This site is under construction
The town of Crows Landing, California, along Highway 33 on Stanislaus County's West Side, traces its origins to a pioneer family who crossed the plains and mountains in wagon trains from Missouri in search of gold. Walter Crow of Scottish descent had eight sons and a daughter. He was a soldier in the war of 1812 and left Kentucky, in 1828, and settled in Pike county, Mo., near Bowling Green, in search of better land. He farmed in that area until 1849, when he crossed the plains by ox-teams. He and his two sons Lewis and Clinton were acompained by two others named Marion and Sam. Arriving in California Walter Crow spent some time in the mines at Hangtown. It is not known how well they did as prospectors in the Mother Lode gold fields but Walter must have been intrigued at what he saw. He headed back to Missouri, by way of the Isthmus of Panama, then returned to California.
He crossed the plains again with four more sons William, James, Benjamin and Alfred and 800 head of cattle. It was on this trip in 1850 that Walter became seriously ill with fever. While helping some people on the wagon trail who had taken cholera, he also contracted it and died near Verona, California. They buried him there planning to come back in a few weeks and move him to a nice place where he could be preserved and when they came back the whole area had been mined out. No one could ever find where poor old Walter Crow was buried.
His sons took the cattle to the San Joaquin Valley and in Stanislaus County they took a claim to one hundred and sixty acres of government land.
Walter never saw the town that later was named for his family. He wife Susan had died before the family started its western migration. Susan Pritchett Crow died in Pike county, Mo. in 1833; she was about 35 years old. The rest of the Crow clan, including sons Isaac and John Bradford and daughter Susan Eleanor, who married Captain J.W. Smith of Stockton, arrived in California in 1865. They were part of what is said to be the one of the largest wagon trains parties ever to cross the plains.
The journey west was long and hard, organized according to military rule to protect against Indian attacks. John Bradford was the wagon master and its success was due, in large part, to his leadership.
Many family members eventually became grain farmers and cattle ranchers in Stanislaus County along the San Joaquin River and in Stockton, which already had started to boom.
And by 1891 they were farming as can be seen in Aunt Emma Patchett's diary:
June 12, 1891 We had our first ripe peach today. Cold and cloudy the first part of the day. This afternoon clear and some wind. Mr. Crow and Frank irrigated the little alfalfa field this afternoon. The combine at work out in the barley field. Ida, Mary and I went out in the field where the men are cutting grain and went a couple of rounds to see the machine work. Tom is working on the machine. I worked some buttonholes on a couple of shirts for Mr. Crow. J. B. Crow and John Stewart here today, says that Nellie is better and has come home.
The San Joaquin River in those pre-Modesto days was navigable most of the year, and Crows Landing, near the mouth of Creek, soon became the county's transportation center. The Crow brothers, Clinton and James, operated two steamers on the river as far as Firebaugh before the railroad arrived.
Their brother-in-law, Captain Smith, was the manager of the steamboat office in Stockton. Later, James located in Stockton and became a director of the San Joaquin Valley Bank.
It was John Bradford Crow who built a wharf and loading dock at the present location near River and Crows Landing roads. When the Post office was established in 1870, the name Crows Landing was adopted.
John Bradford proved to be a good investor by purchasing 3,000 acres along the river, paying $7,800 for the property in 1867. By about 1881 his expanding land holdings totaled more than 4,000 acres with an average yield of 25 bushels of grain per acre. He also had 100 head of cattle, 100 horses and mules and 500 hogs.
With the coming of the Southern Pacific railroad in 1888, the town moved west to its present location along Highway 33. Many of the residents of the old community brought their old buildings with them. One building they did not move was the John Bradford Crow home, a two-story wooden structure where John Bradford Crow lived from around 1865 until his death in 1893. The home sat one-quarter mile back on the south bank of the Orestimba Creek among a grove of Oak trees.
The orginal Crows all married and raised families. Lewis and Ben married in California. The others all brought their wives and children with them from Missouri.
Alfred was the first to die in 1886, while Mrs. Smith was the last to die in 1921.
Isaac, sometimes called Ike or I. P., was the oldest brother of the pioneer family. Born in 1815, he was only 16 when his mother died. By the time he came west, Isaac already had married and had five children. His family eventually moved to Oakland where they lived in a Victorian home. He died in 1905.
William, who made three trips across the plains, brought his wife and children on the second journey, opened a butcher business in Shaw's Flat in Tuoloumne County in 1855. Years later he became a land owner in the Ripon area.
