William McMurtry
Encyclopedia
William McMurtry was a Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
and Civil War
colonel.
McMurtry was born in Mercer County, Kentucky
. William's parents were James and Elizabeth (Lucas) McMurtry. His great-grandfather, John McMurtry, who descended from French Huguenots, fought in the American Revolution
; dying in the Battle of Cowpens
. He and his family settled in Crawford County, Indiana
in 1818. It was here that William married Ruth Champion (1795-1864, also of Mercer County, Kentucky
), on November 23, 1826. In 1829, William and his young family moved to Knox County, Illinois
along with his father and brother James and his wife. It was here that William McMurtry's home remained until his death.
McMurtry was appointed in Knox County
's first ever election in 1830 as foreman of the grand-jury of the Circuit Court. In 1832 he was elected as the county's first school commissioner. From 1836 to 1840, William was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives
. In 1842 he was elected to the Illinois State Senate, where he stayed until being added to the Democratic
ticket of Governor Augustus French after the previous Lt. Governor
Joseph Wells decided not to run again. During his time in office, 1849–53, a new state constitution was adopted as well as the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad
was completed. After his term as Lieutenant Governor
, William ran for office in the US Congress in 1854 in Illinois' 4th Congressional District
losing to Opposition/Republican Party
candidate James Knox
. This effectively was the end of McMurtry's political career, with respect to seeking elected office. McMurtry was known as a close personal friend of fellow Illinois Democrat Stephen A. Douglas
and remained a prominent voice in the state's Democratic party
in the years before the Civil War
.
During the Black Hawk War
, McMurtry organized a group of between 70 and 90 men from Knox
and Warren
counties - which consisted of nearly all the able-bodied men from the area - to form a battalion of mounted rangers with him serving as captain and his brother James serving as sergeant. At the outset of the Civil War
, he organized and led as colonel the 102nd Illinois Infantry
, which was made up of men from Knox County
. William McMurtry though only served a couple of months before receiving an honorable discharge due to poor health attributed to his advanced age.
At home, McMurtry was known as a bright man, despite only modest formal education, who was an avid reader and good neighbor. William was a free-mason and treasurer of the local Grand Lodge
. He and his wife Ruth had five children. William McMurtry died in Henderson, Illinois
; a town founded near his farm home after he and his family had settled there.
Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
The Lieutenant Governor of Illinois is the second highest executive of the State of Illinois. In Illinois, the lieutenant governor and governor run on a joint ticket, and are directly elected by popular vote. Candidates for lieutenant governor run separately in the primary from candidates for...
and Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
colonel.
McMurtry was born in Mercer County, Kentucky
Mercer County, Kentucky
Mercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 20,817. Its county seat is Harrodsburg. The county is named for General Hugh Mercer...
. William's parents were James and Elizabeth (Lucas) McMurtry. His great-grandfather, John McMurtry, who descended from French Huguenots, fought in the American Revolution
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
; dying in the Battle of Cowpens
Battle of Cowpens
The Battle of Cowpens was a decisive victory by Patriot Revolutionary forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, in the Southern campaign of the American Revolutionary War...
. He and his family settled in Crawford County, Indiana
Crawford County, Indiana
Crawford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 10,713. The county seat is English.-Geography:...
in 1818. It was here that William married Ruth Champion (1795-1864, also of Mercer County, Kentucky
Mercer County, Kentucky
Mercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 20,817. Its county seat is Harrodsburg. The county is named for General Hugh Mercer...
), on November 23, 1826. In 1829, William and his young family moved to Knox County, Illinois
Knox County, Illinois
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 52,919, which is a decrease of 5.2% from 55,836 in 2000...
along with his father and brother James and his wife. It was here that William McMurtry's home remained until his death.
McMurtry was appointed in Knox County
Knox County, Illinois
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 52,919, which is a decrease of 5.2% from 55,836 in 2000...
's first ever election in 1830 as foreman of the grand-jury of the Circuit Court. In 1832 he was elected as the county's first school commissioner. From 1836 to 1840, William was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
. In 1842 he was elected to the Illinois State Senate, where he stayed until being added to the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
ticket of Governor Augustus French after the previous Lt. Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
The Lieutenant Governor of Illinois is the second highest executive of the State of Illinois. In Illinois, the lieutenant governor and governor run on a joint ticket, and are directly elected by popular vote. Candidates for lieutenant governor run separately in the primary from candidates for...
Joseph Wells decided not to run again. During his time in office, 1849–53, a new state constitution was adopted as well as the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad
Galena and Chicago Union Railroad
The Galena and Chicago Union Railroad was a railroad running west from Chicago to Clinton, Iowa and Freeport, Illinois, never reaching Galena, Illinois...
was completed. After his term as Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
The Lieutenant Governor of Illinois is the second highest executive of the State of Illinois. In Illinois, the lieutenant governor and governor run on a joint ticket, and are directly elected by popular vote. Candidates for lieutenant governor run separately in the primary from candidates for...
, William ran for office in the US Congress in 1854 in Illinois' 4th Congressional District
Illinois' 4th congressional district
The 4th Congressional District of Illinois includes part of Cook County, and has been represented by Democrat Luis Gutierrez since January 1993....
losing to Opposition/Republican Party
Opposition Party (United States)
The Opposition Party in the United States is a label with two different applications in Congressional history, as a majority party in Congress 1854-58, and as a Third Party in the South 1858-1860....
candidate James Knox
James Knox (Illinois)
James Knox was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.Born in Canajoharie, New York, Knox attended Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, and was graduated from Yale College in 1830.He studied law....
. This effectively was the end of McMurtry's political career, with respect to seeking elected office. McMurtry was known as a close personal friend of fellow Illinois Democrat Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen Arnold Douglas was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and was the Northern Democratic Party nominee for President in 1860. He lost to the Republican Party's candidate, Abraham Lincoln, whom he had defeated two years earlier in a Senate contest following a famed...
and remained a prominent voice in the state's Democratic party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in the years before the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
During the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
, McMurtry organized a group of between 70 and 90 men from Knox
Knox County, Illinois
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 52,919, which is a decrease of 5.2% from 55,836 in 2000...
and Warren
Warren County, Illinois
-External links:**...
counties - which consisted of nearly all the able-bodied men from the area - to form a battalion of mounted rangers with him serving as captain and his brother James serving as sergeant. At the outset of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he organized and led as colonel the 102nd Illinois Infantry
102nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 102nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 102nd Illinois Infantry was organized at Knoxville, Illinois and mustered in for three years service on September 1, 1862....
, which was made up of men from Knox County
Knox County, Illinois
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 52,919, which is a decrease of 5.2% from 55,836 in 2000...
. William McMurtry though only served a couple of months before receiving an honorable discharge due to poor health attributed to his advanced age.
At home, McMurtry was known as a bright man, despite only modest formal education, who was an avid reader and good neighbor. William was a free-mason and treasurer of the local Grand Lodge
Grand Lodge
A Grand Lodge, or "Grand Orient", is the usual governing body of "Craft", or "Blue Lodge", Freemasonry in a particular jurisdiction. The first Masonic Grand Lodge was established in England in 1717 as the Premier Grand Lodge of England....
. He and his wife Ruth had five children. William McMurtry died in Henderson, Illinois
Henderson, Illinois
Henderson is a village in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 319 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.Post office in Henderson, IL circa 2011.-Geography:...
; a town founded near his farm home after he and his family had settled there.