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 THE STORY AS I KNOW IT.

Actually, this story is a combination of family tale and supposition. We don't yet have proof. Margaret Crickmur's granddaughter told the following story. The Crickmur family had come to Caldwell County, Kentucky when Margaret was a girl. She had been born in Virginia.  Margaret's granddaughter remembers her well and told that Margaret's mother's name was Byer Culpepper.  She told the story of the family emigrating west in a covered wagon and the wheel broke in Caldwell County. So there they stayed.

Nancy Culpepper was born Oct 17, 1779 in Virginia. date comes from her tombstone. check below.  We believe she was from the Norfolk area as that is the only area of Virginia that had a large number of Creekmurs as well as Culpeppers. It is not known who her parents were. She married John Crickmur about 1800 in Virginia. We hope she is the "Byer" Culpepper of the story and that Byer was a nickname used by the grandchildren.

There is a John Creekmur on the 1810 Census in St. Brides Norfolk County VA, roll 70, page 789, that matches our family.
 male 26-44 (John)
2 males under 10 (Christopher & Bartholomew)
1 female 26-44 (Nancy)
3 females under 10. (Winifred, Priscilla and Ruth)
There are no Creekmurs by any spelling anywhere else in Virginia.

I could not find them on the 1820 census in Virginia or Kentucky.

The 1830 Caldwell County KY Census is very hard to read.  The Ancestry index records it as
1 male 50-60 (John Creekmur)
1 male 20-30 (could be either Christopher or Bart)
1 male 10-15 (John Louis)
1 male 5-10 (Timothy)
1 female 50-60 (Nancy)
2 females 15-20 (Ruth & Nancy)
2 females 10-15 (Phebe & Margaret)

We know that Margaret married Josiah Nichols in Caldwell County in 1844. Looking at the 1850 Census the following Crickmur's were found in Caldwell county:

Caldwell Ct Genealogist, Gregory Watson has the family noted thus, however, we do not know the source of his dates:

John "Jack" Creekmur born March 30, 1775 in Antrim Ireland.   I've seen no other source that would confirm an Irish birth.
Nancy, his wife, last name unknown born Oct 17, 1779 in VA.
1. Mary "Polly" Creekmur born 1790-1800, wed Henry Young
      Probably a younger sister to Jack Creekmur
2. Christopher Creekmur born 1802 in VA wed 1st Rutha Ellis,
      2nd Lucinda Townsend. He died Oct 15, 1854.
3. Bartholomew Creekmur born 1804 in VA, wed Margaret Dunbar.
4. Winifred Creekmur born 1805 in VA, wed Thomas Jackson.
5. Priscilla Creekmur born 1808 wed Jubal Carner.
6. Ruth Creekmur born c 1810 wed Peter Purtle.
7. John Louis Creekmur born Jan 17, 1814 in VA wed Nancy Jane Howton.
8. Nancy Creekmur born April 12, 1817 in Hanover VA,
     wed David Henderson Blalock. She died Sep 19, 1902.
9. Phebe Creekmur born c 1818 in VA wed James Wasley.
10. Margaret Creekmur born Jan 12, 1819 in VA. wed Josiah Nichols.
11 Timothy Creekmur born Feb. 22, 1821 wed Elizabeth Nichols.  He served the Union in the Civil War. He died Aug. 26, 1901 and is buried in the Perry Cemetery.

The family was one of the fortunate ones who did appear to experience the death of a child.

The family had farmland to the northeast of Princeton. . John Crickmur died on May 11, 1857.    Nancy Crickmur lived on for another 8 years. In 1860 she is living with her son John in Madisonville, Hopkins County Kentucky, just east of Caldwell County. She died October 4, 1865. They are both buried in the Creekmur Cemetery   and are found on Find a grave website #2215104 and the photos of their tombstones are surprisingly easy to read.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

If you know the answer please CONTACT US

1 Where and when was Nancy born?

2. Who were her parents?

3. Where does the name Byer come from?

4.  Find either Christopher or Bart on the 1830 census.

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