(NOTE: Pam Wagner DeWITT contacted David Roberts 7 Oct 1999 responding to a query posted on Henderson MURPHY. Our "school-marm" became an instant member of the "cousins clan," because she could read and write real good. Cousins Vickie ERWIN and Linda WARREN both descended from Henderson MURPHY. Pam's link is through her spouse Rich DeWITT's ancestor, Milburn Frederick DeWITT. Milburn married Minerva Jane MURPHY, granddaughter of Henderson MURPHY. The following narrative is by cousin PAM.) David Roberts, 2 Sep 2000
JAMES H. DEWITT
The origins of the DeWitt family in America, as yet, undocumented. Family tradition says that James H. DeWitt, Sr. arrived in the entourage of the Marquis de Lafayette during the American Revolution. Lafayette’s participation was not sanctioned officially by the French government (although unofficially anything which might be accomplished in order to thwart British control of the colonies was encouraged). According to research and documentation located at the American Univ. in Washington, D.C. covering Lafayette’s stay in America, none of the passengers who arrived on Layette’s ship Victorie in 1777 which landed at Georgetown, S.C., used their real names so no verification of this story has been found.
However, there is documentation, in the form of tax lists, that James DeWitt (along with John R, Mary R. –head of household–along with Aron who was probably her son) resided in Bedford County, VA in 1787. Sometime before 1778, James H. Sr. married Abigail (probably MAXEY). We believe that they lived in a place called Charlemont in Bedford County where they raised twelve children, most of whom remained in Virginia throughout their live times.
Their ninth child (sixth son) was Jeremiah (called Jere) DeWitt, born in Bedford County about 1795. On 11 November, 1816, he married the daughter of a neighbor, Nancy A. Coleman, and between 1819 and 1840, they had ten children. Jere and Nancy farmed in Bedford County. He is mentioned in his father’s will, proved in 1840. The 1850 census showed them with five of their children in Franklin County, VA. In 1854, Jere, Nancy, Catharine, George and Leroy Dewitt moved to Lamar County, Texas. Catharine married a widower shortly after their arrival. Leroy, who was fourteen at the time of the move remained at home until he enlisted in the 29th Texas Calvary shortly after his father died in 1861. George, again according to family tradition:
...walked from Bedford County, Virginia to California–forded-(swam) the Rivers...
But walked and walked his way–“no begging” killed his food–ate nuts & fruits–
and on arrival in Calif–he went direct to mining & Searching for Gold & had a
Prosperous ‘find’...he had an unjust Partner–was ambushed by him, shot in the
back & left for Dead on Desert–a Wagon Train, Discovered him...unconscious
& took into Sacramento to a hospital where he was saved–His Gold on his mony
and all papers were stolen & he attempted to resurect his claim–but was never
Financially able to take it to Washington DC in Person as it was required in those
days...yet he developed a good Prairie Farm & left Grandmother well Fixed
for their day–after a ruinous Civil War–which had taken all Grandmothers Family
possessions–she never forgot the Horrors of the “Yankees” coming–taking all
their milk cows–Fat Hogs, Horses and what they could not carry away–they took
axes and split–stove “home made” barrels of Lard–Syrup–Preserved Apples–doz of
Barrels of apples, cider, vinegar. The Carded Wool & Cottons the women raised
and made from Mabes Batson, granddaughter of George and Sarah DeWitt
Evidently George recovered and did some further prospecting in Montana before he made his way back to Texas where he met Sarah Ann Wood, a thirty-six year old spinster and school teacher. They married 7 February, 1869, in Paris, Lamar County, TX where they lived until about 1875 when they “sold out” to move to a farm near the borders of Cooke and Denton, Texas. In 1879 they lived in Bolivar (later in Sanger) where he became, among other things, one of two circuit riding ministers for the North Texas Conference M. E. Church. “Brother” DeWitt was a local preacher who filled the pulpit when the preacher-in-charge was at other appointments on the circuit or absent for other reasons. (This information is from a letter written by the daughter of a neighbor, close friend and physician of the family of George and Sarah DeWitt, Mary Lain Chambers, daughter of Dr. George D. Lain who arrived in Sanger in 1900.)
George and Sarah had two children: Nannie C. DeWitt (b. 9 May 1873 Delta Co, TX; d. 28 Apr 1954 Bowie Co, TX) and Milburn Frederick Dewitt. Milburn was born 22 October, 1870, maybe in Delta County, TX. He worked as a cattle drover which is how, perhaps, he met the daughter of Robert Murphy, a successful cattle drover and son of local business man, Henderson Murphy. Minerva Murphy was born 26 February, 1872, in Sanger. She and Milburn were married 2 May 1889 in Bolivar, Texas. They had four children, all born in Sanger between 1890 and 1900; including Mattie Ruth whose contraction of TB necessitated the families removal from New Mexico where Milburn had chosen to open a saloon to Phoenix, Arizona), George D. (never married), Sallie R. and Jack Henderson.
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Minerva Jane Murphy DeWITT
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