Charles_Parish_Register_York_VA
The Charles Parish Register of York County, Virginia
1648 - 1789


The DREWRY Family of York County, Virginia


York County is part of todays Colonial triangle - Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown. Todays York River was called the Charles River in early Colonial times. Charles Parish was the home of three churches during the period before 1648 and continuing until the last church burned in 1789. During these years four church scribes maintained a register of parish births and deaths. Except for one error in transcription spelled Drowry (Edward), all the entries are spelled Drewry which is amazing since we find the name spelled Drury, Drurie, Drewe, Drewery in so many records. Not all of the Church records survived.

96 Births & 22 Deaths of DREWRY family members are recorded in the Church Register, thought to be the oldest surviving Church Register of Colonial Virginia. The first birth of our Drewry family was John b. July 24, 1673 son of John (abt 1645-1714) & Deborah (Collins) Drewry and continued until Esther Morrow Drewry was born March 11, 1787 dau of William & Anne Drewry.

John Drewry (abt 1645-1714) was first or second generation in Colonial Virginia, the Drewrys having immigrated from England. We are very lucky to be able to trace our direct Drewry bloodline back to Colonial Times thanks to this Charles Parish Register. Both he and his wife, Deborah (Collins) Drewry are listed in the Death Register. Also in the Register are the families of some of the Drewry wives - Morgan - Pressey(Presson) - Hayward - Tompkins.

I have made tables out of the Drewry births to use in figuring out family units, etc

BIRTHS by years - 1673 - 1787

NAMES by Child - A- Z

NAMES of PARENTS - Father/Mother


DEATH REGISTER - 1665 - 1787


Our direct Drewry bloodline
We can prove our descent from John Drewry - there is speculation whether his father was Robert "Drewrie" immigrant from England arriving 1635 or from a John Drewry arriving later or if he was the immigrant himself.

1. John Drewry & Deborah (Collins) - born (probably) - lived and died in York County, Virginia
2. Robert & Elinor (Morgan) maybe a widow of Henry Freeman - born - lived - died York County, Virginia
3. William & Rachel (Drewry) - cousins - born in York County - moved to Southampton Co, VA abt 1753
4. Richard Drewry & Nancy Murray (Harwood) -born Southampton Co., VA - moved to Tennessee in 1799
5. Richardson Clark Drewry & Martha (McBride) - born in Southampton Co., VA - moved to Tennessee in 1799
6. Richardson Clark Drewry & Mary Melinda (Harral) - born - lived - died - Weakley/Gibson Co. TN
7. James Harvey Drewry & Nannie Green (Bell) - born - lived - died Weakley Co., TN
       7a. Flaggler Allen Drewry & Willie Price (Campbell)
       7b. May Bell Drewry & Alvin Walter Swindell
       7c. Lula Grace Drewry & William Fred Rogers
       7d.Willard John Drewry & Pauline Talmadge (Grooms)
       7e. Elsie Ariee Drewry & Dewey Perry
       7f. Wayne Alton Drewry & Kathleen Emmett (Callard)


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* CHARLES PARISH York County, Virginia History and Registers 1648 - 1787 by Landon C. Bell Pub. by the Virginia State Library Board - Richmond - Division of Purchase and Printing 1932.