• John A. Crouse

John A. Crouse
& Jane Cox

John A. Crouse, son of Jacob CROUSE & Sarah EDWARDS, was born abt. 1800 in Wilkes/Ashe Co., NC, and died 1874 in Alleghany Co., NC. He married Jane Cox, daughter of David COX & Lucy REEVES, abt. 1825. She was born abt. 1807 in Grayson Co., VA, and died aft. 1880, probably in Alleghany Co., NC.

Children of John A. Crouse & Jane Cox:

  1. Lucy Crouse, b. Jan. 8, 1826, Ashe Co., NC; d. Jan. 8, 1904, Alleghany Co., NC; m. William WATSON, son of Clark WATSON & __ WEAVER, Oct. 21, 1851, Ashe Co., NC (b. 1818; d. Feb. 20, 1924); bur. Union Primitive Baptist Church, Alleghany Co., NC. Children: John Watson (1852), David Watson (1854), Reeves Watson (1856), George W. Watson (c.1858), James Melvin Watson (c.1860), Margaret J. Watson (c.1862), William P. Watson (c.1865).
  2. Margaret M. Crouse, b. abt. 1828, Ashe Co., NC; d. aft. 1880; m. David HOLBROOK, abt. 1848 (b. abt. 1820; d. aft. 1880). Children: John F. Holbrook (c.1849) m. Margaret J. CROUSE; William Kelly Holbrook (c.1850), Jesse Holbrook (c.1851), Joseph Reeves Holbrook (1853) m. Martha A. EDWARDS; Sarah Holbrook (1860), Nancy Holbrook (c.1868), Elizabeth Holbrook (c.1870), Ennis Holbrook (c.1872).
  3. Matilda Sarah Crouse, b. Jan. 24, 1833, Ashe Co., NC; d. Dec. 30, 1913, Alleghany Co., NC; m. Thomas J. DOUGLAS, son of Rev. George DOUGLAS & Isabella THOMPSON, Apr. 5, 1855, Ashe Co., NC (b. abt. 1825; d. bef. 1900); bur. Union Primitive Baptist Church, Alleghany Co., NC. Children: Isabel Jane Douglas (c.1855); Margaret C. Douglas (1858) m. Bledsoe E. CAUDILL; George Reeves Douglas (1860).
  4. +Reeves Crouse, b. abt. 1834, Ashe Co., NC; d. July 11, 1864, Richmond, VA (Civil War); m. Caroline EDWARDS, daughter of Berry EDWARDS, Sr., & Ruth DAVIS, Nov. 27, 1853, Ashe Co., NC (b. Mar. 10, 1834; d. Jan. 6, 1893).
  5. Mary J. Crouse, b. 1834, Ashe Co., NC; d. aft. 1900; m. Ralph BLEVINS, Apr. 9, 1857, Ashe Co., NC (b. 1837; d. aft. 1900).  Children: Cynthia Blevins (c.1858), George Blevins (c.1867), Lucy C. Blevins (c.1877).
  6. Cynthia Crouse, b. abt. 1837, Ashe Co., NC; d. unk.; she was unmarried in 1874.
  7. Catherine Crouse, b. abt. 1843, Ashe Co., NC; d. Feb. 8, 1868, Alleghany Co., NC; m. James Franklin CAUDILL, son of James Robert CAUDILL & Phoebe HOLLOWAY, abt. 1861 (b. May 10, 1845; d. June 8, 1921); bur. John A. Caudill Cemetery, Whitehead, Alleghany Co., NC.  Children: John R. Caudill (c.1862), David Rufus Caudill (c.1865), Celia Caudill (c.1865).  James F. CAUDILL m. (2nd) Elvira KOONZ and had 11 more children.
  8. Phebe Crouse, b. Dec. 1844, Ashe Co., NC; d. aft. 1900, probably Grayson Co., VA; m. Hamilton BLEVINS, 1867, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Feb. 1836; d. aft. 1900).  Children: Sarah Blevins (c.1868), Alexander Blevins (1870), John Blevins (c.1872), Andrew Blevins (c.1876), Margaret "Peggy" Blevins (c.1878), Matilda Blevins (1885), Elisha Blevins (1888).

Notes

There were at least three men named John Crouse in Alleghany County during the 19th century, and it can be difficult to sort them out.  John A. Crouse (1800-1874) who married Jane Cox, daughter of David Cox & Lucy Reeves, lived in the Blue Ridge Mountains in southern Gap Civil Township (now Whitehead Township), near the headwaters of the Little River.  His neighbors included Franklin J. Hoppers and Isom C. Wagoner.  He also owned land on the other side of the Blue Ridge in Wilkes County, at the headwaters of the Roaring River.  John A. Crouse died in 1874.

