George Washington McGrew

Notes:

Per "The Southern McGrews Grew" he was a farmer. He sold 40 acres in Ouachita Parish on January 11, 1904 to a cousin, William L. McGrew, for $80.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1900 Census
Louisiana, Ouachita Parish, Ward 9
Enumerated 20 Jun 1900
SD 5 ED 95 Sheets 13B and 14A Stamped 197
233-236
W. and Sarah Hendrix and family
234-237
McGrew, Geo. W Head W M July 1859 40 M 20 La La La farmer
McGrew, C. J. Wf W F May 1864 36 M 30 7/7 La La La
McGrew, J. W. Son W M Mar 1880 19 S La La La
McGrew, Willie L Son W M May 1881 18 S La La La
McGrew, Geo. D Son W M Apr 1881 12 S La La La
McGrew, Mary J Dtr W F May 1886 14 S La La La
McGrew, Dovlyn Dtr W F Dec 1892 7 S La La la
McGrew, Nora/Nova A Dtr W F Sept 1894 5 S La La La
McGrew, NOT NAMED Son W M Sept 1899 8/12 S La La La

George married Catherine J. Hendrix on 31 Dec 1879 in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. Catherine was born on 4 May 1862 in Caldwell Parish, Louisiana; died on 2 Dec 1944 in West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana; was buried in Head Cemetery, West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
They are buried in the Head Cemetery in West Monroe.

1. John Wesley McGrew was born on 13 Oct 1880 in Louisiana; died on 22 Apr 1977; was buried in Palestine Cemetery, Jackson, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana.
2. William Lonzious McGrew was born on 21 May 1882 in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana; died on 28 Sep 1970 in West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana; was buried in Cypress Cemetery, West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.
3. Mary Jettie McGrew was born on 4 Apr 1885 in Louisiana; died on 25 Jan 1977 in West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana; was buried in Cypress Cemetery, West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.
4. George Dean McGrew was born on 1 Apr 1888 in Louisiana; died on 25 Jul 1914 in West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana; was buried in Head Cemetery, West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.
5. Dovey May McGrew was born on 25 Dec 1893 in Louisiana; died on 31 May 1980 in West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana; was buried in Cypress Cemetery, West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.
6. Nova McGrew was born on 24 Sep 1894 in West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana; died on 2 Jan 1981 in West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana; was buried in Head Cemetery, West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.
7. Infant McGrew was born on 5 Sep 1899 in Louisiana; died on 11 Jul 1900 in West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana; was buried in Head Cemetery, West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.

Notes:

(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Census
Louisiana, Ouachita Parish
Enumerated 18 Oct 1850
229
Nancy McGrew 54 f GA
Margaret McGrew 17 f LA
Giles Alexander McGrew 11 m LA
230
John W. McGrew 35 m LA
Mary ? McGrew 33 f LA
Francis R. McGrew 11 m LA
James C. McGrew 9 m LA
Elizabeth C. McGrew 6 f LA
Nancy Ann McGrew 4 f LA

1860 Census
Louisiana, Ouachita Parish, Ward Number Nine, PO Monroe
Enumerated 24 Oct 1860
Pages 35 and 36
257-257
John C. McGrew 40 M farmer $--- $500 La
Mary McGrew 30 F La
James McGrew 18 M La
Eliza McGrew 16 F La
Nancy McGrew 14 F La
Sarah McGrew, 10 F La
Mary McGrew 8 F La
Columbus McGrew 4 F La
Geroge McGrew 2 m La

John married Mary Ann "Polly" Cockrell on 29 Aug 1837 in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. Mary was born about 1817 in South Carolina; died before 1880. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Wynema McGrew shows her as a daughter of Charles S. COCKRELL Sr.

Notes:

According to THE SOUTHERN McGREWS GREW, Giles McGrew signed a Memorial to Congress in 1803. He was on the 1805 tax list of Washington Co, Mississippi. He married Nancy Dickerson, born 1796 in Georgia. The story was told that they were on their way to Texas and stopped in LA to make a corn crop before going further, and decided to stay.

Wynema McGrew states that he was in Ouachita Parish, LA by the 1820 census, and many of his descendants still live around Monroe, Louisiana. In 1820, Giles and Nancy were between the age of 26 and 44, and had four sons and one daughter under the age of 10. In 1830, three sons were counted, ranging in age between one day to 15 years, and five daughters were enumerated, ranging in age from 5 to 20. In 1840, the family had at home two sons under the age of 10, and four daughters whose age ranged from 5 to 20. According to a descendant, Giles and Nancy had 12 children in total, four sons and eight daughters. Ten have been identified by name.

