FOLLOW THE  TRAVELS OF JESSE,
SON OF ABEL

Jesse was a toddler when he accompanied his father on the long trip from Virginia to his new home in North Carolina. As a young man he would continue his own migration, this time heading south, mainly along the Northeast Cape Fear River. Records suggest that he and his family lived at more than one location near the river as it coursed down through Duplin County. By 1788, we know that he had acquired land just across the Duplin/New Hanover County line on the east side of the river, just above the Holly Shelter area.

Records suggest that Jesse Croom, son of Abel, very likely was the progenitor of most of the Croom families in the area of New Hanover that would become Pender County in 1875. Some records, however, indicate that Jesse's brother, Major Asa Croom, was the father of at least one daughter who married about 1797 in the area where Jesse had settled. Major Asa Croom most likely fathered others.

Place your mouse over a number to follow the travels of Jesse Croom, son of Abel.

1. Records show that Abel Croom, who formerly lived on a plantation along the James River in Goochland County, Virginia, arrived in Craven County in 1741.We don't know for certain the path Abel Croom took when he departed his Virginia farm along the James River and went to North Carolina. Most likely he rafted down the James and took a coastal water craft down to New Bern. From there he poled his family and his belongings on a raft up the Neuse River in a westerly direction and settled on the south side of the river about six miles west of present day Kinston. As the crow flies that might be some 40 miles. The wandering path of the Neuse, however, was an arduous journey, at least half again as far.

2. In December 1741, Abel Croom bought 100 acres on the west side of Whitley Creek, which is located on the south side of the Neuse River in Craven County. That area later briefly would be in Johnston County, then in 1759 in Dobbs County and finally in 1791 in Lenoir County. In succeeding years, Abel would expand his land holdings in that area. Ultimately the lands would be apportioned to several of his sons and daughters, including Jesse Croom. (Back to map)

3. As a young man, it appears that Jesse Croom owned land in an area of Duplin County, not far from where he was raised along Whitely Creek in Dobbs County. There remains some uncertainty as to whether Jesse, son of Abel, left Duplin County about 1778 and moved to Onslow County or whether another Jesse, presumably a son of Jesse Croom of Wayne County, was the one who purchased several tracts of land there. (Back to map)

4. On the east side of the New River in northwest Onslow County, NC, Jesse Croom purchased several hundred acres beginning in early 1778. At this time, that Jesse appears to this writer to be a son of Abel Croom. In 1786 a census was taken in that county and a John Coomes (sic) was listed by the enumerator as having two white males between the ages of 21 and 60 and three females of all ages in his household. I believe this to be John Croom, son of Jesse. Inasmuch as John was 22 years of age at the time of this census, I have not confirmed the identity of the other adult male. Was it his father, Jesse? I could find no mention of Jesse in the 1786 Onslow census, or in any other census during that period. Was the other adult male a relative of John's? Perhaps Major Asa Croom? (Back to map)

5. In March 1790, land records show that a Jesse CROOM acquired 400a on the east side of the Northeast Cape Fear River in New Hanover County, NC. In the first federal census of that year, the household of Jesse Croom is listed with 2 males age 16 and over, 3 males under 16 and 3 females of all ages. We know that he was the son of Abel Croom. (Back to map)