Life History

Other facts

Notes

• South Carolina Marriage Index, 1641-1965
  James Creswell [James Criswell]
  Spouse Mary J. Cain
  No date in this compilation, no image to view, Place Abbeville County
  Source Marriages, Ninety-Six and Abbeville District
  
  In about 1844, James and Mary moved to Attala County, Mississippi.  They were enumerated there in 1850 with 7 chidlren.  The last two were born in Mississippi.
  
  1850 Federal Census, Attala County, Mississippi, 2 September, Township 12, page 106B (scan 212), Hse/Fam #155
  James Christwell 33 M Farmer b South Carolina
  Mary M Christwell 37 F b South Carolina Cannot read & write
  Martha J Christwell 15 F b South Carolina
  Caroline Christwell 14 F b South Carolina
  William H Christwell 10 M b South Carolina
  Margaret R Christwell 7 F b South Carolina
  James H Christwell 5 M b Miss
  Mary Ann Christwell 2 F b Miss
  
  1860 Federal Census, Attala County, Mississippi, 26 September, Township 13, Range 5, PO Attalaville, page 233, Hse #1574. Fam #1616
  James Criswell 44 M Farming  $500 Real  $250 Personal  South Carolina [born abt 1816]
  Mary Criswell 48 F South Carolina  [born abt 1812]
  Martha J Cane [Criswell] 25 F SC
  William H Cane [Criswell] 18 M SC  Laborer in Farm
  J Henry Cane [Criswell] 14 M Mississippi
  Mary A Cane [Criswell] 12 F Mississippi
  Young R Cane [Criswell] 8 M Mississippi
  Sarah E A Cane [Criswell] 5 F Mississippi
  
  The writing of the latter surname, entered only on Martha J Cane, is unclear after Ca.  This appears to be the Cane/Cain family, probably nieces and nephews of Mary Jane Cane Criswell, the wife in this family listing.  Martha Jane at age 25 would have been born in about 1835.  This matches James and Mary's own daughter Martha Criswell.  It looks like the enuemrator just decided to name all the children Cane.  William H is also their son, reported as age 10 in the 1850 census.
  
  I found the Simons genealogy has this list of names as children of James and Mary.  If that genealogy is correct, the last name of these children would be Criswell.  I cannot understand how the notation that appears to be a different last name could have intended to mean Criswell.  William H Ca-- here seems to match William H Criswell, son of James and Marry Criswell, who is reported variously as born in 1840 or 1842.  J Henry and Mary A also match the last two Criwell children reproted in the 1850 census.
  
  If Cane is the intended last name of the last two children, these Cane family individuals are probably the children of a brother of Mary Jane.  But th error in naming the first four chidlren makes us think the last two, Young R and Sarah EA are likewose Criswell children.  In fact the 1880 census below reports a 25-year-old daughter named Sarah.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Attala County, Mississippi, 24 June, Beat 4, District 17, p 51, #458, Fam #462
  Criswell, James W M 65  Widowed  Farmer SC SC SC (b abt 1815)
  Criswell, Sarah W F 25 Dau Keeps House b MS SC MS (b abt 1855)
  Criswell, Charley  W M 4 Son  MS SC MS (b abt 1876)
  -- #459, Fam #463 --
  Wigley, Margt  W F 37 Dau Widow MS SC SC (b abt 1843)
  Wigley, Amanda  W F 21 Grandchild MS MS MS (b abt 1859)
  Wigley, George   W M 9 Grandson  MS MS MS (b abt 1871)
  Wigley, Elizabeth  W F 19 Grandchild MS MS MS (b abt 1861)
  -- #460, Fam #464 --
  Herman, William  W M 35 Son in Law  Farmer MS MS MS (b abt 1845)
  Herman, Martha  W F 35 Dau MS MS MS (b abt 1845)
  
  There are three houses of Criswells side by side that are reported as related to James Criswell as head of household.  But the relationships reported are not clear in some cases.  James has no wife reported here, so he is a widower.  Daughter Sarah is 25 years old here.  The next person is Charley, only age 4, but reported as a son.  If Charley is really James' son that means that he would have been born when James was about 61.  This is quite possible.
  
  But his wife Mary was older than he was, and would have been about 66.  This is impossible.  Charley cannot be the son of Mary.  So it would appear that Charley here is a grandson.  But it is not clear who his parents are.  In this listing order, he would most likely be the son of Sarah, but then why is their last name Criswell, instead of Sarah's married name?  If Sarah is correctly reported here as the daughter of James, who is Charley's mother?
  
  In this enumeration, Margaret and her children are allotted a separate house and family number, yet are reported relationally to her father living next door.  The same happens with the Herman family.  Note that the birth state of Martha's mother is reported as Mississippi as for Sarah, but her father's birthplace is also reported as Mississippi, whereas James' birth state is South Carolina, which is affirmed in the record for Margaret, whose father is reported as born in SC.
  
  But Margaret's mother is also born in South Carolina, which matches the reports for Martha Jane Cane.  I have no information about a second wife for James Henry Criswell, and Martha Criswell was born only 2 years after her sister Margaret.  This discrepancy in birth states is probably due to enumerator error, probably copying the reports for several people above the entry for Martha.
  
  Note that Mary E is reported as a daughter of Jame Criswell, but her last name is Herman.  It looks like the enumerator put her relationship to her father, William Herman, instead of her relationship to her grandfather, in contrast to the relationship for all the other children.
  
  The next house is that of William Criswell, son of James Henry.

Sources

• 1. 1860 Federal Census, Attala County, Mississippi
  • 26 September, Township 13, Range 5, PO Attalaville, page 233, Hse #1574. Fam #1616
• 2. Simons Genealogy
• 3. 1880 Federal Census, Attala County, Mississippi
  • 24 June, Beat 4, District 17, p 51, #458, Fam #462
• 4. 1850 Federal Census, Attala County, Mississippi
  • 2 September, Township 12, page 106B (scan 212), Hse/Fam #155
• 5. South Carolina Marriage Index, 1641-1965
• 6. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 7. 1910 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 16 April, Prairie Township, District 13, page 1A, Hse/Fam #7
• 8. 1880 Federal Census, Attala County, Mississippi
  • 24 June, Beat 4, District 17, p 51, #461, Fam #465
• 9. 1900 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 16 June, Prairie Township, District 7, Page 11B, Hse #192, Family #195
• 10. Ancestry Trees
  • Jerry Griffit, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/10407308/person/-632032306
• 11. 1900 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 18 June, Prairie Township, District 7, page 18A, Hse #21, Fam #212
• 12. 1910 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 15 April, Prairie Township, District 18, page 1A, Hse/Fam #5
• 13. Ancestry Trees
• 14. 1880 Federal Census, Attala County, Mississippi
  • 24 June, Beat 4, District 17, p 51, #459, Fam #463
• 15. Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982