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Giles and Hannah Carter (Crews, Crewe discussion)

By Billie Harris September 13, 2008 at 07:53:15

First, for the record let me say that the Carters are not my line so I probably shouldn't be sticking my two cents worth in here.I descend from the Lewellans and actually I'm apparently not even a descendant of Daniel Lewellyn of the 1600's either but I've done quite a bit of research on him in trying to make a connection.One of his daughters, Margaret, married James Crewes who was involved in Bacon's Rebellion, the James Crewes who many of you believe was the father of Hannah Carter.

I've been reading with interest the theory that Giles Carter's wife, Hannah, was a daughter of James Crewes and an Indian woman.Unfortunately, I'm not convinced - not that it really matters, but it just doesn't add up.

Here are my reasons and I hope you can follow with me on this:


In 1652 James Crewes age 29 (born 1623) was a merchant and living in London.He testified that he knew Francis Gyles, son of Mary Gyles of Boughton Aluph in County of Kent and knew him for a span of a year or longer before he died (1651) and that Francis lived at Jordans in Virginia.(Charles City County.)This doesn't necessarily mean he knew Francis Gyles IN Virginia, only that he knew him for a year before his death.The first time James came to Virginia?Who knows but ....

In 1662 John Rowen died. In his Will he made the following bequests:

1.A cow to his nephew who was the son of Henry Rowen.In 1661 Henry Rowing with his wife Alee and Robert Bullington purchased land.Alee was probably deceased by 1662, perhaps dying during childbirth.

When a person was specifically given a cow in a Will, from what I've found so far, it seems that it was for the milk for a baby because a mother had died or was unable to feed her baby.

2.To his brother, Henry, monies for bringing up the two sons of John Price (deceased), John and Daniel.From the wording, it sounds like Henry Rowing was raising those two children.Why?It's a good bet that John Price's wife was a Rowen.

Incidentally, John Price was the son of John Price andAnn Matthews - the same Ann who married (2) Robert Hallam and (3) Daniel Llewellyn.Ann and Daniel Lewellyn had three children, Mary, Margaret and Daniel.Margaretmarried James Crewes and was the half sister of John Price who had died.

Margaret Crewes witnessed this Will.

3.A cow and a gift to Giles Carter. Here again, we have a cow specifically given to an individual.Why?Unless there was a baby or small child and milk was neded, there would be no reason to make this specific bequest.A logical answer is that Giles Carter's wife was sick or even deceased and it's a good probablility she, too, was a Rowen or at least somehow related.

From these bequests, it would seem James Rowen was providing for his nieces and nephews.And, bear in mind that the date of the marriage that I'm finding posted on this forum for Giles Carter to Hannah has been said to have been sometime around 1670, and this Will was dated 1662.

Backing up farther:

Sometime around 1638 Robert Hallom, second husband of Ann Matthews Price died and Ann married Daniel Lewellyn.They had three children - Mary, Margaret and Daniel as I said above.In 1654 Daniel Lewellyn and Margaret Lewellyn witnessed the deed of Sara and Samuel Woodward, Sarah Woodward being the daughter of Ann and Robert Hallom.

In 1662 Margaret Crewes witnessed the Will of John Rowen so sometime between 1654 when her name on a document is shown as Margaret Lewellyn and 1662 Margaret married James Crewes;sometime between 1664 when she's named in her father's Will as Margaret Cruse and 1676 when James Crewes wrote his Will, Margaret died.When she died and how she died - whether natural causes, accident, childbirth, Indians - we dont' know.

James Crewes' Will doesn't name a wife nor does it name any children.His Will provided:

1.Sizeable bequests to Mary Carter and Susan Carter, daughters of Giles Carter.If they died, then their bequests went to the other children of Giles and Hannah.Why would he give such bequests to those two children and not the others?Or am I reading that Will wrong?

2.He gives Giles' wife, Hannah, a maid and if Hannah should die, then the maid would go to Theodorick Carter.

3.Giles and his family could live on the plantation rent free unless asked for a nominal sum.

4.The lands in Virginia and elsewhere went to James Crewes' cousin, Matthew, who was also named executor.

(Susan/Susannah Carter is said to have married Daniel Price who died 1692 - the same Daniel Price as was provided for in the Rowen Will - and then she married Thomas Williamson).IF - and that's all it is, an "if," Susan's mother was a Rowen and Daniel's mother was, too, that would make them first cousins.

The fact the attorney for the executor of James Crewes' estate testified that James Crews "left no widow or lawful child"doesn't imply he left an "unlawful" child.It simply means - to me anyway - that he left no living children.

I don't know who Hannah was prior to her marriage to Giles Carter, but I don't believe there's enough evidence even through a paper trail to believe whe was the daughter of James Crewes and an Indian woman.Just my observation from what few documents I've come across for whatever it's worth.And again, this isn't my line and I haven't researched it so bear with me if I've missed something.

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More Replies:

  • Parents of Hannah (wife of Giles Carter, Sr. of Henrico Co VA)
    Holly Hampton 9/09/12
  • Re: Giles and Hannah Carter (Crews, Crewe discussion)
    Evelyn Rowland 10/07/08
    • Re: Giles and Hannah Carter (Crews, Crewe discussion)
      C.J. Cearlock 7/06/13
  • Giles and Hannah Carter had POSSESSION of the will
    Richard Zieman 10/02/08
    • Re: Giles and Hannah Carter (Crewes discussion)
      Billie Harris 10/02/08
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