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From: "Tara D. Fields" <>
Subject: Crichton/Creighton Information Available (Holzendorf, Stotesbury, Nevitt, etc.)
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 01:46:17 -0400


I have gathered some data on the Crichton line of Camden County, Georgia.

John Crichton was married to Mary Pritchard and Mary Eliza Madden (widow of
David Lewis).
His sister Margaret Crichton was married to Valentine FitzPatrick (Doctor)
and 2nd to JOHN LEWIS/LOUIS KALE HOLZENDORF.

Other surnames:
MADDEN, PLUMMER, STOTESBURY, NEVITT, TOWNSEND

Locations:
GEORGIA, ST. AUGUSTINE (SPAN EAST FLORIDA), SCOTLAND

I did not attach the source information as it is too long for the mailing
lists. Please let me know if you are interested in having me e-mail you a
copy of the source documents. I gathered the material during this past
spring while working on a project. The material came from some on-line
sources but mostly from the Bryan-Lang Library, the Camden County (GA)
Courthouse, and the St. Augustine (FL) Historical Library (during a
personal visit in March). Neither library had a lineage on this line. I've
gathered what I could. I have a summary prepared (below) and an electronic
document containing source information to support my summary. Corrections
and additions (with sources) can be e-mailed or snail-mailed to me.




The Crichton Family of St. Marys, Georgia
By Tara D. Fields (c)
April
16, 2004
PO Box 509
Kingsland, GA 31548

http://www.camdencounty.org
Permission to use this document is granted, with proper citation, for
non-profit purposes ONLY.


I was contacted in early 2004 with the request to find out what I could
about the Crichton (aka Creighton) family of St. Marys. I knew there were a
few buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in downtown St. Marys, but other than that
I knew nothing about the family.

I started with the basics: burial, marriage, census and tax digest records.
That started a journey that eventually took me to St. Augustine, Florida.
While the story isn’t complete, I was surprised by the number of tendrils
this family sent into the community. I have chosen to use the spelling
“Crichton” because it is the spelling I have seen most commonly used in
official documents.

The documents included should support this summary. If I am making an
unsupported connection I have stated it as such. In addition, there is more
detailed information in the support documents. Please be sure to look
through them to get a more complete view of the families involved.

This little part of the story of the Crichton family starts in St.
Augustine, Florida. Eleanor Plummer was born around 1768. Documents from
East Florida list Eleanor as being about 32 years old in 1800. In 1800 her
husband, Robert Pritchard, a native of South Carolina, was about 42 years
old. Robert claimed 700 acres on Goodby’s Lake on the St. Johns River.
Robert was listed as a returning refugee from South Carolina to Florida in
July of 1783. Robert probably died between 1803 and 1808. By 1808 Robert
Pritchard was dead and she was remarried to Dr. James Hall. This marriage
took place sometime before Oct. 24, 1808. Dr. Hall and Eleanor were still
alive as of 1824. Eleanor Plummer was the sister or daughter of Daniel
Plummer of Pennsylvania who was single as of 1787. In 1783 Daniel is listed
as a widower. Is this the same Daniel? Robert and Eleanor Pritchard had one
son by 1787. Robert, Eleanor, and Daniel were listed as “American
Protestants”. A Daniel Plummer is listed as a returning refugee from South
Carolina to East Florida in July of 1783 along with “1 white woman”. Daniel
was a Protestant. In 1787 he was listed as single and sharing a home with
Robert Pritchard and his wife, among others.

Eleanor was granted, through her own family, 270 acres at Beauclare
(confirmed in 1828) where Plummer’s Cove is located along the east bank of
the St. Johns River. She also claimed, in 1815 after she was married to Dr.
Hall, land at Beauclark’s Point (aka Buckler’s Point) on the St. Johns
River. In addition, she claimed 250 acres at Goodham’s Lake on the east
side of the St. Johns River and land, “…comprising the town of Jacksonville
on the west side of the River St. Johns, in Duval County, formerly called
the Ferry of St. Nicholas…” which was granted to Robert Pritchard in 1791.
(Her claim was found to be valid.)