Esther McGrew Hardin of San Antonio noted that Giles was also known as Joiles or Joel, and was the same Joel McGrew who married Nancy Dickerson Aug 27, 1811 in Amite County, Mississippi.

Giles married Nancy Dickerson on 27 Aug 1811 in Amite County, Mississippi. Nancy was born about 1796 in Georgia; died after 1850 in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Research):
Census Listings:

1850 Census
Louisiana, Ouachita Parish
Enumerated 18 Oct 1850
229
Nancy McGrew 54 f GA
Margaret McGrew 17 f LA
Giles Alexander McGrew 11 m LA
230
John W. McGrew 35 m LA
Mary ? McGrew 33 f LA
Francis R. McGrew 11 m LA
James C. McGrew 9 m LA
Elizabeth C. McGrew 6 f LA
Nancy Ann McGrew 4 f LA

Notes:

According to Feldman's ANGLO-AMERICANS IN SPANISH ARCHIVES (p 27) he and John McGrew were American residents of Mobile on January 1, 1786.

Wynema McGrew writes (p. 7) that he may also have been a royalist and left the Carolinas in the late 1770s of early 1780s, moving to area that became the Mississippi Territory, as had his older brother John. He received a Spanish land grant in 1788.

The following information is courtesy of Ester McGrew Hardin, and was originally prepared by Robert Lee McGrew of Pearland, Texas in December 1986. Some additional information has been added to his work from loose papers owned by Mrs. Hardin and from the book THE SOUTHERN McGREWS GREW by Everette L. McGrew, 2106 Freeland Way, Dallas TX 75228.

James witnessed the sale of property on March 30, 1770 in Tyrone County, North/South Carolina by Alexander Kilpatrick on both sides of the Pacelot River. This is near where his brother, John, had bought land October 9, 1770. The brothers left Tyrone County in 1778, with their wives and children, and settled in Mississippi.

James settled, however, in the area of St. Stephens, Alabama, on the banks of the Tombigbee River. This was a remote area with few settlers. The boundaries of Washington County at that time were the Chattahooche River on the east, Pearl River on the west, the 31st parallel on the south, and 32 degrees, 28 minutes on the north. From this 25,000 square miles, 26 counties in Mississippi and Alabama were later formed.

Many of these early settlers from the Carolinas and Georgia were in the territory as early as 1775, and as such were subject to the laws of the ruling Spanish Government. In keeping with Spanish regulations, the commandant of the Alabama Fort of San Esteban de Tombecbe compiled in 1797 a census of the settlers of the district. This list contained fifty-one (51) families; two of which were those of John and James McGrew. They became leaders of their settlement and were successful planters living on large plantations and active in early territory politics. James's brother, John McGrew, Sr., became on of the wealthiest planters in the south, owning approximately 4000 acres. On the 1808 tax rolls, he paid a tax of $25.05 on 29 slaves and a 640 acre section.

Mrs. Hardin had in her papers a copy of a letter from The Catholic Center, Archdiocese of Mobile, Mobile, Alabama dated January 27, 1982. It showed the following baptism's:

Ana (Nancy), Maria Casia (Keziah), Guillermo (William), Juan (John), children of Santiago (James) and Constancia Tibbett (Constance Tillet) Magrew, (Protestants). Dated 17 Nov 1788. Recorded Page 31, Bapt. Rcds. Bk #2.

Under Spanish regulations all residents were required to have their children baptized by a Catholic priest, even if they were not Catholic.

JAMES McGREW, had died in 1797 at the age of 57. According to THE SOUTHERN McGREWS GREW a James McGrew of St. Stephen's obtained a passport to go to Georgia on 8 January 1797. Possibly James died while on this trip?

James's widow, Constance, and children petitioned the Congress of the United States of American for title to his land, since the original title had been a Spanish grant, and as of 1799 the territory had been taken over by the United States. John also petitioned for his land. Many letters were written to President Thomas Jefferson, and to the Congress of the United States. These were signed by John Flood McGrew, William McGrew, John McGrew, Sr, and John McGrew, Jr. [Col. John Flood McGrew was a member of the Territorial Council, and friend of Chief Pushmataha, chief of the Choctaw tribe]. These petitions were granted and full titles to the lands in question were given to the two McGrew families. John and his children prospered during the next few years, as did Constance McGrew and her grown children. Constance tried to also obtain a grant for an additional 604 acres of land, but was denied. She and her children later sold the 400 acres of their land to Wm. and John Pierce.

