MARIAH VICTORIA (BROWN) CRISWELL WIGGINS

 

     Mariah Victoria Brown, b December 3, 1896 in Limestone County, Texas, d December 23, 1984 in Falls County, Texas - having spent most of her 88 years in or near the area in which she was born. She was the seventh of nine children of Reuben Alexander and Queen Victoria (Kay) Brown. On November 2, 1913, Mariah married Johnny Leroy Criswell, who died March 13, 1916. She married second on July 26, 1921, to Ellie Wiggins.

 

     By her first marriage, Mariah Victoria (Brown) had two children:

 

     Juanita Alene Criswell, b September 3, 1914, d August 6, 1984 - married March 11, 1944 to Michael W. Koukas, and had no children.

 

     Pauline Leroy Criswell, b October 29, 1916 - married Charles Thomas Denard on December 1, 1940, and had two children: Jennifer Lea Denard, b October 6, 1946, who married June 7, 1969 to Guy Gregory Garrett, M.D., and had Jeffrey Thomas Garrett, b November 18, 1971, and Alan Gregory Garrett, b September 8,1975; and Charles Thomas Denard, Jr., b November 6,1949, who married August 15, 1970 to Merry Nan Hutchinson, and had Criswell Lee Denard, b December 18, 1976, and Craig Michael Denard, b August 29, 1981. Charles Thomas Denard died June 3, 1971, and Pauline married second on July 4, 1975 to Chester Wright Tate.

 

     By her second marriage, Mariah Victoria (Brown) had three children:

 

     Frances Elizabeth Wiggins, b August 5, 1922 - married July 11, 1942 to John Chatmas II.

 

     Charles Dudley Wiggins, b March 8, 1926, d January 8, 1968 - married August 6, 1947 to Anne Phillips. They were divorced in 1967, and had had two children: Suzanne Wiggins, b May 28, 1948 - married May 5, 1970 to Gary Lynn Russell and had Leslie Ann Russell, b October 25, 1972; and Dudley Lee Wiggins, b August 8, 1955 - married Barbara Von Rolleston on September 20, 1980, and have no children.

 

     Marjorie Olene Wiggins, b September 8, 1929 - married on May 29, 1954 to Fred Robert Beasley, and had four children: Nike Victoria, b May 4, 1955, married December 12, 1982 to Timothy Joseph Mathys, and has Claire Mariah Mathys, b July 9, 1983, and Timothy Joseph Mathys, Jr., b February 4,1985; Joshua Allen Beasley, b June 21, 1956; Jason Fred Beasley, b August 1,1959; and Erin Amanda Beasley, b December 31, 1965.

 

     Johnny Leroy Criswell was buried in the Criswell Cemetery in Falls County, Texas; and Ellie Wiggins, who d January 16, 1946, was buried by his mother, Elizabeth, in the Faulkenberry Cemetery at Groesbeck, Limestone County, Texas. When Mariah Victoria (Brown) Criswell Wiggins died, her daughters buried her in Hillcrest Cemetery at Marlin, Texas.