(1888 - 1975)
Submitted by Philip Miller and Kay Boyd
Lizzie Anderson was born on September 6, 1888, in Prairie View, Waller County, Texas while her father was head of Prairie View State Normal College in Prairie View. She was a daughter of L. C. Anderson and Lizzie Pollard Anderson. Her mother died September 9, 1888 when she was just 3 days old. Mr. Anderson then married Fannie Pollard who raised Lizzie and her siblings. She grew up in Austin and went on to attend Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. After graduating from the university, she taught home economics at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and then at Prairie View State Normal School.
As did many other women, Lizzie served as an American Red Cross Volunteer nurse during World War I. After the war, she worked as a teacher, domestic, and matron. In 1920, she was employed as the assistant matron at the Texas Colored Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institute. While there, she met her future husband, Otto Henry Crafton, who was also employed at the school. She and Otto married soon after in Harris County in July 1920. They were parents of four daughters, Marjorie, Fannie, Ernest Mae, and Hazel. Lizzie and Otto eventually divorced.
In 1930, Lizzie lived at 1180 Navasota with her parents, L. C. and Fannie Anderson, and her three children. Hazel died as an infant. She continued to live at this address for her whole life. Adjacent to the home was a large garden where Mr. Anderson grew vegetables to share with the neighbors.
Mrs. Crafton was a very articulate and no-nonsense lady. She provided care for her physically disabled daughter Marjorie and was at home most of the day watching over the activities in the neighborhood. As a grandmother, she was protective of her grandsons and warned them to stay away from the clubs on 11th Street and instead to go north on Navasota Street towards the cemetery. Possibly because she was a teacher, she was patient and always encouraged her grandsons to explore and ask questions. She never yelled or spanked them and was not judgmental, but led by example.
Lizzie Crafton was passionate about sewing and always had a stack of materials by her sewing machine to keep her busy. She rode the bus to appointments, including to vote, which she did regularly. In Austin, she was a pioneer member in the Ebenezer Baptist Church and a founding member and treasurer for the Capital City Assembly of the Golden Circle. She remained an active leader and community member until her death on February 24, .1975. Mrs. Crafton was a woman of great faith and encouraged her grandsons to live a Christian life.
She died at age 86 years of age of heart disease while her residence was still on Navasota. The funeral services were held at her home church of Ebenezer Baptist. She was survived by three daughters, six grandchildren and several great grandchildren.
Lizzie Anderson Crafton is buried in Oakwood, section 4 in the “historic colored grounds B ” with other generations of the Anderson family.