THE CRISWELL FAMILY

From 'Fanning the Embers', published 1971, Range Rider Reps, Miles City, Montana

By Mrs. Howard Criswell

The Criswell family came to Montana from Washington state in March, 1919, Robert Criswell having been killed in an orchard accident, the previous year. Mrs. Criswell felt that by coming to Montana she would have better opportunities to raise her eight children. The youngest was one year, the oldest twelve. Upon their arrival here, they lived ten miles south of Hysham on Sarpy Creek with the Lloyd and George Criswells who were distant cousins of Robert Criswell. George came here from Iowa in 1907 and Lloyd came from Kansas in 1906. They both had homesteaded land which at that time was part of the Crow Indian Reservation, and which George's son, Leslie, now owns and operates. In 1923, Mrs. Criswell moved her family into Hysham and made her permanent home there. This was also Howard's and his wife's home until moving to Miles City in April, 1959, where we bought and operated the Wagon Wheel Motel, for ten years. Howard, better known as "Skinny," was employed by Sen. D. M. Manning, while we lived in Hysham with exception of 31/2 years which he spent in the service. Having sold the motel, we bought a small acreage east of town and built a new home. This area had been my mother's home when she was a young girl.