Captain Raleigh Croshaw or Rawley Crashaw (b. c. 1580 – d. 1624) was an English merchant and early immigrant to the Colony and Dominion of Virginia who represented Elizabeth City County in the House of Burgesses in 1624.
[2] Although Croshaw is believed to be from the Crashaw family of Crawshawbooth, Lancashire, England; his parentage and date of birth are not known.
In any event, Raleigh (or Rawley) Croshaw [sic] arrived in Jamestown, Virginia in the Mary and Margaret, with the Second Supply in September, 1608.
He was one of the authors of the complimentary verses prefixed to The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles (1624) of John Smith.
Since no reference exists to Crashaw's wife, nor any other person named Croshaw or Crashaw or the like, in land transactions, court records, nor any other records in Virginia from 1608 to 1625, she presumably died before he submitted his grant application, or may have never gone to Virginia in the first place, or as some people seem to believe, without any proof, she may have been an unnamed and unacknowledged Native woman.
His Presumed Sons Raleigh Croshaw was mentioned as being a member of the group with Captain John Smith in January 1609 who, while attempting to trade for corn with the Indigenous Powhatan People at Chief Opechancanough's village, were almost overcome by a surprise attack, only to be thwarted in part by Croshaw's quick reactions.
[5] According to Captain John Smith's General History, Croshaw challenged Chief Opchanacanough or any of his warriors to fight him naked (without armor), an offer that was not accepted.
When Captain John Smith published his General History in 1624, one of the verses in Volume III of the book was written by Croshaw.
Captain Spilman went there, but the Indians after seeing that his men were so vigilant and well armed, suspected that they had been discovered, therefore, to delude him, they gave him such good deals in trade, that his vessel was soon nearly overloaded.
"An Ancient Planter who hath remained in this country 15 years complete and performed many a worthy service to the Colony,".
He must have planted and had servants and/or slaves residing on and helping him work at least some of that 500 acre grant well before it was officially approved, as the Corporation of Elizabeth City (chartered in 1619 by the Virginia Company of London) states: "Captain Raleigh Croshaw planted by Patent 500 acres between Fox Hill and the Pamunkey River to establish Elizabeth City.".
Kecoughtan (Kiccoughtan or Kiquotan) was the first settlement in Elizabeth City (Virginia Company) County, the name of a Native American village on the site of Hampton.