Joseph McDuffy Criswell was born in Abbeville, South Carolina, 12 June 1822.  No record has been found of father's name, however, his mother was Hannah _____ Criswell, born 5 June 1802 in South Carolina.  There were two older sisters of Joseph; Ann, born about 1819, who later married Mr. Newberry, and Jane, born in 1820, who married Samuel Shaw "Cap" Ashley.  After the death of these children's father, Hannah married a Mr. Brooks.  Two children were born to this union, Lucinda Brooks, who married a Mr. Smith, and Bill Brooks, who married Martha ____.

Early marriage records in Henry County, Georgia show that Joseph was married to Naomi "Omy" Towson, 10 May 1844.  The next record we find is the 1850 Census for Henry County, Georgia.  It lists Louisa Criswell, born 20 April 1846 and Sarah Adline Criswell, born 22 September 1849.  Bible records show that four more children were born to this couple in Georgia, a son, William C. Criswell, born 8 January 1852, a daughter, Fannie Frances Criswell, born 9 March 1855, another daughter, Emaline Criswell, born 29 October 1856, and a son, David Criswell, born 10 June 1859.

When the Civil War broke out, a rich man in the community was called into service.  As was the custom at that time, he paid Joseph $1,000 to take his place.  Leaving with the idea that the fighting would soon be over, Joseph left his family with a part of the money, and arranged with a neighbor to see to their needs, and went off to war.  Four long years later, after spending most of the war years a Union prisoner, he came walking home from the war to find that his wife, Omy, had died, and his children had been moved along with the neighbors to Alabama.

After some time, he located his family and found land where he could sharecrop at Choccolocco, Calhoun County, Alabama [this is near Birmingham, Alabama].  There he met and later married Caroline Susan Harrison, born 7 April 1832.  Her father was Tyre Harrison, who was quite active in the work of the Baptist Church in Alabama.  They were married 8 March 1866.  Joseph and Caroline started out with a family of children to clothe and feed.  The older ones were able to help with the work, but no sooner had one married off than a baby came along to take his place.  Nine children blessed this union; six boys and three girls.

By the year 1892, one of the sons, John Samuel Criswell, came to Texas by train to visit his Uncle Bill Brooks, who had brought his family to Texas some years earlier.  The Brooks family farmed land near Terrell, in the Lawrence community.  Although John Samuel decided to stay in Texas, it took him nine years to convince his father to follow him.

It was in December 1901, Joseph McDuffy Criswell sold his farm, lock, stock and barrel, and brought his family to Texas by train.  By this time John Samuel had married and bought 160 acres of land north of Forney in the Valley View community.

Joseph McDuffy Criswell's time in Texas was short for he passed away on 25 September 1902.  However, he lived long enough to see all of his children but three come to Texas and settle close around him.
His two older daughters by his first wife, Louisa and Sarah Adline, married brothers by the name of Ashley and remained in the state of Alabama.  The oldest son by the second wife, Austin Newton Criswell, born 17 March 1870, married Fannie Owens on 26 May, 1889 and moved to Tennessee.  They had two sons, Floyd, born in 1895, and Carl, born 1898.

William C. Criswell married Julianne Harrison and lived in Eustace, Texas, until his death about 1930.  He adopted two children from the Buckner Children's Home in 1900, a girl, Myrtle, later married _____ Masoner; and a boy, Charles William Criswell, later married Lillie Hendricson. Her last known residence was in California.

Emaline Criswell married Rufus Hughes 26 December 1880, and had four sons and two daughters, all born in Alabama.  When they came to Texas, they settled near Heath in Rockwall County.  Joseph M. Hughes, born 1881, married Christine Walker and had two daughters, Jo Ann, who married Larry Bainter, and Mary Jane, who married Richard Dee.  The second son, Ace Hughes, born 1885, married Evie Nash, but had no children.  The third son, Charles Hughes, born 1887, married Ruth McMahon and had one daughter, Ella Mae Hughes, who married John Neighbors.  After Ruth died, Charlie married Lessie Dykes (ca. 1914).  They had a son, C. D. Hughes, and a daughter Edna Hughes, who married Dick Middleton.  The next child of Emaline's was Willie Albert Hughes, born 1890, latter married Delia _____.  No children.  Emaline had two daughters, Ella and Mae, who died when they were young ladies.

David Criswell married Lorina _____ and later Phebia Harrison and had two sons, Joe Philmon Criswell and John Criswell.

Another daughter, Fannie Frances Criswell, married John Fletcher Moore and moved from Alabama to Corsicana, Texas.  They had four daughters and one son, all born in Alabama.  Lena Moore married W. P. King and had one son.  Annie Moore married W. A. Tally and had two sons.  Bunyan Moore married Minnie Lee Dunn. They had one son and three daughters.  Lula Moore married Vance Wilson and had one son.  Fannie D. Moore married William P. Pritchett and had two daughters.

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This is a partial transcript from material compiled by the late Johnnie Criswell Turpen, daughter of John Samuel Criswell and granddaughter of Joseph McDuffy Criswell from material gathered orally from Aunt Emaline Criswell Hughes in her later years. 

This material concerns Joseph McDuffy Criswell's family by his first wife, Naomi "Omy" Towson.  The children of his second wife, Caroline Susan Harrison, were Martha Lee "Mattie" Criswell, Austin Newton Criswell, Joseph Madison Criswell, John Samuel Criswell, Oscar McPherson Criswell, Charlie Thomas Criswell, Evie Young Criswell, and Judge "Buddy" Criswell, most of whom moved to the Forney area and whose stories are for another time.