Yelverton Crowell

John Crow's second wife, Elishua, sailed to Boston on the Elizabeth Bonaparte in late 1633 and purchased a house in Charlestown. John followed in 1635 on the Hopewell, probably with his daughter, Elizabeth, from his first marriage. Yelverton, John's son from his first marriage, followed on the Caledonia in 1638- they all moved to Yarmouth, MA that year

i YELVERTON, b. say 1615 (possessed one cow common at Charlestown in 1637 [ChTR 33]); m. by about 1642 Elizabeth _____ (estimated birth of eldest known child [NEHGR 125:236]). (TGM)

Arrived from England on the Caledonia in 1638.

West Yarmouth was settled in 1642 by Yelverton Crowe. His land was acquired in a peculiar way. An Indian sachem Massamtampagne told Crowe he could have as much land as he could walk on in an hour in exchange for an 'ox-chain, a copper kettle a pewter porringer, and English coin and a few trinkets. An hourglass was used and before the sand ran out, Yelverton stopped. Either he got tired or he figured he had enough land.

"Whatever the details, Yelverton did acquire a lot of land, stretching from what we now call Parker's River westward for over a mile and nearly an equal distance from Nantucket Sound inland. It included all the coastal semi-peninsula which became known as Great Island, plus tillable land on the mainland as well as salt marshes valuable for producing livestock fodder. One description puts his total landholding at nearly three square miles, although that may be a slight exaggeration."

Once possessed of land, Yelverton built a house just north of the connection to Great Island, slightly west of a pathway leading inland which soon became called "The Lane" or sometimes "South Lane", and is now "South Sea Avenue," By 1641 he had married Elizabeth (Hammond?). They had several children: John, born 1642; Samuel; twins Thomas and Elizabeth born May 9, 1649; and Edward.

    In 1643 Yelverton was on the town's list of men entitled to bear arms, but was not yet a freeman or voter.  However, by 1656 he served on a grand jury, and two years later he appeared on the list of Yarmouth freemen.  He then rose politically, being a "deputy," or representative to the Plymouth Colony General Court, from 1663 to 1666.  The following year he was a Yarmouth selectman.

He seems also to have gained some economic prominence. Near the end of his life he was assessed four pounds and one shilling toward Yarmouth's costs for King Philip's War. This shows him in the upper half of the town's taxpayers. The records also note Yelverton Crowe as receiving one pound seven shillings for service in that war. This seems a bit questionable since he was then about sixty-five years old, rather aged for military service. -Added by Elwin C Nickerson about my Great Grandfather- Marched with other Men From Yarmouth on Mount Hope Expedition in 1675- With his Son John at his side.
After forty-four years at South Sea, he died on October 24, 1683, while Elizabeth outlived him by twenty years, until November 1703. Although the house where they lived soon disappeared, their direct ddescendants lived nearby for many generations. As their numbers increased the south lane became lined with many Crowell houses--hardly any of which now exist.
Once much larger than its present eight square mile radius, "Old" Yarmouth, as originally established, included the lands of Chatham, Harwich, Brewster, Dennis and the Barnstable village of Cummaquid. Dennis was the last land holdout, initiating a successful, friendly split in June 1793

Historical Society of Old Yarmouth

Called "South Seas" by the Native Americans, the southern portion of the Town of Yarmouth was home to many generations of Indians. The first European settler, Yelverton Crowe, arrived in 1643, purchasing much of what is now present-day West Yarmouth from the Indians. Crowe(ll) and his descendants populated the region, although the village remained small and rural in nature. Homes with large acreage for subsistence farming dotted the county road (now busy Route 28) and most villagers were farmers, fishermen, or seafarers. A fulling mill in the village, operated by the Baxter family, was the first known mill in Yarmouth. The Baxter's also built and operated a grist mill, which is still in existence along Route 28 and is today a town-owned historic site open to the public. As the 1800s came to a close, more and more people from the cities began to look toward the shore for rest and respite. The rural nature, open spaces, and large beaches of West Yarmouth made it a prime target for developers who were soon building hotels, cottage communities, and cabins. The summer trade soon became the primary industry of the village and it remains so today.

