Individual Details

Esther was named as a "cousin", actually a niece of her aunt Winifred in 20 May 1727. Her mother Anne named as Winifred's sister, as was "brother" William Thrift to be one of the Executors along with her uncle Stanley Gower. Others named were sister Elizabeth Gower, cousins Frances Gower and Esther Merchant.
Wills of Richmond County, Virginia; 1699-1800, by Robert K. Headley Jr., GPC, 1983
p.61-2 Will Book 5, p.81

Westmoreland County, Virginia: Orders, 1758-1761, by Pamela S. Pearson, Colonial Roots, 2008
p.4
29 Aug 1758
William Rochester is by the Court appointed guardian to John Rochester, Ann Rochester, Phillis Rochester, Nathaniel Rochester, & Hester Rochester, infants & orphans of John Rochester, dec'd. William Rochester with Robert Tidwell & Richard Read his securities acknowledged their bond for the same.
Note: this is undoubtedly Esther's brother-in-law. It is believed she had a son William who died young - in any case, he would not have been old enough to take charge of all his siblings.
Another entry at the same Court session:
p.4-5
Upon the motion of William Rochester guardian to the orphans of John Rochester decd & by consent of Thomas Critcher who intermarried with the relict of the said decd, it is ordered that Robert Middleton, Benedict Middleton & Gerrard Hutt or any two of them do settle all the accts. of the said decd's estate and also unto the said Critcher in right of his said wife and unto each of the orphans each their proportionable part of the said John Rochesters personal estate and report their proceedings therein to the next Court.
p.18
26 Sep 1758
Upon motion of Will'm Rochester guardian to the orphans of John Rochester it is ordered Benedict Middlton, Robert Middleton & Gerrard Hutt do divide the land of the said dec'd and allot unto Hester Critcher relict of the said John her lawful dower of the land.
p.101
29 May 1759
Return of the division of the estate of John Rochester deceased, also the allotment of Hesther Critchers dower in the said dec'd's lands was returned into Court under the hand of the referees. Ordered recorded and the several claimers to be possessed with their parts.

Granville County Kinfolks, p.52, Deed Book O, p. 131
9 Dec 1780. Esther Critcher, Samuel Morse, Nathaniel Rochester and Thomas Critcher, exrs of the will of Thomas Critcher, dec'd, made deed to Joseph Taylor and Phillip Voss, tenants in common.

Esther Critcher is listed in the Granville Co NC early Census of 1784. The lawsuit filed over her husband's debts states that she died about the year 1784 - likely her final tax payment.

North Carolina Wills & Probate Records; Ancestry.com.
Thoms. Critcher & Elijah Mitchell posted bond of 500#'s for administration of Esther Critcher, dec'd, 8 Feb 1785. Granted. Teste: Bennet Searcy
Inventory by Thos. Critcher presented in Granville Feb Court, 1785

Abstracts of the Wills and Estate Records of Granville County North Carolina: 1746-1808, by Zae Hargett Gwynn; published by Joseph W. Watson, 1978
p.97 Will Book 1, p.422
Feb Court 1785 Inventory of estate of Esther Critcher, deceased, by Thomas Critcher.

Find A Grave Memorial# 105032577
(John Rochester's widow, Mrs. Hester Thrift Rochester, married a Mr. Thomas Critcher in 1759, They moved about the year 1763, to Granville County, North Carolina, taking the entire family with them, and;
She was the daughter of William Thrift and Ann Gower.
Her name was spelled "Esther Critcher" in the wills of her father (d. 1776 in Richmond VA) and her husband Thomas Critcher (d. 1778 in Granville NC). She had at least 4 children with Thomas Critcher who were under the age of 20 at the time of his death, which makes sense as they married in 1759.

Note: the estate file of Thomas Critcher lists five children: Thomas Jr., James, John Gore, Sarah, and Jane Thrift Critcher. Another child, William, perhaps the first born, died young.

Estate File of Hester (Esther) Critcher
8 Feb 1785 Thos. Critcher & Elijah Mitchell are bound to Alexander Martin, Esq, governor of North Carolina in the sum of $500 on administration of the estate of Hester Critcher, dec'd. Inventory within ninety days. Signed: T. Critcher, Elijah Mitchell
Inventory included 2 horses, chairs, desk, table, looking glass, loom, flax wheels, kitchen items, a few tools, crop of corn & tobacco, bonds for 5000 #'s tobacco. Recorded Feb Court 1785.

In the Estate File of Thomas Critcher, 1779
Report of the Sale of the Estate of Hester Critcher, 28 Feb 1785. Purchasers included Thomas Mitchell (household items); Thomas Critcher (household items and three slaves - Will, Dinah & Jane); James Critcher (household items, the shott gunn, and a bay horse); Miss Jane Critcher (looking glass & small items). Signed by Wm Hunt, D. Shff.

Birth	6 Sep 1726	North Farmham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia
Marriage	Abt 1744	John Rochester
Marriage	Abt 1759	THOMAS Critcher
Death	Abt 1784	Granville County, North Carolina

Spouse	THOMAS Critcher (1734 - 1778)
Child	Thomas Critcher (1757 - 1804)
Child	Sarah "Sally" Critcher (1760 - 1837)
Child	James Critcher (1762 - 1814)
Child	Jane Thrift "Jenny" Critcher (1765 - )
Child	JOHN GORE Critcher (1770 - 1851)

Spouse	John Rochester (1708 - 1754)
Child	William Rochester (1745 - 1748)
Child	John Rochester (1746 - 1794)
Child	Ann Rochester (1747 - 1843)
Child	Phillis Rochester (1750 - 1822)
Child	Nathaniel Rochester (1752 - 1831)
Child	Hester Rochester (1753 - 1812)

Father	WILLIAM Thrift (1699 - 1776)
Mother	ANN Gower ( - )
Sibling	Esther Thrift (1724 - 1725)
Sibling	Esther Thrift (1725 - 1726)
Sibling	Anne Thrift (1728 - )
Sibling	Jesse Thrift (1730 - 1777)
Sibling	Winifred Thrift (1731 - 1736)
Sibling	Sarah Thrift (1732 - )
Sibling	Thomas Thrift (1734 - )
Sibling	Winifred Thrift (1736 - )
Sibling	Nathaniel Thrift (1738 - )
Sibling	Benjamin Thrift (1740 - )
Sibling	William Thrift (1742 - )
Sibling	Mary Thrift (1744 - )