This is long so I might do in 2-3 posts but thought many of you might be interested in this. Dallas (TX) Morning News, Nov 23,1890, Section 1, page 5. "IN MEMORIAM. From the beautiful memorial tribute and interesting biographal sketch by M. M. DAVIS of the lat Mrs. E. M. McMURRY, whose recent death occurred in this city, we quote the following: "Eliza M. McMURRY was born in Kentucky May 12, 1818, and died in Dallas, Tex., Nov 4,1890, at the residence of her children, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. JOHNSON, on McKinney avenue. She was the daughter of the mathematician,, Joseph WILLIS, and Sallie TWYMAN GARNETT, the latter a daughter of the distinguished jurist, Judge John GARNETT, of Virginia, a lineal descendant of Sir William GARNETT, baronet of England. he deceased was a close relative of the families of the eminent theologian, James M. PENDLETON of Philadelphia, and President Leslie WAGGONER of the state university. She was also a niece of Gen. Samuel SPENCER and of William T. WILLIS, lawyer, orator and statesman, who, with McKEE and Harry CLAY, poured out his life's blood at Buena Vista in defense of Texas, and over whose ashes grateful Kentucky has raised her monumental marble at her capital. "Eliza M. WILLIS, possessed of delicate beauty and aided graces of mind and heart, was marired Nov. 10, 1836, to William M. McMURRY of North Carolina, a man of commanding personal and brilliant power. Around their heathstone of culture and happiness gathered such names as ROGERS, GORIN, GARNETT, BRYAN, BELL, McFERRAN, LEWIS, NUCKOLS, Tom MARSHALL and others well known to Kentucky chivalry and clothed with her laurels of honor. In 1859 they removed to Memphis thence to Clarksville, Tenn., where in 1863 the husband died, and the wife, Naomi-like, returned to her old Kentucky home. In October, 1863(?), she came to Dallas to bless and brighten the home of her only daughter. Her oldest child, a son, was for a number of years connected with the Custom-House at New Orleans, but at his dseath, May, 1870, was Judge of Grant parish, Louisiana. Mrs.J. R. JOHNSON, her only remaining child and a heart's blessing to her mother, has had the sad but sacred pleasure of tirelessly watching at her bedside during her long illness and of comforting her with a daughter's deathless devotion, joined by her husband whose love was no less deep than her own, as their mother passed into the Jordan of death, attended by friends, tender and true, when for her "the Day-star of Eternity shimmered in life's gloom." "During the great civil war one of those strange things, sometimes seen in human struggle, was witnessed in her house; father and son, true to noble manhood's convictions rather than the emotions of their very souls, espousing the colors and the cause of different sides; the father chose the blue under Gen. GRANT while the son wore the gray and followed PILLOW and was a member of his staff of aides, while the brother - the late Col. WILLIS of El Paso - cast his lot with Sterling PRICE and at Vicksburg, when the battle's fury raged his commanding form was seen, true to the heroism of his name, at a cannon, in danger, ouring a sheen of fire and volleys of death into the columns of the advancing foe. The heart of this noble woman was with the cause of the Southland, yet the clinging love of this wife, mother and sister lingered lovingly amidst the hosts of both armies, and you will not question why she was so often seen with friends upon the battlefields of death almost before the smoke had cleared away or the echo of the mad artiliery had hushed its roar, leading her baby girl with one hand, and offering succor with the other, nor way, like a ministering angel, she was so often found in the hospitals of either side. Yes, found "Within the wards of the white-washed halls Where the dead and the dying lay, Where wounded by bayonets, shells or balls, Somebody's idol was borned each day." to be continued next post. Sandi Sandi's Puzzlers: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gensoup/gorin/puz.html SCKY Links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html GGP: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/