There was a younger John A. Crouse (c.1841-c.1870's) who was married to Sarah Ann Toliver; he lived in northern Gap Civil Township.  Just to make things interesting, another John Crouse (born c.1805, wife "Bashy" or Basheba) also died in 1874; he lived in northern Gap Civil Township in the same area as the Edwards and Willey families.

1830 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p.31: JOHN KROWSE
1 w/m under 52 w/f under 5
1 w/m 30-391 w/f 20-29

1840 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, Spicer's Dist., p.86: JOHN CROUSE
1 w/m under 51 w/f under 5
1 w/m 5-92 w/f 5-9
1 w/m 40-492 w/f 10-14
 1 w/f 30-39

1850 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p.247 (HH#145):
JOHN CROWS, 50, farmer, $225, NC
-- Jane, 43, NC
-- Lucy, 24, NC
-- Sarah, 17, NC
-- Mary, 15, NC
-- Cinthia, 13, NC
-- Catherine, 7, NC
-- Phebe, 5, NC

Oct. 26, 1857. David COX of Ashe Co., NC, names "my daughter Jane KROWSE wife of John KROWSE" in his will dated Oct. 26, 1857, proved April 1862. (Ashe WB 1, p.8.)

1860 Census, Alleghany Co., NC, p.198/p.396 (HH#329):
JOHN KROWS, 60, farmer, $1000, $650, NC
-- Jane, 57, NC
-- Cynthia, 21, NC
-- Katherine, 17, NC
-- Pheby, 14, NC

1860 Agricultural Census, Alleghany Co., NC: JOHN KRAUS, 50 acres improved land, 400 acres unimproved land, value of farm $1000, value of farm implements $30, 4 horses, 0 asses/mules, 3 milch cows, 0 working oxen, 6 other cattle, 25 sheep, 20 swine, value of livestock $465. (Source: New River Notes)

1870 Census, Alleghany Co., Gap Civil Twp. (HH#1):
JOHN A. CROUSE, 70, farmer, NC
-- Jane, 63, VA
BLEVINS, Mary, 34, NC
CROUSE, Mary, 31, NC
-- Cynthia, 12, NC
-- George, 3, NC

Sept. 18, 1874. David HOLBROOK and J.F. CAUDILL were appointed administrators of the estate of John CROUSE. Estate records refer to land consisting of 100 acres on Corn Camp Creek at the headwaters of Roaring River, and 200 acres in 4 tracts on the Little River adj. Caswell TAYLOR, Franklin HOPPERS, I.C. WAGGONER, J.P. CAUDILL, Stephen HOPPERS, Benjamin BILLINGS, and Caroline JOHNSTON. The named heirs were:

(Source: original papers in NC Archives Box No. C.R.004.508.6, abstracted by Carolyn Willey Spence.

July 15, 1878. David HOLBROOK & James F. CAUDILL, Adm'rs of John CROUSE, dec'd, to J. Reeves HOLBROOK & wife Martha A., 2 tracts of land on Little River, for $545.60. 1st tract: beg. on the corner of the dower of Jane CROUSE in an agreed line btw Josiah CAUDILL & John CROUSE, adj. C.J. TAYLOR. 2nd tract: adj. Tract No. 1, JOINES?, CAUDILL, old CROUSE corner. Land sold at public auction on May 8, 1875, by order of the Superior Court in the case of David HOLBROOK & J.F. CAUDILL, Adm'rs of John CROUSE, dec'd, against Thomas DOUGLAS & other heirs at law of John CROUSE. Signed: James F. CAUDILL, David HOLBROOK. Wit: E.L. VAUGHAN. Proved July 15, 1878 (ack'd). Reg. July 15, 1878. (Alleghany DB 4:87.)

July 20, 1878. J.R. HOLBROOK & wife Martha A. to Thomas W. CARTER, tract of land [no acreage stated], for $150. Beg. on the corner of the dower of Jane CROUSE in an agreed line btw Josiah CAUDILL & John CROUSE, adj. C.J. TAYLOR & the corner of the land described in a deed from David HOLBROOK & J.F. CAUDILL, Adm'rs of John CROUSE, dec'd [DB 4:87, above]. Signed: J.R. HOLBROOK, Martha A. HOLBROOK. Wit: Josiah CAUDILL. Proved July 20, 1878 (ack'd). Reg. July 25, 1878. (Alleghany DB 4:84.)

John Crouse died in 1874. Jane is listed in the 1880 census with her daughter Phebe (m. Hamilton Blevins).

1880 Census, Alleghany Co., NC, Gap Civil Twp., p.269):
HAMILTON BLEVINS, 46, farmer, NC NC NC
-- Phebe, 34, wife, NC NC NC
-- Sarah, 12, dau, " " "
-- Alexander, 10, son, " " "
-- John, 8, son, " " "
-- Andrew, 4, son, " " "
-- Margarett, 2, dau, " " "
CROUSE, Jane, 73, mother-in-law, " " "
-- George, 12, nephew, " " "

Top