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GRXHDt, JOUR* IKTERVIXW, ;INDEX CARESLove familySchools—Chickssaw NationClTil War—Cfcicka^a* NationCaaanches—rai d» on ChiokasawsLaw ©nforc«neat—Federal .Raaching—Chickasaw NationHouses-^Chickaaaw Nation

CfnKISR, JOHN*INTER vTEV.,FIELD WORKER— Jennie Selfridge CRINER, JOHN.• INTERVIEW.BIOGRAPHY OF John Criner .Southwest of Ardmore, Oklahoma 464BORN ;July 10, 1850 at" Sherman,Father: George Criner . Mother: Matilda LoveJohn Criner's grand-father was Ben Love, one of the Lovebrothers that settled around Carriage Point and Colbert Station.Love's brothers were Sam-and .Hance.John Grlner attended school at a little log school housesoutheast of Colbert in 1862. This school was known as the Colbertschool, and was conducted by Parson Gardner, a Methodist minister,fiolmes Colbert, Jr.., also attended^the school'at this time.Crinerand several of the other boys boarded with J im "Colbert, father ofWalter Colbert, while attending the school.At this time the Criner family lived two miles below Brown'sferry in what is now Love County.This location was only seven milesfrom Gainsvilie, Texas.There ware only two stores in Gainsville in1862. Bill Scott owned one, and Frank'Daugherty, the other.'The family was living at the above location when the Civil' War broke out.When the Civil War started George Criner, father or* ' , " •John, joined the Confederacy.was with the Comanche Indians.Their greatest trouble during the/warMajor Roff organized a company ofmilitia, which spent most of their time camped af the big spring atthe forks of Simon Creek near Watlnust Bayou, as a protection againstthe Comanches*After one of their marauding expeditions, the Comanches would meet at the "peaks" a high knoll southeast of Marietta. -During the war, the^j killed fom Sales and wife-j at what is now knownas Eastman, also the Dave Anderson's family . , .

CRIHER, JOHN.INTERVIEW.2.who lived two miles "west of the Thomas Parker home.Near whichwas the Comanche scout headquarters.The Comanches made a raidon the Parker home, but the Parker family hi-d in the houseand bolted the door, and" according to information obtained fromSimon Parker last year, several of the Comanches went to •their"Happy Hunting Ground". on,t|£ls occasion.Prior to this datethe Comanches had made a raid on the Bob Love home at OilSprings, northeast of Marietta ani killed all the slaves exceptone.This one' crawled to the house, full of arrows.George Criner moved to Thackerville in 1870 and establisheda ranch.Making the move with him was "Si" Love, vinowas a slave of Ben Love before the Civil War. Uncle "Si n liveduntil just a fdw years ago. .In 1872 George Criner, was called to Fort Smith to bea witness in a court 'case.It was very cold and the trip hadto be made over land.After reaching Fort Smith, George Crinerdeveloped pneumonia and lived only a few days.Sarly in 1881 "Uncle John" Criner moved to a ranoh thatuse to be the old mission property and became the estate of'Jim Gaines. It is now owned by Charles Vf. C3ay. Criner erecteda two room house just west of the spring, he established a hogranch in connection with his other activities.The originalrails crossing the spring branch were intaot until 1922, whenthey were removed by the present owner. ,

CRINER, JOHN.INTERVIEW.3.In 1885 the original house was moved to the south and,the present home erected whioh was far more commodious.Itboasted of the first, and for many years, the only bay windowin this entire section.The big spring at the home is a-tillin use and afford an abundant supply of water.Note by Miss Jennie Selfridge-Supplement to John Iriner story.John Criner set down and made up a list of theChickasaw Governors from.memory.This ie the order in whichhe gave them;8. Bob Haws1. Ben Love9. Will Byrd2. Brown10. Will Guy3. Pickens 11. Wolf4 Thomas Parker -12. D. H. Johnson.5. Will Haws6. Frank Over ton7. Pamoc Mosley " ->