Because there were so many Criss families in Owen County, I wonder if any
researchers know if these two brothers (can't totally trust statements about
where parents were born) or cousins (both born Indiana) living next door to
each other farming in Pike County Illinois, Hardin Twp in 1860 and 1870 were
originally from Owen County. I have come across information that some Criss
family members left Owen county for I believe Iowa, but not all were happy
and some returned. I have found a few Criss families in Iowa where the head
of household was born in Indiana.
Daniel, (listed as David in the 1870 census, but as Daniel in the 1880
census and his IL marriage record) born about 1826 or 1827 in Indiana
married Mary Ann Mason in Illinois in 1854 and had children
Louisa/Elisa/Eliza, Joseph, Merril (female), Andrew John, Amanda
A.,Valentine (male), and George and Steven. David/Daniel's parents were
born in Indiana according to his 1880 census record.
Stephen Criss, his parents born Ohio, he born about 1822/23 in Indiana,
married Martha Jane Greathouse in Illinois on Dec. 2, 1847 and had William,
James, Charles, Stephen A., John, Napoleon, Alfred (or Napoleon may be
Napoleon Alfred or Alfred Napoleon - can't tell from 1860 and 1870 if these
are the same person or different people as the ages are not always accurate)
Christopher, Mary E., Artie J. (female) and Nettie M. Criss,
A posting on the Criss Genforum seems to suggest that Stephen's parents were
Nicholas Criss and Barbara Teegarden. Barbara would have been born around
1786/1787 in PA. This cannot be the same Nicholas Criss born in VA and
later living in Owen Co., because he was born Dec. 17, 1797 and was married
to Mary Ebersole. I'm getting confused as to the possible relationship but
it must go back about another generation, or maybe Nicholas in Owen Co. had
a cousin named Nicholas Criss.....