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Note: H00125
Note: Written By Sarahjane Doyle Nelson Swarstad. George Walters and Christiana Crewey married in England before coming to America, probably sometime between 1750 and 1775. A manuscript by H.L. Price, in the V.P.I. Special Collections Room, speaks of Christiana Crewey Walters. On March 18, 1793, she gave the Courthouse Square to the town of Christiansburg, which was named for her. The deed says that if the town does not use the land for a courthouse it is to revert to her heirs. When discussing a son of Rev. Edward Morgan, who in 1844 married Elizabeth Walters, a granddaughter of Mrs. Christiana Crewey Walters, Mrs. Morgan wrote the following from information from the manuscript of H. L. Price: Christiana was from Holland and her husband, George, was from England. They married before coming to America. However, George did not sympathize with the American Cause and returned to England, deserting his wife and 10 children [Christiana had 12 children but lost two of them]. Christiana converted her house into a tavern and did well enough to be able to buy and sell land. Incidentally, we do not know when George returned but when he did, after the war was over, Christiana would not let him into her home. --------- In Kegley's book, "Early Adventures on the Western Waters" Vol. 1, 1777 -----page 146 and 150 Oath of Allegiance We whose names are hereunto subscribed do swear or affirm that we renounce and refuse all allegiance to George third King of Great Britain, his heirs successors and that, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Commonwealth of Virginia as a free and independent State and that I will not at any time do or Cause to be done any matter or thing that will be make known to some one Justice of the Peace for the said State all treasons or traitorous Conspiracies which I now or hereafter shall know to be formed against this or any of the United States of America. The list of persons, who were administered the Oath of Allegiance, in Montgomery Co., by John Montgomery, in 1777 include -- George Walters 1778 ----- The records of the Montgomery Co. Militia; Court Martial; April, 1778 Fined two months pay for refusing to march out to protect the county frontier, taken into custody and treated as a deserter -- list includes - George Walters 1780 - August "Following the confessions, Montgomery and Botetourt Counties proceeded to bring these persons to trial for misbehavior and treason against the State. Those who were tried were:" On this list was -- George Walters The action taken by the court varied from posting bond to "gaol" in Augusta to enlisting in the Continental Army, to receiving thirty-nine lashes. Those who enlisted included George Walters, who was charged with being a soldier in the British service, who was "a poor and ignorant man". He agreed to enlist for 18 months from the time of arrival at General Washington's Camp. 1780 - Sept. "The following Montgomery County soldiers of the Revolutionary War enlisted in Chesterfield County, Virginia. The register of troops who enlisted since Sept. 1, 1780 is found in the Size Roll of Troops, or the so-called Chesterfield Register. The names of the men who were from Montgomery County, Virginia at the time of their enlistment, have been selected from complete records. The register includes birth place, residence, height, color of hair, eyes and complexion, as well as occupation, age and date of enlistment (Sept. 11, 1780, unless otherwise stated), and length of service (one year six months unless otherwise stated)." In this list of names of the men from Montgomery County is the following: 1780- page 50- George Walter - age 41 - 5' 6 1/2" - planter - born Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - gray hair - gray eyes - dark complexion. ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` It is possible that George and Christina were divorced. There is a marriage record for a George Walters and Anne Hank, a widow. The marriage bond being dated Oct. 26, 1791 and the ministers return lists their marriage as Nov. 8, 1791 in Montgomery County, Virginia. Later records show a George Walters posted a surety bond for Hannah Hanky and Henry Lybrook on Oct. 4, 1796. (Montgomery County Marriage Records) A Henry Lybrook is shown on the Chesterfield Register, age 21, 5 feet 5 1/2 inches, born Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, dark complexion, dark brown hair, gray eyes, deserted Oct. 30, 1780 on march to Smithfield (Kegley's Early Adventures on the