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We here in northeast Tarrant County have a Civil War veterans monument in place, and are posting biographies and photographs of the men at our Genweb site. If you can add to the following biographical sketch, or could share any photos you might have of this veteran, his wife, or his home, we’d be happy to have them. Thanks for taking the time to read our query. Mike Patterson, Colleyville, Texas
John Montgomery Murrell was a resident of the Grapevine area for many years. He was a member of the R. E. Lee Camp of United Confederate Veterans, and told them he was a lieutenant in Co. E, Ross's Regiment in Tennessee. He listed his residence at in Grapevine 1884. He fathered twenty-three children by four wives, and outlived three wives and thirteen of his children.
Mr. Murrell was born November 1, 1832 in Dickson County, Tennessee. His death certificate gives his birthdate as November 30. Family sources at ancestry.com say he was the son of Benjamin Murrell and Taphenia (Thedford) Murrell. When the 1850 census was taken, John was living with his parents and siblings in the Middle District of Dickson County.
The 1860 census taker found J. M. Murrell and his wife, Margaret, in the Middle Division of Dickson County with four children: James M. Murrell (born about 1855); Montgomery Murrrell (born about 1857); M. S.? Murrell (a female born about 1858); and Joseph J. Murrell (born in the spring of 1850).
The 1870 census taker found the family in Bosque County, Texas. With Mr. and Mrs. Murrell were their children: James (born about 1855); Montgomery (born about 1857); Armelia (born about 1858); Joseph G. (born about 1860); Morga J. (a boy born about 1862); Loria (or Lorna, born about 1864); and an unnamed girl, born within the past year.
At the time the 1880 census was taken, John Murrell and his family were living in Precinct 3 of Denton County. With him was his wife, Mary J. Murrell, who was born about 1846 in Tennessee to an Illinoisan father and a Kentuckian mother. With the family were the following children: Montgomery A. (born about 1857); Morgan J. (born about 1863); Laura J. (born about 1865); Olive (born about 1869); J. Cook E. (born about
1873); Isbell (born about 1876); and Thomas (born about 1878).
The census taker in 1900 found them still living in Precinct 3 of Denton County. With Mr. Murrell was his wife, Harvin W. Murrell (born in February 1859 in Tennessee); and children: Maggie (born July 1884); Bulah (born January 1887); Carrell B. (born January 1892); Oscar (born April 1896); Hawkins (born November 1897), and Mattie G. (born September 1899). Two of Mrs. Murrell’s children by a former marriage, John and William Huggins, were also with the family. Mrs. Murrell said she had given birth to seven children, six of whom were still alive.
Mr. and Mrs. Murrell appear in the 1910 census at Grapevine. With them were his children Carrell, Oscar, Ernest H. (probably Ernest Hawkins), and Mattie.
An interesting article about Mrs. Murrell appeared in the Grapevine Sun on April 22, 1911: "On last Friday, Mrs. J. M. Murrell was surprised by a visit from her only brother, Mr. S. C. Matthews of Calico, Ark. They had never seen each other until last Friday and of course their meeting was a very happy one. Mr. Matthews and Mrs. Murrell were raised by different relatives after the death of their parents. Mrs. Murrell was born and raised in Tennessee and moved to Texas. Mr. Matthews moved to northern Arkansas. The two were lost from each other for 52 years. After spending four days with his sister, Mr. Matthews left for his Arkansas home Tuesday morning, saying that if it as long before they meet again they will be very old. He gave the Sun office a pleasant call before leaving and said we had a great country. He seemed to be very favorably impressed with Texas, and we are inclined to think that if [he] were a younger man that he would move to Texas."
Mr. Murrell’s death certificate, which shows his middle name as “Monroe,” says he died in the morning on February 14, 1924, of prostatis, senility, and another medical problem which is not legible on the certificate. It says he was born November 1, 1832, and that when he died he had been living at Sabinal for one month and fourteen days.
An obituary for Mr. Murrell appeared in the Grapevine Sun on February 28, 1924: "In Memoriam. John M. Murrell was born November 30, 1832, at Dickson Station, Dickson County, Tenn. Died at Sabinal, Texas, February 14, 1924. Age 91 years. 2 months, and 14 days. Before his death he made request that Rev. I. V. Jolly, whom he had known in Denton County, conduct the funeral, and this request was complied with. He was buried with Masonic honors, he being a member of the Sabinal Lodge at the time of his death. His first marriage was to Miss Margurett Cox, April 3, 1852. Of the 11 children born to this union, 3 are still living. Wife died May 5, 1875. The same year he was married to Miss Mary Jane Davis. To this union 4 children were born, 1 of whom is still living. This wife died in the year 1882. In 1883 he was married to Miss Martha Peeler. To this union there were 4 children born, 2 of whom are still living. He was married to Mrs. Harvin Huggins May 10, 1889. All four of the children born to this union are still living. John M. Murrell was made a Mason in 1866, in Tennessee. Joined the I.O.O.F. in 1892. He served in the Civil War in 1861, and was made Captain under General Forest. Moved to Texas in the year 1867, settling near Graham. Some three or four years later he moved to Denton County, Texas, where he lived until he moved to Uvalde County in 1920, and located three miles Southeast from Sabinal. Joined the M. E. Church South in 1892 at Grapevine, Texas. At his death he was a member of the same church in Sabinal, Texas. A good man, in ripe old age, has gone to his reward."
The Confederate pension application of Mrs. Wilmuth H. Murrell of Sabinal, Uvalde County, Texas, was filed in 1931; she stated she was the widow of John M. Murrell. She said he died February 13, 1925 in Uvalde Co., Texas. She married him May 2, 1890 in Denton County, Texas. She was born in Humphreys County, Tennessee on March 2, 1857. She said she had been in Texas for forty-three years, and in Uvalde County for nine years.
In her application, Mrs. Murrell said her husband has served in Co. A, 2nd Tennessee Infantry, and was later transferred to Forrest's Cavalry where he became a mess sergeant to Gen. Forrest. Murrell was a captain, having helped organize a company at Charlotte, Tennessee, where he was subsequently elected captain. He served in the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee under Gen. Forrest. Mr. Murrell had a brother named W. S. Murrell of Creek Co., Oklahoma who made an affidavit for him; this is a long, good, interesting deposition. There is also an affidavit by S. H. Emery of Tarrant County, who said he knew Murrell in Tennessee, and said Murrell came to Texas in 1867.
Several of Murrell’s descendants have posted information and queries at genealogy.com, rootsweb.com and ancestry.com.
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