John Crisp Family

John Crisp was born on 23 Jun 1824 in Booneville, Owsley, Kentucky. John’s parents were William W. Crisp (1783-1857) and Elizabeth Matthews (1789-1868). John was hanged in "The Great Hanging at Gainesville, Texas, 1862" on 19 Oct 1862 at the age of 38. See previous post about his trial by the Citizens Court.

In 1850, John was living with his parents in Hopkins County, Texas. They were next door to John’s older brother, Samuel Crisp.

1850 Federal Census, Hopkins County, Texas

Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: District 8, Hopkins, Texas; Roll: M432_911; Page: 139B

John Crisp and Harriet Pittman were married on 8 Jan 1852 in Hopkins County, Texas. Harriet probably died sometime after the birth of the baby, because John married again in 1857. John and Harriet had one known child, a son: William L. Crisp was born about 1854 in Texas. William was with his father and step-mother in the 1860 census in Cooke County, Texas. No records have been found for him after 1860.

John Crisp and Alcey Hawkins Stephens were married on 4 May 1857 in Gainesville, Cooke County, Texas. Alcey was born on 18 Jul 1839 in Hannibal, Marion, Missouri. Alcey is the daughter of Charles Washington Hawkins and Mary Packwood. Alcey Hawkins first marriage was to Charley Stephens in June 1855 Cooke County, Texas. He either died or left, because in May 1857, Alcey was free to marry again. After the hanging, Alcey took her young family to Montague County and raised her children that county until she moved to Oklahoma after 1900. Alcey died on 11 May 1919 at the age of 79 in Moore, Cleveland, Oklahoma.
Name variations for Alcey found on census records, marriage records, and familytrees: Alcey, Alice, Ailey, Ailia, Alsey, Ailsey, Ailcey, Alixy, Alicey.

John and Alcey Crisp had the following children:

1. Mary Elizabeth Crisp was born on 9 Feb 1858 in Texas. She died on 3 Jul 1933 at the age of 75. Mary never married.
2. John Mansil Crisp was born on 10 Nov 1859 in Gainesville, Cooke, Texas. He died on 27 Jan 1941 at the age of 81 in Yukon, Canadian, Oklahoma. He was buried on 29 Jan 1941 in Rose Hills Burial Park, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. John married Martha Alice Wilson (1872-1937) on 12 Jun 1892 in Montague County, Texas. Their children were: George, Leonora, Claud, Ethel, Albert and Walter.
3. Minna Anne Crisp was born on 5 May 1862 in Cooke County, Texas. She died a month later on 7 Jun 1862.

1860 Federal Census, Cooke County, Texas

Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: , Cooke, Texas; Roll: M653_1291; Page: 247; Family History Library Film: 805291

John’s relationship to other men who died in the Hangings:

1. John’s niece, Elizabeth Martha Crisp, the daughter of his brother Samuel Crisp, married Hudson John Essman who was hanged by the Citizens Court.
2. Through his mother’s side of the family, the Matthews and Box families, John was connected to the David Miller Leffel family.

We welcome any corrections or additions on the John Crisp family.