Notes for John Chew

Notes for John Chew

!Robert Chew's Book: The evolution of the Chew family name was from the following : 1050 de Cheux from Normandy; 1086 le Cu from Devonshire; 1100 de Chyu from Somersetshire; 1150 del Cho from Lancashire; 1220 del Chue from Lancashire; 1250 le Keu from Suffolk; 1280 de chue from Somersetshire; 1320 de Chewe from Somersetshire; 1390 Chewe from Worcestershire; 1500 Chewe from Lancashire; 1630 Chew from Virginia; 1700 Chew from New Jersey.

The word CHEW generally means winding water, the EW being a variant of the French EAU meaning water. The word CHEWER is a Western dialect for a narrow passage and CHARE is Old English for turning. The River Chew that runs through Somerset to the River Avon is a narrow, twisting river of water.

!Maryland Many believe that the name CHEW began in Normandy as CHEUX, and came to England with the Norman Conquest during the 11th century. The earliest record of the name CHEW is in the Domesday Survey, the name CHEW appears as CHIWE when it states that the Bishop of Wells holds Chiwe. The city of Wells is in Somersetshire about forty miles from the Devonshire boundary. The belief that CHIWE refers to Chew Magna located about fifteen miles to the north. Note that Devonshire is where Le Cu was granted land (bounded by Somersetshire to the northeast). The name also appears as Chyu in 1164 at Bath, as Keu in 1260 at Suffolk and as Chewe as far north as Lancashire in 1430. It isn't certain when the surname CHEW or CHEWE became permanently adopted, but it was about the last half of the 14th century. There is a John Chewe at Salisbury in 1383. About 300 years after the name was Chiwe Magna was mentioned by the Bishop of Wells. It is believed that the name was taken from place names like CHEW MAGNA or CHEWTON.

Genealogies...from the Maryland Historical Magazine 975.2 M369 V.1 John Chew came to Virginia in the Ship "Charity" or "Charitie" in 1621 or 1622 and his wife Sarah came about a year later in the "Sea Flower." Both were living at Hog Island, opposite Jamestown, in 1624 (Hotten's "Emigrants," page 237). He was a merchant and was evidently a man of substance since he owned a house at Jamestown shortly after his arrival, as is shown by a grant in 1624 to "John Crew, merchant," of one rood, nine poles, near his dwelling house in James City (Va. Mag., I. 87). In 1636 he had grants for some 1200 acres "in the County of Charles River," later called York Co., and had probably been living in that locality for some years previously (Va. Mag., V.341-342). He represented Hogg Island in the Virginia House of Burgesses 1623-1624 and 1617, and was a member for York County 1642-1644 (Colonial Va. Register, pages 53, 54, 63). He was also one of the justices of York County in 1624 and 1652 (Va. Mag., I.197). His first wife Sarah died before 1651, and in that year he executed a deed (recorded in York County) in view of his intended marriage with Mrs Rachel Constable (Va. Mag., I. 197). His sons Samuel and Joseph Chew are mentioned in the York County records 1657 and 1659 respectively, and it appears from the same records that in 1668 John Chew was dead and his son Samuel was living in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland.

!Birth date mentioned in Genealogy of the CHEW Family---16 July 1587---Listed as being found in the Whalley Parish Register and lists his name as Johannes, son of Johannes