James Madison Crews ^[1] was born on  Nov 17, 1758 in Virginia. The following material comes from "Our Cruze Ancestors" by Elmer A. Houser (1994) p. 11-12:

 "He had an older brother, Gideon, born in 1752 and in pension papers filed in 1819, James said that he had a sister born ca 1754 who was "insane". Some of us believe there was also a brother, Caleb. James' parents are unknown, but there is some speculation that his father was a Joseph Crew. However, the available records show land transactions from 1788 to 1792 between James and Gideon and a Walter Crew.  Records of this Walter end in 1792, suggesting that he was an older person and had died. In the author's view, this makes Walter a prime candidate to be James' father. But of course, Walter could have been an uncle or cousin who died young or left the area.  James and his brother, Gideon, enlisted in the Continental Army on 9 May 1776 in Buckingham Co., Virginia. They served for about a year as privates, in Captain Thomas Patterson's Company of the Sixth Virginia Regiment. They then transferred to Colonel Morgan's Virginia Regiment and served about a year and were in the battles of Saratoga, Edge Hill and in many skirmishes. They both later received pensions for their services. Gideon's was pension number S37371 and James' was number S39387, allowed for 4 Jun 1818 in Knox Co. Tennessee.  After the war, James and Gideon lived in Buckingham Co. for another fifteen years. They were taxed on small numbers of houses and cattle. James owned a slave beginning in 1790." 

He married Lucinda Hood about 1784 in Buckingham Co. Virginia.  She was born in 1759 and died on 22 Aug 1838.  She was a sister of Aaron Hood, the progenitor of most of the Hoods in East Tennessee.  James and Lucinda had five children in Virginia and moved to Knox Co. where they had five more.

Additional research on James was found in "Crews Family Record" by James Holloway (1988); Page 6, Page 7, Page 8. James died on March 6, 1841 in Knox, TN.  The 10 children of James and Lucinda are:

Ellison Crews, ^[1] son of James and Lucinda, was born in Knox Co., Tennessee between 1780 and 1790 in Buckingham County, VA.  He was married there to Sarah Gillespie and moved to Vigo Co., Indiana before Aug 8, 1818 where his son James was born. At this time DNA research (currently 6 DNA matches) indicates that Sarah is the daughter of James Gillespie, born in 1764 who died in 1819 in Crawford, IL.  Ellison owned a farm in Vigo Co., Indiana at the time of his death. After Ellison's death Sarah with at least three of her sons per; James, William and Ellison Jr. moved to Monroe Co., Iowa where they are listed in the 1850 U.S. census. Sarah was born in the state of PA. Source: "Crews(e) Family Record" by James Holloway (1988) (page 25).  He died in 1835.  The 12 children of Ellison and Sarah are:
 

1	Lucy Crews (Dec 11, 1809 - Before 1835) [1] p.14
2	Elizabeth Crews (Jan 1, 1811 in Knox, TN - 1847) [1] p.14 Married Lee E. Ray (1808-1877) on Sep 4, 1827 in Vigo, IN I have 8 DNA matches from this family. Click here to see extended family information.
3	Margaret Crews (Aug 29, 1812 - Jun 11, 1851) [1] p.14 Married Thomas L Smith, Jr.  (1811-1868) I have 37 DNA matches from this family. Click here to see extended family information.
4	Nancy Crews (Mar 23, 1814 - Before 1835) [1] p.14
5	Annie Crews (Oct 22, 1815 - Apr 13, 1891) [1] p.14 Married William Henry McBride (1814-1891) I have 6 DNA matches from this family.  Click here to see extended family information.
6	Anderson Crews (Feb 26, 1817 in Knox, TN - Nov 2, 1855 in WV) [1] p.14
7	James Crews (See generation #6 below)
8	Jane Crews (Nov 6, 1820 in Vigo, Indiana - ) [1] p.14
9	John Crews (Aug 29, 1822 - Aft. 1876) [1] p.14 Married Mary Jane Caldwell (1825-)  I have 19 DNA matches from this family.  Click here to see extended family information.
10	William Crews (Jul 2, 1824 in IN - Sep 25, 1853 in Monroe Co., IN) [1] p.14 Census: 1850; Marriage Married Nancy McMulin (1829-1911) on Oct 17, 1850 in Monroe Co., IA Nancy is daughter of Joseph McMulin & Mary Young.  Nancy remarried Francis Marion Moss on Nov 8, 1855.
11	Sarah Crews (May 27, 1826 in Vigo, Indiana - ) [1] p.14
12	Ellison Crewse (Aug 8, 1828 in Vigo, Indiana - Apr 30, 1903 in Oregon) [1] p.14 Married Mary Jane Messinger (May 30, 1841 - Nov 25, 1905) on Mar 13, 1864 in OR Census: 1850, 1880, 1900; Marriage - No children

