Murfree (NC and VA), Banks, Blackwell and Ross

So today I decided to go back to visit the state of North Carolina's Archives and Genealogy room. My mission was to try to prove that our Patty Murfree (wife of Revolutionary War Soldier, Benjamin W. Banks) was really related to William and William Hardy Murfree.

I found out that the name "Patty" is also often referred to as "Martha" or "Polly". This was news to me... I think I recall seeing Martha somewhere in the Murfree Family Papers at the University of NC in the stuff with the picture of Robert E. Lee.... I'm going to go back by there either tomorrow or Monday to check it... I'll make some copies and will post some excerpts on this blog soon... Stay tuned...

Anyways, today I went back to the archives in Raleigh and had some MAJOR success!!! I found out who Patty Murfree's father and grandfather were! Before I explain further, let me review how these people are related to me...

My father is John Johnston.
His father is Harold Johnston.
His father was Harold Banks Johnston.
His mother was Mary Cabell Banks.
Her father was Hardy Murfree Banks (1831).
His father was Alexander M. Banks (1786).
His father was Benjamin W. Banks (1760- Rev. War Soldier) and his wife was Patty Murfree (1745?).

New Information: Patty Murfree's father was William Murfree II Junior (or in other words, he was William Murfree IV) born after 1715 and her mother was Mary Moore. He moved from the Isle of Wight/Nansemond area of Virginia to Northampton County, North Carolina, where he bought land in 1746.

Their children were (let me know if you'd like more information about these people's children/grandchildren because I have some additional information):

1. William Murfree, born 1739
2. James Murfree, born 1741
3. Sarah Murfree, born 1743
4. Patty Murfree, born 1745 (I am descended from Patty Murfree)
5. Betty Murfree, born 1747
6. Nancy Murfree, born 1749
7. Col. Hardy Murfree, born 1752

The parents of the above William Murfree IV were William Murfery I and Sarah Holladay. *Note- There were children named William Murfree II and William Murfree III... I will include more information on these people below...

William Murfrey was married three times and first appeared in the Isle of Wight County, Virginia in the latter part of the 1600's.

William Murfrey I's Wives

1. Margaret Perkins, daugter of Edward Perkins
2. Frances ___?___
3. Sarah Holladay, daughter of Anthony Holladay and Mrs. Ann Brewer.

Children by the First Two Wives (again, I have more info on the children of these people):

1. William Murfrey II born before 1686 (his son was William Murffrey III)
2. Margarett Murfrey born before Aug 1686
3. Micaell Murfrey born before 1686
4. John Murfrey
5. Elizabeth Murfrey
6. Elinor Murfrey
7. Sarah Murfrey

Children of the Third Wife, Sarah Holladay:

1. William Murfrey IV born 1715
2. Katherine Murfrey
3. Ann Murfrey

**New Information comes from the book The Murfree Ancestry of Bill R. Linder of Kenedy, Karnes County, Texas by Bill R. Linder, copyright 1998. From what I understand, he once worked in the National Archives. This book was found at the State of North Carolina Genealogy Room at 109 East Jones in Raleigh, NC.