributor: Katharine E. Harbury
Crewes, participant in Bacon's Rebellion, was born in England and was the brother of Edward Crewes and Francis Crewes, residents of London. The place or places of their births and names of their parents are not known. James Crewes consistently signed his name in that fashion, but contemporaries sometimes spelled the surname without the second e. While in London on December 1, 1652, Crewes signed a deposition concerning the death of an acquaintance in Virginia the previous year. At that time Crewes described himself as a twenty-nine-year-old merchant. Little else is known about his life in England other than that he was educated; he later owned a Latin Bible, which suggests he knew that language.
The 1652 deposition indicates that Crewes had been in Virginia in 1651, and the appearance of his name on headright lists suggests that in his capacity as a merchant he may have made four or more trips to Virginia. Like many other merchants, he eventually settled in the colony, certainly not later than 1655. He acquired 541 acres of land on Turkey Island in Henrico County. The house that he owned there twenty years later was substantial, with four fireplaces, brick chimneys, and a separate kitchen. As part of his continued commercial interests, Crewes also kept a store, engaged in the fur trade, and dealt with business associates back in England. By 1670 he was a captain of militia.
Charles City County Court records beginning in December 1655 contain references to Crewes acting as a merchant, witness, jury member, trustee, and executor of estates. During the winter of 1655–1656 one of the disputes in which he was involved led to blows and a stabbing that was not fatal. Crewes acquired a few servants, including two or more of African descent, and he obtained permission to keep an Indian servant. He probably married Margaret Llewellin, who witnessed a will as Margaret Crewes on May 1, 1662, but when Crewes wrote his own will in 1676, he had no living wife or children. He bequeathed property to relatives of Giles Carter, but whether he was related to Carter by marriage or otherwise is not certain.
Arrest of Nathaniel Bacon
During the winter of 1675–1676, Crewes, William Byrd I, and a few other residents of Henrico County persuaded their near neighbor Nathaniel Bacon to take the lead in organizing local men to defend the colony against anticipated Indian attacks. In the spring, after Bacon had attacked and defeated some Indians and Governor Sir William Berkeley had rebuked him and removed him from his seat on the Council, Crewes and Bacon won election to the House of Burgesses from Henrico County. On May 26, 1676, a week before the General Assembly met, Crewes told Berkeley that Bacon wished to appeal to the Crown the governor's condemnations of his actions. When the assembly met, Bacon made repeated demands that he be commissioned a general to wage war on the Indians, and the colony then erupted into civil war. Crewes took the side of Bacon against the governor. In Berkeley's colorful phrase, Crewes acted throughout as "Bacons Parasite, and Trumpett that continually went about the Country extollinge all Bacons actions & Justifyinge the Rebellion."
The actions of Crewes are poorly documented, but he took the precaution of writing his will on July 23. Eleven days later, on August 3, 1676, when Bacon issued one of his proclamations at Middle Plantation, Crewes signed the document. He was probably one of the men who circulated copies for subscription and perhaps carried along his small English-language Bible to administer oaths of allegiance. It is possible that he marched with a company of Bacon's men as far southeast as Lower Norfolk County during the autumn. Crewes may have been one of the last of Bacon's principal followers to be captured. He was almost certainly among the fifteen or sixteen men the captain of the warship Young Prince delivered to the governor on January 19, 1677.
Berkeley presided at a court-martial at Green Spring, in James City County, on January 24, 1677, at which Crewes and six other men were tried and convicted of treason and rebellion against the king. The trial record singled out Crewes as "a most notorious Actor & Assistor in the Rebellion." James Crewes was sentenced to be hanged at Jamestown on the following Friday, January 26, 1677. The place of his burial is not recorded. The property of the condemned men was subject to confiscation, but the king declined to proceed against Crewes's estate. In August 1684 William Randolph purchased a portion of the Turkey Island property, which became the seat of the subsequently influential Randolph family of Virginia.
TIMELINE
1622—1623 - In one of these years, James Crewes is born in England. Like his brothers Edward and Francis Crewes, he lives in London.
1651 - James Crewes is in Virginia this year, but the date of his arrival is unknown.
1 Dec 1652 - James Crewes, who describes himself as a twenty-nine-year-old merchant, signs a deposition in London concerning the death of an acquaintance in Virginia the previous year.
1655 - By this year, James Crewes permanently settles in Virginia. He acquires 541 acres of land on Turnkey Island in Henrico County.
1670 - By this year, James Crewes is a captain of the Henrico County militia.