The first Crow family reunion was more than 100 years ago at Orestimba Creek and was attended by some 83 members.
A family reunion in Modesto in 1976 brought nearly 200 Crows together. In 1984 another reunion was held in Danville, Kentucky, once known as Crows Fort. The three day celebration attracted about 100 relatives. The community near Lexington was founded by John Crow, uncle of Walter, who later was killed with an ax. The graves of Jacob and William Crow in Boyle County, Kentucky, were marked by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The Crows, the brothers of John, staked out land claims in the late 1700's.
Information for the above taken in part from the Modesto Bee article June 27, 1981.
Walter Crow: Born: 18 January 1794 Danville, Boyle, Co. KY, Died: 17 Oct. 1850 Verona, CA. Married Susan Pritchett 16 Sep 1799, They had nine children. All nine came to California between 1849 and 1865.
Isaac Pritchett Crow B. 21 OCt. 1816, Mercer, KY Died 7 Oct. 1905 Crows Landing, Stanislaus, Ca. Married Eveline Kincaid Crow Isaac was only 16 when his mother died he was the oldest of eight boys. Susan the only daughter was 4 months old. Isaac married his first cousin Eveline Kincaid Crow on January 1839 he was 22 years old. By the time Isaac's father, made his first journey to California Isaac and Eveline had 5 children, all girls. Two sons John and James were born in 1850 and 18 53, Fanny in 1856 and Charles Lewis in 1858. Isaac did not make any of the early trips to California with his father, but came in the Crow Wagon train of 1865.
By the time of the organization of the 1865 wagon train two children had died, Samantha and James. Susan had married John Tucker and Annie Eliza was married to James Lapsley Armstrong. Virginia was almost 20; Laura, almost 18, John 14, Fanny almost 9, Charles about 6 years old.
With the arrival of the remainder of the Crows on Orestimba Creek and the establishment of the landing on the San Joaquin River for shipping grains, the Crow families built their homes. This was one of the earliest settlements in Stanislaus County on the West Side of the San Joaquin River.
At first everything came by mule teams across the plains. Later James A. Crow and his brother-in-law built two steamboats, the J.C. Walker and Clara Crow which carried passengers and supplies from Stockton up and down the river.
William Henry Crow, born 1819 Mercer Co. Ky D. July 29, 1884 Ripon Ca. Buried at Masonic cemetery, Modesto, Ca. He married Barbara Dye, the daughter of John and Nancy Archer Dye, on February 2, 1843 in Scotland Co. Mo. His second marriage was to Veerdie Trolinger, who was a sister of John Jones of Escalon. His first son was Walter J. Crow, who was born July 2, 1848 in Scotland Co. Mo. and died May 11, 1880 Grangeville, Tulare Co., Ca. He is buried at the Stockton Rural Cemetery, at Stockton, Ca. He married Pennsyvania (Vannie) Haas, who later remarried a man named Orr. See "The Mussel Slough Tragedy" regarding Walter's death. His other children were Emma Crow, born April 16, 1854 at Shaw's Flat Ca.; Susan Josephine Crow, born Sept. 24 Scotland Co. Mo., and Lewis Benjamin Crow, born June 2, 1859 at Ripon Ca.
James Addison Crow was born December 11, 1820 in Mercer Co., Ky and died October 16, 1904 and is buried at the Stockton Rural Cemetery at Stockton, Ca. He married Mary Emma Wilson Belden and then Minerva Ann Strange.
With Captian J. W. Smith and Dr. Sposatti, James Crow built the fist street railroad in Stockton. It was a horse car line then. He was a speculator and cattleman, and at one time was the principal owner of the San Joaquin Valley Bank. The river boat the Clara Crow was owned by James and James W. Smith his brother-in-law. The Clara Crow was a stern wheeler built in 1848 and disposal was in 1885. It was the first steamer to run up the Stanislaus River as far as Burneyville transporting from that point forty tons of grain. The following year she ran up as far as the Dallas ranch, now called Hickman, obtaining a cargo of wheat. The steamer Clara Crow, with a barge, landed at Crows Landing to take on a load of grain.
Benjamin Hamilton Crow was born on February 27, 1824 Mercer Co. Ky. Died Sept. 18, 1906 Crows Landing, Ca. He married Emma (Emily Jane) Patchett, who was the daughter of John Patchett and Esther Passmore. After the death of his father he followed mining during the years 1851, 1852 and 1853 while still maintaing his interest in the cattle business. In 1854 he located in Stanislaus County on Orestimba Creek, among the foothills, and there followed ranching until 1869, in which year he moved to three miles east of Crows Landing.
