Floris Taylor

John married Annie Bird Criswell. Annie (daughter of David Robert Criswell and Sophronia Isabelle Secrest) was born on 22 Jan 1882 in Fayette County, Texas; died before 1944. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 4932
• Occupation: 8 Dec 1898, Cameron, Texas, USA; School Teacher

Notes:

Lawyer and Teacher

Crioswell Family Among Early Settlers and Heroes of Texas History
David Robert Criswell, b. Oct. 18, 1858 in Fayette Co., Texas near
the present day town of Flatonia. He was about 7 years of age when his
parents died and was taken into the home of his brother-in-law, Bill
Boykin. He "hit the cattle trails" at an early age and by the time he
was 17, was a "trail boss" driving cattle from the Mesquite ranges of
Southwest Texas. He worked for the Driskill range properties gathering
large herds at Gonzales, on Padre Island and other points before
driving them north to Colorado for delivery to markets. At the age of
22, in the year 1880, received a "Life Scholarship" from Jones
Commercial College, Austin, Texas upon the completion of a prescribed
business course. He married Sophronia Isabelle Secrest (Belle) on
-16-
CRISWELL FAMILY
April 14, 1881. She was the seventh child of Thomas Secrest and Maria
Dismuke Secrest who migrated to Texas from Ohio and settled in Fayette
Co. on Mulberry Creek near the present day Schulenberg, Texas. After
their first child was born they moved north to Milam County in 1883,
settling on a farm and ranch land on Lapan Creek. He taught school in
Milam County for a number of years, among his first schools at North
Elm to which he rode six miles horseback each way. He was also a land
surveyor and in 1902 he was admitted to the Bar of Texas and practiced
law at Buckholts, Texas. He served continuously as Justice of the
Peace for Precinct 6 at Buckholts, Texas for a half century. Six
children were born to Sophronia Isabelle (Belle) and David Robert
Criswell:

David married Sophronia Isabelle Secrest on 14 Apr 1881 in Fayette County, Texas. Sophronia was born in Aug 1867. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 8011

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 4920
• _EMPLOY: 5 Apr 1848, Blackjack Spring, Fayette County, Texas; Post Master
• Census: 4 Oct 1850, Fayette County, Texas
• Census: 13 Jul 1860, Fayette County, Texas

Notes:

• ID: I02598
• Name: Leroy Vannoy CRISWELL
• Sex: M
• Birth: 1813 in Barboursville, Knox Co., KY
• Death: 1866 in Praha, Fayette Co., TX
• Note:
------------------------------------------------------
1850 DeWitt Co., TX Census. #178.
Criswell, Christian 16 1834 Germany
In Albert Von Roeder household.
------------------------------------------------------
1870 Fayette Co., TX Census. 831-831, p. 455.
Criswell, James 48 1822 Farmer KY (250)
- Millie 40 1830 Wife MS
- Thomas 14 1856 Son TX
- Mary 9 1861 Dau TX
- Emily 7 1863 Dau TX
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Decendants Chart of John Yancy Criswell, Sr. Stanley McMicken File.

DECENDANTS OF JOHN YANCY CRISWELL, SR. & ELEANOR ANNOY, a sketch by Sue Ragland Diggle. Stanley McMicken File.
...DOD given as 1868. POD given as Coldwater Creek, Oso, Fayette Co., TX.

CRISWELL FAMILY AMONG EARLY SETTLERS AND HEROES OF TEXAS HISTORY, documented by R.R. Criswell & Martha Criswell Bailey.
...Leroy Vannoy & Elizabeth Criswell were buried at Criswell Cemetery (also known as Duff Cem.) about one half mile southeast of the village of Praha.

Leroy V Criswell was one of the original Texas Rangers as he joined with Captain Robert M. Williamson as a part of Williamson’s Mounted Riflemen in July 25 - September 13, 1835.

