Benjamin MURRELL, Revolutionary War Soldier of Early Tennessee, TNGenWeb Project (TNGenNet)

Benjamin MURRELL, born 13 Nov 1760, Lunenburg County, Virginia, applied for his military pension on 09 Oct 1832 in Weakley Co, TN, declaring that he had served in both the Virginia and North Carolina lines, that he had been born 13 Nov 1760 in Lunenburg Co, VA, but resided in Henry Co, VA at enlistment, then moved to Washington Co, NC (now in TN), then to Hawkins Co, NC (TN) about 1784, and in 1788 to Jefferson Co, TN for 17 years, then to Limestone Co, AL [ca 1805?] for 20 years, then to Hardeman Co, TN for 4 years, and in Dec 1830, moved to Weakley Co, TN. His widow, Mary, applied there on 22 Jun 1841, declaring they had married on 30 Sep 1783, and that she was born 30 Nov 1764. She further declared that her husband, Benjamin MURRELL, had died on 25 May 1835. She died 26 Jul 1843, leaving children, William, Jeffrey, Richard, John and Lemuel MURRELL, Mary GRAGG, Nancy SLAUGHTER, Lucy Cunningham, Jeremiah Hyde and Charlotte MURRELL, all living and Isaac MURRELL and Elizabeth ROUTH who had died. Their births were Betsey b 30 Oct 1784, and she married Joseph ROUTH in Nov 1804; Jefferson, b 23 Nov 1786, Richard b 15 Nov or Dec 1788, and he m Rachael HODGES 22 Jun 1809, and she died 21 Oct 1816, Isaac b 29 Apr 1789, Nancy b 26 Apr 1792, Sarah, b 28 Dec 1793, Mary b 22 Dec 1795, John Sims b 13 Feb 1798, and he m Sarah CLACK 16 Apr 1818, and she d 14 Jun 1823; Matilda b 17 Nov 1799, Charlotte b 26 Oct 1801, Lucy b 1 Jun 1804, Gemimy b 16 Mar 1805, Lemuel b 31 Jan 1807, and he m Alis (no last name given) on 15 Nov 1828, William b 2 Apr 1809, and he m Nancy (no last name given) on 22 Oct 1829. Also listed were Richard Decatur MURRELL, b 30 Dec 1818, Thos. Jefferson MURRELL, b 18 Nov 1820, Artemicy Francis MURRELL, b 10 Feb 1822 (Abstracted from Rev War Pension File No. R7527) From the 1835 Pension Rolls: Benjamin MURRELL, Private, Virginia Militia, $30.00 Annual Allowance $90.00 Amount Received January 17 1833 Pension Started Age 74

Benjamin and Mary MURRELL are found in the records of the Bent Creek Baptist church (then in Hawkins County, Tennessee) on the third Saturday of August in 1787, when the church minutes state: "The church met at Thomas MURRELS and after divine service proceeded to receive Mary MURREL by experience. 2nd Miciah BUNCH and Lydia his wife by letter 3rd. Jeffrey MURREL and Margaret his wife by recommendation. 4th Received Moses JOHNSON and Sarah his wife by letter and Thomas TONECANLEY by experience and baptism given up for constitution Thomas MURREL, Benjamin MURREL, and Mary his wife, and Jeffry MURREL and Martha his wife, Bartlett SIMS and Elizabeth his wife, Negroe Sal, Agnes JOHNSON, Elisha WALLEN, Micahah BUNCH, Lydia BUNCH, Moses JOHNSON, Sarah JOHNSON, Mary DOTSON [DODSON], Elisha DEBUSK and Mary Williams." (Bent Creek, Journey into Century Three, by Glenn Alfred Toomey, 1988, Church minutes, p. 43)

In 1800, Banjamin MURREL [sic] is on the Jefferson County, Tennessee tax list of Capt. Hodges Co. with 300 acres and 1 white poll ("Early East Tennessee Taxpayers," Pollyanna Creekmore, Publications, East Tennessee Historical Society, Issue No. 28) By 1809, he had removed to the Elk River area where he is found on Intruder Lists and Petitions through 1812. As an Intruder (on Indian Lands), he probably lived in what became Limestone County, Alabama in 1817 (He appears on the 1820 Limestone County census, record not yet extracted).

