Warts & All

Evidently Ben¹ and Norma Muir took a trip to Kentucky to do research on the Muir family. Of special interest is the information on George Thomas Muir, father of Ann Elizabeth (beth) Muir Abbott. There is one page on W. J. Redford, father of Ida May Redford (who married George Thomas Muir) and therefore the grandfather of Beth Abbott. My comments are in italics. Their writing is in regular type and is transcribed as written, complete with spelling and grammatical errors.

THE HORATIO RAINEY MUIR FAMILY

The Horatio Muir family is one of the saddest family this writer has come by in a long long time. It was a family that was the sign of the times, or era

Horatio Muir was born in Alexandria, Fairfax County, Virginia in 1797 to John R. and Ann R. Barker Muir. When John R. Muir received his land for his participation in the Revolution War as midshipman. He took his land 2666 acres in Kentucky and moved his family to Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky. There he raised his family.

In the meantime when the two brothers (Esley and Horatio) went to Todd County, Kentucky to seek their fortunes and settled on adjoining farms and bought more and more land and February 13, 1827 Horatio went back to Fayette County and married Dorenda Marshall, who was the daughter of Robert and Mary Ann Foster Marshall. Esley also married Dorenda's sister some time before Horatio and Dorenda married.

The first child of Horatio and Dorenda Muir was Horatio, Jr who was born at the end of the year 1827. He married Mary Elizabeth McElwain. Elizabeth and Horatio, Jr. had several children. Horatio Jr. died Died Dec. 1880. Both he and Elizabeth and several children are buried in the Muir Cemetery which is on the old Muir land. One of Horatio Jr. Muir's daughter was Mattie Muir Page. Mary Elizabeth was known as Molly Muir.

The second child was Robert M. I am sure that this child was named from Dorenda's father Robert Marshall, Jr. Robert M Muir was mentally ill from birth.

The third child was John W. Muir, born about 1831 was married To Josephine R. I do not know her maiden name. This was the Aunt Josie who raised George Thomas, John W. Muir Sr. and Josie was the parents of Rainey Muir, who lived in Tarrant County, Texas and is butied in Oakwood Cemetery in Fort Worth, Texas.

The fourth child was Mary Ann born about 1833 and was married to James Samuel Coleman and she died 1865 in Todd County, Kentucky She is buried in the Coleman family Cemetery. Samuel Coleman is a decendant of Esley Muir.

The fifth child was Margaret M. born about 1835 and married a man named Mr. Wisdom. She is buried in the Widsom family cemetery in Todd County, Kentucky which is owned now by private individual. This cemetery is in some woods and very difficulty to get to this cemetery. Margaret had no children.

The sixth child was June. She was born in about 1837. There is no mention of her in her fathers will and I presume that she died.²

The seventh child was Martha V. Muir. She was born about 1840 and she is mentioned in Horatio's will and was living with James S. Coleman and Mary Ann in the 1860 census. James S. Coleman was guardian to Martha V. and Margaret, and his wife Mary Ann when their father died. I do not know at this time who Martha V. married.

The eight child was Benjamin F. Muirborn to Horatio and Dorenda Muir. He married Mary Elizabeth Watkins on March 25, 1867. He was also underage when Horatio died. as Horatio, Jr. was his guardian. Benjamin shot himself March 25, 1872. Mildred Coldman Standard who lives in Elton, Kentucky told me that her grandmother told her this. In his note or will verifies that he did kill himself. I do not have a copy of his will.

The ninth child was George Thomas. He was born Nov. 18, 1849 and was only 5 or 6 years old when his father died. Evidently Dorenda died somewhere between 1850 and 1855 as she was not mentioned in Horatio's will. Anyway, George Thomas was just a baby with no parents. Horatio, Jr was his guardian and in 1870 he was living with John W. Muir and Josie Muir. At that time George had quite a sizable fortune as to money and land. In the late 1870's George Thomas bought $4,000 worth of land from John W. Muir. May 26, 1880 George Thomas was committed to the Western Kentucky Asylum [pictured at the top] along with his older brother Horatio Jr. who was committed March 8, 1880. George stayed at this hospital for two years being released May 19, 1882. He then evidently made a quick trip to Texas (see attached copies of official documents referring to this statement)
Horatio Jr, died in this hospital Dec 23, 1880 from Pnewmonia.

There are two letters written by George Thomas in 1884 asking Thad Coldman (James S. Coleman's son) to ask Judge Reeves for the money for his estate so he could buy land in Texas. From all accounts Judge Reeves kept the land and money and George Thomas got nothing. There might be a question as to whether if George Thomas was afraid to go back to Kentucky as he might be sent back to the hospital again.

To go back in history there were so many large landowners bought Confederate Bonds and lost all they had when the Civil War was over. I don't know whether Horatio Sr had bonds but he did have stock in several banks. He had 38 slaves* and was a very large land owner. in both Todd and Logan Counties, Kentucky. At the time of his death Horatio Sr. and Esley had purchased a large block of land and was paying for it. John R. Muir, son of Esley Muir purchased Horatio Sr's part from the heirs. The inventory of Horatio,Sr estate taken after his death in 1855 took 21 pages to record. We have the zerox copies of this instrument. They are legal size.

All of Horatio Muir;s children had grown up not to lift a hand to do any work at all. They were waited on hand and foot and did not know how to do any kind of work and so like so many of that era could not make a living.

