The Katrina Crittle Connection : Who is Odessa Crittle Cleveland? Part 2 of 3

This is a biography of Odessa written by herself on Xlibris.com : " I am a retired National Board Certified teacher(30 years with Los Angeles Unified School District) with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education and English and a Master Degree in Business Management and Education. I worked as a Mentor Teacher for the district for thirteen years, and I worked as a Consulting Teacher for the Peer Assistance and Review Program under the auspices of United Teachers of Los Angeles the last two years of my career. As a writer I have been published as a poet in several local and national magazines in the past, wrote objectives for various subject areas, wrote articles for school, the union and to the community paper. I have made several television and movie appearances."

I would like to say she really down plays her television and movie appearances. Odessa was in the original pilot show of the 1972 series of M.A.S.H. as Nurse Lieutenant Ginger Bayliss. Over the next 5 years she appears in 28 addition episodes of M.A.S.H. She also made single appearance in the following show: The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, Sanford and Son, Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II, The Greatest American Hero, Simon & Simon, and Trapper John, M.D. She also appeared in 1974 musical of Huckleberry Finn and a TV movie of Something for Joey and after 24 she just appeared in the 2010 movie Death and Cremation.

Hey Family!!! Did you know!!! Part 1

Did you know that in 1947 in Alexandria, LA there was a Crittle Beauty Salon located at 1619 9th St at the corner of Casson St. which is under the present day Pines Expressway Overpass. It was operated by Alma Wright Crittle the wife of Taylor Crittle. Taylor was the son of Edward Crittle Sr. and Eliza Rhodes line via Moses Crittle Sr.(Branch #1)

Update:Louisiana Crittle and Michigan Crittle Connection!!!

I have some good news as to a full Connection on Henry Crittle. He is the son of Moses Crittle and Rachel Brown (Branch #1). I found him list in his brother Charles Crittle 1954 obituary in The Times Picayune States Item that lived and died in New Orleans. I am still waiting to hear back from Cassandra Crittle.

The Katrina Crittle Connection : The Gris Gris of a Louisiana Crittle Part 1 of 3

I was doing searches on the internet for Louisiana Crittle -Josh (excluding hit for Josh Crittle. A professional Basketball from The Illinois Crittle Family) -Simon (excluding hit for Simon Crittle. An author of Mob Books.) -Adriana (excluding hit for Adriana Crittle. Our cousin that has a lot of hit from her college basketball playing). I got a hit on Google Book For a book name "Black Blues and Shiny Songs" a book of poems by Tommy Scott Young publish in 1977 by Red Clay Books. On page 7 of the book are these word for the book dedication:

"For my mother, Nancy Young
My Friend, Annie Close
And the gris gris of a Louisiana Crittle"

I was like while "Louisiana Crittle"!!! He has to be talking about one of our relatives. So I order a copy of the book. I look up "gris gris" I found out that is has to do with spells in Voodoo. Oh no that not good. But knowing our family history being from Central Louisiana, even though Voodoo was real big with slaves from New Orleans that was not the same from slaves from Central Louisiana. Gris gris is also use to describe women's attraction by men.

After getting my book in the mail I look up Tommy Young on the internet and found him on Facebook and sent him a friend request. After being approved as a friend I sent him a message asking him about the Louisiana Crittle and he told me that it was the last name of his ex girlfriend and her family was from Louisiana. I ask him what was her name and he told me that her name was Odessa Crittle Cleveland. He said that she was married at the time and famous and did not want to use her name. It was written as a secret code to her.


Odessa Crittle Cleveland is the aunt of our cousin Katina Crittle. She is the sister of Clarence Crittle Jr. and the daughter of Clarence Crittle Sr. This is the only multiple person Broken tree that we have in our family tree right now. I made contact with Clarence Crittle, Sr. but he was not willing to help us with any new information. I believe that Jacob Crittle Sr. may known how Clarence Crittle Sr. is related to us I am trying to make a real world connection with him or his son Jacob
Crittle Jr. In part 2 of the Katrina Crittle Connection:I will tell you who Odessa Crittle Cleveland is?

Louisiana Crittle and Michigan Crittle Connection!!!

I am working on a connection for the Louisiana Crittle and the Crittle in Detroit, Michigan. We had an ancestor name Henry Crittle born Aug 8 1896 in Cheneyville, Rapides, Louisiana according to his World War I Draft Card. We have no full connection on Henry Crittle except that he is from Cheneyville, LA. From The Catalogue of Leland University of New Orleans we know he attend Cheneyville Academy from 1901-1907. We also have his 1917 World War I Draft Card from Cheneyville, LA. an a 1930 Census Record from Detroit, Wayne, Michigan with a family of Berry's from Louisiana that list him as an uncle in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan. He live there from before the 1930 until his death in June 1977 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan.

I contacted Cassandra Crittle from Detroit, Michigan on facebook and she told me that her grandfather name was Emanuel R. Crittle :
Name: Emanuel R. Crittle
Birth Date: 16 Feb 1933
Death Date: 18 Jun 1995
Gender: Male
Residence: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan
Place of Death: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan

She told me that she thinks that her grandfather father's name was Henry Crittle.

