Individual Details

Zachariah gave affidavit for veracity and service for the application for Revolutionary pension made by Michael Awalt, who had served from Rowan Co, NC. 3 Sep 1832. Franklin Co, TN.

Zachariah H. Murrell was administrator of the estate of one James Phillips of Franklin County, as well as guardian of four of the children. WPA transcripts of the records indicate that in January of 1840, Murrell, was acting in this capacity. The four children for which he was guardian were Thomas T., Ezekiel E., James L. F. and Sarah E. Phillips. Two other children, probably older, had their mother as guardian. The widow had remarried to James Prewitt - her given name recorded as Clintford [Winiford] Prewitt. I do not find anyone in this family by 1850, but I do wonder what relationship they might have had to Zachariah - his first wife was Elizabeth Phillips, possibly a sister to this James. An online database about the Phillips family does indicate that James was Elizabeth's brother, henceforth, Zachariah's brother-in-law. They were children of Elijah Philips and Mary Malone. James Phillip's wife is shown as married twice - first to Sarah White and second to Winiford McElroy. From the ages of the children, it appears that the four for whom Zachariah was guardian were the children of the first wife; Winiford had two children by Philips - Nancy and Martha Ellen.

Zachariah is thought to have been married three times.
(1) Elizabeth Phillips, 17 Oct 1820, Franklin Co TN
They had a child Amanda Melvina, b. ca 1822
(2) Phoebe E. White, 19 Sep 1826, Franklin Co TN
They had Thomas, b. ca 1830, William b. ca 1833, Susan, b. 1839, and Zachariah Rush, b. 1843.
(3) Adaline Anderson, 14 Aug 1849, Franklin Co TN. She was nee Adaline Decherd

Found online: http://www.tngenweb.org/franklin/frmarrig.htm
RECONSTRUCTED FRANKLIN COUNTY, TENNESSEE
MARRIAGES 1807-1837
Our first marriage book for Franklin County begins January, 1838. There is no known marriage book prior to that date. For many years I have been compiling a reconstructed first marriage book for Franklin County - a spinoff from another project. As the cc for Franklin County, I decided to make my research available to those who visit my page.
Some of these couples lived in the part of Franklin that became Coffee County in 1836. I invite you to submit additions or corrections for inclusion here. The requirements for a marriage to be included is that the marriage should have come from as reliable a source as possible. Please state the source. See below. The submitter's name will be given.
Zachariah Haden MURRELL to Elizabeth PHILIPS 17 Oct. 1820.
Zachariah Haden MURRELL to Phoebe E. WHITE 19 Sept. 1826.


1820 Census. Greene Co MS
Zachariah Murrell. 1m -10, 3m 10-16, 1m 26-45. 2f -10, 1f over age 45.
Zachariah would have been about age 25.

1830 Census. Franklin Co TN
Zacheriah Murrell. 1m under 5, 1m 30-40. 1f under 5, 1f 5-10, 1f 20-30

1840 Census. Franklin Co TN
Z. H. Murrell. 2m 5-10, 1m 15-20, 1m 40-50. 1f under 5, 2f 10-15, 1f 30-40

1850 Census. Franklin Co TN, District 2, p.19b
Zacariah Murrell, age 50, b. Virginia. Adaline, 44, b.VA [Adaline was his 3rd wife]
Children born in TN. Thomas 20, William 17, Susan 11, Rush 7.
Kinsey Ruth, age 38, Physician, b. TN Malvina, age 28 and Joseph 9, Zachariah 7, Emiline 3.
Zachariah had 26 slaves between the ages of 70 and infants under age 1.

1860 Census. Franklin Co TN, Winchester P.O. District 2, p.50
Zacariah Murrell, 65, b. VA. Adaline, 55, b. VA
Zack R., 16, b. TN. Susan, 20, b. TN
S. S. Murrell, age 64, b. VA
Zachariah owned 20 slaves in 1860. His two grown sons also showed slave ownership.

1870 Census. Franklin Co TN, Winchester P.O.
Hh 41 Z. Murrel, age 28, b. TN Angalin, age 23, Emma age 1
Hh 43 Z. Murrel, age 75, carpenter, b. VA. Adalin, 64, b. VA. Susan, 30, b. TN.
Clary Decherd, 24, b. MS, John Campbell, 20, b. TN

Source not given but probably from a county history & biography compilation.
The founder of the Murrell family in this section
of Tennessee was Zachariah Murrell, the grandfather, who with
two brothers, James and Samuel, came to Tennessee from Virginia,
he locating in Franklin county, while the other two became
residents of Davidson county, James Murrell building the Maxwell
house at Nashville. Zachariah Murrell first followed the trade
of mechanic, but subsequently branched out into farming and at
the time of his death was a very extensive land holder and
operated his place with a large staff of slaves. He married a
Miss White, of Franklin county, and they had a family of three
sons and three daughters. His death occurred in 1871 at the age
of eighty-four. In politics he was in early life a Whig and
subsequently a Democrat, though during the war he sympathized
with the Union cause. He and his wife were Presbyterians.



Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 15:51:16 -0400
From: pittsaj@aol.com
I was in Winchester, TN last week and this week on an ancestor hunt. I copied an abstracted description of Zachariah H. Murrell's will from Franklin County Tennessee Abstracted Wills 1876-1891, Vol. II, pages 8 & 9. I hope to return to Winchester sometime this year and do some courthouse searching.
The abstract reads (exactly - errors and all) as follows in quotes:
"Zacariah H. MURRELL of Franklin C. Page 27-29
Wife: Adaline Murrell
Children: William E. and Zacariah Rush Murrell; Amanda Melvina Ruth (unknown if three different girls for no commas were used - this would appear to be Dr. Kinsey Ruth's wife in the 1850 census and his oldest daughter); Sallie W. Hurley; Thomas C. Murrell; Susan E. Murrell
Slaves: woman Martha; woman, Mary and her three children-Sol, Celia, Sally and Lucy; a girl Jane.
Executors: wife, Adaline; sons Thomas C. & Wm. E. Murrell
Witnesses: Thomas J. Coldwell; W. D. Young; John J. Angrel; S. W. Houghton; F. T. Estill
Signed: Z. H. Murrell (seal)
Dated: 12 July 1860 Recorded:
Codicil: mentions granddaugher Mary Emiline Murrell
Eliza Murrell be appointed guardian of her child Mary Emiline
Executors to be Z. R. Murrell & Edward P. Anderson; wife and Thos. Murrell
Codicil dated 26 March 1870 [I believe son William E had died - Eliza nee Gregory was his wife, Mary Emma, his daughter.]
Witnesses: T. T. Estill; W. D. Chick; E. P. Anderson; S. W. Houghton
2nd Codicil: dated 13 June 1873-several changes are made in distribution of property. There is mentioned a daughter, Nina Ruth [probably Vina Ruth]
3rd Codicil: Dated 13 Aug. 1874
mentions an old servant, Prince; he mentions that he has 5 children and granddaughters, Mary Emiline, daughter of W. E. Murrell, deceased. Mentions wife's niece, Clara Decherd. He requests that Thomas D. Gregory also become an executor along with others named.
Will is recorded but no date is given."
The witness, John J. Angrel is actually John J. Angell (my gg-grandfather). He was the husband of Azubah Matilda Taft who was the daughter of Elizabeth Jones Murrell Taft and Moses Holbrook Taft.
In the Murrell folder in the Franklin County Historical Society Library was a paper submitted by Seth Darnaby Breeding from Austin, TX on April 28,1971. It gives the geneaology of Zachariah Haden Murrell from his parents, Stephen Murrell and Elizabeth Haden (the younger) through his third wife.
It also mentions his brother, Samuel S. Murrell, who died without issue in 1867.
Hopefully, on my next visit to Winchester I will come up with a copy of the will.
Note, in the Codicil of 1874, Zachariah mentioned his old servant, Prince. In the 1870 Census, counted next door to Zachariah in Hh 48:
Prince Murrell, age 55, mulatto, b. TN
Franky, 40 female, mulatto
12, 12, mulatto
Frank 7, white
My Note: The above email address is now obsolete and I have no contact with this descendant of one of the witnesses to Zachariah Haden Murrell's will.

Birth	17 Oct 1794	Goochland County, Virginia
Marriage	17 Oct 1820	Franklin County, Tennessee - Elizabeth Phillips
Marriage	19 Sep 1826	Franklin County, Tennessee - Phoebe E. White
Marriage	14 Aug 1849	Franklin County, Tennessee - Adaline Decherd
Death	24 Jan 1879	Franklin County, Tennessee

Spouse	Elizabeth Phillips (1797 - 1824)
Child	Amanda Melvina Murrell (1822 - 1909)

Spouse	Phoebe E. White ( - )
Child	Sarah W. Murrell (1828 - )
Child	Thomas C. Murrell (1830 - 1898)
Child	William E. Murrell (1833 - 1870)
Child	Susan E. Murrell (1839 - )
Child	Zachariah Rush Murrell (1843 - )

Spouse

Adaline Decherd (1805 - )

Father	Stephen Murrell (1760 - )
Mother	Elizabeth Haden (1773 - )
Sibling	Stephen S. Murrell (1796 - 1867)
Sibling	James M. Murrell (1805 - )
Sibling	Susan Murrell (1809 - )