Captain Raleigh Croshaw (c.1584-1624) is an Ancient Planter and representative in the House of Burgesses for Elizabeth City County in Colony and Dominion of Virginia.
Video Raleigh Croshaw
Virginia settlers
Croshaw is believed to have originated from the Crashaw family of Crawshawbooth, Lancashire, England; her offspring and birth date are unknown. He arrived at Jamestown, Virginia on "Mary & Margrett", with Second Supply in September 1608. His wife came to "Bona Nova" in 1620 but, as he was not mentioned in the 1623 Census, he was likely to die by 1623. He was a member of the Virginia Company of London in 1609 and is still listed as an adventurer in the Company in both 1618 and 1620. He is one of the authors of the free verses beginning with "The General History of Virginia, New England and Summer Isles" (1624) from John Smith from Jamestown.
Croshaw and his wife have at least two sons, maybe three:
- Joseph Croshaw (1610-1667), married 1. Unknown; 2. Widows finch; 3. Widow Anne Hodges; 4. Margaret Tucker's widow; 5. Mary Bromfield Widow
- (maybe) Noah Croshaw (1614-1665), married Elinor ________
- Richard Croshaw (1618-1667), married Elizabeth _________
Raleigh Croshaw is a local official in the Elizabeth City area. This settlement came to be known as Central Plantation and then Williamsburg, Virginia. His children are the first to take advantage of this new settlement. Both Joseph and Richard are mentioned many times in the notes. Joseph appears to have led a more public life, has been a member of the House of Burgesses of York and has served as a judge and as a sheriff for York County, Virginia.
Maps Raleigh Croshaw
Indian fighter
Croshaw was mentioned as a member of the group with Captain John Smith in January 1609, who while trying to trade corn with the Indians in the village of Opechancanough was almost overcome by surprise. This attack was thwarted in part by Raleigh Croshaw's quick reaction. Raleigh Croshaw then travels the night back to Jamestown which helps to avoid further treachery. He seems to be a highly skilled Indian fighter.
At the time of the massacre of March 1622, he was on a trading voyage at Potomac. According to the General History of Captain John Smith, Croshaw challenges the head of Opchanacanough or his soldiers to fight him naked (without armor), an offer not accepted. When Captain John Smith published his General History in 1624, one of the verses in Volume III of this book was written by Croshaw - and in his writings, John Smith implies a high opinion about Croshaw's knowledge of Indians and their way of war..
Raleigh Croshaw accompanied Claiborne in his explorations and, with only a few, managed to keep long-range trading posts on the Potomac River in the 1622 attack. Captain Raleigh Croshaw was in the Potomac River trading in small bark, commanded by Captain Spilman. There was an Indian stealing on the ship and telling them about the massacre, (1622) and that Opchanacanough had trained with the King and his Country to betray them, which they rejected, but that the Werowocomoco Indians had done it. Captain Spilman went there, but the Indians after seeing that his men were very alert and well armed, suspected that they had been found, therefore, to deceive him, they gave him a good deal in trade, that his ship was almost immediately overdone load ".
Ancient Planter
Around the year 1623 a patent was issued for "Captain Raleigh Croshaw, Gentleman, of Kiccoughtan," An Ancient Planter who has lived in this country 15 years fully and performs many services worthy of the Colony, "for 500 acres (2Ã,²Ã,²) by Old Point of Convenience This is based on hauling himself, his maid and his wife in addition to the £ 25 pound sterling adventure in the Company.
The following year, he was a burgess for Elizabeth City. In March 1624 he was given a commission to trade with the Indians for corn. In this voyage he bought a "big canoe" for 10,000 blue beads. The Elizabeth City corporation stated that "Captain Raleigh Croshaw is grown by a 500 acre (2 km ²) Patent between Fox Hill and Pamunkey River to build Elizabeth City." Captain Raleigh Croshaw was last called on 22 November 1624. On December 27, 1624, Captain Francis West was instructed to take his estate inventory.
In 1637 the York County settlers had begun to break their own fences and moved to Indian soil on the other side. The area between Queens Creek and Ware Creek is called "Indian Fields." It is a series of vast communal fields that Indians use to grow corn. Again, it was Joseph Croshaw and Richard Croshaw who was the first to move into the area. In 1637 and 1638, they each patented several thousand hectares about where the Peary Camp government center is located today. They control most of the land in the area for the next 20-25 years.
Source
- Crowshaw , by Martha Woodroof Hiden; William and Mary Qtrly (2), XXI, pp265 70.
- General Historie , by John Smith, 1624, Vol III, pp 78 81, Vol IV, pp.Ã, 151 154.
- Complete Works of Captain John Smith , edited by Philip L. Barbour; Vol II, University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC, 1986.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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