Winter 1675—1676 - James Crewes, William Byrd I, and a few other Henrico County residents persuade their near neighbor Nathaniel Bacon to take the lead in organizing local men to defend the colony against anticipated Indian attacks.
26 May 1676 - James Crewes tells Governor Sir William Berkeley that Nathaniel Bacon wishes to appeal to the Crown the governor's condemnation of his actions.
5 Jun 1676 - The House of Burgesses gathers in Jamestown. Among the participants is Nathaniel Bacon of Henrico County who, with James Crewes, is engaged in a rebellion against Governor Sir William Berkeley in part over Bacon's intentions to attack Virginia Indians.
6 Jun 1676 - Nathaniel Bacon and a company of armed men arrive in Jamestown, where Bacon is seized by armed agents and taken before Governor Sir William Berkeley and the General Assembly. Bacon apologizes on bended knee for his rebellion. Berkeley pardons Bacon but then changes his mind.
23 Jun 1676 - Nathaniel Bacon returns to Jamestown with 500 men and demands Governor Sir William Berkeley commission him as a general to lead the colony against the Indians. After a standoff, the governor yields to Bacon's demands.
Jul 1676 - Governor Sir William Berkeley reverses course and again declares Nathaniel Bacon a rebel and travels to Gloucester County to recruit men to fight him. Bacon and his men march to Middle Plantation, the site of present-day Williamsburg.
23 Jul 1676 - James Crewes writes his Last Will & Testament.
3 Aug 1676 - Nathaniel Bacon, in rebellion against the Virginia governor, obtains the endorsement of seventy leading Virginia men to his leadership against the Indians.
19 Jan 1677 - James Crewes is almost certainly among the fifteen or sixteen men who the captain of the warship Young Prince delivers to Governor Sir William Berkeley at the end of Bacon's Rebellion.
24 Jan 1677 - In a court-martial over which Governor Sir William Berkeley presides at Green Spring in James City County, James Crewe and six other men are tried and convicted of treason and rebellion against the king.
26 Jan 1677 - Records indicate that James Crewe likely hangs this day, having been convicted of treason and rebellion against the king during Bacon's Rebellion.
August 1684 - William Randolph purchases a portion of the late James Crewes's Turkey Island property, which becomes the seat of the subsequently influential Randolph family in Virginia.
FURTHER READING
Harbury, Katharine E. "James Crewes." In Dictionary of Virginia Biography, Vol. 2, edited by Sara B. Bearss et al., 557–558. Richmond: Library of Virginia, 2001.
https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/crewes-james-1622-or-1623-1677/
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https://encyclopediavirginia.org/892hpr-9899981dfdd60e4/
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https://reynoldspatova.org/histories/13959Hannah%20Crew%20Carter.pdf
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Will of James Crewes
July ye 23d, 1676.
In the name of God Amen. I James Crewes of Turkey Island Planter in Henrico County, being of sound and perfect memory prased be God doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and forme following first and principle I committ my soule into the hands of Almighty God my creater hoping and assured by believing through the merritts death and passion of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer to have and obtaine free and full remission and pardon for all my sins, as touchinge concerninge al my worldly estate, either here in Virginia in England or elsewhere dew either by bill bond or account.
Imprimis.
Item I give and bequeath unto Mary Carter daughter to Giles Carter ten thousand pounds of tobo: & cask one feather bed two blankets & one good rugge, this to be paid in three years after my decease, the interest thereof to be towards her cloathinge.
Item I give unto Susan Carter tenn thousand pounds of tobao: & casq: one feather bed two blanketts & one rugge to be payd as above said.
Item. I give unto my man Tero his freedome he serving three years after my decease, and at the expiration of the said tyme I give unto him one cow, one sow, if I have any left, and as much land as he shall tend for him and another [some transcribers interpret this word to be "mother," but there is no indication that James Crewes' mother was in the vicinity] during life.
Item. I give unto Hannah Carter, wife of Giles Carter my negroe maid keate forever and her increase.
Item. I give unto Daniel Price [future husband of Susannah Carter] my best suite & cloathe I have.
Item. I give unto Giles Carter what he owes me by bill or booke and further the plantation which I have formerly lett [rented to] him that he and his wife Hannah Carter shall have it during both their lives rent free, only paying one graine of Indian Corne when demanded and further it is my will that what I have given to the said Giles Carter's children, that if either of them should dye that it should come to the rest of his children. It is further my will that when the said Hannah Carter wife to the said Giles Carter shall die, then the said negroe wench return to Theodorick Carter her son and if she [the slave] hath any children them is to be at her [Hannah's] disposing who she will give them too.
