Major Joseph Croshaw (c. 1610-12–1667) was a planter living near Williamsburg in the Colony of Virginia. He was the son of Captain Raleigh Croshaw. He became a planter and lived a few miles from present-day Williamsburg, Virginia. On December 10, 1651, he patented land which became the plantation known as Poplar Neck:
1000 a. in York Co., upon the side of York River, commonly known by the name of Poplar Neck, abutting n. w. upon the mouth of St. Andrew's Creek" (later called Carter's Creek) "n. e. upon York River, s. e. upon a small creek called Croshaw's Desire dividing this land & the land now in possession of Richd. Croshaw into the woods, w. s. w. & by s. and s. w. along the Indian Field upon the land of Jas. Harris, w. by n. upon the land of Samuel Snead, n. w. by w. upon a line of marked trees leading along to St. Andrew's Creek.[1]
Poplar Neck subsequently came to be owned by Colonel John West through West's marriage to Croshaw's daughter Unity.