Rebecca Brooks Ledbetter Murphree

of Victoria County, Texas

Rebecca Brooks was probably born on 28 Jan 1790 to John Brooks II and Rebecca Sugg. She was likely John Brooks II’s last child before he died in Jan, 1792. Her early life was undoubtedly difficult and exciting. She probably married in North Carolina and almost immediately moved to Tennessee sometime around 1806 or 1807. She married Drury Ledbetter, probably the son of Rowland Ledbetter, Revolutionary War Soldier who moved to Lincoln Co, TN (borders Bedford Co, TN) from Anson Co, NC with several sons and was on the 1820 census for that county. Some records have Rebecca as having been born in TN. Rebecca was a widow with only one child when she married the second time. She had gone to TN with husband Drury Ledbetter and his family, and since she was so young when she remarried, was thought to have been born there. This area of TN, however had just been settled about 1805, making it even more unlikely. Added to this is the knowledge that Drury Ledbetter probably came from the Anson Co, NC region as well.

Drury Ledbetter died about 1810 and she remarried 12 Apr 1811 to Stephen Murphree of Bedford County, Tennessee. Middle Tennessee at this time was pioneer territory. Life was rough and dangerous. From Goodspeed's History of Bedford County, TN:

   Upon the formation of Bedford County, in 1807, the territory embraced in her boundaries was made up of dense canebrakes and vast forests, both almost impenetrable, and was but sparsely settled. From information gleaned from such men as Nimrod Burrow and Thomas S. Word, Esqs., of Flat Creek, and J. E. Scruggs, Esq., of Fairfield, who are among, if not the oldest citizens now living, the writer is of the opinion that the first settlement of the county was made about 1805 and 1806, as follows; Clement Cannon settled near the present site of Shelbyville, in the Seventh District; Philip Burrow, William, Wilbourn and Freeman Burrow settled on Thompson Creek, in the Twenty-fifth District; John Blackwell settled near Three Forks of Duck River; Capt. Mat Martin and brother, Barkley, and William McMahan settled on Garrison Fork of Duck River, in the First District.  The above settlements were all made at about the same time, and if any were made prior to them, no information of the same can now be found.

Even with all the hardships, Bedford County, TN grew to 8, 242 population by 1810. It was the fastest growing county in Tennessee at the time. Stephen and Rebecca remained here until almost 1840.

"In 1839 Stephen and Rebecca Murphree traveled by flat boat to New Orleans and by Gulf Steamer to Linnville. They made their home in Victoria for a number of years," as their son, David M. Murphree's daughter Elizabeth stated in a Dewitt County, TX Historical Society Newsletter. Rebecca's son, Hamilton Ledbetter also came with them, staying in Victoria for a few years before going to Fayette County, Texas.

Letter from Warren F. Carothers, US Commissioner in Houston, Texas:

United States Commissioner

Southern District of Texas

Houston Division

406 Sterling Building

Houston 2, Texas

Warren F. Carothers

(written in; 2728 Beatty St.)

Dear Friends, All February 18, 1951 - 3 PM

The Chain Letter came yesterday after noon. I am glad cousins Mary Penn & Annie Stockton came into the chain and have been so well received. Also glad sister Leila has returned to civilization near enough to join the "Big Letter. The Lord sent her by our home some recent year and to have her spend the night & relieve Emily staying up to get a good rest from waiting on me. The medicines prescribed for me by the doctor went into reverse, making me delirious until about midnight when I came to. Sister Leila was sitting up near by. I said "who are you" & she replied "I am Leila" I said "who am I," - she said "You are cousin Fay." I said "I used to be called Cousin Fay where am I" she said "You are in your own home" and then I recognized the room & quited down. Have often wished for an oppurtunity to tell her how much she helped us all that night. And now all our folks in Houston are telling us what fine daughters she has raised and they are in Austin, which bids fair to become the capital of the Stockton family. Cousin Annie is carrying out the family traditions in Giddings and taken over the Big Letter there. As Cousins Annie Faris and Cousin Mootie Cherry grow more and more infirm. Grandpa Stockton used to say "there is no place like Giddings for real oldfashion hospitality" When Emily and I came to Houston 56 years ago we found no Kinfolks living here Except Great uncle Tom Murphree, brother to the wonderful Murphree women mothers of both of our familys. Their mother was Rebecca Brooks, born in Tennessee Jan. 28, 1790. She first married Drury Ledbetter and Uncle Hamilton Ledbetter of LaGrange Tex was their son. After the death of Drury Ledbetter she married Stephen Murphree and they moved to Victoria Tex. (from Ten.)

(list of children.. see below)

______

I do not believe a finer family ever lived than Murphrees.

