William Henry Munnerlyn
(12 Nov. 1858 - 28 Dec. 1895)

William Henry Munnerlyn, "Will",  was born November 12th, 1858 to William Calhoun Munnerlyn and Emaline Mariah Forbes in Lafayette Co. now Miller Co., Arkansas. According to Family Tradition, Will's father was said to have died from food poisoning by eating rotten meat during the Civil War when Will was very young child, (No records have been found to prove this for his father). William's mother Emaline married a second time on 18 May 1862 to Griffin L. Taylor in Lafayette Co., Arkansas.  In the 1870 census, William Henry is found with his mother, Emaline Taylor, widowed once again in Sulphur Fork, Lafayette Co., Arkansas. Living next door to them are some of their Forbes relatives.  William's mother then married a third time to a J. M. Davis on 16 Feb 1871 in Lafayette Co., Arkansas. Some time over the next eight years Will migrated in to Williamson Co., Texas¹ with his grand-mother Forbs where Will married Alice Jane Kyle on 30 November 1879.  

Will's wife, Alice Jane Kyle was the daughter of Rev. Richard Hamilton and Narcissa Jane (Barnett) Kyle.  Alice's sister Eugenia Abigail Kyle was very ill at the time of Will and Alice's marriage. At the request of Eugenia, the marriage of William and Alice took place at Eugenia's bead side.  Alice's sister Eugenia A. Kyle died a little over a week later at the age of 16 on Dec. 8, 1879. The Kyles had moved from Tennessee to Williamson Co., TX in 1871.  Alice's mother Narcissa died on March 6, 1873 in Jollyville, Williamson Co., TX. Richard H. Kyle is found in the 1880 census in Williamson Co., TX. 

The father of Will's wife was a Methodist Minister as was Will.  It is not known at what point William Henry Munnerlyn became a minister.  He may have already been a minister at the time he met Alice.  But given his age that he was about 20 at the time he was married to Alice, he may have become a minister under the teaching of Alice's father. The facts of William's education and Ordination are not known. 

William's wife Alice Jane Kyle Munnerlyn was not a very robust woman and lived a short life.  Alice died in Erath Co., Texas on November 25, 1884. No children were born to William Henry Munnerlyn and Alice Jane Kyle.

In 1885 on Mary 21, Will married his second wife Phoebe Adeline Blair in Elme Grove, Erath Co., Texas. Phoebe was the daughter of William J. and Mary A. (Willbern) Blair. Phoebe was born 13 November 1862 in Erath Co., Texas.  William and Phoebe owned property in Lingleville, Erath Co., Texas. William and Phoebe had the following children, William Calhoun, b. 1886; Edna Augusta, b. 1887; Annie Kora Lee b. 1889; Thomas Aaron, b. 1891; Guy Herman, b. 1893.  William was said to have died on a preaching trip 28 December 1895.  According to Thomas Aaron's late wife Laura, he was buried in a small cemetery in Cisco, Texas.  Another source said he was buried in an unmarked grave in Lingleville Cemetery, Lingleville, Texas.

Partial WH Munnerlyn Family picture 
before other children were born.
Phoebe Adeline, William Henry
Edna Augusta, William Calhoun 

 

Several years after Williams death, his wife Phoebe later married James S. Dunnahoo, 13 of February 1910 in Hamilton Co., TX.  After James's death, Thomas Aaron and his wife Laura took care of her until her death, 15 January 1936.  Phoebe was buried in the Hico Cemetery, Hico, Hamilton Co., Texas.

A couple keep sakes were passed down through the families.  Some traveling Medical supplies and instruments and a small bible.  Some where along the line, the Medical supplies were associated with William Henry and it was said that he was a traveling Doctor and Preacher.  It turns out that the Medical supplies were handed down from his grand father Dr. J. H. Forbs, who was the Traveling Doctor, and William was a Traveling Minister.

Cemetery Information:

Descendant Relation:
James Sr.>Loftis Redlee>Benjamin>Willis Rawls>William Calhoun>William Henry MUNNERLYN

DOCUMENTS:

• Deed - 1887 WH & PA Munnerlyn to AW & John Mims

• Deed - 1890 P A Munnerlyn to William Henry Munnerlyn

• Deed - 1890 William & Phoebe Munnerlyn to WM Burklow

• Deed - 1891 McCarley etal to WH Munnerlyn

• Deed - 1891 Mrs PA Munnerlyn to TW Townsand

• Deed - 1891 William & Phoebe Munnerlyn to TW Townsand

• Sheriff Deed - 1892 WH Munnerlyn

• Marriage of Phoebe to James Dunnahoo

Discrepancies:

1. Given the information provided, the assumption can be made that William H. Munnerlyn and Alice J. Kyle were married in Williamson Co., TX, not in Erath Co. TX or in Tennessee as seen on other sources on the internet. The proof of this can be found at the Williamson Co., TX Court House marriage records.