In September of 1800 Eleanor and Robert Pritchard had 4 children between
the ages of 8 and 15 years old.

1. Mary b. ca 1787 was married to John Crichton as of 1823 (see below)
2. Ann/Anna b. ca 1792 and was the widow of Elias Stalling as of 1823
3. Robert, Jr. not married as of 1823
4. Amelia not married as of 1823
5. Margaret b. 1788
6. Daniel b. 1790
Side note: Eleanor’s relative, Emily Sophia Plummer (November 03,
1805-November 23, 1875), married Alexander Bachlott (October 29, 1803- May
10, 1851) of St. Marys. They had eight children. She named one of her
daughters Eleanor Ann. Through another daughter, Mary Catherine Bachlott,
is a connection to another Camden family the Rudulphs. Mary (June 19,
1842- April 11, 1854) married Francis Jacob Rudulph. They were the parents
of John Joseph Rudulph who married Eleanor Crichton Bessent (1845-1927). (I
had originally thought Eleanor and Emily were sisters but the difference
between their births is 37 years!)

John Crichton, husband of Mary Pritchard, was born in about 1772. John was
the son of Alexander Crichton of Dumfries, Scotland. Alexander was in East
Florida, widowed and with two sons by 1791. His late wife was probably
Elizabeth. Alexander received 1,254 acres on the St. Johns River (part of
Governor Quesada’s grant). By 1803 John had 305 acres on Pleyme’s Island
west of the St. Johns River (part of Governor White’s grant). In 1803 John
is granted 305 acres he is listed as married with no children. Alexander
was the son of John and Violet Latimore. Alexander later married Isabel
McLean of Georgia or South Carolina. Alexander spent sometime in Georgia
where he acquired the reputation was a dangerous Tory. Charles McDonald
signed a paper stating that he should be taken into custody “immediately”.
I don’t know if this was done.

John Crichton (b ca 1772) married Mary Pritchard on May 25, 1802 in St.
Augustine. He is listed as being the son of Alexander and Isabel McLean
(MacLean, etc.) On May 13, 1802 John was baptized at the Catholic Church of
St. Augustine. He is listed as being born in 1774 (off slightly from the
information on his headstone). John was a private in Spain’s Yankee Militia
in 1812. He is shown as the son of Alexander and Isabel McLean (of
Georgia). My theory is that he was probably the son of Alexander and the
first wife, (Elizabeth?), but as she died before Alexander made it to the
New World, John considers the second wife, Isabel, his mother. Alexander
was dead before May 11, 1814. His heir was his daughter, Margaret Crichton
Holzendorf (see below).

Another child of Alexander was Margaret. Margaret was born on January 07,
1789. She was married first to Valentine Fitzpatrick (born about 1760-1762)
of Ireland on Feb. 10, 1801. He is listed as the son of Hugo and Ana
Guillard, both of Ireland. Valentine was the Chief Physician of the Royal
Hospital of Our Lady of Guadalupe of St. Augustine. Margaret was baptized,
at the age of 20, in the Cathedral of St. Augustine on Jan. 31, 1801 (right
before her marriage). In her marriage record Margaret is listed as being
“…of this providence…” so probably she was born after her father came to
Spanish Florida. Valentine was the son of Eugene and Anna Gillard. He was
33 years old in 1793. Valentine died when he was 43 years old on May 27,
1805. He buried in the old Catholic Cemetery in St. Augustine. His grave is
probably unmarked as he isn’t listed in later cemetery surveys. Margaret
later married John Louis/Lewis Kale Holzendorf (his first wife was his
first cousin Sarah Martin Holzendorf) of Camden County, Georgia. Margaret
had several children with John (who was born in 1774 in South Carolina).
Margaret died on March 24, 1829 and John died on November 28, 1861. They
were married on April 28, 1807 in Camden County and are buried together in
marked graves at the Holzendorf Cemetery at Sheffield Island on the Crooked
River in Camden County (part of the old Berne Plantation). This property is
part John and Margaret Pounds property as of this writing
(Holzendorf/Sheffield descendents).
Children of John Lewis/Louis Kale Holzendorf II and Margaret
Crichton FitzPatrick:
1. Alexander Holzendorf b. October 30, 1808- died bet.
1887 1889
h/o Jane Spaulding (1813-?)
2. James Holzendorf b. July 10, 1810-?
h/o Araminthea Mississippi Dilworth (1814-?)
3. Mary Louisa Holzendorf b. November 14, 1812- June 1875
w/o John Hardee Dilworth (June 04, 1812- June 16, 1853)
4. William B. Holzendorf b. November 02, 1816- January 06,
1856
5. Louis A. Holzendorf b. June 17, 1817- September 26, 1879
h/o Sarah Sirleter Sheffield (December 05, 1829- May 31, 1862)
6. Emilene Holzendorf b. September 1824-1908

