John R. Munnerlyn

John R. Munnerlyn
(ca.1841 - ca. 1882)

John R. Munnerlyn is believed to have been born in Anson County, North Carolina, ca. 1841. At the present time the names of John’s father is not known but from census records, we have determined that he had two younger brothers Robert & William, and that their mother's name was Fannie or Francis as indicated in the 1850 & 1860 Census of Anson County, North Carolina. On 22 May 1961, at the age of 20, John enlisted as a private in Company A, 23rd North Carolina Infantry, Army of the Confederacy. Also enlisting in the same company and regiment on the same day was his cousin, James Washington Munnerlyn. John's brother, Robert, also enlisted as a private in the same company and regiment on May 23, one day after John. Robert died from disease at a Hospital in Lynchburg, Virginia on 25 November 1862.

John was wounded on 31 May 1862 at Seven Pines, Virginia. To recover from his wounds he was sent home. He returned to service on 1 November 1862, once again on the same day his cousin, James Washington Munnerlyn, returned to service. Both had been wounded and were home at the same time.

In the 1870 Census, after the Civil War is over, John and his brother, William, are found in Madisonville, Madison County, Texas, with recent wives. William & his new wife, Sarah, arrived in Madisonville on 13 May 1870 after a five day trip by wagon, boat, & train which started in Cheraw, SC. See the sketch on William's wife for details on this trip. A family connection that could have brought the two Munnerlyn brothers to Madisonville, Madison County, Texas is an older cousin named Henry B. Munnerlyn. It is not yet known to this author how these Munnerlyns were related, their family lineage is still a little foggy.

By 1870, John has married to a Texas girl by the name of Martha J. Webb from Walker County, Texas. Martha is the daughter of Thomas H. & Susannah Thompson Webb. John and Martha were married between 1865-1870, most likely in Madison County, Texas. Early Marriage records for Madison County were lost during a fire of the courthouse in 1873. A probate record for Henry B. Munnerlyn dated February 1873, is the first record recorded in the new record book started after the fire.

John’s wife, Martha, gave birth to a son in the later part of 1870. They named him Thomas Upton Munnerlyn. In Feb. 1873, Henry Munnerlyn passed away. In Henry's Will, John was left one feather bed and clothing, and the sum of 500 dollars in gold. Some of John's cousins, Robert J. Hamilton, Robert Wilson & Mary Munnerlyn filed an objection against the will on 10 April 1873. On December 22, 1873 John received the sum of $500 according to the accounts of the probate records given in March Term 1878. The record does not mention the bed and clothing.

John's brother, William, moved on to several locations in Madison County, Robertson County, Parker County, and finally in 1875 settled in Young County, 4 miles southeast of Graham. John and his wife have not been located on the 1880 census. Their son, Thomas, is found in Madisonville, living with his uncle, John Hammond Webb, Martha's brother. At this point in time John and Martha’s whereabouts are unknown; they may have moved somewhere near John's brother, William, either in Young County or a neighboring county. A Texas Land Title Abstract reference has been found issuing land to J. R. Mannerlyn. It is the writer’s opinion that this is a misspelling of Munnerlyn and this land probably belonged to our John R. Munnerlyn. It was for 160 acres in Stephens County, Milam District, found in file number 1951. It is recorded that the land is abandoned from 1883 to1885. During this same time frame, John's brother, William, was in court trying to gain guardianship of John's son, Thomas.

In November 1882, in the Young County Probate Court, William filed for Guardianship of Thomas Upton Munnerlyn. John is mentioned as being deceased, but there is no mention of Martha Munnerlyn, Thomas' mother. Thomas is mentioned as being 12 years old and living with William's family. Based on the guardianship probate records, it can only be assumed that John's wife, Martha, is also deceased at this time. Thomas is mentioned having personal property consisting of cows and calves of the probable value of $355 on the range in Young County. In May 1883, Thomas looses his Uncle William before the process of guardianship is completed. Sarah, William’s widow, carries on the guardianship for Thomas. During the probate, cattle are sold and clothing and school supplies are purchased for Thomas.

The loss of father, mother and an uncle may have been too much on young Thomas Munnerlyn. During the 1900 Census, Thomas is found in Kaufman County as a patient in the “North Texas hospital for the Insane". Nothing further is known about Thomas.
As to the cause of death of John and Martha Munnerlyn, it could have been a number of things. Disease, animal attack, Indian attack, your imagination could take you any where. The fact that there is abandoned property and it is not listed in the probate of guardianship on Thomas is a little puzzling. But many records have been lost, and so the mystery remains. This is a very sad story, but one that has been repeated many, many times in the settling of our country.

Descendant Relation:
?? > Joseph Munnerlyn > ?? > John R. MUNNERLYN

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