Below, from the AMERICAN STATE PAPERS Volume 1, p. 686, is the summary of the hearing related to the land grant of James and Constantia McGrew in the Mississippi territory:

The heirs of James McGREW, case no. 53 on the docket of the Board, and no. 73 on the books of the Register. Claim--Of 400 acres, by virtue of a Spanish warrant of survey, under the first section of the act. The claimants presented their claim, together with a surveyor's plot of the land claimed, in the following words and figures, to wit: To the Commissioners appointed in pursuance of the act of Congress passed the 3rd day of March, 1803, to receive and adjust claims of lands east of Pearl River. Please take notice, that the following tract of land, situated on the west side of the river Tombigbee, butting and bounded as follows: beginning on a corner cotton tree, above Reams's line and lands claimed by Young Gains, &c, about two miles below Fort St. Stephen's, (supposed;) thence, running south, eighteen degrees west, one hundred and twenty-six chains fifty links, to a corner red oak; ...... thence, down the meanders of the river to the first mentioned station; .....is claimed by James McGrew, or by his heirs, to wit: Peggy McGrew, Eliza McGrew or Eliza De Castro, Alexander McGrew, Giles McGrew, James McGrew, Jane McGrew, Nancy McGrew, Keziah McGrew, John McGrew, and Wm. McGrew, children of said James McGrew, under and by virtue of a Spanish warrant or order of survey, granted unto him, the said James McGrew, on the day of; and the said claimant did, on the 27th day of October, 1795, inhabit and cultivate the tract herein specified, agreeably to the requistions of the first section of an act of Congress, entitled an act, and the same does not appear to be claimed by any preceding provision of the act, and now exhibited to the Register of the Land Office, established east of Pearl river, to be recorded as is directed by said act. To all which they beg leave to refer, as also to the plot hereto fixed, &c, &c. Presented February 29th, 1804, by Elizabeth De Castro, her X mark. Witness, Edwin Lewis. Surveyed in February, 1804, by Robert Ligon. Chain carriers, Young Gains, Dawson Grimes.

In support of this claim, a Spanish warrant of survey was exhibited in the following words and figures, to wit: Don Estevan Miro, Colonel of the royal army, Governor civil and military of the city and province of Louisiana,&c.,&c. Mobile, 12th January, 1788. James McGrew, inhabitant of this jurisdiction of Mobile, with the greatest respect to your excellency, represents and says, that there is on the Tombigee river ten acres of vacant land, which until now, has never been claimed by any proprietor; he begs your excellency to grant him, with the profounder customery, with papers of titles necessary from the Secretary of Government, that may correspond witht he concession; for which favor he will be forever thankful. (signed) James McGrew. Certified by Vicent Folch.
.
Both Wynema McGrew, the author of a book about the Descendants of James McGrew, and G.E. McGrew, 132 Lausanne Drive, Camden, SC 29020 suggest that the McGrews of South Carolina are from Omagh, County Tyrone, Ireland, and landed in Charleston SC in May, 1773. See LDS Alm(?) 874714, at the Orangeburg Historical Society in South Carolina.

Esther McGrew Hardin instead speculates that the McGrew's might be descended from Quaker families originally from Pennsylvania. Many McGrew's can be found in Orange County, North Carolina records. Additionally, in the corner of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, many members of the Blackburn, Means and McGrew families were all kin, a pattern of intermarriage between these families that continued for many generations. It is possible they came to Pennyslvania from Omagh.

James married Constance Tillett before 1774 in South Carolina. Constance was born about 1752; died between 1805 and 1808 in St. Stephens, Mississippi Territory. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Constance Tillett was likely a daughter of Giles Tillett of Virginia, who was an early settler of Georgia. In 1773, he can be living with his wife and 4 sons and 3 daughters on 500 ares of land at the fork of Broad river (Georgia), where he built a cabin. During the American Revolution, he was purportedly an unrepentant loyalist. On 12 October 1774, in response to the Boston Tea Party, the settlers of Kyoka (Kiokee) and Broad River signed a protest "against any resolutions expressive of disloyalty to our most gracious King and the Lords and Commons of Great Britian." Everette McGrew notes that he was a member of the South Carolina Dragoons, Capt. John Harrison's Company, South Carolina Light Dragoons, St. Augustine, FL, 25 Apr 1783, along with George and James Tillett.