At that day Crows Landing was a place of considerable importance, as all shipping was done by boat, and the landing and post office were located near Mr. Crow's ranch. It was in 1870 that he built his house. He farmed and raised cattle, mules and sheep. Some time in his life he had lost an arm and when he rode he held the reins in his teeth and rifle in the other hand. He had a passion for hunting and had a pack of hound dogs. They hunted south down by Los Banos and crated the dogs and shipped them north to hunt. Emma was said to have driven a little horse cart with the grey hounds following her.
John Bradford Crow II was born in Missouri in 1825. He came to California in 1865 with his family in one of the largest wagon trains to cross the plains. He had led five wagon trains west before gathering up his family and in-laws and moving to the San Joaquin Valley at Crows Landing. With him on the wagon train were his wife Parthania, his son Walter, daughters Ella and Theodocia and son John Bradford III who was three years old. Also on the train were Thane and Will Ingram, Brad's wife's niece and brad's brothers, Isaac and his family, sister Susan Smith, who was married to James Webb Smith. They arrived in California and settled on the banks of the San Joaquin River at Crows Landing. Crow was one of the first settlers on the West Side to see the value of farming the land instead of using it for stock. The Crows raised sheep, mules, jacks, cattle, and later raised grain, barley, wheat, oats, and large gardens for the family and help. Also the family raised Morgan horses and trained them to sell.
Personal tragedy overtook Brad after he reached california. His wife died in 1866 and his fist born son Walter F. Crow died on Jan. 13, 1871. Then his daughter Eleanor Crow died on June 10, 1871 at Napa Ca. and is buried at the Stockton Rural Cemetery. His third child Theodocia Crow died April 29, 1854 and is also buried at Stockton. Brad later married Judith South Allen and had three more children by her. Brad's brother Benjamin Franklin Crow and his wife Emma lived across the creek from Brad.
The Crows formed the first private school on the banks of the Orestimba Creek which also was used as a church by the circuit rider preacher Eli Latta.
They caught about 25 catfish, Will and Hannah went fishing this afternoon, some of them pretty small. Johnnie here today he says that Mrs. Miller is still at her mothers. The old lady is not expected to live because of heart disease. She is going to Dr. Burke if she ever gets well enough to travel. John Stewart here with a paper. Mr. Latta is trying to raise money to build a church at Crows Landing. Mr. Eli Latta takes an active part in building churches and church matters. His son Dick is sick. He thinks it is doubtful that he will ever get well. Apricot trees are coming out in bloom. Some of the blooms are nearly out. It is so early in the season I am afraid that they will be frosted.
Alfred McDowell Crow was born March 25, 1827 in Pike Co. Mo. Died Jan. 1, 1886 and is buried at the Modesto, Ca cemetery.
Lewis Jacob Crow was born March 27, 1829 and died 1913 at Oakdale Ca. Came to California in 1849 with his father Walter.
Clinton Pike Crow was born Feb. 26,1831 Pike Co., Missouri And died in 1918 in San Jose Ca. In a letter to his sister Susan he tells of the conditions of the mines in 1850. He said they had made little that winter only a few hundred dollars. He said that the water had been four feet deep over the city of Sacramento and two miles to Sutter's Fort. The city is crowded with lumber and people the shore is crowded with vessels and a steamship now and then.
'Dear sis, I am now in town and I never seen such a stir as her in my life all kinds of music and acutioneers nearly deafen. We have loaded the wagon with provisions and our mining tools. Sam and Baker is well pleased with this country they send their respects to all. They are in big spirits. We will cross the American Fork the morning and start to the Yuba diggins.
In another letter on May 13, 1850 he says that he would like to hear from home shortly and hear whether father got home in time to cross the plains or not and how is he going to come out here.
We have not heard of father since he left San Francisco he wrote to us from there and said he was going to start next morning which was the Dec. 5 on a sail vessel from Panama the passage was $100 dollars.
Susan Eleanor Crow was born August 20, 182 in Pike Co. Mo. and died Feb. 22, 1921 in Stockton, Ca. She came to California in 1865 on the Crow Wagon Train with her husband J. W. Smith. In a letter to Pike Crow from J. W. Smith he says that it is raining and that the wagon train intended to move out to the old place tonight. He expected to meet the train at New London Ralls Co. They had a sale of personal property. He enclosed his insurance policy and a permit to cross the plains. He asked Pike to retain them until he got them or in the event that he died or was killed by the Indians it can be drawn for the benefit of his family or whoever survive s me.
