James Crews
 
Birth Date: August 08, 1818 in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana
Death Date: November 22, 1881 in Sumner, Kansas
Parents: Ellison Crews and Sarah Gillespie
Married: Rhoda McMullen on August 03, 1851 in Monroe Co., Iowa
James Crews, born at Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana was of English descent, a religious man, member of the Christian church. After his father Ellison Crews died, 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 and 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 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 cemetary and received burial lots for the work so when he died he had a home to go to.

Rhoda, for whatever reason, she was 48 when James died, sent her youngest daughter Dollie Ellen Crews back to Iowa to live with her first cousin Sarah Jane McBride who married Isaac Elder.  Dollie lived there four years before going back to Kansas.

Source: Crews Family Record by James Holloway (1988)

The children of James and Rhoda are:

.

Name

Birth Death
1 Sarah Jan 1854 ?
2 Mary Ann Jan 24, 1857 Apr 10, 1897
3 James Ellison Jul 25, 1858 Dec 26, 1915
4 John Ezra Jul 25, 1858 1933
5 Nancy Emily Dec 02, 1860 Aug 25, 1936
6 George Marion Nov 07, 1862 May 27, 1911
7 Lydia Arilla Jan 1864 ?
8 Rhoda Jane Nov 16, 1867 1956
9 Dollie Ellen Sep 25, 1870 Feb 10, 1958

 

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