______

I do not just now recall how the Stribblings came in but Emily often

spoke of "Cousin John S"

But now Emil & I have scores of kin in Houston & I assure you it is a mighty pleasant feeling to know they are here.

Joe Trussel is called to sing the gospel as much as preachers are called. And his wife is strikingly beautiful and consecrated

I may enclose some pictures & if so please get them back to me especially that of Emil & I no chance to replace it if lost.

When Irene & Orville came to live with me they brought 25 of about the prettiest R.I. chicks I ever saw and they grew up fine. One night something got in the chicken house (supposedly 'Possum" proof, & kiled two of their fine pullets That fired Orvilles hunting spirit and next day he brought from their home his fine automatic 20 gauge shotgun & declared war on the all enemies of the barn yard. In a night not long after I spied some visitors up in our persimmon tree and came back & told Orville. He went out with his gun , shot five times and brought down two coons and three 'Possums. Irene gave a colored neighbor the carcuses of all for the hides of the two coons which she carried to a Taxidermist to be made into a rug. Orville declared he will enjoy stepping on the rugs. Says he had many times gone hunting long distances with no such a harvest. We live on the bank of quite a creek and I have killed about a hundred 'Possums and nearly 50 hawks since we moved here.

Jim the new Freeway has been complete and opened to traffic past our Addition and that has reduced the Telephone road traffic 2/3. So you can sleep better here.

We have had a Stone made by a LaGrange firm for Emily & my grave and they wanted to put in place and we wanted to be there but the late cold snap has delayed. Irene could hardly make the trip yet. She suffers nearly all the time with her hip & she is pretty blue. I am surely enjoying having Orville here. Hope you all enjoy this long Epistle.

Best of love,

Fay

This letter may quite possibly be the only solid evidence that exists proving that Rebecca first married Drury Ledbetter. And it also lays out the entire family of Stephen Murphree and Rebecca Brooks.

Rebecca dies 16 Nov 1853 in Fayette Co, TX where Hamilton and Jane had lived for many years. She and Hamilton's family are buried in the Old Evergreen Cemetery there.

Child of Drury Ledbetter and Rebecca Brooks:

Hamilton Ledbetter b.c1809 Lincoln ? County, TN d. La Grange, Fayette Co, TX

married c1829 to Jane Amanda Peacock (b. 1815 Liberty Co, GA), daughter of John Peacock and Ann Woodward. They had only one known child: William Hamilton Ledbetter (b. 22 Dec 1834 Bedford Co, TN d. 24 Apr 1896 La Grange, Fayette Co, TX). Hamilton ran for State Senate in 1873 against his own son, William Hamilton Ledbetter. Hamilton ran on the Republican ticket and his son on the Democrat. Hamilton won the election 1155 to 1063.

Fayette County, Texas Historical Marker:

Hamilton Ledbetter House

Round Top

Off County Roads, 2 mi SE of Round Top

1979

Ledbetter is located at the northwestern tip of Fayette County (BCBNOTE: and I'm guessing it isn't on this map!) on U.S. Highway 290 at Fm Road 1291. It was named after Hamilton Ledbetter, a pioneer who helped establish Rutersville College. At one time, the town had a school, post office, voting precinct, 4 general merchandise stores, 2 lumberyards, 2 drugstores, 2 saloons, and a blacksmith shop. Ledbetter is near of the site of an Indian massacre by early settlers near Cummins Creek. Today, Ledbetter has several stores and a bed and breakfast establishment.

Biography of William Hamilton Ledbetter:

LEDBETTER, WILLIAM HAMILTON (1834-1896). William Hamilton Ledbetter, Fayette County attorney, was born to Hamilton and Jane (Peacock) Ledbetter, a well-to-do Tennessee Episcopalian couple, in 1834. In 1840 the family moved to Texas and settled with a large number of slaves near the site of present-day Victoria. Four years later the Ledbetters moved to Fayette County and established a small plantation there. William, the third of nine children, was educated in Fayette and Washington counties and began to study law in 1855. He was admitted to the bar in 1857 and set up a lucrative practice in La Grange, the seat of Fayette County. In 1862 he was commissioned a lieutenant in Company I of Col. George M. Flournoy'sqv Sixteenth Confederate Texas Infantry. Ledbetter subsequently fought in a number of battles in Louisiana and in 1863 was captured by Union forces at the battle of Pleasant Hill; he was freed in an exchange shortly thereafter. Later that year, having been mustered out of the Confederate Army, he went to Austin as a representative in the lower house of the Tenth Legislature. He returned to Fayette County in 1865, nearly bankrupt as a result of losing twenty slaves and a good deal of valuable property in the war. He once again took up the practice of law and in 1876 was elected as a Democrat to the state Senate, where he served until 1880. He thereafter served several terms as mayor of La Grange. Ledbetter was married twice. His first wife, Bettie (Pope), died in 1864, leaving two children. In 1868 he married Tennie Hill; they had two children. Ledbetter was found dead on April 24, 1896, in his home in La Grange by his wife upon her return from a trip to Virginia.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Memorial and Genealogical Record of Southwest Texas (Chicago: Goodspeed, 1894; rpt., Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1978). Proceedings of the Texas Bar Association, 1896.

