Unity Croshaw
Unity Croshaw was a colonist of British Colonial Virginia, the first surviving European colony in North America. Born in the colony, she was one of five daughters of Major Joseph Croshaw, and a granddaughter of Raleigh Croshaw, who came to the Colony of Virginia in 1608 with the Second Supply to Jamestown.[1]
Biography
[edit]Unity Croshaw is believed to have been born about 1636[2] to Joseph Croshaw and his 1st wife, whose name is unknown. Unity was a middle child and had as many as six sisters and brothers. She married Colonel John West, son of Captain and Governor John West, sometime before 4 November 1664, at the age of about 28.[3] As a result of the marriage, and the early death of Unity's half-brother Joseph (1667-1682), the intended heir per Joseph Croshaw's 1667 will, Croshaw's 600 acre plantation at "Poplar Neck" passed to John West. Between 1682 and 1687, a legal dispute regarding the terms of Joseph Croshaw's will between West and the widowed 2nd husband of Croshaw's 5th wife, mother of his son Joseph, Jr., delayed the final sale of "Poplar Neck". On 24 April 1687, after the York County Court confirmed all right to it to West and his wife Unity, and approved its sale, "Poplar Neck" was sold by West "and Unity his wife" to Edmund Jenings, who then renamed it "Ripon Hall".[4][5]
Unity Croshaw and John West had the following children:[6]
- John West III, married Judith Armistead, daughter of Anthony Armistead.
- Thomas West 1669–1714, married Agnes 1670-1720
- Nathaniel West, married Martha Woodward, widow of Gideon Macon.
- Anne West, married Henry Fox.
One source says Unity died after 30 October 1693, when she relinquished dower in "Poplar Neck."[7] However, she was still living on June 20, 1707, "for on that date the Feofees of Delaware Town, King William County, conveyed to Madam Unity West, of King William County, Lot 46 in the said town."[2] [8]
Having married at age about 28 to John West, and her sister Rachel marrying to Ralph Graves by December of 1654,[9] and sister Mary to Henry White by March 1660/61,[10] there has been some debate about a possible earlier marriage of Unity. But that theory is based on circumstantial evidence, and has not yet been substantiated.
References
[edit]- ^ "Second Supply -- Jamestown Rediscovery". Archived from the original on September 7, 2012.
- ^ Source needed
- ^ A list of ..Land in VA belonging to Edmond Jennings Esqr. 25 Jul 1712. Frances C Corbin papers Duke University Library. Deed 4 Nov 1664. Joseph Croshaw to John West for "the whole tract of Poplar Neck:" and six Negroes, and two white servants. acknowledged in New Kent Co. " it being for and in Satisfaction of his Daughter" portion than (then) wife of said West.” Cited in Dorman, John Frederick, Adventurers of Purse and Person, 4th ed., Vol. 1, p.773.
- ^ "Notes and Queries", William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 2, No. 4 [1]
- ^ Deed of Sale, 600 acres Poplar Neck Plantation, John West to Edmond Jennings, Deed, Wills, Etc Book 8, 1687-1691, York County, Virginia, pp 48-49
- ^ Dorman, John Frederick, Adventurers of Purse and Person, 4th ed., v.3, p.490
- ^ Dorman, Vol. 1, p.773.
- ^ King William County, VA Records, Book No. 11, page 179
- ^ 23 December 1654, Joseph Croshaw Deed of Gift 1000 ac in New Kent County to Ralph and Rachel Graves, York County VA Deeds, Wills, Orders, V1 1633-157, p. 191
- ^ 22 March 1660/61, Deed of Gift, land in York and New Kent, from Joseph Croshaw in recognition of marriage of Henry White to Mary Croshaw, Deeds, Wills, Orders, etc 3, 1657-1662, York County, Virginia: York. Deeds 1657–16, p. 233
Sources
[edit]- "Records of York County, Croshaw, vol. 1664-1672, p. 257"
- "Notes and Queries", The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Apr., 1894)
- "Tax Rolls, March 1660. 3 March 1659."