Hello Carolyn,
I'm not sure if you received my direct e-mail so I am posting the information here. I have been looking at your connection with the Cruce family and was having just a bit of trouble but it seems that most of the problems are due to several small mistakes that appear in Priscilla Montgomery’s book “An Outline of Crucesâ€.
The errors in the book seem to be related to your grandmother and her sister. You said “…my grandmother, Lula McAdams Hollis was the oldest child. Her mother, Janie or Jane, was expecting her second child when he died. She was named Elma McAdamsâ€.
The Montgomery book does mention two children of Elmer McAdams and indicates that they are both females. However, Mrs. Montgomery’s book lists the oldest daughter as “Elmer McAdams†(I suppose it should be “Elmaâ€) and she appears to mistakenly name your grandmother Lula as “Willi†McAdams. Mrs. Montgomery’s goes no further on the McAdams line and so I see where it would be easy for mistakes to be made since no additional work was done on the subsequent generation. Unfortunately, the Montgomery text also fails to mention Elmer’s wife’s name, saying only that Elmer “…died young of blood poisoning after having a tooth pulled.†The combination of errors and omissions in this area leaves me wishing I had more information.
However, it appears clear to me that you are a descendent of Elmer Cruce- I'm not sure why the book doesn't reflect your line correctly. I am sending along all of the pertinent information through his lineage.
Carolyn, the following is a portion of the text I have compiled regarding our common ancestors.  Each segment of the story I have scanned follows your line in the Montgomery manuscript. Our Cruce line in America begins with Richard Cruce and Charity Gregory and so I will start there as well. These notes were taken directly from “AN OUTLINE OF CRUCES†by Priscilla Montgomery, 1994.Â
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THE BEGINNING IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Richard Cruce (ca.1735-ca.1803)
Richard was born in Belfast, Ireland, and came to Spartanburgh, South Carolina ca. 1772, and lived there until his death. It was possible to come to America with only limited resources and receive a Royal Grant of land requiring a modest yearly rent. After the Revolutionary War, the States used gifts of land to lure settlers into lands they wished to secure. America really was the Land of Opportunity. We believe that Richard died in the early 1800's because in 1804, Isaac Cruce began selling his S.C. land in preparation to moving to Kentucky. He was in possession of the 350 acres originally granted to his father by George III., and he sold this land to his brother Stephen in that year.
The earliest known land record for Richard in this country was a plat for 100 acres in the 96 District dated 1772. The Memorial can be read on microfilm in the South Carolina Department of Archives and History Memorials, Vol. 13, p. 498 and describes the land as a plantation or tract of 100 acres of land SW of the Broad River on a branch of Brown's Creek and is dated the 2nd of June 1775. The records for a second George III land grant for 350 acres on Fair Forest Creek was platted on the 2nd day of March, 1773, and dated the 20th day of July, 1773. The Royal Grant for this property is dated the 30th day of September, 1774 and it was registered as a Memorial on August 24th, 1775 (South Carolina Archives, S.C. Memorials, Vol. 13, p. 433).
Fair Forest Creek arises southeast of the town of Spartanburg and passes in a southeasterly direction, through the county and into Union County where it joins the Tyger. The Pacolet River arises north of the city of Spartanburg and flows southeast of the city where it eventually joins the Broad River east of the Tyger. The Broad River originates in North Carolina, north of the town of Spartanburg, runs east along the state line and then drops down into present day Cherokee County. This wedge of land was the home of the early Cruces and their friends and neighbors. Because Stephen was born in Ireland in 1770 and Richard's George III land grants were dated 1772 and 1774, we know the approximate time of their arrival in America.
The wording of these Royal Grants is very interesting in that it underscores our strong connection with English Law. Many of the phrases in these old land grants appear today in modem day land records.
The survey and plat of the earliest land grant is for 100 acres on "the SW side of Broad River on a branch of Brown's Creek," and is dated the 3rd of Febry 1772. It reads: "I have admeasured and laid out to Richard Cruce a plantation or tract of land containing one hundred acres situated on the SW side of Broad river on a branch of Brown's Creek on waters of said river. Bounding SErdly on land laid out to Thomas Branden, NErdly on land laid out to William Kennedy and unto other sides bounding on vacant land. And hath such shapes, forms, and marks as the above plat represents. Certified under my hand the 10th day of June 1772. Dan'l Thomas D.S" (South Carolina Archives: Colonial Plats, Vol. 14, p. 274).