Source: John Crowe and His Descendants A Genealogy

Author: Levi Crowell

New York: Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., 1903

[Noted: “Reprinted from “The Yarmouth Register”]

“To all people to whome this presente shall come I Elverton Crowell alias Crow of Yarmouthe in ye Collony of Plymouth in New England sendste greeting etc: -- Know yee that I ye sd Elverton Croewll alias Crow, having at this time through god’s great goodness my perfect sense and memory Doe this twenty-third Day of December 1681 make and ordaine this my last will and testament as follows, viz; first I bequeate my soul to god that gave it me & my body to ye duste from whenne it was in Desent buriall and as for my outward estate which ye lord of his goodness hath given me my will is & I Doe constitute, ordaine & appoint my youngest son loving sole executor to this my last will and testament and I ye sd Ylverton Crowell Doe give to him my sd son Thomas Crowell alias Crow all my lands houses meadows marshes cattle horses mares swine & household stuffs with whatever estate belongs or any ways appertaines to me the said Yelverton Crowell in Yarmouth or elsewhere to him & said Thomas Crowell his heirs and assignee for ever, my will is also that my sd son Thomas Crowell shall Discharge ye rights of my burial and pay all my full Debts & maintain my loving wife his mother so long as she livst both in healthe & sickness, finding and allowing her whasoever is or may be needful for comfortable subsistance according to his ability and also my will is that my said son Thomas Crowell doe pay to my three sons, John, Edward and Samuel five shillings a year in silver money and to my grand child Elizabeth Gifford two cowes, two swine of about halfe a year old & one feather bed & Bolster further my will is that in case Thomas my said executor should by any providence of god Dye before my wife his mother & leave no will, then my will is that my estate be improved for her maintainance so long as she lives, otherwise I leave my loving wife to the maintainance of my son Thomas as above said. I witness whereof I ye said Yelverton Crowell alias Crow have hereunto set my hand & seal ye Day & year above.

             “Yelverton Crowell (seal)

“alias Crow
“John Thacher whoe made oathe here unto at the Court House of Plymouth the 8th of march 1683:84.
“Rebeckah Thacher on ye oath of Mr. John Thacher.”

� Old Colony Records: Will, 23 Dec 1681, Plymouth, Mass. (Vol. 4, Part 2, page 60)

The will of Yelverton Crow/Crowell, 23 December 1681, names his sons Thomas, John, Edward and Samuel and is amongst the oldest documents of similar character on file in the Registry of Deeds at Plymouth.
........[His will: To all people to whome these presente shall come I Elverton Crowell alias Crow of Yarmouthe in ye Colony of Plymouth in New England the twenty third day of December 1681. Ioe constitute, ordaine & appoint my youngest son living sole exeutor to this my last will & testament and I ye sd Ylverton Crowell doe give to him my sd son Thomas Crowell alias Crow all my lands, houses, meadows, marshes, cattle, horses, mares, swine & household stuffs with whatever estate belongs or anyways appertaines to me the said Yelverton Crowell in Yarmouth or elsewhere to him & said Thomas Crowell his heirs and assigners for ever, my will is alo that my sd son Thomas Crowell shall discharge ye rights of my burial and pay all my full debts & maintain my loving wife his mother so long as she livst both in healthe & sickness finding and allowing her what ever is or may be needful for comfortable subsistance according to his ability and also my will is that my said son Thomas Crowell doe p! ay to my three sons, John, Edward and Samuel five shillings a year in silver money and to my grandchild Elizabeth Gifford two cowes, two swine of about halfe a year old & one feather bed & bolsterr further my will is that in case Thomas my said executon should by providence of God dye before my wife his mother & leave no will, then my will is that my estate be improved for her maintenance so long as she livst, otherwise I leave my loving wife to maintenance of my said son Thomas as above said. (signed) Yelverton Crowell alias Crow: John Thacher whoe madeoathe here unto at Court House of Plymouth the 8th of March 1683/84; Rebeckah Thacher on ye oath of Mr. John Thatcher.]
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Some of the information presented here is taken from "Change the Name to Crowell" as reprinted from the "Yarmouth Register".
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Notes: Yelverton Crowell came from Norfolk, England, by 1637 to Charlestown/Boston and settled in Yarmouth on Cape Cod by 1638/1639. (Although the name was apparently spelled "Cro," "Crow," and "Crowe," within Yelverton's lifetime it began to be spelled as "Crowell," as he signs his will "Yelverton Crowell alias Crow"). "Yelverton Crowell of Yarmouth, Mass., A Hypothesis Concerning His Parents and Children." by Stephen W. Gifford. A number of Yelverton's children settled in Cape May and Woodbridge, New Jersey, and I think contributed to some of the English Crowell lines ending up in North Carolina. Andrea Crowell