When George Thomas was sent to the hospital Judge Reeves was the guardian of his assets which was considerable, both money and land. He was supposed to buy George Thomas Muir's land. From all accounts he kept all the money and land and sent nothing. At that time in many states a well to do person could get together with the court and have someone committed and take what ever was this person had. Both George Thomas and Horatio, Jr. was well to and they were committed a little over a month apart.... You draw your own conclusion. Mine was these fellows were railroaded/////

George Thomas came to Texas along with John W. Muir, Jr and Josie and Rainey. John W. Muir Sr. had died. From all accounts they came fast from Kentucky to Texas.

In the White Settlement area, which is a part of Fort Worth was a settlement from Todd County, Kentucky and there is where they came. They probably came by train.

Horatio Muir, Jr. was committed from Logan, County Kentucky. This is land he had inherited from his father. Russellville is the county seat of Logan County

I found a Beal Muir who married a Mary Ann French in Hopkinsville, Kentucky (Christain) County. Beal was the brother of Horatio and Esley Muir.

Need two weeks Hope to go back soon

Normaleene M. Muir genealogy 1987

G. T. MUIR COMMINTMENT

May 26, 1880 -- Court Order Book L Page 213

Court met pursant to adjournment
Present Hon. Ben J. Perkins, Judge

On motion of the county Attorney, it is ordered that a writ De Lunatico Inquirendo issue in the case of G. T. Muir, a lunatic, returnable immediately, to inquire into the the State of mind of said Muir, and it ordered that Ben F. Perkins, Jr to appoint counsel for said Muir.

Whereupon comes a Jury S. A. Rice, G. P. Lewis, G. D Brockman, W. D. Hoover, G. M. Mimms, J. E. Goodman, J. W. Lewis, J. M. Hoover, Joe C. Russell, B. G. Davis, J. W. Rickman and N. Tobin who being sworn according to law returned the following verdict tout: We the Jury impannelled and sworn under a writ from the Todd County Court, directing us to inquire of G. T. Muir of said County to be of unsound mind and having had a view of said Muir in open Court, and having heard evidence in relation to the condition of his mind, as well as estate, do find that said Muir is a lunatic, is about 33 years of age; that he resides in the County, that he was not brought into this state for the purpose of becoming a charge upon the Commonwealth, that he lost his mind recently and the cause heredity; that he was born in this county; that he has no property in possession, Reversion, that his parents are dead; that he is not capable of laborin in whole or part for his support. S. A. Rice, G. P/ Lewis,G. D. Brockman, W. D. Hoover, G. M. Mimms, J. E. Goodsman, J. W. Lewis J. M. Hoover, Joe C. Russell, P. G. Cavis, J. W. Rickman, N. Torin

It is therefore ordered by the court that the said G. T. Muir be sent to the Western Lunatic Asylum of Kentucky at Hopkinsville, and that M. C. Christain be andhe is hereby appointed a committee to convey said Muir to the Asylum aforesaid.

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This page is a poor photocopy of what's described as Court Record Book L page 213 — Dated May 26, 1880 — Todd County, Kentucky. It is handwritten in a very formal, cursive (almost calligraphic) style. This copy is illegible.

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This page is a photocopy of three 3"x5" index cards marked
ARCHIVES 1968
WESTERN STATE HOSPITAL
HOPKINSVILLE, KY 42240
On the copy and next to the top card (Muir, Willis) is a handwritten note: Need to check as to who he was - BM

Name: Muir, Willis
Hospital Number: 7
Age: 45
Ward:
Type Of Commitment:
Date Admitted: 10/25/1893
County: Todd
Handwritten is: Expired 9/22/04

Name: Muir, Horatio
Hospital Number:
Age: 50
Ward:
Type Of Commitment:
Date Admitted: 3/8/1880
County: Logan
Handwritten is: Expired 12/23/1880
Pneumonia — cause of death

Name: Muir, George T.
Hospital Number:
Age: 33
Ward:
Type Of Commitment:
Date Admitted: 5/26/1880 — 5/19/1882
County: Todd
Note: the — 5/19/1882 is handwritten as though added after the original index card was typed and may indicate date of release.

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This final page is transcribed as written.

W. J. Redford Family

While we were in Todd County, Kentucky in the court house we also look for the Redford family.

we did find some things of interest.

1. We found the guardian of the Redford children by John Y. Fox. It stated that these children of Edward and Elizabeth Redford who were both dead. So that leaves out the theory that Grandfather Redford after Elizabeth died went to West Virginia to have some more children.

2. Edward Redford who was the father of William Josephus Redford came from England.

3. The Redford family came to Trenton, Todd County, Kentucky in 1843 from Virginia. W. J. was 11 years old. Evidently he was named after his grandfather Fox as his name was Joesphus. They were all from Louisa County, Virginia. Louisa is the county seat. That is next to Lynchburg. So it is possible that William Redford was actually born in Lynchburg. All the records are in Louisa for the Fox family.

I have a copy from the court that John Y Fox released his guardian from these children.

4. I have a copy of the will left my James M. Terry the father of Cornelia Gilmo Terry Redford. He died in 1870 in Todd County, Ky.

4. I have a copy of the will left by John Terry who was the brother of Cornelia Gilmo Terry who died In Russellville, Logan County, Ky. There is a copy of his obituaries in Cornelia Gilmo Redford;s bible.

If any of you wish to get together and you can see all that I have. and I think that you will like the information. Ruby said that we all get together more often as none of us are getting any younger.

Hope all of you are well.

Love Ben & Norma Muir

¹Ben is the grandson of George Thomas and Ida May Redford Muir, who are the parents of Ann Elizabeth (Beth) Muir Abbott.

²I can't help but add this note: Those last two sentences made me laugh. If she was born about 1837, I, too, presume she died!

*See comment of December 6, 2008.