Kinfolks
by Evelyn Flood
Have much more CRINER information which I will put on my website
later under William Thomas Criner Story.
James Manson Criner was born 24 July 1837 in McNairy County,
Tennessee.
His father was William Thomas"Old Billy"Criner, born 9 Sept 1814
in Tennessee.
William Thomas Criner died 5 March 1853 in Newton County,Arkansas,
shot by a Mr. Tyson in an argument over land property lines.
He is said to be first person buried in Criner Cemetery in Newton
County,Arkansas.
Mother was Mary Jane Hefley, born 25 Nov 1814 in Tennessee.
She was sister to Harve and Levi Hefley
William Thomas and Mary Jane Hefley Criner were the parents of:
Peter Criner; Martha Caroline Criner Chaffin; John W Criner;
James Manson Criner; Susan Elizabeth Criner Cheatham Query;
Elizabeth Criner Riddle (Reddell); Joseph Henderson Criner;
Adeline Criner; Stephen C Criner; William Thomas"Billy" Criner;
Polly A (Mary) Criner Nichols; and Levi Harvey Criner.
Have detailed information on all of the above mentioned children.
Paternal grandfather was John Criner Jr.,born 1768; died 1838 in
Lincoln County,Tennessee.
Paternal great-grandfather, John Criner, served in Revolutionary War
Paternal grandmother was Elizabeth "Ibby"Galloway, born 1786?, and who
died 30 Oct 1826 (place unknown)
John and Elizabeth Galloway Criner's children were:
Martha Criner Parker; Susanna Criner Mayberry;
James M Criner; William Thomas(mentioned)Criner ;John Anderson Criner;
Ibelene Criner Hefley and Joseph H Criner born 1822.
James M. Criner was probably conscripted into the Confederate Army,
14th Powers Infantry (Civil War) on 17 July 1861 at Yellville,Arkansas.
In June 1862 he deserted, per 14th Arkansas Confederate Records.
James then enlisted in CO. F, First Arkansas Infantry (Union) on
10 March 1863 in Newton County, Arkansas.
The First Arkansas Infantry book shows "he died 15 June 1863" in
Newton County, Arkansas.
He did not die on this date as he returned to Newton County and
married Mary Matney. I believe it was his brother John W Criner who
died on the above date. John W Criner did not return to Newton County
and no further record was found of John W Criner by me.
Per his statement, he enlisted in CO. D, Second Arkansas Cavalry in
Springfield, Missouri in June of 1864.
Many Newton County men served in both infantry and cavalry.
Believe men were transferred from First Arkansas Infantry to the
Second Arkansas Cavalry and have found this in many Civil War Pension
files.
James had a hard time convincing the Government that he had indeed
served in Co.D,Second Arkansas Cavalry due to the Army's probable
mix-up of his records with his brother Joseph H. Criner. The Government
wanted a tracing of James handwriting and on one document, he signed
with an X. When I order his Complete Pension File, I put down both
Infantry and Cavalry Units.
Complete Widow's Pension File was No. WO 874-927
In reviewing his Civil War Pension File, there were three Criners.
His brother John Criner, born 2 April 1836 in McNairy Co.,Tennessee,
is not listed in the index of Arkansas Union Soldiers nor is he listed in the
Confederate Service, although there is a J. W. Criner who served in
15th Johnson's Infantry(Confederate).
See my list of both Northern Arkansas Union and Confederate men on my
website for further information.
I ordered John Criner's Civil War Pension file and they were "Unable to
locate" his enlistment. I used the First Arkansas Infantry, CO. F.
request form
This is the company that so many Newton County men served in and
know the history of First Arkansas Infantry in Newton County, Arkansas.
Believe in Lackey's "History of Newton County" that he lists James
M.Criner as killed in Newton County,Arkansas.
Brother Joseph Henderson Criner served in Second Arkansas Cavalry.
Joseph was born 9 July 1843 per tombstone OR 7 July 1842 family
record. Born in McNairy County, Tennessee per Union Soldiers Index.
He enlisted on 15 Oct 1863 and mustered out on 20 Aug 1865.
Joseph H Criner married Martha Louvina Cheatham on 12 July 1863
in Newton County, Arkansas.
Their children were:
Louisa Caroline Criner Holt; Doctor M Criner; Martha Louvina Criner;
Joseph H Jr."Joey" Criner; William Bolin Criner; John R Criner;
Mary Criner Hamilton; Sintha E Criner; Nerva Ann Criner Hefley;
Frances Leona Criner Owen and Lucy Caldonia Criner Cole.
Per Bureau of Pensions, "the military records of the Record and Pension
Office furnish a report of Joseph Criner of CO. D, Arkansas Cavalry while
the medical records furnish a report of the soldier as James M. Criner",
who was in an Army Hospital with pnuemonia.
