Heartland Genealogy

Have you ever tried to piece together a family when multiple families of the same surname are living in the same place at the same time? If so, you understand the challenge. That scenario seems to be a regular occurrence in my CRAWFORD research. Recently, while helping another researcher, I revisited the family of John Crawford the elder and his wife Jean Byers of Botetourt County. In the process, I uncovered a particularly valuable deed created by his grandson, James Crawford, in 1797. At first glance, the deed appears to be a routine land transaction. But a closer reading reveals something far more useful: it clearly outlines relationships across three generations of the Crawford family. This deed documents the partition of a 190-acre tract originally purchased by John Crawford the elder from John Craig and later devised in his will to his sons, William Crawford and John Crawford (deceased before 1797). After John (the younger) died, his son James—acting as executor—car...

A search of my RootsMagic data for the CRAWFORD surname with events occurring in Botetourt County, Virginia produced the following list of families. A search for the CRAWFORD surname with events occurring in Montgomery County, Virginia and/or Augusta County, Virginia still needs to be done. ALEXANDER CRAWFORD / POLLY CARPER Crawford, Alexander (M) Spouse Polly Carper ALEXANDER CRAWFORD / MARY McPHEETERS Spouse: Mary McPheeters Child: Lt. John Crawford (1741-1832) md Margaret Crawford / Sally Newman / Mary Craig Child: William Crawford md Rachel Sawyers Child: Rev. Edward Crawford (1745-1822) Child: Martha Crawford (1752-1823) md Alexander Craig Child: Rev. James Crawford (1752-1803) md Rebecca McPheeters Child: Rebecca Crawford (1753-1841) md Col. John Sawyers Child: Alexander Crawford (1753-1830) md Elizabeth McClure / Elizabeth Hopkins Child: Elizabeth Crawford (1754-?) md Humphreys Child: Robert Crawford (1757-1810) md Sarah Crawford (daughter of George Crawford) Child: Sa...