� Old Colony Records: Will, 23 Dec 1681, Plymouth, Mass. (Vol. 4, Part 2, page 60)

The will of Yelverton Crow/Crowell, 23 December 1681, names his sons Thomas, John, Edward and Samuel and is amongst the oldest documents of similar character on file in the Registry of Deeds at Plymouth. ........[His will: To all people to whome these presente shall come I Elverton Crowell alias Crow of Yarmouthe in ye Colony of Plymouth in New England the twenty third day of December 1681. Ioe constitute, ordaine & appoint my youngest son living sole exeutor to this my last will & testament and I ye sd Ylverton Crowell doe give to him my sd son Thomas Crowell alias Crow all my lands, houses, meadows, marshes, cattle, horses, mares, swine & household stuffs with whatever estate belongs or anyways appertaines to me the said Yelverton Crowell in Yarmouth or elsewhere to him & said Thomas Crowell his heirs and assigners for ever, my will is alo that my sd son Thomas Crowell shall discharge ye rights of my burial and pay all my full debts & maintain my loving wife his mother so long as she livst both in healthe & sickness finding and allowing her what ever is or may be needful for comfortable subsistance according to his ability and also my will is that my said son Thomas Crowell doe p! ay to my three sons, John, Edward and Samuel five shillings a year in silver money and to my grandchild Elizabeth Gifford two cowes, two swine of about halfe a year old & one feather bed & bolsterr further my will is that in case Thomas my said executon should by providence of God dye before my wife his mother & leave no will, then my will is that my estate be improved for her maintenance so long as she livst, otherwise I leave my loving wife to maintenance of my said son Thomas as above said. (signed) Yelverton Crowell alias Crow: John Thacher whoe madeoathe here unto at Court House of Plymouth the 8th of March 1683/84; Rebeckah Thacher on ye oath of Mr. John Thatcher.]
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Some of the information presented here is taken from "Change the Name to Crowell" as reprinted from the "Yarmouth Register".
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Notes: Yelverton Crowell came from Norfolk, England, by 1637 to Charlestown/Boston and settled in Yarmouth on Cape Cod by 1638/1639. (Although the name was apparently spelled "Cro," "Crow," and "Crowe," within Yelverton's lifetime it began to be spelled as "Crowell," as he signs his will "Yelverton Crowell alias Crow"). The best resource I have seen regarding Yelverton is the Oct. 1971 article in the New England Historical & Genealogical Register (Vol 125, p. 231) by Stephen W. Gifford, "Yelverton Crowell of Yarmouth, Mass., A Hypothesis Concerning His Parents and Children." A number of Yelverton's children settled in Cape May and Woodbridge, New Jersey, and I think contributed to some of the English Crowell lines ending up in North Carolina. Andrea Crowell

http://books.google.com/books?id=LOYLAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA1301&lpg=PA1301&...

p 392 on. Crowells in Rhode Island