Newton Murrah

Newton Murrah

• Newton Murrah was born on 20 February 1838 in Autauga County, Alabama.
• Champion Travis Traylor Jr. and Martha E. Olds appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1860 in Waverly, Walker (later San Jacinto) County, Texas. Other members of the household included Newton Murrah, Lucy Alice Traylor, William W. Traylor, Charles S. Traylor, John Randolph Traylor, Josiah Albert Traylor and Thomas E. Traylor.
• He was overseer on Champion Travis Traylor's plantation.
• At the age of 24, Newton Murrah joined for duty and enrolled in Walker County on 24 August 1861 as a private in Horatio White Fisher's Company, 3rd Regiment, Sibley's Brigade Mounted Volunteers (subsequently designated Company G, 7th Texas Cavalry Regiment). He mustered into service on 26 October at Camp Pickett, with a horse valued at $150 and equipments $40, 250 miles to rendezvous.In May 1863 sustained a severe wound of the thigh at Niblett's NNiblett's Bluff, Louisiana. He signed his parole on 20 July 1865 at Houston, Texas.
• Newton Murrah appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1870 in Harris County, Texas. Also in the household was V. Murrah (age 52) likely his mother, Martha (15) likely his sister, and probably another sister Rebecca Barnhart (24) and her husband J. C. (24).
• Research Note: Apparently the same cast of characters as appears in Houston in 1870, in 1860 Autaugaville, Alabama: Vina Murrah (age 36), Sarah (20), Laura (18), Vergal (16), Rebecca (14), Tarylor? (13) and Martha (7). Only possible that Vina Newton's mother, though, if her age has been understated. Also in the household Cape? Williams (25), overseer. Another thought: Was "Tarylor" a corruption of Traylor -- so could C. T. Traylor for whom Newton was overseeing in 1860 may have been kin -- perhaps an uncle?
• He married Ella Frances Roten, daughter of William W. Roten and Amanda E. Cheatham, on 10 December 1871 in Houston, Harris County, Texas.
• Newton Murrah and Ella Frances Roten appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1880 in Grimes County, Texas. Other members of the household included Rebecca C. Murrah, William Lee Murrah, Laura E. Murrah and R. Edward Murrah.
• He was a farmer, according to the 1880 census.
• Newton Murrah died on 19 July 1897 at age 59 in Iola, Grimes County, Texas.
• His wife Ella Frances Roten became a widow at his death.
• He was interred at Lake Grove Cemetery, Iola, Grimes County, Texas.

• Last Edited: 23 Jun 2013