GEORGE CREW CANADA PROJECT 150

Another family ancestor who lived in Canada at the time of confederation in 1867.  George Crew is my 2x great grandfather.

GEORGE CREW FAMILY

George Crew's parents are unknown, as is his age.  According to his death certificate he came from London, England.  However his burial record indicates he was from Yorkshire England.  The various census record his birth year  between 1811 - 1817.  His burial record records his birth as 1819.  

George's great-granddaughter, maintained George Crew came from Leeds, Yorkshire, England. She  also maintained that George had a brother named Daniel Crew who lived in Scarborough, Ontario and ran the Half-way House Hotel near Midland and Kingston Road in Scarborough and her mother Ivy used to visit family there.

The date George left England is not known, possibly as early as 1822,  but certainly he was in Crapaud, Lot 29, Prince Edward Island by 1841.  According to the 1841 Census which names Head of family only,  there was a George Crew at Lot 29, who was a Miller and a Farmer.  The total family consisted of 3 people:  1 Male age between 16 and 45, 1 Male upwards of age 60, both from England and 1 Female under 16 years of age and "being native of this Island".  Whether George is the older or the younger member of the family is unknown. Is the older crew George's father?  Could it be John Crew of Bramley by Leeds? 

George was listed variously as a Mill worker and Millwright over the years.  Also could the young female have been a servant or possibly George's future wife Mary Bailey as she was born in 1824 and might have been just under 16 at the time?

Both men from England, paid their own passage from England and they owned 4 acres of 2nd best quality farm land.  They owned 5 sheep, 1 "Neat Cattle" and 2 hogs.  They had a 999 year lease on their property

There were other Crew families living in Crapaud, Lot 29 so it is quite possible that they were all related, - Daniel, Joseph and Benjamin, also born in England.  Daniel Crew is the same Daniel that moved to Scarborough, Ontario.

There is a Crew family born in Bramley by Leeds, Yorkshire England that may also be connected to George Crew.  John Crew and Dinah Scurrah Rhodes, married in Leeds in 1799. This family had the following children:  Daniel Dix Crew born 1805, Benjamin born 1807, Joseph born 1813, William Scerrah born 1818 and Hannah born 1818.  This family has not been connected to the PEI family however the names are similar - Daniel Joseph and Benjamin.  Also  the name Scurrah was used by Daniel Crew to name his son Charles Scurrah Crew.  To further complicate matters George Crew cannot be linked to the Bramley Crew family or the PEI Crew family.

George married Mary Bailey in 1843, in Crapaud and they had at least 12 children.  The witnesses to the wedding were Edward Duffy and Joseph Best.  Baptisms for 5 of the children have been found in Crapaud:  John, bap 1844, Ellen, bap 1846, Hannah bap 1847, James Bailey bap 1849 and Elisa bap 1858.  While the other children Joseph born 1852, William born 1854,and George born 1854 do not appear on the baptism index but are listed on later census as being born in PEI.  The next son Benjamin born 1860 was born either in PEI or New Brunswick and the next 3 children, Alice born 1862, Haysen and Mary Evaline (twins), born 1865 were born in Sackville New Brunswick, but no baptism records have been located.  The birth dates are all estimates.

The family moved sometime between 1858 and 1861, as they were living in Sackville, New Brunswick according to the 1861 Census where George is listed as a Mill man

Between 1865 and 1870 the family had moved again and they now lived on Main Street, in Markham, Ontario per the 1871 Census.  Sadly Mary Bailey Crew, sons Haysen and James Bailey died during 1870.  This left George Crew as a widower with 9 children.  According George's great-granddaughter, son John Crew born 1844 remained in New Brunswick.

Markham, Ontario, Main Street circa 1910.  Courtesy of the Toronto Public Library

The family remained in Markham and George died there in 1900.  He is buried in the Church of England Cemetery, which is attached to Grace Church in Markham.    Mary Bailey Crew, Haysen and James Bailey Crew are also buried at the same cemetery.  There doesn't appear to be a grave marker.