FTM Marriage Index, CD #227, 1728-1850.
...Leroy V. Criswell m. Elizabeth Micken 24 Feb 1842 Fayette Co., TX

Fayette Co., TX Marriage Records. #32535, Bk A, p. 51
...Leroy V. Criswell m. Elizabeth McMicken 24 Feb 1842, license applied for on 19 Feb 1842.

Early Texas County Marriage Records, Fayette Co., TX.
...Leroy V. Criswell m. Elizabeth MCMicken 19 Feb 1842.

CRONICLES OF FAYETTE COUNTY, p. 58. Leroy V. Criswell - member of first district court jury in Fayette County, 22 Oct 1838.

Leroy V. and Elizabeth (McMicken) Criswell sold their BJS home in 1853 to Johannes Romberg, first German to settle at BJS, and moved to near Oso a few miles northeast of present Flatonia. William V., Leroy' s younger brother, had moved to near Praha the year before.
AN EARLY HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, p. 97. John Yancy Criswell and Leroy Vannoy Criswell - among a list of freeholders in Fayette County during the time of the Republic.
Leroy fought Mexican regiments in "Come and Take It" Battle at Gonzales and Leroy was wounded at Bexar during the Battle of Bexar at San Antonio against General Cos (Santa Ana's brother-in-law).
FAYETTE COUNTY - PAST AND PRESENT, p. 115. April 1846, eight election precincts established...#7 house of Leroy T. (sic) Criswell.

CRISWELL FAMILY AMONG EARLY SETTLERS AND HEROES OF TEXAS HISTORY, documented by R.R. Criswell & Martha Criswell Bailey.
...Leroy Vannoy & Elizabeth Criswell were buried at Criswell/Duff (also known as Mulberry Cem.) about one half or one mile southeast of the village of Praha.

Gene Brownlow
This cemetery is located on S. Knezek Road .6 miles from FM 1295 at 29°40'6.21"N and 97° 3'25.19"W. There is a gate with a sign, Wm V. Criswell Cemetery, on the left side of the road usually covered with undergrowth. If you go at a 25 degree angle to the right upon entering the gate you should find the headstones.

•Event: Fact witnessed the killing of Ben Milam
•Will: 29 JAN 1866 probated in Fayette Co., TX

Packet dated 13 Oct 1997. Rowena Calhoun File.
WILLIAM JOSEPH BOYKIN, by William B. Bennett. See William Joseph Boykin for content.

Packet dated 13 Oct 1997. Rowena Calhoun File.
BOYKIN
...William Joseph Boykin, son of Sion Lee Boykin, married Elizabeth Jane Criswell, daughter of Leroy Criswell who recieved an honorable discharge from the Texas Army signed by Stephen F. Austin. He was discharged in order to return to Gonzales County to plant his crops (a copy of the discharge is enclosed).

L&D 216-2: Packet dated 13 Oct 1977. Rowena Calhoun File.
GREAT, GREAT GRANDFATHERS OF SONS OF RUTH BOYKIN CALHOUN / SAMUEL DANIEL CALHOUN.
...was in McNeill's Artillery Co. which participated in the capture of San Antonio by Texas Army in 1835.

L&D 216-3: Packet dated 13 Oct 1977. Rowena Calhoun File.
BOYKIN.

L&D 216-4: Packet dated 13 Oct 1977. Rowena Calhoun File.
WILLIAM JOSEPH BOYKIN, by William B. Bennett

L&D 216-13, p. 5: Packet dated 13 Oct 1997. Rowena Calhoun File.
CRISWELL

Packet received 4 Feb 1999. Norman Krischke File.
Criswell-Boykin Descendant Chart (William J. & Eliza J. CRISWELL Boykin).