The Royal Grant reads:
South Carolina
George the third by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth, To all whom These Presents shall come, Greeting: KNOW YE, THAT WE of our special Grace, certain Knowledge and mere Motion, have given and granted, and by these Presents, for us, our heirs and successors, Do give and grant unto
Richard Cruce his
heirs and assigns, a plantation or tract of land containing One hundred acres situate on the South West side of Broad River on a Branch of Browns Creek bounding South East on Thomas Branden North East on William Kennedy the other sides on vacant land
And hath such shape, form and marks as appear by a plat thereof, hereunto annexed: Together with all woods, under woods, timber and timber trees, lakes, ponds, fishings, water, water courses, profits, commodities, appurtenances and heriditaments whatsoever, thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining: Together with privilege of hunting, hawking and fowling in and upon the same, and all mines and minerals whatsoever: Saving and reserving, nevertheless, to us, our heirs and successors, all white pine-trees, if any there should be found growing thereon; and also saving and reserving nevertheless, to us, our heirs and successors, one tenth-part part of mines of gold and si(l)ver only: TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, the said tract of
one hundred
acres of land, and all and singular other the
premises hereby granted unto the said
Richard Cruce his
heirs and assigns for ever, in free and common soccage. The said Richard Cruce his heirs and assigns yielding and paying therefor, unto us, our heirs and successors, or to our Receiver-General for the time being, or to his Deputy or Deputies for the time being, yearly, that is to say, on the twenty-fifth day of March, in every year, at the rate of three shillings sterling, or four shillings proclamation money, for every hundred acres, and so in proportion, according to the number of acres, contained herein; the same to commence at the expiration of two years from the date hereof. Provided always, and this present Grant is upon condition, neverless that the said
Richard Cruce his
heirs or assigns, shall and do yearly, and every year, after the date of these presents, clear and cultivate at the rate of three acres for every hundred acres of land, and so in proportion, according to the number of acres herein contained; AND ALSO shall and do enter a minute or docket of these our letter-patent in the Office of our Auditor General for the time being, in our said Province, within six months from the date hereof; AND upon condition, that if the said rent, hereby reserved, shall happen to be in arrear and unpaid for space of three years, from the time it shall become due, and distress can be found on the said lands, tenements and hereditaments hereby granted; or if the said
Richard Cruce his
heirs or assigns shall neglect to clear and cultivate yearly and every year, at the rate of three acres for every hundred acres of land, and so in proportion, according to the number of acres herein contained, or if a minute or docket of these our letters-patent, shall not be entered in the Office of our Auditor-General for the time being, in our said Province, within six months from the date hereof, that then and in any of these cases, this present Grant shall cease, determine and be utterly void, and the said lands, tenements and hereditaments hereby granted, and every part and parcel thereof shall revert to us, our heirs and successors as fully and absolutely, as if the same had never been granted.
Given under the Great Seal of our said Province
WITNESS The Honb'le William Bull Esq.Lieu't
Governor and Commander in chief in and over our said Province of South-Carolina, this
Eighth Day of December
Anno Dom. 1774 in the fifthteenth Year of our Reign
Wm (L.M.S. ) Bull
Signed by his Honor the Lieut Governor in Council
Tho Winstanley
And hath thereunto a Plat thereof annexed, representing the same, certified by
John Breman D.S. Suveyor-General
30th Sept. 1774
(S.C. Archives: Royal Grants, Vol. 34, p. (213)
Richard Cruce was one of the witnesses of the will of Joseph Jolly, dated 15 April 1778. "I Joseph Jolly Capt. of Ninety six District living on Brown's Creek being sick in body..." The will was proved by all three witnesses on 25 April 1778 before William Kennaday, J.P. (Union County S.C.-Miscellaneous Records, Book. 1 and 2, pp. 80-81) Many years later, in 1858, John Pharris Cruce, son of Stephen Cruce and grandson of Richard, would move from Coweta County, Georgia to Arkansas and settle in Possum Valley in Drew County near a Jolley family who also came from Georgia.
Married: Richard married, on 10/8/1755, in Ireland, at St. Anne's Parish Church, Charity Gregory, born Belfast, Ireland; died Spartanburg District, South Carolina.
1) Isaac Newton Cruce 1756-1816
b. Belfast, Ireland, d. Livingston Co., Ky.
2) Thomas Gregory Cruce 1759-
b. Belfast, Ireland
3) Amelia Cruce 1761-
b. Belfast, Ireland
4) Mary Cruce 1764-
b. Belfast Ireland
5) Richard Cruce 1766 or 1772-1847
b. Belfast, Ireland, d. Georgia.
