Records in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries offer sufficient proof that Daniel CROOM lived near the James River in an area of Henrico County, Virginia, that later became Goochland County. These records also indicate that Daniel was the father of three sons who left Virginia and settled in eastern North Carolina as early as 1741. Some family searchers have identified Daniel and/or his parents as having lived in England. Others claim Daniel and/or his ancestors lived in Ireland. As much as I would like to accept one of these beliefs, no one to my knowledge has offered a shred of proof to support any of these claims. Some have speculated that a Joel CROOME mentioned in New Kent County, Virginia, records was the father of Daniel. Again, I have not found any evidence to support this speculation. The only records I have found to date pertaining to a Joel CROOM in Virginia were his listing as “Joell CROOME” on the Quit Rent rolls of New Kent County and in the Vestry Book of Blissland Parish, both in 1704. A record dated 1 February 1717 refers to the purchase of 52 acres in Henrico County by a Daniel CROOM of New Kent County. From records we know that an Edward CROOM and his family lived in nearby Isle of Wight County during the 1730s. As shown in the block to the left, a William CROOM immigrated to Virginia. We can only surmise that some family relationships existed between two or more of these early CROOM men. In 1997, research by Priscilla Harriss CABELL was brought to my attention by Terri Brown, APG, which suggests that Daniel CROOM’s father may also have been named Daniel and that he lived nearby in Virginia. To further complicate the matter of searching records, it appears that both Daniels had wives named Elizabeth. After some eighteen years of work, Ms. Cabell published these findings in her book Turff & Twigg, Volume One, The French Lands in 1988. It is an interesting study of the ten thousand acres donated by King William, III to the French refugees from religious repression who settled on the southern bank of the James River in Virginia beginning in 1700. Our Daniel CROOM figures prominently in the study of those Huguenots. Several records dated between 1723 and 1725 in the Vestry Book of King William Parish provide strong circumstantial evidence supporting the contention of Ms. Cabell that the grandparents of Abel and Major Croom and their siblings were named DANIEL and ELIZABETH CROOM, the same names as that of the parents of ABEL and MAJOR CROOM. What Do We Know About Daniel & His Wives? Daniel CROOM was born about or prior to 1683. I reach this conclusion from an analysis of Virginia records and of the date of birth of his first granddaughter. Although it is possible that he came from Ireland or England, I believe Daniel most likely was born in Virginia. I know of no proof supporting Daniel’s place of birth. It also seems to me that this Daniel Croom was the son of a Daniel Croom who also had a wife named Elizabeth. Daniel the father could have married more than once; therefore, his wife Elizabeth was not necessarily the mother of Daniel born about or prior to 1683. Since so little is known about his father, this web page refers to the Daniel born about or shortly before 1683 as the progenitor of most, if not all, of the Croom families in eastern North Carolina. [Read above the research by Priscilla Harriss CABELL pertaining to Daniel the father of Daniel.] Records indicate that Daniel, born about or shortly before 1683, was married to an Elizabeth who died sometime after May 21, 1728 when she signed a release of dower and sometime before a sale of 150 acres by Daniel in 1732 in which no release of dower was signed by a wife. Sometime after the 1732 sale, Daniel married a Susannah who is mentioned in his November 3, 1734 will. In her book, Ms. Cabell makes an argument that Elizabeth was very likely a daughter of Abraham Michaux and that this Elizabeth was born in 1709 or 1710. She based this conclusion on records which (1) indicate that Daniel lived near Abraham Michaux; (2) show Abraham’s will which lists his children, including a daughter named Elizabeth; (3) reveal that after Abraham’s death in 1717, two of his sons sold their inherited shares totaling 300 acres of a patent Abraham had received for 850 acres to Daniel Croom in 1727. Ms. Cabell felt that the sale by the two sons of such a significant portion of Abraham’s patent strongly suggested that Daniel Croom must have been a brother-in-law. Elizabeth, the young daughter listed in Abraham Michaux’s will, made a nice fit. After a great deal of study, however, I am convinced that Elizabeth Michaux did NOT marry Daniel Croom, but married Sanburne Woodson. A few speculate that Daniel married an Elizabeth BALLOU. I have seen evidence of Daniel’s association with the name BALLOWE; however, I have seen nothing to confirm a marriage. We know that Elizabeth, wife of Daniel born about 1683, died between 21 May 1728 and 1732. After her death, we know that Daniel married a Susannah between 1732 and 1733. Daniel and his first wife–very likely Elizabeth–were the parents of a son, Abel, who was born no later than 1704 to 1709 and a second son, Major, who was born about 1722. Daniel’s will indicates that he had a daughter, Dorothy, born before his marriage to his last wife, Susannah. At the date of his will, Dorothy was a minor; however, the items left to her in the will suggest that she may have been approaching the age for marriage. My studies suggest that she may have married a YOUNG in early Craven or Johnston County. Daniel’s will refers to a third son, Jesse, who appears to have been born to his wife, Susannah. I interpret his reference to two young daughters, Judith and Sarah, as also being issue of his union with Susannah. Therefore, Jesse, Judith and Sarah were born between 1732 and November 3, 1734. Perhaps the girls were twins.
Croom Family Genealogy – Daniel Croom
http://www.johncroom.com/croopag2.htm