Re: Prior L. Crutchfield and C (2025)

I have information on Prior Crutchfield, husband of Caroline Brooks Stanifer, whose first husband was Zachariah Stanifer. I do not know anything about Prior's parentage and that is what I am trying to find.

Prior L. Crutchfield was born 01-15-1829, probably in Tennessee and died 01-30-1910, probably in Tazwell, Tennessee. He is buried alongside Caroline Brooks Stanifer Crutchfield, born 01-04-1844 probably in Tennessee, died 12-05-1909 probably in Tazwell, Tennessee. They are buried in the Campbell Cemetery, Tazwell, Claiborne County, Tennessee.

Prior and Caroline had perhaps 3 sons, Silas, born 05-22-1881 in Tennessee who married Dora Susan Trosper, born 01-08-1886 in Trosper, Kentucky. Dora was the daughter of Thomas Milton Trosper and Catherine Johnson. Silas and Dora had 11 children of which 6 survived to adulthood and 5 died in infancy. Silas died 10-16-1961 in Sallisaw, OK and is buried alondside his wife, Dora, who died 10-29-1963 in Sallisaw, OK. They are buried in the Sallisaw City Cemetery, Sallisaw, Sequoyah County, OK. Silas Crutchfield was my husbands grandfather. I have extended history on this section of the family.

Another son was Henry (Henly) Crutchfield, born 02-05-1880 in Tennessee, died 11-14-1885. It is believed this son died of Typhoid Fever.

The third possible son was referred to by family members but no one knew much information about him. It is possible that he too died young. His name was either James or "Jim" Crutchfield. According to Mabel Myrick, granddaughter of Prior Crutchfield, this son was buried somewhere on Brush Creek, near Barbourville, Kentucky.

Another family story is that this son left the Tennessee hills as a young man and went to Illinois, possibly becoming a preacher. I have no solid information on this possible son.

P.L. Crutchfield is listed as a charter member of Bethel Baptist Church which was organized in March of 1894 in Claiborne County, Tennessee. Prior was a Baptist preacher and he also fought in the Civil War. I have yet to locate his war records. Silas was also a Woodsman of the World and his headstone was placed by them. It is a rather large, tree stump monument.

I would be extremely interested in any family history you could share as we always were led to believe that Prior was an orphan. It would be wonderful to find his family roots.