Miscellaneous Research Notes: The relationship between Thomas, Jeffrey and Benjamin MURRELL remains undetermined although it is likely they were brothers (as may also be the case with Richard MURRELL of Long Island, Sullivan County, Tennessee). In 1764, the Lunenburg County, Virginia tax return of Henry Blagrave included a William MURRELL who tithed himself, Thomas MURRELL and William MAUREL [sic] and 250 acres; Jeffrey MURRELL who tithed himself and 187 acres, In 1769, the Lunenburg County tax list of Thomas Winn included William Murrell, whose name was listed near that of Jeffrey MURRELL who tithed himself and Thomas MURRELL. (Sunlight on the Southside, Bell) By 13 Dec 1771, Jeffrey MURRELL was of Pittsylvania County, Virginia when he deeded his 1787 acres in Lunenburg County to William CROSS of Amelia County for a consideration of 100 pounds, the land described as adjacent to that of CRENSHAW. He signed his name Jeffry MURRELL and witnesses also signing were John WARRAND, Benja. BRIDGFORTH, Abraham COCKE, Ste. COCKE and John CROSS (Lunenburg Co, VA Deed Book 12, pp. 139-140). In 1772, Jeffrey and his 187 acres are no longer on the Lunenburg tax lists, although William MURRELL appears on Thomas Winn's Lunenburg tax list tithing himself and a Jeffry and Drury MURRELL. These three (and a James MURRELL in 1774) remain on the Lunenburg tithables through 1775 (Sunlight, Bell),* but in the meantime, Henry County, Virginia was created from Pittsylvania, and in 1778, Henry County Tax Lists include Thomas, Jeffrey and Richard MURRELL, and in 1779, Thomas MURRELL, Thomas "Long" MURRELL and Jeffrey MURRELL, the latter "treble-taxed" for failure to do militia duty. (Henry Co, VA Tax Lists, 1778-1780, Adams, SHP, 1973)

On 4 Mar 1779, Thomas MURRELL of Henry deeded land on the Muster Branch of Leatherwood Creek to Jeffrey MURRELL, one of his witnesses Benjamin MURRELL. On 25 Mar 1779, Peter and Honour HARRIS deeded land to Richard MURRELL on Flat Creek? Irvin [Smith] River, Henry County. On 10 Dec 1779, Jeffery & Martha MURRELL deeded land on the "Muster Branch of Leatherwood Creek" to George REYNOLDS, and on 26 Apr 1781, Richard and Mary MURRILL [sic] of Henry deed their land on Irvin (Smith) River to Richard PILSON. (Sorry - I can't locate the book and page for any of these - I will have to provide them later). In 1782, Henry County tax lists include Jeffrey MURRELL with 1 white poll, and Thomas MURRELL with 1 white poll and 1 black poll (Virginia Tax Lists, Fothergill).

According to Goodspeed's History of Hawkins County, shortly after 1780, a Baptist Church on Big Creek "was probably organized by Thomas MURRELL, who located on the farm now owned by John A. CHESTNUT on the Holston River, some time prior to 1782," and that "...Among others who had located in the county prior to 1783 may be mentioned... Benjamin MURRELL..." Thomas MURRELL is first found in Thomas AMIS' account book in 1782, and Benjamin MURRELL in 1789. (source to be added). Some time between 1777 and 1783, Rev. Thomas MURRELL married Elizabeth, widow of James JOHNSON and mother of William JOHNSON and Martin JOHNSON (See Combs-Johnson-Murrell Families), and by 18 Jun 1806, Thomas and Elizabeth had removed to Dickson County, Tennessee where they (Thomas MUREL and Eliz. MUREL [sic]) are listed as present in the records of the Turnbull Primitive Baptist Church of Dickson Co, TN. (Marsh Families, Vernon Marsh, privately published)

* A Thomas MURRELL served from 12/1778-2/1779 as a private in Capt Stoke's Co of the 2nd VA Regt under Col Christian FEBIGER (I do not have a source for this), but he was likely Thomas of Lunenburg County rather than Thomas of Henry County. In a will dated and recorded on 14 Sep 1780, William MURRELL of Lunenburg made bequests to sons James, Drury and Jeffrey MURRELL, and daughters, Mary MURRELL and Judy MURRELL. No mention was made of a wife. He named his sons, Jeffrey and Drury MURRRLL executors. Witnesses were Peter Jones and David STOKES, Jr. (Lunenburg Wills 1746-1825, WB3:60) The will of James MURRELL of Lunenburg, dated 2 Nov 1781, recorded 14 Feb 1782, named wife, Milley, and their unborn child. Executors were his brother, Jeffrey MURRELL, and William Tucker. Witnesses were Frances [x] ESTES, Allen STOKES and David STOKES, Jr. (Lunenburg Wills 1746-1825; WB3:98) 1782 the Lunenburg County, VA tax list included Drury MURRELL with 1 white poll (and a Drury MURRELL was also in Goochland County with 1 white poll and 5 black polls) (Virginia Taxpayers, Fothergill).

	Revolutionary War Soldier Benjamin MURRELL Born 13 Nov 1760, Lunenburg County, Virginia Died 25 May 1835, Weakley County, Tennessee
Compiled by C. H ammett, 2000 for TNGenWeb (TNGenNet) and the Combs &c. Research Group