6) Stephen Cruce 1770-1856
b. Belfast, Ireland, d. Gwinnett Co., Ga.
7) John Nicholas Cruce ca. 1775-(speculative)
b. Spartanburgh District, S.C.
8) George Washington Cruce ca 1785-ca 1829
b. Spartanburgh District, S.C.
Richard Cruce (1773-2/4/1847)
Richard was born, by family tradition, on shipboard when his family was emigrating from Belfast, Ireland. He died in Georgia. The Bible of Stephen A. Cruce says that Richard died on 2/4/1847 at age 74. This would make his birth date in 1773. The Stephen A. Bible is in the possession of Alma Rose Stewart in De Kalb County, Alabama.
In 1804, Richard paid taxes in Jackson County, McKeever's District, Georgia as recorded in An Index to Georgia Tax Digests 1804-1806, vol. III. This would make Richard the earliest Cruce we know of in Georgia. On 9/23/1823, Richard "Cruse" of Spences District in Jackson Co., Georgia was granted a tract of land designated as #178 in the Fifteenth District of Monroe County, containing 202 ½ acres. This was land formerly in the possession of the Creek Nation. The grant was signed by Governor George M. Troup. On 4/5/1827, Richard Cruce of Newton County relinquished any claim to the Cedar Shoals property of Jesse Kane. On 10/24/1832, in Coweta Co., Georgia, Richard paid Joseph A. Hughy $100.00 for 167 acres of land in Coweta County, identified as Lot No. 86. The deed was witnessed by Richard's son, James Hiram Cruce. Four years later, in January of 1837, Richard sold a part of Lot 86 to Matthew Segler for $500.00. In March of 1837, Richard Cruce of Meriwether, bought from Middleton F. Wall, the North ½ of Lot 42 in District 11 of Meriwether Co. for $100.00. In 1838, his wife Jane died, the exact date is unknown. On May 11, 1838 in Meriwether Co., Richard bought, for $1800.00 paid to Thornton Holman, 202½ acres of land known, in the Lottery as No. 10, in the Eleventh District of Troup County, now Meriwether. He sold, on 10/25/1838, all of Lot 10 and half of No. 42, totaling 300¾ acres to Thomas Watson of Coweta for $800.00 for what would appear to be a significant financial loss. This last sale of land was accomplished before the purchase had even been recorded. Richard must have been in serious need of cash. On September 30, 1838, a Richard Cruce married in Coweta County, Mary Tate. There is no record of this marriage in the Stephen A. Cruce bible which supplied so many dates and names of this family. But in the 1840 Meriwether County Census, the 67 year old Richard has a woman of 40-50 yrs. in his home and one girl 10-15, 2 boys 10-15 and 1 boy 15-20.
Military Service: Richard served as a Pvt. in Capt. John Whorton's Co. G.M., Jan 5-Mar 5, 1814 Fort Harrison, Frontier of Jackson Co., Georgia. (MR 1779-1839, p. 54) He was still living in Jackson County in the 1820 census but in the 1830 census he was reflected in Gwinnett County. In 1840 he was living in Meriwether County, Georgia.
Married: Jane A. ( ) 1773-1838 Richard and Jane had eight children but only two of them were boys.
1) James Hiram Cruce ca. 1804-____
2) Charity G. Cruce ca 1806-____
named for her grandmother, Charity (Gregory) Cruce
m. 11/8/1820, Jackson Co., Ga., Harvey Logan
(Frances T. Ingmire, Jackson County, Georgia Marriage Records, 1866-1950)
3) Jane Cruce ca 1808-____
m. 12/22/1825, Henry D. Jordan
(Newton County Georgia Marriage Book 1, 1822-1835)
4) Stephen Albert Cruce 1817-1879
5) Lovie Cruce (this is my Cruce line) ca. 1818-____
6) Nancy Cruce ca. 1819-____
m. 1/8/1833, in Jackson Co., Ga., Anthony Harrison
(Ingmire, Jackson County, Georgia. Marriage Records, 1866-1850).
7) Mary Arm Frances Cruce
m. Mar. 18. 1830, Newton Co., Ga., Ruben Eddleman
(Newton County, Georgia Marriage Book, 1)
8) Elizabeth C Cruce
m. Dec. 16, 1824, Newton Co., John Eddleman
(Newton County Georgia Marriage Book. 1)
After the death of her father, Richard Sr., Richard Jr.’s sister, Amelia Cruce, evidently joined Richard's household because she married Jacob Reamy in Jackson, County, Ga., on 6/11/1816; the same year she wrote to Stephen and Hannah in Spartanburg regarding the family deaths in Kentucky.
