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Mary Crew/Crispe[1]

Female Est 1660 - Yes, date unknown


Personal Information    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Mary Crew/Crispe 
    • We know the Crew Families lived on Chickahominy Swamp. Turkey Island, Henrico County, Colonial Virginia, along with the Woodsons, Watkins, Giles Carters and others. It is reasonable to use the Crew name for this individual; no other Crispe records have been seen at this time.-mfe
    Born Est 1660  Henrico Co., Virginia Colony Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Died Yes, date unknown 
    Person ID I18350  My Reynolds Line
    Last Modified 15 Jun 2017 

    Family Henry Watkins, Jr.,   b. Est 1660, Henrico Co., Virginia Colony Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1715, Henrico Co., Virginia Colony Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 55 years) 
    Children 
    +1. John 'the Tray Maker' Watkins,   b. Est 1683, Henrico County, Virginia Colony Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. May 1744, Henrico Co., Virginia Colony Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 61 years)
    Last Modified 13 Jun 2017 
    Family ID F6733  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Sources 
    1. [S86] Our Southern Cousins, http://oursoutherncousins.com/watkins.html.
      HENRY WATKINS, JR. was born about 1660; he died in 7 Feb 1714/1715? in Henrico County, VA. Henry Watkins, Jr. is often mentioned in "Quaker Records of Henrico Monthly Meeting.? In 1699 he is listed in an account of society members who contributed to the building of Curles Meeting House. In Sept. 1701 he witnessed the marriage of Nicholas Hutchins and Mary Watkins (his daughter or his sister?). In 1703 he witnessed the marriage of Robert Crew and Sarah Crispe. April 17, 1719. "John Hughes appointed clerk. After Tarlton Woodson and Judith Fleming proposed their marriage to the meeting, the meeting discussed whether marriages to first cousins were agreeable according to scripture. John Pleasants, Joseph Pleasants, Joseph Woodson, Jr., William Porter, Jr., John Crew, HENRY WATKINS, JR., Nick? Hutchins, William Lead voted against it; and G. R. Ellyson, Robert Hughes, Robert Woodson, Benjamin Woodson, Richard Feris, Edward Mosby, Charles Fleming, John Woodson and John Atkinson were for it." The will of Henry Watkins Jr. was dated November 15, 1714, and recorded February 7, 1715. In it, he left to his wife Mary, the plantation for life; and mentions his sons: John, Benjamin, Joseph and Stephen. I have never seen a complete copy of his will. It was witnessed by Robert Woodson, Jr., Thomas Edwards and Allen Tye. Several of his children were still minors at the time of his death, son Henry (III) had died prior to Henry making his will.

      1699: Subscribed 500 pounds of tobacco towards building the Friends meetinghouse at Curls
      1703: Paid 50 pounds of tobacco towards furnishing the Friends building.
      1704: Quit Rents of Virginia lists Henry Sr. with 100 acres in Henrico County

      Henry Watkins, Jr. married Mary ?Crispe? or ?Crews.? If anyone has definitive knowledge of Mary?s last name, please let me know! Mary survived Henry, and after his death she married Edward Mosby on September 10, 1716 at Curles Meeting House. In August, 1716, Robert Woodson and William Porter were appointed by the Curles Meeting to inquire into the clearness of Edward to marry. Margaret Porter and Frances Gathright were appointed to visit MARY and inquire into her clearness (the marriage intent of Edward Mosby & Mary Watkins).

      Henry and Mary?s children were:
      A) Mary WATKINS (b abt .1682)
      | sp: Nicholas HUTCHENS
      B) John (son of Henry) WATKINS ("the tray-maker") (b.Abt 1695-Henrico County,VA d.Abt 1743/1744-Henrico County,VA)
      | sp: Elizabeth BUTLER (m.1720)
      C) Benjamin (son of Henry) WATKINS of "Jenitoe" (b.1698-Henrico County,VA d.17 Sep 1753-Goochland County,VA)
      | sp: Jean/Jane WATKINS (b.1708-Henrico County,VA m.1726 d.2 Dec 1777-Goochland County,VA)
      D) Joseph WATKINS of Chesterfield (b.Abt 1700 d.Abt 1734-Goochland County,VA)
      | sp: Mary FARRAR (m.1730)
      E) Henry (III) WATKINS (b.Abt 1702 d.Aft 1714) (died young)
      F) Stephen WATKINS (b. Abt 1704 d.1758-Chesterfield County, VA)
      sp: Judith TRABUE (m.Abt 1735)

