Here's what is known of Peter of Heard Co, GA:
Born about 1785 VA (per census)
1809 - a Peter Crews is listed on a list of tax defaulters in 1809 in Capt.
Ealias Beall's district in Oglethorpe Co.
1819 - in a Walton Co, GA tax list (per a published Walton Co history, title
forgotten at the moment).
1820 - in Walton Co, GA census.
1830 - in Fayette Co, GA census.
1840, 1850, 1860 - in Heard Co, GA census
abt 1865 - dies in Heard Co, GA.
Most people seem to think Peter was a son of Jesse Crews of Wilkes Co, and
a grandson of Peter Crews of Halifax Co, VA. (Ann Crews did too, based on hunch;
Ann never had proof). I don't agree. Others suggest that Peter Crews was born
in Westmoreland Co, VA in 1787, but I know of no supporting evidence for same,
and, in addition, there are no Crews/Crew/Cruse etc in Westmoreland Co in The
1787 Census of Virginia by Yantis and Love. Here's why I don't think this
Peter was from Wilkes Co, GA-
- In the 1830 Walton Co, GA census, there is a Shadrack Crews. It is unlikely
that Shadrack's presence is just coincidence. Rather, it is far more likely
that Peter and Shadrack were related. But since the name Shadrack Crews is not
found in southside VA, Peter is unlikely to be from southside VA and therefore
he wouldn't be from Wilkes Co, GA because those Crews were from Pittsylvania
Co, VA.
- Is Peter from Wilkes Co, GA anyway? Not likely. Wilkes Co records have been
extensively and meticulously published. There is no Peter Crew(s) in them.
- Peter Crew (as per the IGI) was born about 1788 in Charles City County (CCC),
VA, son of Jacob and Elizabeth Leadbetter. Peter Crew(s) is a rare name. So
this CCC Peter is very likely the person we're looking for. (However, his birth
is NOT recorded in Hinshaw and I haven't yet seen LDS film 458006, the source
of the IGI record; I bet this is a private record).
- Since the IGI points us to Hinshaw, I looked further at Hinshaw vol 6 and
found this little gem: in the year 1811, Peter Crew, son of Jacob, was disowned
by the Quakers for marrying out of unity. (I don't think this tells us exactly
when he was disowned, or rules out that he was in Oglethorpe Co by 1809, as
above).
- But, there was a Peter Crew, age 16-26 in the 1810 Charles City Co, VA census,
and a Peter Crew in the 1820 Charles City County census, and, in addition, in
1824, a Peter Crew was the executor of the Charles City County will of William
Thomas Sr. So, it's possible that the Charles City County Peter who was disowned
in 1811, never left Charles City County.
Therefore, if there was more than one Peter Crew in Charles City County, VA, then I think Peter Crew(s) of Heard Co was born in Charles City County, VA, son of Jacob, and after being disowned, went to Georgia, where he spent the rest of his life. But, as noted above, Peter Crew(s) was a rare name. So, although Peter Crews of Heard Co, GA does not seem to be a grandson of Peter Crews of Halifax Co, VA, I'd bet they are in some other way related. And therefore, the Crews of Lunenburg County, VA are probably from Charles City County, VA.
This is the work of Eve Kinney. Please direct your arguments to me at fastfeet@bellsouth.net.
June 28, 2002
PS - this is not the only clue that the Lunenburg Crews were from Charles City
County.