Western Waters, Vol. 1 page 132). On Feb. 12, 1798 George Walters gave his consent for his step-daughter, Mary Hanky, to mary Jacob Snidow and Richard Bryans posted the surety bond (Montgomery County Marriage Records). In 1813 a Jacob Snidow, overseer of the poor, was paid $30.00 for keeping George Walters one year. (History of Giles County, Virginia) ------------------------------------------------------------ By: Virginia Ruth Walters Miller The earliest documentation we have on George Walters [I] is found in Montgomery County, Virginia. In 1777 he signed the Oath of Allegiance to the State in Capt. James McCorkle's Company (Kegley's Early Adventurers on the Western Waters, Vol. I, p. 150). The records also show he, "by right of settlement," owned 400 acres on Mile Creek [Mill Creek?] in present Montgomery County. (Kegley's - Early Adventurers On The Western Waters, Vol. I, pp. 49 and 113). The Commissioner's Certificate reads: Lancaster Co., PA "Christina Crewey, John George, William and Jacob Crewey, sons of said Christina assignee of George Walters, 400 acres both sides of Mile Branch to include the great road where they now live. Settled in 1777" (Kegley's - Early Adventurers on the Western Waters, Vol. I, p. 113). In 1776 a law was passed by the Virginia Assembly allowing any person who had "bona fied settled, or at his or her expense settle others on the land prior to June 24, 1776, [changed to January 1, 1778] a right to 400 acres of land" which was to include improvements. It was free except for ten shellings per acre composition fee. They were also given a preemption right to 1000 additional acres adjoining the 400 -- but they had to pay 40 pounds per 100 acres (Schreiner-Yantis' Montgomery County-Circa 1790). On September 7, 1782, George assigned the 400 acres to Christina Crewey and her four sons (Kegley's - Early Adventurers on the Western Waters, Vol. II, p. 49). Further records show Christina received 344 acres assigned her in 1785. (Kegley's Early Adventurers on the Western Waters, Vol. II, p. 49) Some believe George Walters came from England and Christina Crewey from Holland and settled on a large grant of 3,000 acres given to George by King George II, King of England. No ship records or land grant has been found to substantiate this at this time. The records seem to indicate that Christina was the wife of George Walters and that he was the father of her four sons William, George, John and Jacob who used the name of Crewey with "alias" Walters usually added when transferring land held jointly with Christina (Kegley's - Early Adventurers On The Western Waters, Vol. I, p. 212). Life was hard on the New River, and all males over the age of sixteen were required to take the "Oath of Allegiance" to the State. All those who "maintained the authority of the King" were considered enemies of the State. In April 1778 George [1] was one of those who refused to go out with a patrolling party to guard the county. He was arrested and fined two months pay. In August 1780 George [I] was charged with being a British Soldier. During his trial he was described as being "a poor and ignorant man." At the time of his trial he agreed to enlist in the Continental Army for 18 months upon the arrival at General Washington's Camp. He appears on the Size Roll of Troops (Chesterfield Register), September 11, 1780, as being a planter, 41 years of age, 5 feet 6 1/2 inches tall, gray hair, gray eyes, a dark complexion and born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. (Kegley's - Early Adventurers on the Western Waters Vol. I, pp. 116, 132, 144 and 145). According to tradition, Christina bitterly opposed his Tory activities and refused to let him return home. She also refused to use the name of Walters. "Christina Crewey & Sons, John, George, William and Jacob Crewey (assignee of George Walters)-- 344 acres on both sides of Mill Branch on New River. By right of settlement of George Walters. Adjacent to Peterson, Hans Meadows. 