Joseph Croshaw

Major Joseph Croshaw (c. 1610-12–1667) was a planter living near Williamsburg in the Colony of Virginia. He was the son of Captain Raleigh Croshaw. He became a planter and lived a few miles from present-day Williamsburg, Virginia. On December 10, 1651, he patented land which became the plantation known as Poplar Neck:

"1000 a. in York Co., upon the side of York River, commonly known by the name of Poplar Neck, abutting n. w. upon the mouth of St. Andrew's Creek" (later called Carter's Creek) "n. e. upon York River, s. e. upon a small creek called Croshaw's Desire dividing this land & the land now in possession of Richd. Croshaw into the woods, w. s. w. & by s. and s. w. along the Indian Field upon the land of Jas. Harris, w. by n. upon the land of Samuel Snead, n. w. by w. upon a line of marked trees leading along to St. Andrew's Creek."

Poplar Neck subsequently came to be owned by Colonel John West through West's marriage to Croshaw's daughter Unity.

Family: Joseph Croshaw married five times and had eight children:
1. The name of the first wife (m 1631) (English wife's name was not recorded in Early VA History See: William & Mary Historical journal)
 * Mary Croshaw (1632-1687), married 1. Henry White; 2. Thomas Taylor.
 * Richard Croshaw (1633-  )
 * Rachel Croshaw (1635-1670), married 1. Ralph Graves (grandson of Captain Thomas Graves); and 2. Richard Barnes.
 * Betty Croshaw (1636-1637)
 * Unity Croshaw (1636-1669), married Colonel John West.
 * Benjamin Croshaw (1640-1645), died young.
 * Joseph Croshaw (1642-1650), died young.

2. Widow Finch

3. Mrs. Anne Hodges (d.1663), widow of Augustine Hodges

4. Mrs. Margaret Tucker (d.1664), widow of Daniel Tucker

5. Mrs. Mary Bromfield (d. bef. 28 May 1673), widow of Thomas Bromfield


 * Joseph Croshaw (1667-1682)

He had a 9th child, probably with 1st wife, but for some reason not listed in most other sources:
 * Unnamed Daughter, born perhaps 1638, died probably before 1664, married Robert Blackwell.

Croshaw is often, erroneously, connected to Elizabeth Yeardley, daughter of Governor Sir George Yeardley & Temperance Flowerdew. None of the scholarly books on either the Yeardley or the Croshaw families make this claim.

Croshaw died on April 10, 1667, the same day his will was written and recorded in York County, Virginia. The inventory of his estate was substantial and included numerous household objects made of both pewter and silver. One large silver tankard was valued at four pounds sterling (equivalent to about £330 in 2017). The inventory of 1668 also listed the Croshaw estate as having 1000 bricks manufactured either by their own servants or by transient laborers.