Genealogy Report: Descendants of Jacob Crow
Descendants of Jacob Crow
1.JACOB2 CROW(GEORGE PHILIP1) was born 1732 in Germany, and died August 18, 1822 in RichillTwp., Greene Co., PA..He married SUSANNAH SECHRIST 1760 in York, Pa, daughter of WILLIAM SECHRIST and SUSANNA UNKNOWN.She was born 1735 in Richhill Twp., Greene Co., Pa., and died in RichillTwp., Greene Co., PA..
Notes for JACOB CROW:
From "HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY,"
Vol. I, pages 689-690.
Brant & Fuller, 1890.
HISTORY OF THE CROW FAMILY
Jacob Crow, Sr., left Germany when a young man for America. As he left without money as well as leaving his mother and two sisters who were all the family, behind, he was sold after landing, a sufficient time to pay his passage. After his time was out he married Miss Susan Seacress, and lived on and owned a farm near the mouth of Dunkard creek, Greene county, Penn., where most of their children were born. Between 1765 and 1770, he bought or traded for the farm on south branch of Wheeling creek, now known as the old Crow farm, or Crow's mills. They raised eleven children, five sons and six daughters, named, Frederick, Martin, Peter, John, Michael, Susan, Elizabeth, Tena, Catherine, Esther and Mary. They moved to their new and wilderness home when Michael was but a few weeks old. The first night they were there the family became alarmed at what they supposed to be Indians, and all rushed out in the dark, becoming separated. The mother had the babe, and fearing to call, and also that the child might cry, she walked nearly all night, not knowing where, but was pleased, when daylight came, to find herself in sight of home. When Michael was seven years old there was an alarm circulated that Indians were around, and all fled to the block house at Lindley's, Washington county, Penn. Two men living alone on what is now known as the Harsh farm, not getting word soon enough, were killed. After all were at the fort, a number of men started to see about the men they supposed to be killed. John Crow was one of the number, and for some reason brought Michael with them to the Farley farm, now owned by Thomas Steele. There they left him, John promising to come back that night. Fearing to stay at the house, he crossed the creek and stayed under a cliff of rocks. At evening he came to the house and got something to eat. Fearing both Indians and wolves, he raised a "puncheon" in the floor and arranged so that if Indians came he could crawl down and out under the house. If wolves came, he could go in the house and shut the hole. He was left there till the evening of the third day, when the men came back. The men at Harsh place were found dead and buried. The head of one was gone, and was afterward found by some of Jacob Crow's sons while hauling wood. After the block house was built at the Crow farm, word was given that the Indians were about. When they gathered at the fort there in the evening, it turned out that Whartons, who lived where Majorsville now is, had not been apprised of the danger, and no one seemed willing to go. Michael, then perhaps fifteen years old, said he would go. After the warning had been given he was returning across the hill, following a footpath through the woods, something attracted his attention. The moon was just rising, he stooped for a better view, and saw Indians crouched in the path. He turned quickly aside and jumped behind a tree. A large dog come after him and he ran to another tree, at the same time striking at the dog to keep him off. He then took a more circuitous route and got home in safety. The following morning two boys went to catch horses which were running in the woods when the Indians came on, captured and took them prisoners. They were taken nearly to Moundsville and tied to a tree, while the Indians went somewhere. While left thus alone, they succeeded in making their escape. While the settlers were tending their crops at that time they kept part of the men out as spies to watch for the redskins.