Item I make my loving Cozen [actually nephew, son of his deceased brother Francis] Mr. Mathew Crews my sole executor of all my lands here in Virginia or elsewhere & all the rest of my estate to him or his heirs forever, my just debts being payd.
Item it is my desire that my loving friend Giles Carter shall live here in my said house and command my servants and make crops or any other thing as shall be convenient and necessary for the said plantacon and soe to give account yearly as my said executor shall order.
Signed and sealed Ja: Crewes.
[Henrico County, VA Wills & Administrations, pg. 6.]
He gave to GILES and HANNAH and their children personal property, which he had a right to bequeath anyway he wanted to. He gave them only the use of lands that they had been renting, not the title or ownership of the property, which would revert to his estate upon the death of GILES and HANNAH. However, as we shall see, they sold this "life interest" in the property at a later date. Crewes also appointed GILES overseer of the rest of his estate, and allowed the CARTERS to live in the house and manage the estate for his heirs.
James' will was probated December 10, 1677, in Henrico County, Virginia. The 10,000 pounds of tobacco left to GILES' daughters by James Crewes was a large sum of "money." Tobacco was the "currency" of the colony, and 10,000 pounds would buy a nice plantation, 12 or 14 nice horses, and the interest from it would support the needs for a young woman. It was about equal to the year's production of five to 10 acres of tobacco crop. One or two acres was about all a family could cultivate per year. So, essentially, he was giving her the equivalent of five or 10 years' labor from a family, or half the yearly income of the local minister, whose wages were set at 16,000 pounds yearly. [Henrico County, VA Wills & Administrations, pg. 7.]
https://oliverdreams.tripod.com/CarterHistory.html
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The following is the work of Joyce Hetrick. All persons mentioned are our ancestors also.
Giles Carter of Virginia & His Wife Hannah
Giles Carter-1; Theodorick-2; Theodorick-3; William-4; Joseph-5; Elizabeth-6
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Regardless of his ancestry, the man we know to be our ancestor, GILES CARTER-1 of Virginia, born about 1634, somewhere in England, came to Virginia before 1653. He gave a deposition in 1680, stating his age as 46. [Henrico County, VA Deeds 1677-1705, pg. 148.]
We can be sure that our GILES-1 was in the colony before 1653, when he is listed as among those imported by Mr. William Fry, who claimed land for GILES' importation, along with 15 other persons. [Virginia Colonial Records, patent book 3, page 192.] In the year 1653, many claims were filed for head-rights for persons who had probably been imported several years previously, so we don't know the exact date of GILES' importation. It is quite likely that he was fleeing the problems created in England by Cromwell's rise to power. It is also quite probable that he was seeking his own fortune as a younger son with few prospects at home, but with good family contacts
The Colony granted 50 acres to each person who imported a colonist at his expense, or brought in a slave or indentured servant. If a man paid his own passage, he would receive the 50 acres of land. This policy resulted in great lists of imported persons, when they were imported, and by whom. The imported person must stay in the colony for three years, or die in the colony, for the land grant to be valid. Thus, we may be reasonably sure that GILES was actually in the colony by 1650 or before. If his birth date of 1634 is about right, then he would have been 16 years old, or thereabouts, when he came to the colony. This is consistent with the customs for indentured servants at that time, most of whom were very young males. These lists are a great help to genealogists.
If a man is listed as imported by another man, it is fairly conclusive that he was imported as an indentured servant or family member. At this time in Virginia's history, many former indentured servants rapidly moved into the ranks of land owners. In one study of the records, the term of years between importation and owning land varied, but averaged about 12 years.
In Genealogical Evidence, the author points out on page 23, "The terms "indentured servant," and "bond servant" may be confusing. The term "indenture" actually refers to the document or contract between the master and the apprentice or servant. The indenture actually means the wavy line caused when the two copies of the contract written on one piece of parchment, vellum, or paper was cut in two-one copy for each party."
