Abstract of the Family Bible of the McMurtry family of Humphreys Co, TN

The origin of this Family Bible is as yet unknown, although it is quite probable that it once belonged to John Harrison McMurtry (CF-110 of the American McMurtry Clan) of Humphreys, Benton, and Henry Co, TN, given the content. It was at the end of a trip that I made to Humphreys County in the Spring of 2005, when I met with a distant cousin, the great-grandson of John Harrison McMurtry at the library. Sharing my passion for family history, he pulled this wonderful gem of a document from his research, as he had been in possession of a photo static copy since the 1960s. Many thanks to Pherrell Lee Breeden for providing it for the family to see! Also, thanks to John Rochelle, who assisted in identifying the Cooleys and Carters found in the Bible.

Care has been taken to copy the text as closely as possible to the original document, with no spelling corrections. At times the text is difficult to decipher. Endnotes give clarification to the identity of individuals.

This document is for many researchers of this family, the "missing link" that fills in so many previously unsolvable relationships. For example, John’s first wife was only known as Mariah, with no other known marriage record. Yet this document gives us her last name, Cooley, and ties her as a daughter of Woodijah Cooley.

It provides names of other McMurtrys not documented by the federal census, and it is the only source for the definitive dates for the deaths for several family members. It strongly confirms the hard work set forth by family researcher Otis McMurtry.

It’s also full of surprises. On the fourth page, four deaths are listed in a 12-day span in the John H. McMurtry household- three children and his first wife, Mariah. It may never be known the exact cause of death, but needless to say, it was devastating for John. In the end, only two of six children of his first marriage survived past the age of 14. Equally surprising, we see a case of the intermarrying of Cooleys and McMurtrys. John Harrison’s first wife was the daughter of Woodijah Cooley. His second wife was the daughter of Nancy Cooley Carter, sister of Woodijah. Two of John’s children married two children of John W. Cooley, who was Mariah B. Cooley’s brother- a case of first cousins marrying.

Regards,
Brian L. McMurtry
17 May 2005

W.R. Matheny and M.A. Mcmurtry was married August 12, 1864.

A.W. Cooley and A.M. McMurtry was married December 23, 1874.

D.T. McMurtry and R.K.B. Cooley was married November the 22 1883.

W.F. Marcum and S.D. McMurtry was maried October the 2 1884

Emon A. McMurtry was born February the 3 1864

Sidnera davis McMurtry was born June the 14 1865

John Jefferson Carter was born August the 30 1865

John D. Metheny was born July the 27 1867

Sarah A. Carter was born feb the 22 1840

Margret A. Forest was born August the 12 1817

James M. Carter was born July the 13 1838

Alen F Carter was born January the 22 1842

Mariah B. Cooley was born September the 28 1819

Sarah J. McMurtry was born December the 26, 1842

James A. Mcmurtry was born April the 8 1848

Mary E. Mcmurtry was born October the 13 1850 on Sunday

Francis V. Mcmurtry was born July the 16 1853

Amanda M. Mcmurtry was born february the 15 1857

Mary E. Mcmurtry departed this life april the 13 on sunday 1862

Francis V. Mcmurtry departed this life the 20 day of April 1862

Mariah B. Mcmurtry departed this life the 24 of April 1862

J. A. Mcmurtry departed this life April the 25 1862

Jane Mcmurtry departed this life January the 4 1856

W.J.H. Cooley departed this life June the 24 1857

Jane Mcmurtry departed this life January the 4 1856

John D. Matheny departed this life August the 17 1867

Armeda Alen Mcmurtry was born on the 17 of August 1869

William E. Mcmurtry was born on the 11 of February 1871

Richard N. Mcmurtry was born August the 15 1873

Adia A Matheny was born August the 29 1868

Rosalie B Mcmurtry

Marion H Carter was boren June the 3 1878

Hettie B Cooley was born feb 29th 1879?

John A Mcmurtry was born April the 17 1885

Rosalie B. Mcmurtry was born August the 22 1877

James Mcmurtry departed this life December the 5 1886

Isham H. Carter dide Oct the 1 1888

D.T. McMurtry departed this life January the 27 1902

Malisa A. Mathena departed this life January the 12 1897

Sallie Amandy McMurtry departed this life May 5 1917

J.H. McMurtry departed this life January the 5, 1905

Ida McMurtry departed this life July 2 1898

Martha M. McMurtry died Feb 14- 1957