Thomas Booker Crymes was born 18 Feb 1748 in Lunenburg county, Virginia, the second of two children born to George Crymes and his second wife, the widow Ann Booker (maiden name unknwon). This information is from the family Bible records of Milley Clark, a granddaughter.
He married Mary ? (Possibly McGee) about 1770 and they had six daughters who are named in his will: Rebecca, Nancy, Mary, Sarah, Martha, and Mildred. Rebecca married Shadrick Clark in 1788. Mary married Peter Averett in 1795.
Thomas Crymes was a pioneer Baptist preacher in Lunenburg county, Virginia, the founding pastor of Tussakiah Baptist Church in 1776. It has been said of him that he was a cousin to Lucy Grymes, grandmother to Robert E. Lee, and that the poem/song "Old Grimes is Dead" was written about him. I have found no documentation to support either of these last two factoids.
His will is dated 1789, and he is buried in the Crymes Cemetery, Nutbush, Lunenburg County, Virginia.
His father was George Crymes, born 14 Oct 1710 in Gloucester County, Virginia, son of Sir William Grymes/Crymes, Knight of the Garter and heir to a Barony in Peckham, England. William arrived in Virginia about 1678 and was a surgeon in Gloucester County. George's mother Christiana was probably a second wife. Like his father, George was also a surgeon and inherited all of his father's property as the only son.
George Crymes was married three times. About 1732 he married Sarah Stephens, who died 06 Feb 1745. About 1745 he married the widow Ann Booker, who died about 1753. On 02 Jul 1753, he married the widow Mildred Bellamy Killigrew, who died 27 Jan 1795. George himself died in 1797.
George's children:
(by Sarah Stephens)
Christina Crymes, 02 Nov 1733
Ann Crymes, 31 Jul 1737
William Crymes, 20 Oct 1742
Sarah Crymes, 20 Aug 1744
(by Ann Booker)
Letty Crymes, 23 Nov 1746
Thomas Booker Crymes, 18 Feb 1748
(by Mildred Bellamy Killigrew)
Rebecca Crymes, 1754
Alice Crymes, 28 May 1757; married Peter Louis Cantelou
Elizabeth Crymes, 25 Jun 1759; married Archibald Lester
George Crymes Jr., born 18 Feb 1766
Can anyone confirm that I have this family worked out correctly? Please respond here, or email me:
calystafford@live.com. Thanks.