The fact that GILES CARTER-1 never claimed land for the importation of his wife or children means that they were either transported by others or born in the colony. GILES' wife, HANNAH, was most likely, imported by someone else or born in the colony. Since we are not sure of her maiden name, we are unable to find a record of her importation or birth. GILES-1 may have worked as a "servant" [employee] for Mr. Fry, or the indenture could have been sold to another. Labor was dear in the colony, and land cheap, so it was not difficult for a man to rise in the financial scheme of things, especially if he came from a family connection with some influence in the mother country. Even though he might have been an impoverished younger son, having "family connections" to help him would have been a great benefit in advancing financially. There were many opportunities in the colony to make financial advances, but they were greatly assisted by "connections" which could give a person a leg up and put them in a position to benefit from the opportunities.
GILES' friends and associates seem to have been better "fixed" than he was, and left him legacies in their wills, as if they were related or were very close family friends. The legacies speak well of his family connections in England.
It is possible that our ancestor, GILES-1, may have returned to Britain after he first came to Virginia, and then returned to Virginia again. It was not uncommon for men to make the crossing several times, though we have no proof that he did. The lists of people that GILES later imported as immigrants to Virginia, whose names are shown on the court land grants, are not found on any published lists of persons sailing from ports in England, according to General Carter. He also states that those lists are intact. This strengthens the evidence that GILES came from Gloucestershire and sailed from Bristol, as did the first Giles Carter in 1620. There are only two passenger lists preserved from Bristol. He could have returned home to recruit these settlers and his name be on the missing lists from Bristol.
Our GILES-1 probably served out an indenture of from four to seven years working for someone else. We find no mention of GILES between 1653, when he is on the headright list, and the next item nine years later, in 1662, in the will of John Rowan [Rowen], written May 1, 1662. John Rowan leaves items to his son, his nephew, and his brother, in addition to a bequest to GILES CARTER of "a cow and gift of a house and land on this plantation for one year, then to brother Henry." This was a substantial bequest, and probably meant that GILES was living on Rowan's plantation, or very near by. It also indicates that GILES may have been working for Rowan or renting a place from him.
John Rowan was obviously the guardian for the Price orphans. He also mentioned that his brother, Henry, was to have the upbringing of the John and Daniel Price, who were orphans of John Price. Daniel Price would later marry Susannah Carter-2, the daughter of GILES CARTER. One of the witnesses to the will was a woman named Margaret Crewes.. She may have been the wife of Captain James Crewes, who was later executed after Bacon's Rebellion. Daniel Price was left the clothing of James Crewes in Crewes' will in 1676. He also owed a debt to the estate for which he was sued by the heirs. Daniel Price [Sr.] was probably born at least by 1655, which would mean he was a few years older than Susannah Carter-2.
By Rowan's bequest we know that GILES-1 probably did not have land of his own yet in the colony. He may have been working for Mr. Rowan in some capacity. GILES had probably been in the colony for more than 12 years at the time of John Rowan's will. The next mention we have of GILES CARTER-1 and his family is fourteen years later, in 1676, in the will of James Crewes. By 1676, GILES CARTER had been in the colony at least 23 to 26 years, but still apparently did not own land outright.
By the time of Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, GILES and his wife, HANNAH, lived in an area called Turkey Island in Henrico County, Virginia, on the plantation of James Crewes. GILES still apparently did not own land of his own and was renting land from Crewes, and by this time, had several children. [Will of James Crewes.] This land was located in Henrico Parish on the James River between Shirley and Bremo, the later residence of the Cocke family for 200 years. The area was named for the large number of wild turkeys located there by the first party sent up river from Jamestown. William Randolph, acting as an attorney, bought the property in 1684 from the heirs of James Crewes. GILES and HANNAH transferred their [life] interest in 50 acres of the land in 1684/5.
The history of Henrico dates back to the very earliest times of the settlement of Virginia. It was the second established settlement in Virginia, after Jamestown. Sir Thomas Dale founded the settlement in September 1611, lading 350 men, chiefly German laborers. It was called Henricopolis after Prince Henry, the eldest son of James I. John Rolfe and Pocahontas lived there until she and her husband went to England. In 1622, when the Indians attacked the settlements, the survivors of the massacre fled to Jamestown. In 1624, the Virginia Company was dissolved by the King. From this time on to 1730, the annals of Henrico Parish are more fragmentary and uncertain. We do know, though, that the Reverend James Blair was rector from 1685 until 1694. He was a determined Scotsman who had been educated at Edinburg University. Mr. Blair was later the first president and founder of William and Mary College. [History of Henrico.]
In 1695, the Reverend George Robinson became the rector, but little else is known about the man besides his name and position. A report in 1724 mentions that the minister present had been minister for fourteen years, but his name is missing from the records. The report stated that in 1724 there were 400 families resident and 1,100 tithables within the parish which had two churches. The remaining records of the vestry commence with the vestry book in 1730. Goochland County had been cut off from the Parish in 1727.
