USA > Virginia > Augusta County > Augusta County > Annals of Augusta County, Virginia > Part 6
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On the day of the slaughter, early in the morning, it is said, Alex- ander Crawford and his wife returned home to procure a supply of vegetables, while two of their sons, William and John, went upon the mountain to salt the horses which had been turned out to graze. From their elevation on the side of the mountain, the two youths saw the smoke and flames of the burning homestead. On the same day, pro- bably, the home of John Trimble, some three miles off, on Middle River, was assailed, as is related elsewhere.
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We may imagine that the men of the neighborhood were somewhat slow to assemble. No one knew but his house would be attacked next, and every man felt it necessary to protect his own family if possible. When the people rallied and repaired to the Crawford place, the dwell- ing had been consumed by fire. The charred remains of Alexander Crawford were found in the ashes, showing that he had been killed in the house. His wife's body was found outside, and it was inferred that she had attempted to escape, but was overtaken and tomahawked. The remains of both were gathered up and buried in the Glebe grave-" yard.
The sale-bill of Alexander Crawford's personal estate amounted to £334, 17s, 9d, about $1, 114, a larger sum than was common at that day. We mention as some indication of the state of the times, that among the articles sold by the administrator were a still and a wolf-trap. All the family records and other household effects perished with the dwelling.
It is related that Alexander Crawford was ambitious to be the founder of "a clan,", such as we read of in Scottish history, and impressed it upon his children that they must respect the right of primogeniture then existing by law. His oldest son, William, did not approve of the scheme, and thus his father's wishes were defeated. The latter was a skilled worker in iron.
The children of Alexander and Mary Crawford were-
I. William Crawford, who is named first in every list. In an old grave-yard, on a high hill overlooking Middle river, on the farm of the late Ephraim Geeding, is an ancient sand-stone, flat on the ground and broken in two. The inscription upon it, which is nearly illegible, is as follows :
Jacir
"Wm. Crawford, departed this life October 15, 1792, aged 48 years."
He was therefore twenty years old when his parents were massa- cred. His will was proved in court at December term, 1792. In it he mentions his wife, Rachel, and his children, Alexander, James, John, William, George, Polly, Nancy, Jenny and Rachel. He also alludes to James Elliott as a neighboring land-owner, and from this person, prob- ably, the highest point of the Great North Mountain was named. Of the children of William Crawford-
I. Alexander married Rachel Lessley, and his children were, (I.) William, whose wife was a daughter of Colonel Andrew Anderson, and whose children are Andrew A. Crawford, Mrs. Baxter Crawford, Mrs. Joseph B. Trimble and others. His youngest son, James Robert, gradu- ated at the Virginia Military Institute, served on the staff of Colonel William L. Jackson during the late war, was wounded at Droop Moun- tain, and died April 26, 1864. (2.) Polly married James Lessley, her second cousin, and is still living (1888) on a part of the domain acquired by her great-grandfather, Alexander. (3.) Rebecca, wife of Captain James Bell, whom she long survived. (4.) James, who married his full cousin, Rachel, daughter of John Crawford, and died in Texas.
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(5.) Rachel, wife of Henry Bear, whose son, Christian A. Bear, now lives on a part of the 1,640 acre tract. (6.) Alexander, whose wife was Mary Hottle, and whose children are William T. Crawford and others. He was the founder of ' Crawford's Springs," now called Augusta White Sulphur.
2. James Crawford, son of William, married Nancy Sawyers and went to Tennessee.
John, William and George, the third, fourth and fifth children of Wil- liam, also went to Tennessee.
