Person:Joanna Crews (1)

Joanna Crews' origins have yet to be established for certain. Her first confirmed sighting is on 18th December 1735 when she was married at St Ive in eastern Cornwall to Richard Grubb. They had four children together baptised at St Ive between 1737 and 1747.

Richard died in 1749, leaving Joanna looking after the four children, the youngest of whom was less than two years old.

Joanna's first known grandchild, her daughter Joanna's daughter Sarah, was baptised on 1st January 1756. In 1760 Joanna's daughter Joanna was married at the neighbouring parish of South Hill to a James Collins. The marriage register records that Joanna had given consent for her daughter's marriage, presumably because she was not yet 21 years old. Similarly in 1764 Joanna's daughter Ann was married at South Hill to a William Axford and again Joanna's consent is noted.

Back in St Ive, Joanna witnessed her granddaughter Sarah's marriage in 1777 to Robert Harry. Her first known great grandchild, Sarah's son John Harry, was baptised at St Ive the following year.

Joanna was buried at St Ive on 9th June 1795. It was nearly sixty years since her marriage, suggesting she was probably in her late seventies or eighties. She had been a widow for 46 years.

1.   Cornwall Family History Society. Cornwall Baptisms.

   ch. 1 May 1714, St Ive: Johanna daughter of Mary Crews

   Needs to be confirmed at Cornwall Record Office. This baptism appears quite likely in terms of time and place, but proof linking the child baptised in 1714 to the adult who married in 1735 has yet to be found.

2. ↑ St Ive, Cornwall, England. Parish Registers (Cornwall Record Office, Truro).

   Burials 1795 / Joan Grub June 9