First Murr Ranch

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the First Murr Ranch. Now settle in, because this one starts not in Texas at all; it starts up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, with a family named Murr. Mr. and Mrs.

John Murr raised some sons who apparently weren't content to stay put. Henry and Adam Murr (brothers, born and raised in Lancaster County) both found their way into the United States Army. Henry served from 1866 to 1882.

Adam came along a little later, serving from 1877 to 1882. Both of them served honorably, and both of them were discharged at the same post: Fort McKavett, sitting twenty-eight miles northwest of where this marker stands. Now, you have to wonder what Henry thought when he walked away from that fort with his honorable discharge and looked out at this stretch of Texas Hill Country.

Whatever he saw, it suited him. He settled right here on Bear Creek. And here's where the story picks up speed; because within two months, Adam received his own honorable discharge at Fort McKavett, and he came and joined his brother.

Two sons of Pennsylvania, side by side on Bear Creek, in Kimble County, Texas. That right there is a beginning worth noting. But they weren't finished.

Henry, in 1895, bought land on East Copperas Creek. Adam followed in 1901, buying land there as well. Together, those moves founded what became known as the Murr Community.

They had other business interests too; the marker doesn't let us forget that these were men with range in them. And both Henry and Adam contributed greatly, as the marker puts it, to the ranching industry in Kimble County. The kind of contribution that doesn't fade.

Because to this day, descendants of those two Lancaster County boys own and operate Murr Ranches. Some roots, once set down in Texas soil, just don't let go.

What the marker says

HENRY AND ADAM MURR, BORN IN LANCASTER COUNTY, PA. SONS OF MR. AND MRS. JOHN MURR, SERVED 1866-1882 AND 1877-1882, RESPECTIVELY, IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY. AFTER HIS HONORABLE DISCHARGE AT FORT McKAVETT (28 MI NW), HENRY SETTLED HERE ON BEAR CREEK;IN 2 MONTHS ADAM, ALSO HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT FORT McKAVETT, JOINED HIM. HENRY IN 1895 AND ADAM IN 1901 BOUGHT LAND ON EAST COPPERAS CREEK, FOUNDING MURR COMMUNITY. THEY ALSO HAD OTHER BUSINESS INTERESTS. BOTH MEN CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO THE RANCHING INDUSTRY IN KIMBLE COUNTY. DESCENDANTS OWN AND OPERATE MURR RANCHES. (1972)