      One thing that endears Henry Watkins, to me, is his disbursement of his lands to his children prior to his death. He mentions his love for his children when he gave land to each of his sons on the south side of Chickahominy Swamp in 1691/2. The tradition of primogeniture was still common in the early colonies. However, by making a will you could distribute your property as you saw fit. Henry went even further than this when he partitioned his land to his sons prior to his death. I feel it showed a great deal of confidence in the ability and integrity of his sons.
      In January 1691/2, he gifted, ?With love and affection,? the following to his sons:
      William: 120 acres next to Edward Finch
      Joseph: 120 acres ?in the lower part?
      Edward: 120 acres ?in the lower part?
      Henry (Jr.): ?the tract where I now live?
      Thomas: 200 acres on ?Three Runs?
      Watkins Family
      There are several sources that state there was an early HENRY WATKINS (born about 1585) who was the father of Henry Watkins of Henrico County, Virginia, who married Katherine.
      Most particularly, there is the application of Miss Jamie Hess to the Daughters of the Pilgrims, which stated that ?Henry Watkins was born in Wales, 1600, was Burgess of Henrico Co, VA, 1623, listed as dead same year, References provided: Copies with applications of family records, wills and deeds filed with application. Virginia House of Burgesses, 1619-1658.? [I don?t know the truth of her proofs, and can?t help but wonder if those records still exist somewhere!? It seems to me that he would have been born earlier than 1600, and he seems to have been alive in February 1624, although that is the last mention of him I can find.]
      The first representatives of Accomack in the Assembly were "Captain John Wilcocks" and "HENRY WATKINS" both of whom signed a paper as Burgesses from the Eastern Shore in 1624.
      Henry is listed in Henry Watkins of Henrico County: His Descendants and Their Allied Families. States he was born 1585, which gives this list:
      I. Henry Watkins (1585-___)
      II. Henry Watkins m. Katherine Pride
      III. Edward Watkins (c 1665-1771)
      IV. John Watkins (c. 1710-1765) Phoebe Hancock
      V.Henry Watkins,(1758-1829)m. ElizabethHudson Clay
      VI. John Watkins (1785-1845) Catherine T. Milton
      Henry Watkins, alive on the Eastern Shore in 1623, after the great Indian massacre of March 22, 1621.
      In 1621, John Rolfe, in his "Relation of Virginia" writes of being at Cale's Gift near Cape Charles, where there were 17 inhabitants under the command of Lt. Craddock. By 1623 there were 96 inhabitants, 9 of whom were females. Of the 87 men and boys, the only names preserved were: Edward Rodgers, Benjamin Knight, Henry Wilson, William Andrews, John Parsons, Thomas Hall, Walter Scott, William Williams, Robert Edmunds, John Evans, Thomas Powell, Thomas Parks, HENRY WATKINS, William Davis, John Wilkins, William Smith, John Barrett, Thomas Ancient Savage, John Fisher, James Vocat Piper, John Parramore, and Thomas Gascoyne.
      Henry Watkins subscribed with twenty-five other Burgesses means with which to send Mr. Pountis , in 1623 , with a petition to the Crown. - (Campbell , 178, and Hening I, 129.)

      In February 1624, Accomack Plantation was represented at a stormy session of the General Assembly. Captain John Wilcox, overseer of the Company land, and HENRY WATKINS, overseer for Lady Dale, were the Burgesses. King James I had annulled the charter of the Virginia Company and only a decree of the highest court in England was needed to make the annulment final. The fate of the representative government which had functioned for almost five years was unknown. The King had never favored it and some members of the Virginia Company who sought Royal favors had criticized it. This Assembly was also concerned about the ownership of land in fee simple when the charter was annulled. Some existing laws were strengthened and additional ones were passed to make this government more closely conform to the English Parliament. After the General Assembly of 1624 adjourned, Burgesses Wilcox and WATKINS returned to Accomack Plantation to explain the laws to the people. At the census at this time there were 79 men, women and church. The charter of the Virginia Company was annulled on June 24, 1624, and Virginia became England's first Crown Colony. A church was built on the Secretary's land. After the harvest was finished in the fall of 1624, the rest of the Company tenants were transferred to Elizabeth City. The census of 1625 shows 51 people.
      Other than in Miss Hess?s application, I can find no further proof that this early Henry Watkins was the father of our Henry Watkins. There is no will of the early Henry Watkins, that I know of, and no land records, etc., that might tell us the truth of the matter. There are proofs that we descend from the following Henry, however.

      HENRY WATKINS is documented in Henrico County, Virginia. He was a Quaker, a member of the Society of Friends, and appears in officials records in Henrico County, VA as early as 1677. One quote says: "One of the most interesting families in Virginia from the point of view of economic, social and political development is the distinguished family of which Henry Watkins is the immigrant ancestor."
      1677: assisted Richard Cocke, Col. Ligon, and Gilbert Jones in the survey of ?Mawburne [Malvern] Hills,? which he owned.
      1678: Henry Watkins paid tithes in Varina parish.
      1679: Deed patented for 170 acres of land on the north side of the James River in Henrico County. Henry Watkins held land in the "Turkey Island" district of eastern Henrico County, north of the James River, when a militia roll was taken in June 1679. [also the area where Giles Carter is found]
      1684: Henry Fined for continuing in his Quakerism.
      1690: Purchased 360 acres of land in Varina Parish, Henrico Co, south side of Chickahominy Swamp from Lyonel Morris. That same year, he bought 60 acres of land adjoining his own land and touching a run of Turkey Island Creek.

      His religion, at times, caused him to clash with the ruling authorities in Virginia. In 1660, the Virginia Assembly passed a strict law against Quakers, who they described as ?"... an unreasonable and turbulent sort of people, who daily gather together unlawful assemblies of people, teaching lies, miracles, false visions, prophecies, and doctrines tending to disturb the peace, disorganize Society and destroy the peace, disorganize society and destroy all laws, and government, and religion.? You?ll find many mentions of Henry Watkins in "Quaker Records of Henrico Monthly Meeting" by F. Edward Wright. When his wife was assaulted, he refused to prosecute the criminal because the law required actions contrary to the Quaker doctrine. In 1661 an act was passed that anyone who failed to attend services of the established church for a period of one month would be subject to a fine. And again in 1666 an act was passed imposing fines on 'refractory persons' for failure to comply with the militia laws and regulations. In 1684 Henry Watkins was fined by the court for "continuing in his Quakerisms." His fine was later remitted. Other Quaker families in the area were the Pleasant?s, ?Makeney?s,? and the Woodson?s.