Stephen Albert Cruce 10/6/1817-8/18/1879
According to census records, Richard only had two sons in his family of eight children and Stephen A. was his fourth child and second son and he was born in Georgia.
Occupation: He worked as a carpenter, cabinet maker, and wagonmaker.
He was living near Senoia, Coweta County, Georgia in 1870. About 1871, when he was 54, Stephen A. sold his land in Coweta County and moved north to Paulding
County, Georgia.
Church Affiliation: During the time he lived in Paulding County, he attended the Smyrna Methodist Episcopal Church, Yorkville Mission, Rome District, North Georgia. When the Smyrna Church Register was published in 1883 by the Southern Methodist Publishing House, of the 69 names in the Register, 20 were Cruces or Shells. The Shells had been instrumental in organizing the Tranquil Methodist Church in Turin, Coweta County, after moving to Coweta Co. from Newberry, South Carolina. The evidence suggests that they also participated in the establishment of the Smyrna Methodist Episcopal Church.
Some of the names on the Register were: James G.E. Shell (son of Isham Shell), William Zack Cruce (son of Stephen A. Cruce), William Malone Shell (son of James), James Jasper Shell (son of James), John Pickens Shell (son of James), Stephen Albert Cruce (son of Richard), Elizabeth Jane Mayo Shell (Wife of James Shell), Frances Emily Shell Cruce (William Zack Cruce's first wife), Julie Stewart Shell (daughter of James Shell), Ann Elizabeth Shell (daughter of James Shell and William Zack Cruce's 2nd wife), Eliza Jane Cruce (Stephen A. Cruce's 2nd wife), Lovey Antenet Cruce (Stephen Albert Cruce's daughter), Sarah Jane Cruce (Stephen A. Cruce's daughter), James Hiram Cruce (Stephen A. Cruce's son), Julie Stewart Shell Carter, Maryann Elizabeth Cruce White (Stefhen A. Cruce's daughter), Josephine E. Cruce McAdams (Stephen A. Cruce's daughter), Philippa Ambrosia Cruce White (Stephen A. Cruce's daughter), E1izabeth Narcissas Cruce Davis (William Zack Cruce's daughter). When Stephen A. died at age 62 in 1879, he was buried at Smyrna Methodist Church, Paulding County, Georgia.
Married 1st: Stephen A. married on 12/3/1839, Narcissa Ingram, 2/4/1817-4/7/1850, buried in Georgia.
1) Flavius Cruce 10/20/1841-9/14/1844, died at 3 years; buried in Georgia
2) William Zack Cruce 1845-1895
3) Sarah Jane Cruce 1848-1940
Married 2nd: in 1850, Eliza Jane Frazier, 1835-1915. She is buried at White Oak Baptist Church, Blount County, Ala.
4) Josephine E. Cruce 1851-1920
5) Lovie Antonet Cruce 1852-1929
6) James Hiram Cruce 1854-1920
7) Mary Ann Elizabeth Cruce 1856—1891
8) Richard Oscar Cruce 1858-1947
9) Phillipa Ambrosine Cruce 1860-1887
10) Stephen Thomas "Tom" Cruce 1865-1948
*
Josephine E. Cruce 3/28/1851-8/29/1920
Josephine E. was the fourth child of Stephen A. and the first child of Eliza Jane Frazier. She was born in Georgia, moved to Alabama before 1900, and lived first in Sardis, Winston Co., Alabama. They lived next in the Anderson Community, in Lauderdale Co., Alabama, then, moved to Obendale, Florida. Both died in Obendale.
Married: 1872, in Ga., John McAdams.
1) Elmer McAdams
2) Alonza McAdams 10/28/1875-4/27/1965
3) Homer McAdams Homer had 8 children
4) Cora McAdams Cora had 13 children
5) Ernest McAdams
6) Clyde McAdams Had just one boy
7) Clarence McAdams
8) Claude McAdams moved to Fla.
9) Lillian McAdams Lillian had two children. One boy drowned and her little girl died of burns.
Elmer McAdams ca. 1873-____
Elmer died young of blood poisoning after having a tooth pulled.
Married: ____
1) Elmer McAdams (fem)
2) Willi McAdams (fern)
Carolyn, I hope this information helps out. Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
Bruce Moses