We aren't sure about everything that happened to GILES during the 23 years between 1653 and 1676, but we do know that during that time he acquired a wife, named HANNAH, and that they had several children. We don't find any record that GILES owned land up to this point, and he may have been working as an "overseer" for the plantations of John Rowan and then James Crewes, or simply renting lands from them to farm for himself. Crewes mentioned in his will, in 1676, that he had "lett" [or rented] a plantation to GILES and gave use of it to him "rent free" for life, except for a "grain of Indian corn yearly" for the rest of his life. He also gave GILES the oversight of his house, servants, and plantation, with specific instructions to live there, run the plantation, make crops, and give account to Crew's administrator. The 50 acres that GILES sold his interest in might have been the lands that he had been renting, that James Crewes had given him rent free for life. The heir[s] of James Crewes did not live in Virginia, but were residents of London. That Crewes gave only a "life interest" in his lands, while giving generously of his personal property, again underscores the probability of there being no close blood relationship.
There has been much speculation among researchers of this line about the kinship and/or relationship of HANNAH and James Crewes, who willed a significant portion of his Virginia personal property estate to HANNAH, GILES, and their children. Many researchers think HANNAH was a sister of James Crewes or he was her father. The legacy and mention of HANNAH in the will is used as "proof" that she was the daughter of James Crewes in published accounts. This myth, without substantial foundation, found its way into print and has been impossible to stamp out with the truth of the matter. This author has received many "pedigrees" attesting to the relationship of HANNAH and her "father" James Crewes. Many of these false pedigrees are presented with all sincerity and pride in being descended from this early revolutionary.
The way the will is actually worded, however, implies that there was no close blood relationship. He named the blood relationship to other heirs, but no kinship relationship was mentioned concerning GILES or HANNAH. James Crewes' leaving his property to his nephew precludes his having children. First, a man in Virginia was precluded by law from cutting his children entirely out of the estate. If he had children, a man could leave only one-third of his real estate to anyone outside his immediate family. That one-third was called "the dead man's third." [Reference: Women and the Law of Property in Early America, by Marylynn Salmon.]
Court records mention that James Crewes was "unmarried at the time of his death." That didn't mean he was never married, but that at the time of his death he had no living wife. There is a theory that "Margaret Crewes" [who witnessed some deeds] was the wife of James and was deceased before 1676. There is some evidence that this Margaret Crewes was nee Llewelyn. Much work needs to be done on these lines, however, to clarify several theories. [Henrico County Wills and Administrations, part 1, pg. 7]
Later lawsuits over the estate, and suits in an effort to collect debts owed to the estate, indicate that there was no blood relationship between our CARTERS and James Crewes. The only surviving children of James' two [and only] brothers were Matthew Crewes and Sarah Crewes Whittingham. If James Crewes had had living children, his nephew and niece would not have inherited his lands.
Other researchers think that HANNAH's surname might have been Sewell. William Sewell, who also left legacies to the family, and was guardian of Giles Carter-2, a minor child, after GILES' death, might have been HANNAH's father or brother. There was obviously some close relationship, and probably blood, between either GILES or HANNAH and William Sewell. The fact that William Sewell left his entire estate to Giles Carter, Jr., and was allowed to do so [i.e. it was more than the "Dead Man's Third."] indicates a blood relationship.
After GILES's death, a note about William Sewell was "it ordered that the clerk take bond with secty of William Sewell for that estate he hath in his hands belonging to Giles Carter an orphan of Giles Carter late of this county, decd." [Orphans Court Book, 1677-1739 of Henrico Virginia, page 91.]
This did not necessarily mean that HANNAH __?__ CARTER was deceased. Frequently, when a man died, his children were given appointed [male] guardians, even though their mother was alive.
William T. Sewell in his own will, recorded February 7, 1725, willed his entire estate to Giles Carter, Jr. William Sewell had given Giles [Jr] a mare before GILES [Sr.] died about 1699 and GILES [Sr.] mentioned this mare in his own will. In 1699, a gift of a horse was a princely gift indeed. February 1, 1708/9 [OS/NS] a deed given by William Sewell, witnessed by Giles Carter-2, mentions the wife of Sewell, named Elizabeth.
It is logical to assume that there was some close relationship between the CARTERS and both William Sewell and James Crewes, as well as John Rowen, but we are not sure just what it was.
