Cranfill Family

Margaret’s parents were Orin Ray Cranfill and Dorothy Deborah Browning.

Orin Ray was born December 18, 1911 in Mountain Home, Arkansas.  He came to Texas as a teenager and he and Dorothy were married October 6, 1934.  They had one other child, Billy Ray, born December 14, 1946.  He also graduated from Keller High and then attended North Texas State University in Denton.  He married Donna Bryant

October 17, 1969 and had three children, Kristi Diane, born May 15, 1970; Karen Denise, born March 8, 1974; and Karla Deanne, born June 20, 1977.

Orin’s parents were Henry Cranfill and Lovie Elizabeth Reed.  Henry and Lovie were married January 7, 1900 in Baxter County, Arkansas.  Other children besides Orin were:  Baby Cranfill, born November 26, 1900 – died soon after; Virgie, born March 25, 1903 – died summer of 1967; Glen, born December 25, 1905 – died September 1971; and Harley, born October 8, 1909.

Henry Cranfill was born March 27, 1877 and died December 7, 1951.  He spent most of his life farming and stock raising business around Tarrant County.

Henry’s father was William Cranfill.  He and his family came to Baxter County from North Carolina in a one horse wagon in 1851 and settled near the river on what is still called the Cranfill area.  They were engaged in farming and stock raising.  William was Justice of the Peace and a member of the Baptist church and a Mason.  His first wife was Miss Trivett and their children were:  Anderson, Jane, Vessie.  After his first wife’s death, he married Clara Willar, this was Henry’s mother and five other children were born to them, Malissie, Hannah, James, Duncan and Robert.

Lovie Elizabeth was born November 26, 1880, died -----.  Lovie’s parents were William D. Reed and Josie V. Huiette.

William was born January 7, 1830 and was married to Angelina V. Frazier

August 27, 1851.  Angelina was born February 19, 1835 and died December 18, 1876.  To this union were born 10 children:  Mary, born August 30, 1852; James, born December 16, 1853; Joseph, born February 22, 1857; Minervia, born August 14, 1859; Prudence, born July 23, 1861; Rachel, born January 12, 1863; Ulyses, born

December 28, 1865; Amanda, born May 15, 1868; Clara, born November 16, 1872; and Georgia, born October 7, 1875.

After Angelina’s death, William married Josie Huiette, January 28, 1879.  Josie was born January 6, 1853 and died July 7, 1905.  Their children were: Lovie; Ella, born

January 10, 1883; Virginia, born December 8, 1885; William, born June 23, 1890.

Dorothy Deborah was born December 23, 1911, her parents were John Cecil Browning and Alma Litton Maddox.  John and Alma were married October 17, 1909 at 4:00 by

Dr. Allen Lowery, Church of Christ preacher.  Other children besides Dorothy were: Edna Marie, born September 12, 1925, she married Emmett Joe Lee, June 9, 1943.  They had two children, Emmett Joe, Jr. (Butch), born September 15, 1944 and Cherlyn, born March 21, 1957.

Sarah Frances (Cindy) was born July 8, 1916 and died May 16, 1976.  She was married to Troy Gudger and later to Victor Piper.  She lived in Washington D.C. and Maryland and worked for National Geographic Magazine.  Before she left Texas, she worked for the U.S. Post Office and rural mail carrier.

Ruby Pearl was born December 6, 1919 and died July 3, 1941.  She was sick for the most part of her life and died from complications of diabetes.

John Cecil was born August 15, 1888 and died May 31, 1959.  He spent most of his life around the Keller area doing farming and also in the service station business and grocery business.

Dad, as he was more affectionately known to the grand children, would sometimes take a notion to take a little trip with all the family, he owned a pickup and would load all of us in, most having to ride in the back, since there would be 8 or 10 on the trip.  His excursions usually led to Turner Falls, in Oklahoma or Lake Texoma or just some park along the way.  Other than being sunburned and seat weary, they were enjoyable times.  He also enjoyed playing the game of croquet, as long as he won, and he usually did.

John’s parents were James Monroe (Jim) Browning and Deborah L. (Smith) Browning.  Jim was born July 8, 1860 and died March 10, 1917.  Deborah was born

September 14, 1860 and died August 4, 1900.

Dad’s brothers were:  Oscar, he had one child Irene.  Oscar and his wife Della were both killed in an automobile accident in Oregon.  Claude, another brother, was born

August 3, 1890 and died May 27, 1953.  Claude had five children:  Marlin, Jimmy (died February 13, 1964 at age 40), Guy, Inez and Fay.  Third brother, Clide Browning.

Jim’s second wife was Elizabeth Dannette Browning (Grandma Browning), born

June 30, 1875 and died November 27, 1962.  Her children were Josie Miller, Lloyd Browning, Laura Powell, and Allene Dunn.

Jim Browning’s brothers and sisters were as follows:  Walter Browning was a bachelor and a cook; Henry Browning, a policeman, had two children; Sam Browning; Walsh Browning; Lela Carter.

Deborah’s parents were J.H. Smith and S.M. (Aunt Sanie) Smith.  J.H. was born September 23, 1828 and died in 1907.

Sanie was born July 22, 1832 in Tennessee and moved to Alabama as a child.  At the age of 22 she married J.H. Smith.  There were five children, one died in infancy, others were: Lizzie, James, Ann Weaver and Bill Smith.  Deborah died twelve years before her mother.

Aunt Sanie was well known in the community, extending many favors to her friends and neighbors.  She believed in earning her bread by the sweat of her brow, working very hard and enduring many hardships, especially during the Civil War when her friends and neighbors were in need.  She would willingly share her portion with them.

Alma Litton Browning was born July 9, 1888 and died November 22, 1972.  Her father George Bernall (or Bernan) Maddox was born in Kentucky, November 4, 1853 and died January 12, 1935.  He was a farmer and land owner and resident of Tarrant County for 60 years.  He came to the county from Missouri when he was twenty one, settling first at Birdville, Texas.

Alma’ mother was Nancy Price Wilkerson Maddox, born November 27, 1861 and died June 14, 1914 (another record indicated June 12, 1913).  Alma’s brother and sisters were:  Estell Wallace – had one child, Norval; Cassie Benton; Eula Pearl Hidgins – had two children, Jack and Edna Pearl.  Edna Pearl was born July 27, 1905, died April 7, 1911.  Thomas Coons, born October 1, 1890; Georgia Lois – had two sons, Raymond and Morris.

George Maddox’s father was T.B. Maddox.  He came to Texas in 1873, lived at Bedford for a while then bought a small farm north west of Cotton Belt railroad crossing.  About 130 acres.  T.B. was born in Virginia October 31, 1828.  He moved to Kentucky, to Fulton then to Jefferson City, Missouri.  He lost his wife, Betty, in Calaway County, Missouri.  He was County Commissioner in Tarrant County for three terms and was in that office when they moved the County site from Birdville to Fort Worth.  He was also in the Twenty-Third Legislature of Texas from Tarrant County in 1890.

Dad and Mammaw Browning are buried in Bourland Cemetery at Keller.