He went into the river boat business and owned a stern wheeler the Clara Crow.
He was the captain and a brother-in-law of the Crow family so when he put into Crows Landing to take on a load of grain every farmer at the landing insisted upon his grain being taken first. He hit on the plan of premium rates for the transportation of the 300 tons of wheat. The rate was three dollars per ton, and the highest bidder over that rate would have his wheat shipped. out. The farmers began bidding against each other, but one farmer sitting way back on a pile of train out all the others. His bid was so high that Captian Smith and James Crow felt quite happy, as they would get $1000 more that the regular freight charge. Imagine their disappointment, when they learned that the successful bidder was the foreman of one of the Crow brothers ranches.
Walter Crow was born Aug. 23, 1717 at Sassasfras C. Maryland and he died Sept. 28, 1789 in Kentucky. He married Ann Miller, who was born Mar. 31, 1720 at Christchurch, Virginia and died May , 4 1811, Mercer, Ky. According to Harry Crowe she was scalped by the Indians when she was eight or nine years old and lived to tell about it.
Jacob Crow was the son of Walter Crow and was born in Abington, Virginia known as Blue Springs. He was the youngest son of Walter and Ann Miller Crow (she brought the Bible from England). His brothers were James, John, William, Benjamin and sisters were Mary, Nancy and Rachel. He grew up in on Linville Creek, near Harrisonburg, Virginia. From 1777 he was a private in Capt. David Stevenson's Co. commanded by Col. Aabraham Rowman in the 8th Virginia Regiment for 1 year in 1778, in June he transferred to Capt. W. Croghain's Co. 12 th Regiment. In March of 1783 there is a Survey No. 3877 and 3878 for 1,000 plus acres on Chaplin and Doctor's Fork watercourses for John Crow with James Thompson and Jacob Crow and their heirs as Grantees. On April 28, 1787 he was at Crow's Fort, Danville Ky. married Eleanor (Jacob's will spells it Ellender and she was called Nellie) Wright. She was born in North Carolina, October 31, 1768. Her father was killed by the Indians and she lived in a fort in Ky. where half of the men were on guard while the other half planted corn (from the Caldwell Family Papers). The fort was Fort Harrod. Her father James Wright bought the John Crow homesite near Danville and her mother Mary Miller Wright who married William Field was related to Ann Miller Crow. His wife Eleanor Wright Crow moved to Missouri when several of her children did and died at Ashley, Pike Co. Mo. April 2, 1857 aged 88 years and is buried there. The family moved on to Wisconsin and then to California.
Bibliography
Branch, L.C. History of Stanislaus County With Illustrations. Ellliot & Moore, Pulishers, San Francisco, California, 1881
Brotherton, I.N. "Jack," Annals of Stanislaus Couty. River Towns and Ferries . Western Tanager Press, santa Cruz California, 1982
Ellias, Sol. P. Stories of Stanislaus. Modesto, California, 1924
Tinkham, George H. History of Stanislaus County, California, With Biographical Sketches. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1921
Sources from McHenry Museum, Modesto, California
The Crow Reunion, Taken from the Stanislaud News Friday, May 26, 1882 The Crow Family, Eighty-three of Them in cap at Orestimba. (Stanislaus News)
Letter written by Pike Crow to his only sister, Sue Feb. 20, 1850 and May 13, 1850
Letter to Pike Crow from J. W. Smith April 17, 1865
Disclaimer: This information has been put together over the past twenty years from personal family stories and histories with all information is deemed to accurate. Please do not hold me responsible for errors, I will happily add notes with corrected information and who it is from. This can be reproduced for personal use only and is not to be reprinted in any way for sale without permission of the author.
Isaac Pritchett Crow
Aunt Emma Crow writes about Mr. Latta in her 1892 diary.
Feb. 14, 1892
Crow Ancestors
Welcome to the Crow Family Web Pages
1865 Crow Wagon Train
Early Pioneers:The Daniel Rhoads Family
1849 California Pioneer Walter Crow"
1873 Orestimba School House Move"
Do you have a hot link? Would you like it posted here? If so, e-mail the address located below!
Disclaimer: This information has been put together over the past twenty years from personal family stories and histories with all information is deemed to accurate. Please do not hold me responsible for errors, I will happily add notes with corrected information and who it is from. This can be reproduced for personal use only and is not to be reprinted in any way for sale without permission of the author.
Email: tapworc@inreach.com
