My Genealogy Hound

W. F. McMurtrey. Among the early settlers of Washington County, Mo., was Joseph McMurtrey, a native of East Tennessee, who came to this county in 1803, and settled on the old Spanish grant, No. 2122. James, the son of the above, and father of W. F., was born in East Tennessee in 1799, and when a mere boy was brought to this county. On reaching manhood he married Miss Mary McMurtrey, also a native of East Tennessee. They then settled upon the farm where the mother is now living. Until the war Mr. McMurtrey was a Democrat, but after that struggle he was a Republican. Both he and wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Of their family of eight children the subject of this sketch was the fifth, and was born on the old homestead in 1839. He received his education in the rude log schoolhouses of early times, and remained at home until 1863, when he enlisted in Company K, Eighth Missouri Cavalry, being sergeant, and served eight months. In the enrolled militia he held the office of second lieutenant. In 1865 he married Miss Eunice McSpaden, a native of Tennessee, born in 1838. To this union seven children were born, four of whom are now living: Onie, Allie, Lulu and Effie. In 1866 Mr. McMurtrey settled on his present property, owning 130 acres. The track owned by himself and brother has been in the undisputed possession of the McMurtrey family for eighty-five years. This family is of Scotch-Irish descent. Mr. McMurtrey is a Republican in politics, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.