William H CRISWELL John Jefferson CRISWELL James B CRISWELL Caledonia CRISWELL Manuel Harvey CRISWELL Margaret CRISWELL Thomas Jefferson CRISWELL Robert F CRISWELL Joseph L CRISWELL Edd Ragan CRISWELL Margaret E CRISWELL Olan G CRISWELL Melvin Monroe CRISWELL Mary Elizabeth CRISWELL Carrie B MCCLAIN Jesse Quitman CRISWELL Martha A JACKSON Mini tree diagram
Lee Jackson CRISWELL

Lee Jackson CRISWELL1,2,3,9,6,10,4,5

also known as Lee R CRISWELL7

1st Sep 18918 - 17th Jan 19758,6

Life History

May 1890

Born in Ethel, Arkansas, Arkansas.7

(less likely)

9th Jan 1891

Born.8

(less likely)

1st Sep 1891

Born in Ethel, Arkansas, Arkansas.1,2,3,4,5,6

(most likely)

between 1900 and 1920

Resident in Prairie Township, Arkansas, Arkansas.1,7,2

about 1915

Married Carrie B MCCLAIN

about 1916

Birth of son Olan G CRISWELL in Arkansas.2

7th Jul 1924

Birth of son Melvin Monroe CRISWELL in Ethel, Arkansas, Arkansas.4,11,12,13,14,15

12th Oct 1929

Birth of daughter Mary Elizabeth CRISWELL in Arkansas County, Arkansas.4,16,17

17th Jan 1975

Died in Ethel, Arkansas, Arkansas.8,6

after 17th Jan 1975

Buried in Mt Pleasant Cemetery, Ethel, Arkansas County, Arkansas.6

Notes

  • Place of birth is assumed due to birth of preceding and following children.  Family residence and his residence at time of death place are both Ethel, Arkansas County, Arkansas.

    There is a discrepancy between the date of birth on the gravestone and that reported by Mary Simons in the Simons genealogy.  Simons has a birth date May 1890, from the 1900 census, 1 year and 4 months earlier than the date reported on Lee's gravestone, 1 September 1891.

    Simons also reports the name as Lee R, while the gravestone has Lee J.  The 1910 census also reports him as Lee J.  However, the 1900 census also reports Lee R Criswell.  I suspect that Simon followed the date in the 1900 census.    I have not found a statement of sources for the Simons online genealogy.  The WWII Draft Registration reports his birth date as 1 Sep 1890, where the WWI registration has the date 1 Sep 1890.

    The full name of Lee Jackson is shown on the Burial Registry of Essex Funeral Home, DeWitt, Arkansas.  The middle name Jackson also seems more likely because this is his mother's maiden name.

    With such discrepancies one might think there were two persons with similar names.  However, the total family information is so utterly similar, this does not seem likely to represent two different families.

    Similar discrepancies occur on the information for Jesse Criswell, with an even greater difference in the birth date:
    Simons July 1882
    Grave  9 September 1895

    The 1900 census reports his birth date as May 1890.  And, consistent with that date, his age is reported as 10.  The April 1910 census age of 18 matches the birth date in September 1891.

    1900 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 16 June 1900, Prairie Township, District 7, Page 11B, Hse #192, Family #195:
    William H Criswell Head  W M  Mar 1840  60  Alabama Alabama Alabama
    Martha A Criswell Wife W F  Apr 1840  60  Alabama Georgia Georgia
    Lee R Criswell Son  W M  May 1890  10  Ark Alabama Alabama

    Where I have not found other sources for most members of this family, I initially followed Simons.  Gradually some other sources developed that have contributed or clarified information.  All facts are sourced.  The Social Security Death Index reports Lee's birthday as 9 January 1891, a year later than his 1900 census report and his WWI registration.  But his WWII registration reports 1891.  This is the date I have followed, since these match the date on his gravestone.  (Though I have known some gravestone dates to be wrong.)

    Social Security Death Index, Broderbund Family Archive #110, Vol. 1 A-L, Ed. 6
    Criswell, Lee
    Birth 9 Jan 1891
    Death Jan 1975
    Last known residence Ethel, Arkansas  72048
    SSN 431-66-1778 issued in Arkansas 1954

    Lee's WWI and WWII Registration information is helpful.  Some of the genealogies must not have had access to this.  Both have his full name along with other helpful details.  Lee signed with his full name Lee Jackson Criswell on both registrations.

    WWI -- Lee Jackson Criswell
    Born 1 Sep 1890, Ethel, Arkansas
    Residence Ethel, Arkansas County, Arkansas
    Occupation farming; married with one child (wife's name not given)
    Brown eyes, black hair
    Registered in Prairie Precinct, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 5 June 1917

    WWII -- Lee Jackson Criswell
    Born 1 Sep 1891, Ethel, Arkansas
    Residence Ethel, Arkansas County, Arkansas
    Wife Carrie Criswell
    Employer Willie Padgett, Ethel, Arkansas

    Note that the year of birth is different on the two registrations.  It appears that the correct year is 1891.  The date of 1 September 1891 is reported by the Social Security Death Index, and is the date on his gravestone.

    Lee is recorded in the 1910 census as the son of William H and Martha A Criswell.

    1910 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 16 April, Prairie Township, District 13, page 1A, Hse/Fam #7
    Criswell, William H  Head M W 69 Married 43 yrs SC SC SC Farmer
    Martha A  Wife F W 59 Married 43 yrs AL TN GA
    Criswell, Lee J  Son  W M  15  Ark SC AL

    In 1920, Lee and Carrie have one child, Olan G.  They are living next door to Thomas Jefferson and Lida B Criswell.

    1920 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 6 February, Prairie Township (South), District 16, page 7B, Hse #134, Fam #140
    Criswell, Lee J  Head  Owns farm  M W 28  Ark GA MS  Farmer
    Criswell, Carrie B Wife M F 25  MO US IN
    Criswell, Olan G  Son  M W 4 AR AR MO

    I note that the birthplace of Lee's parents are reported as father Georgia, mother Mississippi, while in 1910 it had been father South Carolina, mother Alabama.

    1940 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 8 April, Ethel, District 1-26, page 3B, Belleview Rd, Hse #45, Rents Farm, $300
    Criswell, Lee Head M W 49 Grade 5 b Arkansas same house in 1935 Farmer
    Criswell, Carrie Wife F W 48 Grade 6 b Missouri same house in 1935 Housekeeper
    Criswell, Melvin Son M W 15 Single Grade 7 b Arkansas same house in 1935
    Criswell, Merry Dau F W 10 Grade 4 b Arkansas same house in 1935

    Gravestones of Mt Pleasant Cemetery
    Criswell   Lee J    Sept 1, 1891  Jan 17, 1975
    Carrie B  Mar 2, 1892 (no death date)
    Mt Pleasant Cemetery, Ethel, Arkansas County, Arkansas
    Photos by Edith McSwain Jenkins, 27 June 2003 & 13 May 2017

Sources

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