The Crotwell family is of German origin. They arrived in the colonies prior to the American Revolution when thousands of Protestant Germans were fleeing religious persecution and economic distress. England was offering sanctuary and land grants to many of these. The Crotwell family settled in South Carolina in the Dutch Fork section of Newberry County.
The earliest Crotwell settler in South Carolina was probably Philip Henry Cradwell, who received a land grant in January 1770. A map of early land plots in the Dutch Fork section shows the plot and beside Cradwell's name is "George Crotwell" in parentheses. The relationship of Philip Henry Cradwell to George Crotwell is not known. He could have been his father, uncle, or brother. George Crotwell did name one of his sons Philip Henry Crotwell. No other information was found on Philip H Cradwell, but in the 1800 census George Crotwell had an older couple living with his family. The couple was probably older relatives and possibly could have been Philip H. Cradwell. For more information on this land grant and location of the land, go to Land Grants - Philip H. Cradwell on the Images page. George Crotwell eventually moved with most of his children to Georgia and then finally to Alabama. He was a farmer and his will shows he was very successful. His son Philip H. Crotwell was a farmer and remained in Newberry County the rest of his life.
James Alfred Crotwell, the son of Philip H. Crotwell, was a shrewd businessman who owned properties in various states and some of the buildings in downtown Newberry. He was on the board of the Newberry Cotton Mill, owned his own brick factory, and built the Crotwell Hotel. He became a very wealthy man. He was also described as being a unique character, which I assume is eccentric. For more information and pictures of the Crotwell Hotel, go to Crotwell Hotel on the Images page.
Samuel P. Crotwell and his sister Clara B. Crotwell Matthews inherited the estate of James A. Crotwell. Samuel P. Crotwell was a farmer and businessman. He started one of the first cheese factories in South Carolina. For more information and pictures of the Crotwell Cheese Factory, go to Crotwell Cheese Factory on the Images page. He eventually traded the Crotwell Hotel for farm land in south Georgia. He moved his family there where they farmed and operated a dairy. All of his children were college educated and were farmers, businessmen, surveyors, and educators.
Highlighted names show the direct ancestor line of Selma Crotwell.