6. Polly, wife of John Armstrong, had two sons: William, who went to Texas, and John, who went to Missouri.
7. Nancy, wife of James Tolman of Pocahontas county.
8. Jenny, wife of John Gillespie of Tennessee.
9. Rachael died young and unmarried.
II. Edward Crawford, son of Alexander and Mary, graduated at Prince- ton College in 1775, and was licensed as a preacher in 1777. He was a member of Lexington Presbytery at its organization, September 26, 1786, and was appointed to preach for a month in Tygart's Valley and Harrison county. At the meetings of Presbytery, in April and Septem- ber, 1792, at Lexington and Harrisonburg, respectively, he was the Moderator. Subsequently, he became a member of Abingdon Presby- tery, living in Southwest Virginia or East Tennessee.
III. John Crawford, third son of Alexander and Mary, was married three times successively. His first wife was Peggy, eldest daughter of his uncle, Patrick Crawford, by whom he had one daughter, who mar- ried Daniel Falls and went to Ohio. His second wife was Mary Craig, by whom he had a son, Samuel, and five daughters. Samuel went to Illinois, and is said to have had sixteen children. Nothing is known of the five daughters, except that one of them, Polly, was the wife of the Rev. Samuel Gillespie of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The third wife of John Crawford was Sally Newman of Fredericks- burg, and she had five children who lived to maturity : James, William and John, all of whom emigrated to Missouri, about 1838; a daughter, Nancy, wife of LeRoy Newman, her first cousin ; and another, Fanny, wife of Henry Rippetoe, who still survives.
John Crawford was a man of great energy and activity. It is said that he was engaged in all the expeditions of his day against the Indians, including Point Pleasant. He was a soldier during the whole Revolu- tionary war, and when not in the field was employed in making guns and other weapons, having acquired his father's skill as an iron-worker. The day after the battle of the Cowpens, in which he participated, he was promoted from the ranks to a first lieutenancy on account of his gallantry in that celebrated battle. He was also at Guilford, and with General Greene in all his southern campaign. Yet he never would ac- cept pension or bounty lands.
Like his father, however, John Crawford was desirous of acquiring a large landed estate, and there was a brisk competition between him and
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his neighbor, Francis Gardiner (pronounced by the old people " Francie Garner ") as to the ownership of the Little North Mountain range. As related, each discovered about the same time that a certain tract of a hundred acres had not been patented, and both sought to acquire it. Gardiner got ahead of Crawford by starting to Richmond first, but the latter mounted a blooded mare and never rested till he reached the capital, passing his rival on the way. Crawford emerged from the land office with his title complete, and met Gardiner at the door going in. The mare, which was no doubt worth much more than the land, died from the effects of the trip.
It is a pity to spoil a grand story by suggesting a doubt in reference to it, but it must be mentioned that such a trip to Richmond could hardly have been necessary in order to obtain title to vacant land, as the county surveyor was authorized to make the entry. Nevertheless, the main portions of the story are well authenticated.
The rivalry between the two neighbors waxed hot, and meeting one day while prospecting on the mountain, they became engaged in a fight, of which one or both, no doubt, duly repented.
John Crawford died at his home on Buffalo branch, in January, 1832, and was buried in Hebron church-yard. His tombstone gives his age as ninety-one years, and, if correctly, he was the oldest son of Alex- ander and Mary, instead of the third.
IV. James Crawford, fourth son of Alexander and Mary, became a Presbyterian minister, and was licensed to preach in 1779, He removed to Kentucky, and was for many years pastor of Walnut Hill church, near Lexington.
V. Alexander Crawford, fifth child of Alexander and Mary, was at the battle of Point Pleasant. His first wife was a Miss Hopkins, and his second a Mrs. McClure. The children of the first wife were Polly, Betsy, Kitty and Sally; and of the second, James E., William, George, Samuel and Robert. He lived on Walker's creek, Rockbridge, and was for many years an elder in New Providence church. His death oc- curred June 19, 1830. Three of his sons-William, George and Samuel -died young. Robert lived and died on his father's homestead in Rockbridge. A grandson of his, Rev. Alexander Crawford, is now (1888) pastor of a church at Campbellsville, Kentucky. James E. Craw- ford spent the latter years of his life in the Great Calf Pasture, Augusta. His children are Baxter Crawford and others.