Emanuel Crittle is young enough to be Henry Crittle son.

Henry Crittle
Birth Date: 8 Aug 1888
Death Date: 6 Jun 1977
Gender: Male
Residence: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan
Place of Death: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan

Even through the years of birth on the World War I Draft Card and S.S.I. don't match the month and day match perfectly.

This is not all the Crittle from Michigan just one line most of them came from The Mississippi Crittle.

I will keep you posted and let you know the out come?

The Black Thunder Connection!!!

Today I happened to thumb through a book called Black Thunder by Arna Wendell Bontemps, who was born in Alexandria, Louisiana 1902. What grabbed me was the name of one of the characters. There's a slave named Criddle who takes part in a slave uprising. His killing of a white man ,and attempted murder of his daughter factor in the story. Criddle has to be taking out for raping the white man's daughter, because this is not what the slaves are about. I was wondering how the author came up with the name Criddle? Is there some truth to this fiction? Maybe the author had heard his parents use the names common in Rapides, Parish in dialogue around the house? He moved to Los Angeles, California when he was seven, but stories of home seem to follow us wherever we go.

Hm-mm...

Just a thought.

Just another thought Crittle could be his mother's maiden name?


Cecelia J. Cook
September 19th, 2009

Arna Wendell Bontemps (October 13, 1902 - June 4, 1973) was a well-known American poet and a noted member of the Harlem Renaissance. As the librarian at Fisk University, he established important collections of African-American literature and culture, establishing it as an important goal of scholarly study. Bontemps was born in the city of Alexandria, Louisiana to the son of Charlie Bontemps and Marie Pembrooke Bontemps. His birthplace at 1327 Third Street has been recently restored and converted for use as the Bontemps African American Museum. It is included on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Well I did some research and this is what I found. Black Thunder Gabriel's Revolt:
Virginia: 1800 is a fictional account of a real slave revolt that took place in Virginia. I look a the court record's and found that there were no Criddle's or Crittle's slaves or slaves owner involved in Gabriel Prosser's 1800 hundred revolt. Even though Virginia is the state that our family originated from and most African American Crittle & Criddle originate from Virginia as well I found no connection to this case.

Arna mother maiden name was Pembrooke. I went back two generation on Arna and found no connection to the Crittle's. But I found that Arna Maternal Grandmother move to California when he was young and grew up around Irving. The matriarch of the Crittle's side Isabella Washington second husband name was Frank Irving.

Just a thought.

Michael Criddle

Hayes Crittle?

The strangest thing happened about 8 years ago. A patient in the hospital where I work at had Crittle as a last name. I went in to talk to her, introduce myself and told her of my Crittle connection. She was amazed at me, my resemblance to some aunts, and my hands that she said were just like one of the aunt's hands. Well, she mentioned Hayes Crittle and his daughter Netherland. I called my father's sister later that day to tell her of the meeting with this person. I had Hayes Crittle all up in my notes at home!! She and I are related after all.

March 8, 2010
Cecelia J. Cook

Hayes Crittle is buried at Houston National Cemetery. He is a son of Madison Crittle via Moses Crittle via Oliver Crittle-Criddle. Madison Crittle and Edward Crittle were brothers. Hayes is the brother Annie "Toots" Crittle Dorsey, Cass Crittle, Floyd Crittle, Lorenza Crittle, Alice "Toots" Crittle, Seleania Crittle Johnson, Shepert Crittle, Daisy Crittle Brown, and Willie Crittle.



March 9, 2010
Michael R. Criddle

The Reconnection (The Missing Link) Part 1

Some times when a woman marries a man she put down her family identity and pick up the identity of her husband family. This was the case with Elizabeth Criddle Harris (Branch #8). In 1999 after the death of her Sister Mamie Criddle Cook she realized that with exception of her sister children she had no living relative that she knew. So in the year 2000 she commission her niece Marjorie V. Cooks to find her family that she had lost connect with many years ago.

Marjorie started with a California address (Branch #10) from 30 years ago, she mail a letter and hoped for a response. Then she went to the internet on Ancestry.com Message Board posted this(this message thread has been deleted but I was able to save a copy before it was removed):

African American Criddle - Louisiana
Posted by: M. V. Cooks Date: June 09, 2000 at 16:07:46
of 373

Ennie Well Criddle died on July 5, 1928 when he was in his forties. Ennie's father was Ollie Criddle. (There were 2 Ollie Criddle's - one father; two mothers). Ennie's grandfather was David Criddle, a slave. Ennie and his wife, Lillie Lorah (Simms) Criddle had two daughters: Mamie Lee Criddle Cook (3/16/03-9/1/99) and Elizabeth Criddle Harris (10/17/00 - present). Ennie's brothers include Dave, Ollie, Isaiah, and Joshua. His sisters were Elizabeth (whose married name was Poland) and Rebecca.

Dave's kids were Belle, Irene, Hester (or Esther)Dave and another whose nickname was "Plug". Dave's granddaughters were Grace Brown and Ruby Brown. Ruby was also know as Tootsie.