 

James Crews, ^[1] son of Ellison and Sarah was born on August 08, 1818 in Terre Haute, Vigo, IN.  He was of English descent, a religious man, member of the Christian church. After his father Ellison Crews died in 1835, his mother Sarah and three sons, James, Ellison and William Crews moved to Monroe County, Iowa where they are listed in the 1850 US census. James was married here to Rhoda McMulin, daughter of Joseph McMulin and Mary Young.  All of their children were born in Iowa.  In 1877 the family moved west in a covered wagon, 608 miles, and settled on a school section near Austin, Sumner County, Kansas. James and family are on the 1880 Census.  James Crews came home ill from work one day. Rhoda helped him to bed and sent for a doctor. He did not regain consciousness and died of a stroke in 1881, age 63 years. James and neighbors laid out the Austin, Kansas cemetery and received burial lots for the work so when he died he had a home to go to.   Rhoda appears on the 1900 Census age 67 and living with son John and family.  Source: "Crews(e) Family Record" by James Holloway (1988) (page 29) - (page 30).  Rhoda appears to have been buried without a gravestone next to her late husband. 

The 9 children of James and Rhoda are:

1	Sarah Elizabeth Cruse (Jan, 1854 in Monroe Co., IA - Mar 6, 1877 in IL) Married James C. Booth (1838-1908) on Jan 21, 1871 I have 13 DNA matches from this family Click here to view Sarah's extended family page
2	Mary Ann Crewse (Jan 24, 1857 - Apr 10, 1897)    Married Abijah Richard Fagg (Oct 8, 1854 - Mar 9, 1917) I have 55 DNA matches from this family Click here to view Mary's extended family page
3	James Ellison Crewse (Jul 25, 1858 - Dec 26, 1915) Census: 1860, 1900, 1910; Marriage Married Mary Elizabeth Hare (1873-1893)      1. John E. Crewse (Jun 14, 1893 - Jul 9, 1893) infant
4	John Ezra Crewse (Jul 25, 1858 - Dec 24, 1933)  Married Charlotte Rosella Pierson on Nov 1, 1882 in Ottumwa, IA I have 6 DNA matches from this family Click here to view John's extended family page
5	Nancy Emily Crewse (See Generation #7 Below)
6	George Marion Crewse (Nov 7, 1862 - May 27, 1911)   Married Emily Mae Doramus (1868-1959) on Jan 31, 1893 I have 41 DNA matches from this family Click here to view George's extended family page
7	Lydia Arilla Crewse (Jan 24, 1865 in IA - Jun 1, 1954 in ID)   Married Lewis Irwin Snyder (1863-1910) in 1882 I have 14 DNA matches from this family Click here to view Lydia's extended family page
8	Rhoda Jane Crewse (Nov 16, 1867 - 1956)   Census: 1880, 1920, 1940 Married William Sherman Tecumseh Griswold (1865-1943) on Oct 6, 1892 I have 3 DNA matches from this family Click here to view Rhoda's extended family page
9	Dollie Sophia Ellen Crewse (Sep 25, 1870 - Feb 10, 1958 in ID)   Married James Irwin Holloway (1858-1933) on Feb 29, 1888 I have 28 DNA matches from this family Click here to view Dollie's extended family page

Sisters Lydia, Rhoda and Dollie, taken in the 1950's.

Rhoda and 4 daughters, taken around 1910