John and Mary Pritchard Crichton had a daughter, Isabel Margaret Crichton.
She was born at the St. Johns River around 1804. She was baptized into the
Catholic Church of St. Augustine on April 10, 1810 when she was 6 years
old. I have no further information on this daughter.

John and Mary Pritchard Crichton had a son, Alexander William Crichton. He
was born at the St. Johns River around 1805. When he was 5 years old he was
baptized into the Catholic Church in St. Augustine on April 10, 1810 (same
day as his sister). Alexander married Mary Pottle of St. Marys on May 7,
1828 in Camden County. She died at 17 years of age on March 7th, 1829 (she
was born on Sept. 18, 1811). She lies in the Pottle plot behind the
Crichton plot in St. Marys Oak Grove Cemetery. He remarried to Delany
Suarez in St. Augustine on May 30, 1833. Alexander died Bet. May - June
1854 in St. Marys, Georgia during a Yellow Fever epidemic. His death was
noted in the Bessent letters on file at the Bryan-Lang Historical Library.
His burial location is unknown but he probably lies in an unmarked grave in
the St. Marys Oak Grove Cemetery. In this same letter mention is made of
the death of his sister, Mary Crichton Nevitt, of the same disease.

John and Mary Pritchard Crichton had another son, John Pritchard Crichton.
John was married to Margaret A. Townsend of Alachua Co., FL. Margaret was
married first to Jonathan Tucker (1812-1841) they married on July 02,
1840. Margaret was born on January 19, 1814 to James Light Townsend (1770-
October 14, 1851) and Phoebe Carter (Abt. 1770- February 02, 1848). John P.
and Margaret had the following children:
1. Mary Eliza (1844- 1898) w/o James McKay (I have the names of 7
children)
2. Thomas P. (1845-August 1897) 1 child: Thomas Crichton
3. John William (1846-?) h/o 1) Jane Kennedy (no kids) & 2) Fannie
Beville (4 children)

John P. became a doctor by 1844 and treated members of his wife’s family in
Florida. John was a registered voter of Alachua County, Florida during
Florida’s first election in 1845.

John and Mary Pritchard Crichton had another daughter, Mary Magdalene
Crichton. Mary married Arthur Stotesbury Nevitt in Camden County on October
13, 1842 in Camden County. He was from Louisiana. After Mary’s death he
returned there with their son, Crichton Nevitt. Mary, who was born about
1813 in Florida, died on June 29, 1854 in St. Marys during a Yellow Fever
epidemic. Her death was noted in the Bessent letters on file at the
Bryan-Lang Historical Library. Her burial location is unknown but she
probably lies in an unmarked grave in the St. Marys Oak Grove Cemetery. In
this same letter mention is made of the death of her brother, William of
the same dreaded disease. This is probably a referral to Alexander William
Crichton. Arthur S. Nevitt returned to Louisiana where he died on June 30,
1865 at 53 years of age. Their son, Crichton Nevitt, was born Bet.
1835 1843 in Louisiana and died there on September 30, 1868 at 33 years of
age. I do not know if Crichton Nevitt married or left any issue. I also do
not know if his father, Arthur, ever remarried. I also have a question
about his middle name of “Stotesbury” and the fact that Louisa Madden,
sister of John Crichton’s second wife, married John Stotesbury (see below).
What’s the connection?

