Life History

Notes

• It seems there were two children in this family named Margaret.  HereMaggie E is reported at age 12, and with a birthday of April 1888.  Iassume that Maggie here is, as usual, the nickname for Margaret.  Butthere is a child reported as Margaret who is age 3 in 1880.  Thatwould make her age 23 in 1900.  But how could a 23 year old bemistaken for a 12-year-old, as Maggie is reported here.
  
  Thus I conclude that there wa an earlier child named Margaret, then asecond child also named Margaret (called Maggie here).  Or maybe it ispossible they named here Maggie, the nickname, as a primary name.  Wasthis because the earlier Margaret had died young?  This was sometiemsthe case with familes in the1800s.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Attala County, Mississippi, 24 June, Beat 4,District 17, p 51, #461, Fam #465
  Criswell, William 40    Farmer MS MS MS (b abt 1840)
  Criswell, Martha W F 38 Wife Keeping House b MS MS MS (b abt 1842)
  Criswell, Margaret  W F 3 Dau MS MS MS (b abt 1877)
  
  1900 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 16 June, PrairieTownship, District 7, Page 11B, Hse #192, Family #195
  Maggie E Criswell Dau W F  Apr 1888  12  Ark Alabama Alabama
  
  1910 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 16 April, PrairieTownship, 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 69 Married 43 yrs AL TN GA
  Criswell, Maggie D Dau F W 20 AR SC AL
  
  These two censuses show Maggie born in Arkansas, whereas a Simonsfamily genealogy reports her born in Attala, Mississippi.  We knowthat the family lived in Attala before they moved to Ethel, Arkansas,so perhaps the genealogy generalized that as the birthplace of all thechildren as well.  John, the oldest son,  is the only child reportedby the genealogy as born in Alabama.
  
  Attala is also reported as the birthplace of father William H.  I haveconfirmed that this is an error.  William was born in South Carolina.The 1900 census erroneously reports him born in Alabama.  But allother sources indicate he was born in South Carolina, and somegenealogies specifically give his birthplace as Abbeville District.William's father James Henry was born in South Carolina.  It ispossible that the family resided in Alabama for some time beforemoving on to Mississippi.  Perhaps further information will clarify ifthis accurate.
  
  Maggie is still single and living in her father's household at age 30,at the time of the 1920 census.
  
  1920 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 5 January, PrairieTownship, District 15, page 1A, Country Road, Hse/Fam #4
  Criswell, Maggie Dau F W 30 Single AR SC SC

Sources

• 1. 1900 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 16 June, Prairie Township, District 7, Page 11B, Hse #192, Family #195
• 2. 1910 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 16 April, Prairie Township, District 13, page 1A, Hse/Fam #7
• 3. 1920 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 5 January, Prairie Township, District 15, page 1A, Country Road,
• 4. Simons Genealogy
  • Margaret Criswell