R. W. Murray

Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas: Comprising a Condensed History of the State, a Number of Biographies of Distinguished Citizens of the Same, a Brief Descriptive History of Each of the Counties; Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1890; 820 pages. Transcribed and contributed by Gary Telford.
R. W. Murray is one of the pioneers of early history of Arkansas, and one who has been largely instrumental in the rapid and steady growth of his adopted country. Mr. Murray is a Tennessean by birth, being born in Hardeman County, July 18, 1831. His parents, James and Eliza (Beazel)-[note the spelling is incorrect] Murray, were also Tennesseans, and about 1845 came to the State of Arkansas, settling in Woodruff County, and resided there until their respective deaths in 1863 and 1866. Their family was a large one, but only seven children are now living. R. W. Murray was about eight years of age when brought to Arkansas, and here he grew to mature years and received such education as the schools of that day afforded. He became familiar with the duties of farm life at a very early date, but when the war broke out he dropped all work to take up arms, and enlisted in Company A., Eighth Arkansas Regiment, serving about three years. After the cessation of hostilities he returned home and again took up the duties of the farm, and has made agriculture his calling ever since. Owing to his early removal to this State he has witnessed the development of Woodruff County into a very prosperous county. He was married in 1861 to Miss Mary M[alissa] Walker, by whom he had eight children, only three of whom are now living: Lee, Addie and Stella. His second marriage took place in 1882, his wife being Miss Sally E. Campbell, and is the mother of two children: Elmo and Edith.