CAMPBELL COUNTY, VA - HISTORY - Campbell Chronicles and Family Sketches Family Sketches - Murrell ----¤¤¤---- CAMPBELL CHRONICLES and FAMILY SKETCHES Embracing the History of CAMPBELL COUNTY, VIRGINIA 1782-1926 By R. H. EARLY With Illustrations J. P. BELL COMPANY LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA 1927 Murrell The earliest appearance of the Murrell name in Virginia records was when William Murrell was appointed on a committee of three to view the tobacco crop in a Charles City county parish, as per an act passed in 1639 by Grand Assembly, that "Tobacco, by reason of excessive quantities made, being so low that the planters could not subsist by it or be enabled to raise more staple commodities to pay their debts, enacted that the tobacco of that year be viewed by sworn viewers and the rotten and unmerchantable and half the good, be burned." About a century later Thomas Murrell, a descendant of William, of Charles City county, was living on his large landed estate in Goochland county, married and had a number of sons, one of whom was William of Lunenburg, who married Miss Estes and whose will was probated in that county in 178O. His will mentioned that he had previously conveyed his land to his sons, James and Drury, and appointed sons Jeffrey and Drury his executors. His son James was fatally injured in November, 1781 while building his house, and his will was probated in 1782; an only child, born soon after his father's death, was given the name James after his parent. This James Murrell moved to Campbell, settling1 6 miles south of Rust-burg on east ferry road at Seneca Hill on the creek of that name. He married first in 18O5 Obedience Rudd, m., 2nd, in 1818, Nancy Cobbs, dau. of John and grand-daughter of Rev. Chas. Cobbs. Among the children of his first marriage were Thomas Rudd and Rufus Albert, both prominent educators. Thomas R. Murrell educated at the Univ. of Virginia in 1835, taught in his father's family several years but was living at Champagnolle, Ark., at his death in 1846, then in his 35th year. Rufus A. Murrell taught until his father's death in 1859 when he .made his home with his sisters, Louisa, Evelyn (Mrs. G. A. Dinwiddie) and Julia. He represented Campbell in Virginia Legislature of 187O and was there when the gallery of the Supreme Court room crashed onto the floor of the room and then into the Hall of Delegates, killing and wounding many persons, but he had just slipped out of the crowded room and escaped unhurt. He died at Seneca Hill in 188O, aged 66 years. John Cobbs Murrell, a child of James Murrell, Jr/s second marriage, born 182O in Charlotte county, was a prominent lawyer in Campbell and from 1865 till his death in 1879 was commonwealth's attorney for the county. He married Frances Cornelia Smithson. Children:-Edgar, m. Charlotte, dau. of Henry L. Davies; at his death his widow married Dr. Newell of Baltimore. -John Cobbs, Jr., moved away. —William M. m. Flora Scott, dau. of Ro. W. and Blanche T. Payne-Withers. —Walter m. Miss Lee. William M. Murrell attended the classical school of Prof. C. L. C. Minor at Lynchburg, at Roanoke College, from which he graduated in 1874 with degree of A.B.; entered the Law-Department of Virginia University same year, and started the practice of his profession at Rustburg with his father in 1877; was elected in 1879 to the office of Commonwealth's Attorney for the county, holding the position until January 1st, 1912. In November, 1922, he was appointed by Judge Wm. R. Barksdale, Judge of the Circuit Court of Campbell, to fill the unexpired term as commonwealth's attorney of his predecessor, who resigned. In 1923 he was elected to the office for the term beginning January, 1924, which position he yet holds. He is a member of the Virginia Bar Association, as well as the American Bar Association. Some years ago he moved with his family to Lynchburg, where he yet resides. A second family bearing the name of Murrell, coming from Mount Holly, N. J., settled in Lynchburg during the second quarter of the 18th century, and have descendants of the name still residing there. Two sons, John and Hardin, were postmasters in the town. John also was a merchant and accumulated a large fortune, which he liberally shared with his family. His sister married Samuel Claytor, a Lynchburg tobacconist. Senator Daniel married Julia, daughter of Dr. Edward Murrell of Lynchburg, a member of this Murrell family. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com ___________________________________________________________________ File size: 4.7 Kb