[Another Alexander Crawford died the latter part of 1764, or early in 1765. The inventory of his estate was filed March 19, 1765. He had at least two children, Mary and Rebecca, for whom a William Crawford qualified as guardian in 1768. What family he belonged to, we cannot ascertain.]
VI. Rebecca, daughter of Alexander and Mary Crawford, married John Sawyers, and went to Tennessee or Kentucky.
VII. Bettie Crawford is said to have died in Kentucky.
VIII. Samuel Crawford, the eighth child. Nothing is known of him,
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except what we find in his will, if, indeed, he was the Samuel Crawford whose will was admitted to record at July court, 1795. It speaks of testator's wife Elizabeth and son William ; authorizes his brother James to sell land "in Cumberland "; directs his executors to sell a lot in "Nashville, in Cumberland "; and appoints William McPheeters, John Crawford and testator's widow, executors. The son William is said to have gone to Tennessee.
IX. Robert Crawford is said to have married a daughter of his uncle Patrick. The will of a person of this name was proved and admitted to record, October 29, 1810. The testator mentions his wife, Sarah, and his children, George, Elizabeth, Hugh, James, Jane, Robert, William and John. John and William Poage were appointed executors. Noth- ing more can be ascertained in reference to this family. It is strange that they should have disappeared from the county, "leaving no rack " behind.
X. Martha Crawford married Alexander Craig of the Little Calf Pas- ture, Augusta county. All her children went West, except the late Robert Craig, who died at his home near Craigsville, in 1872.
XI. Mary Crawford died unmarried at the home of her sister, Mrs. Craig.
Patrick Crawford lived on the farm lying on Middle river, east of the macadamized turnpike, now owned by his descendant, John H. Crawford. His wife was Sally Wilson. They had nine children-four sons and five daughters. In 1756, Patrick Crawford was a member of Captain James Allen's company of militia, and at a court-martial held September 2, 1757, he was fined for not appearing at a general muster. His will was proved in the county court, December 18, 1787, and his personal estate, including slaves, amounted to £2,462, 35, 7d, about $8,216.
In regard to several of his daughters, much confusion and uncertainty exists. Elizabeth, the oldest child, and wife of Alexander Robertson, is said to have been born October 18, 1751, although the Rev. John Craig baptized Martha, daughter of Patrick Crawford, in November, 1748. The probability is that this child, Martha, died in infancy, and that another born later was called by the same name. The next daugh- ter, Margaret, or Peggy, was the first wife of her cousin, John Crawford, of North Mountain. One daughter is said to have married a McChes- ney-her father refers in his will to his grandson, George McChesney. Another daughter, Sarah, married Robert Crawford. Martha, born May 10, 1761, was the second wife of Colonel Andrew Anderson, Mary, or Polly, the youngest daughter, was the wife of James Crawford, who will be mentioned hereafter.
The sons of Patrick and Sally Crawford were :
I. George Crawford, to whom his father left the plantation on which he resided. He was born October 1, 1754, and married Nancy Winter. Mrs. Crawford's parents were William and Ann Boone Winter, the latter an aunt of Daniel Boone. Elizabeth Winter, a sister of Mrs. Crawford,
ANNALS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY. . 429
married Abraham Lincoln, the grandfather of President Lincoln; and Hannah Winter, another sister, married Henry Miller, the founder of Miller's Iron Works, on Mossy creek, Augusta county. (See page 40). It may be mentioned that the grandfather of President Lincoln, then living in the part of Augusta county which is now Rockingham, at- tended a court-martial at Staunton, March 13, 1776, as captain of a militia company. His name-was written " Abraham Linkhorn."
All the children of George and Nancy Crawford were daughters, viz : I. Nancy, wife of John Miller ; 2. Hannah, wife of Harry Miller ; 3. Sally, second wife of James Bell, died childless ; 4. Jane, first wife of Franklin McCue; 5. Martha, wife of Peter Hanger ; 6. Polly, wife of James Bour- land; 7. Rebecca, died unmarried; and 8. Margaret, wife of James Walker, died childless.