John and Mary Pritchard Crichton had another daughter, Eleanor Ann
Crichton, who never married. She was born at the St. Johns River around
1808 and was baptized into the Catholic Church of St. Augustine on April
10, 1810 (the same day as her siblings). He died in St. Marys, Camden
County, exact date unknown. She probably lies in an unmarked grave in St.
Marys Oak Grove Cemetery between her father and her two younger (probably
half) sisters Letitia and Lousia (more on them later). Eleanor Ann Crichton
died Bef. October 07, 1872 when her will was probated. She knew she was
ill and probably dying when she wrote her will leaving everything to her
two younger half-sisters. She signed her will with an “X” was this lady
from a well-to-do family illiterate or was she simply too ill to sign her
name? Her will was witnessed by Mario O. Bessent (later Burns) whose sister
was named Eleanor Crichton Bessent (married to John Rudulph). Maria also
had the will probated.

Sometime after the birth of Eleanor Ann her mother, Mary Pritchard
Crichton, died. John remarried Mary Elizabeth Madden Lewis before 1819.
Mary was the daughter of Peter Madden. Mary was married first to David
Lewis in April 1807. He died Bet. 1816 1818. There are no known children
to this union. His burial place is unknown. David Lewis was the
administrator of Peter Madden’s estate and guardian for Mary’s sister,
Louisa, who was in Ireland at the time. Mary and John had two children
together Letitia Sophia and Louisa Jane.
Side note: Mary Madden and her sister, Louisa are the only known children
of Peter Madden. Louisa married John Stotesbury and spent some time in
Camden County. Later they moved to Bibb County, Georgia. Louisa and John
were married by 1814. They had the following children:
1. Arthur Stotesbury b. Bet. 1813 1823 died before June 31, 1861
when his will was probated
2. Henry Stotesbury b. Bet. 1813 1823 died ?
3. John Stotesbury b. Abt. 1812 died ?
4. Peter Stotesbury b. Abt. 1817 died ? (Peter ended up in Clinch
Co., GA and later sold the St. Marys Stotesbury property in 1880)
5. George Stotesbury b. Bet. 1823 1837 died ?
6. James Stotesbury b. Bet. 1823 1837 died ?
7. Lewis B. Stotesbury b. Bet. 1823 1837 died ?
(Lewis had a son: Arthur Whipple Stotesbury)

Bibb County, Georgia records show that Louisa Madden Stotesbury registered
her will on Jan. 7, 1857 and it was probated on June 8, 1859 therefore she
died sometime in between. She is also listed as the wife of John, deceased.
So he died before 1857.

There was another Stotesbury in St. Marys Captain Lemuel Johnson
Stotesbury. He occupied the house now known as the business “Blue Goose
Collectables”. What is their connection?

John and Mary Madden had another daughter, Letitia Sophia. She never
married. She was born in 1825 and she died in 1893. She buried next to her
sister, Louisa Jane, in St. Marys Oak Grove Cemetery, in front of Pottle
Plot, Camden Co., GA

John and Mary Madden had their last known child, Louisa Jane. She never
married, either. She was born in 1828 and she died in 1899. She buried next
to her sister, Letitia Sophia, in St. Marys Oak Grove Cemetery, in front of
Pottle Plot, Camden Co., GA

It appears that Eleanor, Letitia, and Louisa spent most or all of their
lives living together in downtown St. Marys, Georgia until their deaths.

Even though, in his early days, John Crichton, was baptized a Catholic, he
was a trustee and supporter of the First United Presbyterian Church of St.
Marys. His daughters continued to support the church after his death.

While there may not be any families with the surname of Crichton in Camden,
clearly there are several local families who have the blood of the Crichton
family running through their veins!



Take care,

Tara Fields

Owner: The Crypt
Genealogy and History of Camden and Charlton Counties, GA
http://www.camdencounty.org

Part of the following non-profit groups:

American History & Genealogy Project
http://www.ahgp.org/

American Local History Network
http://www.rootsweb.com/~gaalhn/

Need a new friend?
http://www.humanecamden.org


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