General Carter makes the circumstantial case that the Crewes and Carters were close in England before coming to America. Though we may never know the exact relationship[s], we do know that GILES and HANNAH lived on the plantation of James Crewes prior to Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, and had a close relationship. GILES may have been the overseer of the plantation. The mention by James Crewes that GILES was to control the plantation seems to indicate this. James Crewes was one of the leaders in the Rebellion. However, we do not find any proof that GILES was actively engaged in the fighting, though he very well could have been. In any case, he was well aware of what was going on. Almost all of the local planters were involved in the fray to one degree or another. This author believes it is highly unlikely that James Crewes would have left such large legacies to someone who did not agree with his political views, or to someone who was not a close friend.
James Crewes was executed for his participation in the rebellion. He was a merchant and business partner of Daniel Llewelyn, the last husband of Ann__?__ Price Hallom Llewelyn, the mother of Daniel Price and John Price, Jr., and the widow of John Price, Sr., mentioned in the will of John Rowan. Her son, Daniel Price, would marry Susannah Carter, daughter of GILES and HANNAH.
James Crewes' brothers, Francis and Edward, were also merchants in London. Francis was a grocer and silkman by trade. Their father, Matthew Crewes, had been a leather seller of London.
James Crewes apparently was a bit hot-headed. A suit prior to the rebellion brought before the "two houses" by Captain David Peibiles concerned some sort of debt. The quarrel had resulted in a physical fight, as well as an exchange of words. Crewes ended up being fined 2,000 pounds of tobacco, and the court said that Piebiles' assault on James Crewes was justified and was occasioned by the "unworthy and uncivil provocation" of Crewes. In other words, James Crewes got what he deserved for acting a fool…"stabs and blows."
The children of Giles Carter-1 and his wife, Hannah
Susannah Carter-2, born before 1676, and mentioned in James Crewes' will, the first wife of Daniel Price, Sr.-ii, the man to whom James Crewes left his best clothes. Daniel-ii was also the child mentioned in the will of John Rowan in the 1660's. Her second husband was Thomas Williamson. She was the mother of Daniel Price, Jr.-iii Daniel, Sr.-ii was the son of John Price-i mentioned in John Rowan's will. His mother had married, as her third husband, the man who was James Crewes' business partner.
Ann Carter-2, was probably born after 1676, as she was not mentioned in the Crewes will. Married James D. Davis.
THEODORICK CARTER-2, born before 1676, and mentioned in James Crewes' will, married a woman named ELIZABETH, possibly surnamed WEBB, and they were the author's ancestors. THEODORICK-2 died in 1736/7 leaving his widow and a child just born. He would have been in his sixties, so his wife must have been several years younger than he was. She died about 1751, when her will was probated.
Giles Carter-2, born after 1681, married a woman named Mary [Henrico Co. Deeds 1706-1737, pg 174] and died in King George County in 1745. Giles-2 and Ann-2 were the only known children of GILES-1 and HANNAH not mentioned in the Crewes will. Giles-2 was a minor when his father wrote his will in 1699. The guardian for Giles-2, William T. Sewell, left his entire estate to Giles-2. William Sewell was probably related to HANNAH or GILES and may have been HANNAH's brother, or less likely, her father. William Sewell was listed in the 1705 Quit Rent Rolls as owning 59 acres. His widow's name was Elizabeth.
Mary Carter-2, born before 1676, married Thomas Davis, and was mentioned in the Crewes' will.
From 1620 to 1720 Henrico Parish was referred to as Varina Parish and the principle church in the parish referred to as Varina Church. In 1680, the Reverend John Ball was the minister of Henrico County, serving Varina Parish and the half of Bristol Parish north of Appomattox. Ball was replaced in 1685. At one point he had been publicly referred to as "fitter to make a hangman than a minister." Reverend James Blair was the minister from 1685 to 1694. Apparently, the early ministers that came to Virginia were not of the "best" sort and were men who could not find parishes in England. They were certainly not heroic "missionaries" who cared much for their flocks.
In January 1686, the Middlesex County Records contain an order for:
Stephen Cocke having moved this court to assigne certain gentlemen of this countye to meet such as shall be appointed by the court of Charles Citye County to view and receive the bridge over Turkeye Island Creek, it is ordered that Captain William Randolph and Captain Frances Epps doe meete these gents. As shall be appointed.
https://oliverdreams.tripod.com/CarterHistory.html
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Contributor: David Goode (49372965)
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