F. B. Largent, Jr.

---

Another son of Hamilton Ledbetter:

Aurelius G. Ledbetter

1837 - 1884

Born at Bedford County, TN in 1837.
Moved with family to TX in 1840; settled with large number of slaves near the site of present-day Victoria, TX.
Moved with family to Fayette County, TX in 1844; family established small plantation there.
Resided at Rount Top, Fayette County, TX in 1860; occupied as a clerk.

Mustered into Company F at Houston, TX on September 7, 1861.
Elected 1st Corporal.
Wounded during the Sunday afternoon encounter with the enemy near the boggy ravine at Shiloh, TN on April 6, 1862.
Received furlough to TX in April 1862.
Promoted to 3rd Sergeant by April 1863.
Sustained wounds by being pinned by horse and shot in the hand by the approaching enemy on October 7, 1863, but he escaped and was left at Farmington, TN.
Member (Master Mason) Terry Lodge, Regimental Masonic Chapter in 1863 & 1864.

Resided in Round Top, Fayette County, TX, Beat #3 in 1870.
Family records show AG Ledbetter lived at Silver City, NM and worked at the customs office.
Died in 1884.
Buried in Old City Cemetery, La Grange, Fayette County, TX.

Children of Stephen Murphree and Rebecca Brooks:

David M. Murphree

born 4 DEC 1811 in Bedford Co., TN, and died 15 JUN 1866 in Osceola, Greene Co., MO. David married Margaretta Patton, daughter of Columbus R. Patton, on 8 Jan 1845 in Brazos, Palo Pinto Co., TX. Margaretta was born 26 Apr 1824 in Hopkinsville, Christian Co., KY. She died 13 Nov 1863 in DeWitt Co., TX and was buried in DeWitt Co., TX.

From "Dewitt County Historical Society", page 625. Excerpts from an article by Elizabeth C. Murphree:

Judge David Murphree moved to Texas in 1834 and was a volunteer under Ben Milam at Bexar in 1835. The Alamo fell while Murphree carried out orders to scout Fannin's whereabouts. At theBattle of San Jacinto Lt. Murphree earned recognition and a 640 acre land certificate.

In 1837 he served as clerk to Gail Borden, collector of customs at Galveston. In 1838 he was president of the Board of Land Commissioners for Bexar County. In 1839 David Murphree's parents traveled by flat boat to New Orleans and by Gulf Steamer to Linnville. They made their home in Victoria for a number of years.

From 1840, for several years, Judge Murphree was chief justice of Victoria County. While serving as justice, he assisted in the pursuit of the Commanche Band which burned Linnville. Later he served in the Vasquez Campaign of 1842 (as a Major) and in the Somerville Expedition. His last military experience was on the Indianola Coast during the War Between theStates.

"Point Evergreen", Judge Murphree's home on Price's Creek wascompleted in 1848. There with the help of his negro slaves he raised fine, thoroughbred horses, mules, and some cattle.

In 1866 Judge Murphree sent 250 horses and mules to Missouri under the supervision of Captain Harvey Cunningham. The judge traveled by boat. He was killed on the outskirts of Osceola, Missouri, simply because he was a Texan and happened to arrive during a post war sectional quarrel. His body was buried in Missouri.

Sarah "Sallie" Brooks Murphree

born 26 MAY 1813 in Bedford Co., TN, and died 25 NOV 1878 in Old Evergreen, Washington Co., TX. Sarah married Dr. Isaac West on 29 Oct 1828 in Bedford Co., TN. Isaac was born 25 Jan 1805 in TN. He died 14 Feb 1858 in Old Evergreen, Washington Co., TX. They both are buried in Old Evergreen Cem. with her mother Rebecca Brooks.

Elizabeth "Betsy" Murphree

born 9 FEB 1815 in Bedford Co., TN, and died 30 SEP 1902 in Thomaston, DeWitt Co., TX. "Aunt Betsy Bownett" Elizabeth married Elijah Bennett on 18 Nov 1841. Elijah was born in KY. He died 1859 in Victoria, Victoria Co., TX.

John Brooks Murphree

born 2 FEB 1817 in Bedford Co., TN, and died 20 JAN 1855 in Concrete, TX. John married Sarah Ann Smith, daughter of James Norman Smith, on 8 Jan 1845 in Fayette Co., TX. Sarah was born 1 Mar 1826 in Maury Co., TN. She died 12 Jan 1870.

