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The Crumly family of Virginia Generation No. 1

James Crumley came to America either from Yorkshire, England or County Monaghan, Ireland. One source stated that James' family may have moved from Ireland to England, and from there immigrated to the New World. The Crumleys are believed to have been Quakers. James settled first in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and then moved to Virginia. His home plantation was situated on Apple Pie Ridge, about two miles south of Whitehall in Frederick County, Virginia. It was there that James carried out his business of dealing in Spanish leather. James Crumley was a private in the Culpepper Militia. In 1752 he was elected a vestryman of the Frederick Parish.


James had a brother, Thomas, and a sister, Joan, whom he named in his will. However, no records have been found for Thomas or Joan in Virginia. James married Catherine Gilkey in 1782, from whose father be bought his 600 acre plantation in Frederick County, VA. James' grandson, William, moved from Virginia to Greene County, Tennessee and settled at Brown's Town. That branch of the Crumley family remained in Greene County until some of his great-grandchildren moved westward into Arkansas and Texas. Later many of James Crumley's descendants dropped the "e" from Crumley and spelled their name Crumly.


More about James Crumley from Chester Co., Pennsylvania to Frederick Co., Virginia ~ More about  Catherine, his wife


Note: I have used Frederick County, Virginia as the residence for the Crumley family, though there are those who show Berkeley Co.,Virginia or in some cases, West Virginia. West Virginia was not formed until 1861. The northern part of Frederick County combined with Berkeley County in West Virginia at that time.


James Crumley b: c1712, Yorkshire, England; d: Aug 1764, Frederick  Co., Virginia; m: Catherine Gilkey 1732, Chester Co., Pennsylvania; b: c1712, County Donegal, Ireland; d:1816, Frederick Co., Virginia; possibly the dau of David and Barbara Gilkey

(There is debate as to the parents of Catherine, she could have been a Gilkey or a Bowen)

James Crumley (c1712-1764) Slave-owning Quaker, Moonshiner #88

Catherine Crumley (c1712-1790) raised her family in a two room cabin #94

Historic houses, Frederick County, Virginia


John Crumley

b: 1733, Chester Co., Pennsylvania; d: 24 Oct 1794, Newberry, South Carolina; m ) Hannah Faulkner  b: 1740, Frederick Co., Virginia; d: 1794, Newberry, South Carolina

Mary Crumley

b: 1737, Chester Co., Pennsylvania; m: 1) Jesse Faulkner;  m: 2)Thomas Doster

Henry Crumley

 1739 - b: 1739 in Chester Co., Pennsylvania; d: c1792;  m ) Sarah ?

William Crumley

b: 1740, Chester Co., Pennsylvania; d: Sep 1793, Frederick County, Virginia; m: 1) Hannah Mercer  b: 1745, Frederick Co., Virginia; d: Bef. 12 May 1774, Virginia; m: 2) Sarah Dunn  b: 1750, Frederick Co., Virginia; d: 1804, Frederick Co., Virginia

Samuel Crumley

b: 1741, Chester Co., Pennsylvania;  d: about 1764