15 April 1785." (Survey Book D, p 242). The 344 acres were not recorded until 1793 (Deed Book C, p 72 - Kegley's - Early Adventurers On The Western Waters). It is not known what happened to 56 acres of the 400 acres originally assigned to Christina and her four sons. It may have been the land donated to the town of Christiansburg. On October 15, 1792 a petition to the Virginia House of Delegates mentions Christina Walters as a donor of land for a new town (Virginia State Archives - Kegley's - Early Adventurers on the Western Waters, Vol. I, p. 210) It is possible that George and Christina were divorced. There is a marriage record for a George Walters and Anne Hank [Hanks, Hanky], a widow. The marriage bond being dated October 26, 1791 and the minister's return lists their marriage as November 8, 1791 in Montgomery County, Virginia. Later records show a George Walters posted a surety bond for Hannah Hanky and Henry Lybrook on October 4, 1796. (Montgomery County Marriage Records). Henry Lybrook is shown on the Chesterfield Register, age 21, 5 feet 5 1/2 inches, born Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, dark complexion, dark brown hair, gray eyes, deserted October 30, 1780 on march to Smithville. (Kegley's Early Adventurers on the Western Waters, Vol. I, p. 132). On February 12, 1798 George Walters gave his consent for his step-daughter, Mary Hanky, to marry Jacob Snidow and Richard Bryans posted the surety bond (Montgomery County Marriage Records). In 1813 a Jacob Snidow, overseer of the poor, was paid $30.00 for keeping George Walters one year. (History of Giles County, Virginia). Christina endured many hardships rearing her sons. George Mosby Walters, who died at the age of 100 (1984), was a direct descendant of George and Christina. He said many stories have come down of the hardships Christina encountered trying to make a living for herself and her children during the years of the war. It was said that on several occasions when the Indian alert would come, she took her children and walked the approximate ten miles from Christiansburg to Fort Vause (now Shawsville). One source says that Christina ran a tavern in Christiansburg, which was located on the Wilderness Road, one of the main roads for east-west travel (Mabel C. Willis) The following records were copied from the Montgomery County, Virginia Courthouse on 14 August 1987, showing a Christena Walters, Spinster: "Montgomery County Towit The Grandjurors of the commonwealth impanelled for the body of the County of Montgomery before the Superior Court of Law for the Said County upon their oath present That Christena Walters Spinster of Said County on the first day of April in the year 1809 at the County of Montgomery aforesaid and within the jurisdiction of the Superior Court of Law directed by Law to be held in said county at her own house without the license of the Law did Sell by retail Spirituous Liquors which was drank and intended to be drank at the place where Sold Contrary to the form of the act of assembly in Such case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth." "Upon the information of John Tinturf & Zadok Smith of Montgomery County called on by the Grandjury to Give evidence." [No signature on the document]. "The Common wealth of Virginia To the Sheriff of Montgomery County Greeting: We Command you that you cause Christenah Walters to come before the Judge of our Superior Court of Law appointed to be holder for our said County at the courthouse thereof on the fort day of the next term, to answer us upon certain things of which she in Indicted. And have then them this writ witness Charles Taylor Clerk of our said Court the 20th day of July 1809 in the Thirty fourth year of foundation." Thomas Bowyer, DC [Deputy Clerk] In 1816 Christina Crewey and son Jacob Walters sold 9 acres to Michael McCrostal (Deed Book F, p 139) and in May of the same year son John, his wife Nancy and Christina Crewey sold 16 acres to Jacob Zull (Zoll). This deed states it is part of the survey the "widdow Walters now lives on." (Deed Book F, p 234). The exact date of death for Christina is not known. The records seem to indicate Christina died in 1818. "On Tuesday the 1st day of September 1818, John Walters and George Walters were granted administration of the Estate of Christenia Crewy deceased" and David Stephens, John Glenn and George Anderson, were appointed to appraise in current money the personal Estate of Christenia Crewy. (Order Book 20, p 92). Relationship Notes: To date, no marriage record has been located for George and Christina. A John Crewe, believed to be the brother of Christina, married a Sally James on 20 December 1797 (Bond). The marriage record shows Chrisyan Crewe as father of John Crewe. (LDS Film #0032633, p 73) "John Crewy & Sally James, Sur. Danl James, Junr [Jr] and Henry Crewy; consent for son John Crewe to marry Salley James, signed Chrisyan Crue (his mark); consent of father Danyal Jamas for daughter Salley James. Note various spellings of Crewy." (Kegley's - Early Adventurers On The Western Waters, Vol. II, p 136).
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