Letter, Notes, Family Group Sheet & Ancestor Chart dated 21 May 1999. Theresa Mitchell File.
________________________________________________________________
Criswell Family, Among Early Settlers and Heroes of Texas History
LEROY VANNOY CRISWELL
(1st child of John Yancy Criswell, Sr.)
Leroy Vannoy Criswell, b. 1813, Barboursville, Knox Co., Kentucky,
emigrated to Texas 1829-30 at age 16 with parents and brothers and
sisters. Settled at Matagorda, Matagorda Co., Texas and moved with
family in 1835 to Woods Prairie (West Point, Tx.). Participated in
opening battle of the Texas Revolution at Gonzales, Tx., Oct. 2, 1835
as member of J. C. Neill's Artillery Co., protecting a little cannon
from being surrendered to a Mexican militia. Fought at the Battle of
Bexar (San Antonio, Tx.) in J. C. Neill's Artillery Co.; discharged
Nov. 24, 1835 and joined Col. Ben R. Milam's Battalion and witnessed
the death of Col. Milam during the hardest fought battle of the
revolution, Dec. 5-10, 1835. Accompanied his father and younger
members of the family while "moving out of the way of the advancing
Mexican Army" in March and April 1836. Served as an "Indian fighter"
in Col. J. H. Moore's Mounted Rifle for fifty days through Oct. 23,
1838. Served in Somervell Expedition to repel the invasion of Texas by
Mexico led by Gen. Aderian Woll, 1842-43. Married Elizabeth A.
McMicken on Feb. 24, 1842. (His brothers, William V. and Joseph Eve,
also married daughters of Andrew and Eliza McMicken who had emigrated
from Tennessee after the Texas War for Independence.) Leroy was 29 at
the time of marriage, she was 17. Immediately after the marriage, they
took into the household 15 year old Joseph Eve and 13 year old Andrew
Jackson (his younger brothers whose parents were dead at this time).
Also, part of the household was a "Negro" girl owned by the John Y.
Criswell, Sr. Estate. As administrator of his father's estate, he
farmed the family land in addition to his own. Leroy and his family
first settled at Black Jack Springs (near Muldoon) and his children
attended the Black Jack Springs School taught by Mr. William Gorham,
whose wife was a close friend to Candace Criswell Cottle. The Cottles
also lived in the same area. Later, Leroy's family moved and settled
near "old Flatonia" (Oso) and Praha. In his will, dated August 5,
1862, Leroy states he owns "land, Negroes, cattle, horses and
tenements" to be shared equally among his children for their education.
-13-
CRISWELL FAMILY
It is believed that Elizabeth A. Criswell died after giving birth to
Milam, who was born March 18, 1866 and that Leroy V. Criswell also died
soon after. "The Honorable Court of Fayette County, having been
solicited by the Relatives of Leroy V. Criswell to take charge of the
State. I hereby make application for letters of administration of
estate of Leroy V. Criswell & wife deceased at the next term of said
court on this 29th day of June 1866." Wm. Boykin, husband of the
eldest daughter and oldest child Eliza Jane, was appointed one of the
administrators of the estate. The younger children were taken into the
Boykin household. Leroy Vannoy Criswell and Elizabeth A. Criswell were
buried at Duff Cemetery (also known as Mulberry Cemetery) about
one-half or one mile southeast of the village of Praha. The property
adjoining the cemetery was sold to a Chec or Bohemian farmer who, not
realizing his actions, removed grave markers and planted grain in their
place. He later replaced some markers, but many locations were lost.
Leroy and Elizabeth (along with son, Larkin) had no markers on their
graves.


Buried:
1/2 to 1 mile south east from Praha which is south east of Flatonia, Texas

Died:
William V Criswell Cemetery, Praha, Texas. Site not located.

Leroy married Elizabeth Ann McMicken on 24 Feb 1842 in Fayette County, Republic of Texas. Elizabeth (daughter of Andrew John McMicken and Elizabeth A Faires) was born in 1825 in Tennessee; died on 18 Mar 1866 in Oso, Fayette County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 4921

Notes:

Died:
Buried in William V Criswell Cemetery, Praha, Texas, Sitenot located.