Louisa Murphree

born 18 JAN 1819 in Bedford Co., TN, and died 25 JUL 1855 in Old Evergreen, Washington Co., TX. Louisa married Martin Franklin Alexander, son of Adley Alexander and Susan Alexander, on 8 Nov 1836 in Shelby Co., TN. Martin was born 15 Jan 1814 in Shelby Co., TN. He died 4 Sep 1901 in Llano Co., TX.

Sophia Woodward Murphree

born 5 APR 1821 in Bedford Co., TN, and died 27 NOV 1848 in Victoria, Victoria Co., TX. Sophia married Andrew Welford White, son of James White and Mary "Polly" McSwaine, on 22 Feb 1841 in Victoria, Victoria Co., TX. Andrew was born 1816 in Murfreesboro, Rutherford Co., TN. He died 17 Jul 1846 in Victoria, Victoria Co., TX and was buried in Victoria, Victoria Co., TX.

Ann Mary Murphree

born 15 JUL 1823 in Bedford Co., TN. Ann married John C. Crenshaw on 20 May 1845 in Washington Co., TX. John was born about 1815 in TN.

Frances Melvina Murphree

born 2 JUN 1825 in Bedford Co., TN, and died 20 JAN 1863. Frances married Edward Cratic Pettus on 23 Jan 1844 in Fayette Co., TX. Edward was born 1811 in VA …"in Fayette Co Tx… Town of Pettus named for Edward & his brother both of whom were in the Battle of San Jacinto."

Biography:

PETTUS, EDWARD CRATIC--Born in Alabama September 19, 1812, a son of Freeman Pettus. He was a cousin of John Freeman Pettus and a half brother of Samuel Overton Pettus. In an unnumbered Headright Certificate issued to him July 14, 1838 for one-third of a league of land by the Board of Land Commissioners for Austin County it is stated that he came to Texas in 1825. On page 23 of the army rolls in the General Land Office, Mr. Pettus is listed as First Sergeant of Captain John York's Company before Bexar in December 1835. He was Second Sgt. in Captain Moseley Baker's San Felipe Company. He was issued Donation Certificate No. 398 for 640 acres for having participated in the battle. He was issued Bounty Certificate No. 2759 on September 4, 1838, for serving from February 29 to May 29, 1836. He received Bounty Certificate No. 2130 for 320 acres of land May 2, 1838 for his services in the army from October 2 to December 30, 1835.

Jane Amanda Murphree

born 15 MAR 1827 in Bedford Co., TN, and died 5 MAY 1910 in Temple, Bell Co., TX. Jane married Simeon Durham "Sim" Carothers on 7 Mar 1850 in Old Evergreen, Washington Co., TX. Simeon was born 5 Jan 1825 in AL. He died 20 Jun 1903 in Temple, Bell Co., TX.

William Thomas "Tom" Murphree

born 17 MAR 1829 in Bedford Co., TN, and died 11 AUG 1899 in Houston, Harris Co., TX. William married (1) Elizabeth Gillia Baker, daughter of James McCullouch Baker and Martha Jane Smith, on 11 Dec 1854. Elizabeth was born 19 Aug 1831 in TN. She died 1856 in DeWitt Co., TX. William also married (2) Eliza Eudora Baker, daughter of James McCullouch Baker and Martha Jane Smith, on 4 Aug 1859. Eliza was born 14 Nov 1842 in TX. She died 1861 in DeWitt Co., TX. William also married (3) Ophelia Clementine "Phoebe" North on 4 Aug 1863 in DeWitt Co., TX. Ophelia was born 23 Sep 1842 in DeWitt Co., TX. She died May 1938 in Concrete, DeWitt Co., TX and was buried in Hillside Cem., Cuero, DeWitt Co., TX.

Virginia Featherston Murphree

was born 13 Feb 1831 in Bedford Co., TN. She died 8 Apr 1904 in Cuero, DeWitt Co., TX and was buried in Hillside Cem., Cuero, DeWitt Co., TX. Virginia married James Brown Smith, son of James Norman Smith, on 23 Sep 1852. James was born 27 Jul 1816 in Columbia, Maury Co., TN. He died 1 Nov 1865 in Seclusival, Shelby Co., TN.

Records for Drury Ledbetter and Rebecca Brooks:

Rick Parker's Ledbetter Family Website

Ledbetter Family Genealogy Forum

REV. DR. LEWIS LAURIE LEDBETTER website

Warren Fay Carothers letter (see above)

Records for Stephen Murphree and Rebecca Brooks:

Link to Descendants of Daniel Murphree where much of this information was found.

Ancestry.com link to family of Stephen Murphree