Believe the Army had these men mixed up. Their brother, John Criner,
must have been the man that died on 15 June 1863 in Newton County,
Arkansas. He is not found on any census records after 1860.
James Manson Criner married MARY ANGELINE MATNEY GOSS
on 11 February 1887 in Newton County,Arkansas
Some records show that Mary was born 24 November 1861 in Cedar Gap,
Missouri (Taney County).However, her parents lived in Wright County,
Missouri in Hartville Township in 1860, so am wondering about this.
Mary's father was William Allen Matney
Mother was Amanda Elizabeth Scarbrough
There is mention that Mary Matney Goss(Gauce) married
James Criner.
Mary Matney was sister to Anna Lee Matney who married David Freeman
and Paris Rea.
Mary Matney did have a daughter whose father was James McLeod Goss.
They were apparently married in Missouri before the Matney family came
to Arkansas.
Their daughter was:
BEULAH GOSS, born 2 April 1883.
Beulah Goss was raised with the Criner family.
She married JOHN WILLIS STRONG on 21 Nov 1897 in Newton County,
Arkansas.
James and Mary Matney Criner's Children:
(1)Clara Criner born January 1885 in Arkansas who married
Bert Carroll in Boone County, Arkansas on 13 June 1912, Book K-559.
No children.
Clara died in Waco,Texas with burial there.
(2)Minnie Alice Criner born July 1887 in Newton County,Ark.
who married:
(1) Bert Tennison (21) on 7 May 1905 in Newton County, Arkansas.
I have an old picture of Bert and Minnie Criner Tennison taken about
1908.
The Tennison children were:
(i)Earl Tennyson born 1908 at Mt.Judea, Arkansas.
Earl married (1)Velma (maiden name unknown) and secondly to
Jewell Greenhaw Fowler.
Earl had two sons: Franklin B Tennyson and Arvil C Tennyson of Waco,
Texas. Earl died 13 Feb 1999 at Fayetteville, Arkansas with burial in
Waco Memorial Park, Waco,Texas.
Bert Tennyson married secondly: Mary Frances Dunn Clark on
10 April 1917 and they had a son:
Wilbert Tennyson who married Zella Greenhaw.
After Wilbert Tennyson died, Zella married Kenneth Montgomery.
Minnie Criner Tennison married:
(2) John Waddle (30) on 23 July 1916 in Newton County,Arkansas.
Minnie's Waddell children were:
(ii)John A Waddell born 1917 who lives in Bakersfield, California.
(iii) Mary Frances Waddell born 5 June 1925 who married Mr. Brown.
She died 26 March 1997 at Boone County, Arkansas Hospital with memorial
services at Jasper, Arkansas(Newton Co.)
(3)William "Matt" Madison Criner
born: 23 Sept 1890 in Newton County, Arkansas.
He died 5 Nov 1917 at Camp Pike,Arkansas near Little Rock
while in service in World War I.
He is buried in Criner Cemetery in Newton County,Arkansas.
(4) Infant son, born and died 12 Nov 1893 and is buried in Criner
Cemetery, Newton County, Arkansas.
(5)John Marcus Criner
born 8 September 1894 in Newton County, Arkansas.
He married Ora Hudson(17) on 2 July 1916, in Newton County, Arkansas.
Children I have record of were:
James Anthony Criner; John Huelin Criner; Betty Ruth Arnold; Jewell
Criner Campbell and Eltra Criner Strickel.
John Marcus Criner died 28 Sept 1959, with burial in Criner Cemetery
at Mt.Judea(Newton County)Arkansas.
(6)James Hobart Criner
born 27 Aug 1896 in Newton County,Arkansas
He married Ethel Jones (22) on 21 April 1918 in Newton County,Arkansas.
Children I have record of are:
James H Criner; David C Criner; L R Criner; Edita Norma Criner Foster;
Laura June Criner Brewer and Mary C Criner Davis.
James Hobart died 23 April 1987 and is buried in Mt. Judea
Cemetery,Mt.Judea(Newton County)Arkansas
(7)Levi Arvil Criner
born 30 April 1899 in Newton County,Arkansas.
He married Lucy Hefley (16) on 23 April 1925 in Newton County,Arkansas.
I show children: Marvin, Faman and Orel Lee Criner.
My Flood children are related to the Criner families several different
ways. Levi Robert Criner (son of Stephen C and Margaret M "Tid"
Cheatham Criner) married Peggie Ricketts. Peggie Ricketts was the
sister to our great-grandmother Hester Hosannah Ricketts Flud.
Also, Carolyn Smith Criner(daughter of James and Ova Norton Smith),
is my husband Kenneth's first cousin.
Have much more detailed information on all these families which
Will exchange for your information.
Have copied all Newton County, Arkansas Criner marriages through 1927.
Evelyn Flood
Rkinfolks@aol.com
Copyright(c) 1999
Write me:
Rkinfolks@aol.com
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