II. John Crawford, second son of Patrick and Sally, and known as Major John Crawford, was born March 29, 1764. His wife was Rebecca Allen, daughter of Captain James Allen (see "The Allens,") and his chil- dren were: I. Elizabeth, wife of Captain William Ingles ; 2. Sally, wife of John Hyde ; 3. Margaret, first wife of Cyrus Hyde ; 4. James, known as Major James Crawford, married Cynthia McClung, of Greenbrier, whose son, John H., owns the Patrick Crawford farm ; 5. John, married Harriet McClung, of Greenbrier; 6. George W., died unmarried ; 7. Ann, or Nancy, second wife of Franklin McCue; 8. Mary, wife of Dr. Edward G. Moorman; and 9. Rebecca, wife of Stuart McClung, of Greenbrier.
III. William Crawford, son of Patrick and Sally, was born August 6, 1767. His wife was Nancy Smith. (See "The Smiths.") He lived in Rockingham, and was the father of the late Benjamin Crawford, of Staunton, William Crawford, of Fort Defiance, and others.
IV. James Crawford, twin brother of William, died unmarried.
The James Crawford, who married Mary, daughter of Patrick Craw- ford, died in 1798, leaving to survive him his widow and six children. A seventh child was born after her father's death. His sons were George, William, James and John; and his daughters, Sarah, Elizabeth and Polly. George died unmarried and under age; William also died unmarried, as did James, who was known as "Jocky Jim Crawford "; John married Margaret Bell, daughter of Major William Bell, and died in 1819, without issue; Sarah Crawford married Charles McClung, Elizabeth married Colonel Samuel McClung. and Polly (the posthumous child) was the first wife of John Allen. (See " The Allens.")
We have found it impossible to obtain any satisfactory account of the parentage of the late Colonel James Crawford, or of his relationship with the Patrick Crawford family. His father, said to have been named John, died while a young man, leaving two children-James and Samuel. These boys were reared by a paternal uncle called " Robin," who re- moved to Kentucky. James Crawford, recently mentioned, who died in 1798, is said to have been a brother of John and Robin. Colonel Crawford was a lawyer in Staunton for many years. After retiring from
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the bar to his farm, he was an efficient justice of the peace, president of the county court, etc., etc. His first wife was a sister of Erasmus Stribling, and his second, the widow of his cousin, John Crawford. Cap- tain Samuel Crawford, brother of James, was the Lieutenant Crawford of the war of 1812. (See page 233.) His wife was a daughter of the Rev. William Wilson.
THE BELLS.
Three or more persons named Bell, not at all related, as far as known, were among the early settlers of Augusta county. Two of these, and perhaps three, were named James. A James Bell was a member of the first County Court.
To distinguish between the families, we shall designate them by the respective neighborhoods in which they lived-North Mountain, Stone Church, and Long Glade.
North Mountain Bells .- The first of this family in the county was James Bell, who located on a tract of land one mile and a half east of Buffalo Gap, on a part of which his descendant, John Christian, lives at present (1888). It was his dwelling that was raided by Indians, as related on page 30. His children were three sons, James, Samuel and Francis, and three daughters, Ann, Betty and Mary.
I. James Bell, son of James, removed to Kentucky and located near Lexington. He was a near neighbor of Henry Clay, who consequently visited the Bells of Buffalo Gap several times on his trips to and from Washington.
II. Samuel, known for many years before his death as Major Bell. He was a soldier in the Revolution, while quite young, and, with many of his countymen, was with Morgan at the Cowpens. He lived on the farm recently owned by his son, Samuel H. Bell, and now by Archibald A. Sproul, a short distance west of Swoope's Depot.
Major Bell was married three times. His first wife was Nancy, daughter of James Bell, of Long Glade, and her children were: I. Sarah, wife of Robert Christian ; 2. James, who was a lieutenant in the war of 1812, and known for many years as Captain James Bell; and 3. Nancy, wife of John Brownlee, of the Greenville neighborhood.