Ollie's kid's were David (killed in WWI), Herman, Sylvester Ernest (died during WWII; He was much younger than his other siblings). Ollie also had a daughter, Elizabeth.

Isaiah's children were Calgo Criddle, Kinchen Reed Criddle, Rebecca Criddle Johnson and Cora Criddle. Also a couple nicknames have surfaced - Monk and Teen.

Joshua's children were Martha and Jeremiah.

Ennie's sister Elizabeth was the mother of one daughter, Mariah.

Ennie's sister Rebecca had Cinderella, Lewis (or Louis) and perhaps others.

Ennie moved from Louisiana (around Sunshine) to Oklahoma in 1920 or 1921 to be near his brother, Dave. He died and is buried in a town named Gibson Station, OK in Wagoner County, OK. His wife is buried by his side.

Mamie Lee Criddle Cook died in Oklahoma City and is buried at Booker T. Washington Cemetery in Muskogee, OK
******
I would like to hear from anyone who has info regarding the descendants of any of the above. Also I'd like any information concerning ancestors dating back farther than my info or just additional info or questions in general.

Now the information in this post, with the exception of Rebecca Criddle married name was Pauline instead of Poland and Joshua son name was Nehemiah instead of Jeremiah. And I have not been able to verify the nickname Monk and Teen. Every other fact list is true and verifiable with the exception of Ollie father name was David Criddle(Missing link 1). Base on the other information given I'm taking this info as a fact as well.

Possible Link for Oliver "Ollie" Crittle-Criddle to Loyd Hall Plantation

When you go on Ancestry, there's a watson Family Tree owned by a member 'alton66'. He uploaded a bunch of census info on Ollie,Moses, Edward Criddle/Crittle/Criddleton and the rest of his family. I sent a message to him to ask him how we connect directly. I went through his list of people and saw the Lloyd family from England. That family had a son named William who was disowned and a had to flee from London England in disgrace. He was ordered to drop the 2nd 'L' from his name. This William Loyd started Loyd Hall Plantation in Cheneyville, Louisiana in 1820 with about 60 slaves. This is probably the last plantation our family lived before Emancipation. I'm awaiting his reply. You know, I scribbled some names of plantations on a piece of paper about 4 years ago. this was one of them that I had a strong gut sense about. Maybe I was right !! Oh, Lloyd's of London (Insurance Company & Department Store) is William Loyd's family that disowned him.

December 2, 2009
Cecelia J. Cook

The Beginning of the Olive Tree

Oliver "Ollie" Crittle-Criddle was born in 1820 in the State of Virginia as a slave (This would also include the State of West Virginia. West Virginia didn't become a separate state until 1863). He was sold to a plantation in Cheneyville, LA near Alexandria, LA or moved with the his slave owner to Cheneyville. His name spelling was Crittle and he change the spelling to Criddle after slavery and his second marriage. He married a slave name Isabella Washington and had 4 children Moses Crittle (Branch #1), Nancy Crittle (Branch #2), David Crittle (Branch #3), and Ollie Crittle (Branch #4).




After slavery end Oliver and Isabella both remarried. Isabella married a man name Frank Irving and Oliver moved to Sunshine, LA (now St. Gabriel,LA) in Iberville Parish outside of Baton Rouge, LA and married a women name Marthan Cokely and also change the spelling of his last name to Criddle which I believe was the name of the slave plantation his father was born on.  They have 6 Children Ollie Criddle (Branch #5), Rebecca Criddle (Branch #6), Elizabeth Criddle (Branch #7), Ennie Criddle (Branch #8), Joshua Criddle (Branch #9), and Isaiah Criddle(branch #10).

The Nehemiah & Rebecca Criddle Family Crest (Branch #9)

The Criddle Family Crest is the birth child of my first cousin Shannon Criddle a Graphic Art Designer who lives in Houston, TX. The crest was design for my family The Descendant of Nehemiah & Rebecca Fluence Criddle (Branch #9) 2006 reunion in De Soto, TX. In the links I add a link of the English Criddle family Crest and info. At the bottom of the crest is these word...


The Criddle Family Crest, is the highest visual symbol of the our family's ideals, history and traditions. The Peace Wreath is a symbol for Rebecca Fluence Criddle and the foundation of our family holding us up and together. The Crown and Flame is for Nehemiah Criddle at the head of the family. Each of the jewels on the shield are for each of their 11 off-spring. The Torch is for our love and burning need for knowledge and wisdom. The Lions join to symbolize the proverb below the shield and how we unite to accomplish a goal. They are holding up the mantel of our "C" for Criddle to symbolize our pride in being
Criddle and all that goes with it.

The proverb suggests that one person's hand cannot cover the sky, it will take many hand to accomplish that task. Cooperation and mutual help lead to the accomplishment of difficult tasks.)

(On the Banner)
The proverb "Onipa baako nsa nkata Nyame ani." is from the African Language Akan

Meaning:
("A single hand (of a person) cannot cover the sky" -Although the Akan use the word Nyame for God who is essentially a spirit, they use the same word, on occasion, for the sky.

"United we stand divided we fall."