(Linda Fluharty)
The saddest event in the history of this family was when four of their daughters were captured, and three of them brutally murdered by the savages. Sabbath morning, May 1, 1791, Susie, Betsey, Tena and Catherine, started to visit a sick woman who lived somewhere up Wheeling creek (south branch). A horse had gotten away and went to Braddock's, on Crabapple, a branch of Wheeling Creek. Michael took a bridle and crossed the hills for him. After getting the horse, he was returning, and found his sisters at a fording about a mile from home and about three miles from the forks of the creek. Seeing Katie, who was but a child, alone, he tried to persuade her to get on the horse and go with him. This she was unwilling to do, and as the horse was excited and wanted to go, he let him have the rein and he galloped off at full speed. Soon as he was out of sight, the Indians, who were hid behind a rock, came out and captured all of them. There were two Indians and a man whose name was Spicer, whom the Indians captured and raised. They took the girls to a flat place on the hill side, and two of them staid to watch them and the others followed the brother. Tena said he was gone long enough to have followed him nearly home. When he returned, and the work of butchery begun, one held Tena and Katie by the hands. When one of the Indians struck Betsey, who was a girl of more than ordinary strength and activity, she came near getting loose, and in the excitement Tena got loose and ran. One Indian grabbed his gun, and ran till he overtook her, when he punched her in the back hard enough to knock her down and ran back. She looked and saw that he had left her, then sprang up again, ran and got away. While guarding the girls, Spicer, who talked English, asked them questions. When Tena got home and told the sad news the family got ready hastily and fled to the block house at Lindley's, having no thought but that the other three were all dead. A squad of men came the next day and found Susie and Katie dead, but Betsey, who was not with them, after being insensible the remainder of the day of the murder and till the next morning, had regained consciousness and crawled to the creek to get water. She lived till the third day after they found her. Susie and Katie were buried in one grave, and Betsey, when she died, was laid by their side, making the first buried on the farm. While Tena was at home, then a young woman, Spicer and one of the Indians who helped to kill her sisters, came to the house and asked for milk. Tena at once recognized them and told her mother so. The Indians seemed to see they were not welcome and left at once. Tena went to the field and told her brother Michael who had some men helping him. One of the men said to Michael, let us follow them. Michael said well, and if you will kill the white man, I will kill the Indian. They went to the house, got some dinner, took their guns and started. The Indians were riding large horses and made it quite easy to follow them. They followed them to the head of Wheeling creek, crossed over on to Dunkard waters and nearly to the mouth of that stream. When it got too dark to see the trail, they camped for the night and came back the next day.
MUSTER ROLL OF A COMPANY OF VIRGINIA MILITIA.
The following is the muster roll of a company of Virginia militia
under the command of Capt. John Bennett, at Norfolk, in the service
of the United States, commanded by Lieut. Col. Henry E. Coleman,
from the 30th day of May, 1814, when last mustered, to the 28th of
June, 1814:
Officers---John Bonnett, captain; James Ewing, first lieutenant;
Peregrine Wells, second lieutenant; Jacob Keller, ensign; Daniel
Wells, ensign; John Boner, Vachel Harding, Johan Porter, Jonathan
Thomas, James Vanscyal, sergeants; Daniel Toviel, Thomas Adams,
Jacob Crow, William Bills, Cornelius Ogden, corporals.
The Will of Jacob Crow, as recorded in Greene Co., PA.,
Will Book 1, page 228, file #408
In the name of our Lord amen I Jacob Crow of Richhill Township Greene County and state of Pennsylvania Being weak in Body But of sound understanding and memery Blessed Be god for it do this fourth day of November in the year of our loard one thousand Eight hundred and Twenty one doth make and publish this my last will and testament and desiresthat it may be Recieved By all as such in manner following that is to Say first I will and positively order that my wife Susanah Crow to have Thirty Dollars per year out of the Estate during her life time and secondly I will and positively order that my son Fredrick Crow shall have fifty Dollars more of the Estate then any one of the rest of the Legetees and the said Fredrick and all legetees to have an equal part of the Estate of the late deceased Jacob Crow at the decease of his wife Susanah Crow and thirdly I will and positively order that my Wife shall have all the household furniture and one Cow and lastly I make and ordain My Son Michel Grow and Moses Dunsmore Sole Executrix of this my will in trust for the intent and purpose in this my Will contained & in Witness whereof I the Said Jacob Grow have set my hand and Seal the day and year above Written.
Test signed Jacob Gro
his
JohnXSicels
mark
Mary Crow
Penna Greene County as.
Personally appeared before me John Sicels and Mary Crow and on there solemn oaths did depose and say that they were present and saw and heard Jacob Crow the Testator within named sign, Seal publish and declare the same as and for his last will and Testament and that at that time of doing thereof he was of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding according to the best of their Knowledge observation and belief. his
Sworm and subscribed JohnXSicels
before me this 18th day of mark
August 1823
Wm. T. Hays
More About JACOB CROW:
Burial: August 18, 1822, Crow Cem., Dunkard Fork, Greene Co., PA.