The second wife of Major Bell was a Miss Cunningham, who had one child, a daughter, who died young.
The third wife was Rebecca Hays, mother of Samuel H. Bell, de- ceased, and Francis Bell, now of Pulaski county.
III. Francis Bell, son of James, married Sally, daughter of James Bell, of Long Glade, who had only one child, a son named James, who died in his youth.
IV. Ann Bell, wife of Francis Gardiner, a soldier of the Revolution.
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Their children were the late James and Samuel Gardiner, Mrs. Henry Sterrett, Mrs. Robert Wright, and others.
V. Betty, the next daughter, was the wife of Benjamin Brown, and mother of Major Joseph Brown, a prominent citizen of the county for many years, who removed to Illinois in 1837, and afterwards to Mis- souri. Major Brown's wife was a daughter of Jacob Swoope, the old merchant and Congressman.
VI. Mary, third daughter of James Bell, died unmarried.
The Stone Church Bells .- There is some uncertainty in regard to the name of the ancestor of this family. It was probably Joseph, as a Jo- seph Bell purchased a lot in Staunton, in 1747, (see page 39). All that is certainly known of him is, that he was a married man and had children, one of whom was named Joseph, and that he and his wife were mur- dered. On a certain Sunday, the year not known, the children of the family went to church, and upon returning home found that their parents had been killed in their dwelling. Two white "indentured servants," a man and a woman, who had disappeared and were never heard of, were supposed to have perpetrated the deed.
Joseph Bell, son of the former, was born in Augusta, May 25, 1742, and died in 1823. His wife was Elizabeth Henderson. Their residence was on the present macadamized turnpike, about four miles north of Staunton.
The children of Joseph and Elizabeth Bell, who attained maturity, were three sons and two daughters. One of the daughters was the wife of the senior John Wayt, and the other the wife of Dr. John Johnston. (See pages 198 and 200).
I. William Bell, son of Joseph, known as Major Bell, was for many years County Surveyor of Augusta. His wife was Margaret, daughter of Captain James Allen (see "The Allens"). Their only son was the late William J. D. Bell. Their daughters were : I. Elizabeth Allen, wife of Joseph D. Keyser, of Alleghany county ; 2. Susan, wife of James Craig, of Mount Meridian, Angusta ; 3. Mary, wife of Addison Hyde ; 4. Mar- garet A., who married, first, John Crawford (he dying childless), and, secondly, Colonel James Crawford ; 5. Nancy, wife of Zachariah McChes- ney ; 6. Sarah, second wife of John Wayt, Junior; 7. Rebecca, wife of Benjamin T. Reid; 8. Julia, wife of Alexander W. Arbuckle of Green- brier ; and, 9. Jane, wife of Rev. John A. Van Lear.
II. James Bell, son of Joseph, was born in 1772, and died in 1856. He was long the senior Justice of the Peace in Augusta (see page 256). His first wife was Sarah, daughter of Captain James Allen, whose children, leaving posterity, were the late Colonel William A. Bell, and Sarah, first wife of John Wayt, Junior. The last wife of James Bell was Margaret Craig, and her children were, John J., David S., J. Wayt, and Henderson M. Bell, Mrs. Jane Arbuckle, of Greenbrier, Mrs. Bettie Kinney, and Mrs. Margaret Young, of Staunton.
III. Joseph Bell, Junior, the third son of Joseph, Senior, resided during
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most of his life in Rockbridge county, near Goshen. His wife was a daughter of Alexander Nelson (see page 225), and Nelson Bell, of Rock- bridge, and Johnston E. Bell, of Greenbrier, are two of his sons.