Children of JACOB CROW and SUSANNAH SECHRIST are:
| 2. | i. | GEORGE FREDRICK3 CROW, b. July 26, 1762, York Co., PA; d. March 1824, Monroe Co., Ohio. | |
| 3. | ii. | PETER CROW, b. May 13, 1765, Drunkards Creek, Greene Co., PA; d. November 25, 1826, Marshall Co., W. Virginia. | |
| 4. | iii. | MARTIN CROW, b. May 13, 1765, Drunkards Creek, Greene Co., PA.; d. September 27, 1827, Noble Co., Ohio. | |
| iv. | JOHN CROW, b. 1767, Drunkards Creek, Greene Co., PA.; d. August 1779, Wetzel Co., W. Virginia. |
| Notes for JOHN CROW: From "HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY," Vol. I, pages 690-691. Brant & Fuller, 1890. JOHN CROW John Crow was the first of the family to fall victim to the Indians. In August, 1879, Frederick, Martin and John, went to Wetzel county, this state, to hunt. After being there one night or more, they got up in the morning and went down to the creek (Fishing creek), and while absent, Indians came and secreted themselves in the camp the others had left. One of the boys had killed a wild duck, which he carried with him. Frederick and Martin returned to camp, while John staid behind. When the first two named came, one threw the duck in the camp, when the Indians arose and fired one bullet, cutting the tip of Martin's ear, and another striking Frederick under the arm, making a flesh wound from which the blood flowed freely. They ran up the creek bottom some distance, jumped over the bank, and crossing safely, they got separated, and did not get together till the next day. John, not knowing what the shooting meant came running, when a number of the Indians fired at once. Five balls entered his breast, in the size of one's hand. Frederick and Martin got home the second day. The third day a squad of men went to hunt John, and found him dead near the camp with his throat cut. A grave was dug in the creek bottom with sharp sticks and hunting knives. A box or coffin was prepared by felling a tree and splitting four "puncheons," one for each side, and one for bottom and top. His age and death were cut on a tree near by the grave. (Linda Fluharty) |
| v. | ELIZABETH CROW, b. Abt. 1769, Drunkards Creek, Greene Co., PA; d. May 04, 1791, Wheeling Creek, Greene co., PA.; m. JACOB ZOLLARS, Unknown, Unknown. |
| Notes for ELIZABETH CROW: Source Notes: "The Fireside Stories of The Jacob Crow Family" Elizabeth was the eldest of the four girls attacked by the Indians on May 1, 1791; she lived three days after the attack and was buried in the family cemetery. |
| More About ELIZABETH CROW: Burial: Crow Family Cemetery |
| 5. | vi. | MICHAEL CROW, b. 1771, Richhil Twp., Greene Co., PA.; d. May 08, 1852, PA.. | |
| vii. | SUSAN CROW, b. 1773, Wheeling Creek, Greene Co., PA.; d. May 01, 1791, PA.. |
| Notes for SUSAN CROW: Source Notes: "The Fireside Stories of The Jacob Crow Family" Susan was one of the four sisters attacked by indians on 1 may 1791, dying the same day. She was buried in the Family Cemetery. |
| More About SUSAN CROW: Burial: Crow Family Cemetery |
| 6. | viii. | ESTHER CROW, b. 1782, Wheeling Creek, Greene Co., PA.; d. September 09, 1853, Olive, Elkhart Co., Indiana. | |
| 7. | ix. | CHRISTINA CROW, b. November 17, 1783, Wheeling Creek, Greene Co., PA.; d. August 27, 1853, Nobel Co., Ohio. | |
| x. | LYDIA CROW, b. Abt. 1787. | ||
| 8. | xi. | MARY CROW, b. March 15, 1787, Wheeling Creek, Greene Co., PA.; d. January 27, 1866, Unknown. | |
| xii. | KATHARINE CROW, b. Unknown. |
| Notes for KATHARINE CROW: Source Notes: She also was attacked by the indians on 1 May 1791 and died the same day. She was buried, with her sister, Susan, in the Family Cemetery. |