The Bells of Long Glade .- James Bell came from Ireland and settled on Long Glade, Augusta, about 1740. His wife was Agnes Hogshead. He is said to have been a school teacher, and also a surveyor and scrivener. He probably was the James Bell who was one of the first county magistrates in 1745. His children were :
I. John Bell married three times, successively. His first wife, a widow Young, and his second, Esther Gamble (sister of Colonel Robert Gam- ble), had no children. His third wife, Elizabeth Griffith, had four sons and two daughters. He served two "tours " during the Revolution.
The children of John and Elizabeth were: 1. William, and 2. Abel (both of whom went to Illinois) ; 3. James R. Bell, who married Mary J. Brownlee. He served in the Confederate army, Fifth Virginia regi- ment. Was taken sick at Swift Run Gap in 1862, and died in a short time. His son, Brownlee Bell, a member of Lilly's company, Twenty- fifth regiment, was taken prisoner, and died at Fort Delaware in 1863. Three daughters of James R. Bell survive. 4. Francis, died young, unmarried. 5. Mrs. Rebecca Curry, of Greenbrier. 6. Mrs. Nancy Whitmore, of Augusta.
II. William Bell, son of James and Agnes, never married. Killed in battle during the Revolution.
III. Francis Bell, married Polly Ervin. No children.
IV. David Bell was in the military service during the war of 1812, and was called Captain Bell. His wife was a Miss Christian. He had five children, two of whom died young. The other three were-
I. James Bell married Sarah Coyner, and had seven sons, six of whom served in the Confederate army during the war of 1861-'5, viz .: (1) Alexander, died of disease contracted in the army; (2) Addison, killed at Chancellorsville, 1863 ; (3) Luther, died of disease contracted in the army, 1862; (4) William, severely wounded at Kernstown, March, 1862, practicing medicine in Fauquier ; (5) Daniel, wounded at Gettys- burg, still survives; (6) Frank, wounded during war, survives. The first, second, fifth and sixth were members of Company C, Fifth Vir- ginia regiment, "Stonewall brigade "; the third was a member of the Fifty-second regiment, and the fourth of the "Liberty Hall " company, Fourth regiment. Samuel, the seventh son of James and Sarah Bell, was not in the army, being quite young.
2. John Bell, son of David, married Sophia Ervin, and had seven sons and two daughters, viz: (1) David, Company C, Fifth regiment, died in military hospital at Lynchburg, June 24, 1863; (2) Elisha, member of Carpenter's Battery, wounded at Antietam, lives near Fredericksburg ; (3) William, Company C, Fifth regiment, wounded at Cedar Creek, 1864, survives ; (4) Alexander, Company C, Fifth regiment, taken prisoner at Antietam, and died at Fort Delaware, September 24, 1863 ; (5) Hendren,
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Company C, Fifth regiment, severely wounded at Gettysburg, and after- wards courier for General John B. Gordon, lives in Augusta ; (6) John, practicing medicine in Chicago; (7) Samuel, practicing medicine on Long Glade, Augusta ; (8) Mary, married George H. Ervin ; (9) Marga- ret, not married.
3. Betsy, daughter of David Bell, married Bethuel Herring.
V. James Bell, son of James and Agnes, went to Kentucky and died childless
VI. Thomas Bell, son of James and Agnes, married Rebecca Robert- son, of Botetourt. He inherited his father's homestead, the present Dudley farm, and died in 1854, aged eighty-two years. His children were-
I. James, married Annie Blair, and had seven children, viz: (1) Thomas M., Company C, Fifth regiment, mortally wounded at Chan- cellorsville, May 3, 1863; (2) James A., Company C, Fifth regiment, severely wounded at Kernstown and died in consequence. The remain- ing children of James and Annie Bell are daughters, all single.
2. Alexander R. Bell, son of Thomas and Rebecca, married Clara Hogshead, and had two sons and five daughters. His son, Thomas A., Fifth regiment, killed at Spotsylvania Courthouse in 1864. His son, James F., and three daughters survive. One of the daughters is the wife of Samuel Bell, son of Samuel, and another the wife of Moses Hutton, of Hardy county.
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