My gg-grandmother is Venia Cole (b. Jul 1896 VA d. Nov 1977 VA).
Venia's mother is Eliza (Elisa) Murray b. Jun 1878 in KY or VA, d. about 1901 in VA.
Venia's father is William Robert (Billy Bob) Cole b. Sep 1868 VA, d. Apr 1941, NC.
Elisa was William Robert Cole's 2nd wife (out of 3).
Elisa Murray is located in Black Walnut, Halifax, VA in 1900 as per US Census:
Name/ age /birth date/birthplace/race/gender/relationship/father's/mother's
William R Cole*/ 31 / Sep 1868 / VA / W / M / Head / VA / VA
Eliza C Cole* / 21 / Jun 1878 / VA / W / F / Wife / VA / VA
Fife W Cole/ 8 / Sep 1891 / VA / W / M / Son / VA / VA
Inez V Cole/ 3 / Jul 1896 / VA / W / F / Daughter / VA / VA
Fleming F Cole/ 2 / May 1898 / VA / W / M / Son/ VA / VA
Robt Murray/ 31 / Dec 1868 / VA / W / M / Brother-in-law / VA / VA
*Census shows Elisa and William married 6 years (about 1894).
*Census shows Elisa has 2 living children out of total 2 children. The two should be Fleming F and Inez V; Fife is from William Robert's first marriage.
I estimate Eliza Murray's death being between 1901 and 1910 based on:
1. A death certificate for Eliza Claire (Cole) Hunt (b. 22 Mar 1901 VA, d. 30 Sep 1927 NC) shows her parents as Eliza Murray and William Robert Cole. Therefore Eliza Murray was alive at least until 22 Mar 1901.
2. Eliza Murray is not on the 1910 census with William R. Cole. By then he is remarried to Rosa Ada Currin (b. Feb 1883 d. Jun 1984).
Another Murray family researcher gave me the following information:
(10) Louisa Y Buntin was born 1847. She married William H Murray, the son of Robert and Serena Lewis Jones Murray, 2 January 1868 (Halifax Co. VA Marriages: Book 3, page 47). He was born 27 October 1843 and died 14 August 1889.
(a) Robert F Murray was born 1869.
(b) Irby Green Murray was born 1871 and died 28 June 1900.
(c) Nannie L Murray was born 1873.
(d) Rosa D Murray was born 1876. She married Hubbard Cole 1 January 1894 (Halifax Co. VA Marriages: Book 3½, page 29).
(e) Elisa C Murray was born 1878.
The researcher has a copy of the family bible but I have been unable to obtain a copy myself.
Next I find an Eliza C Murray on the 1880 census, Red Bank, Halifax, Virginia:
Name/ age /relationship/birthplace/father's birth/mother's birth/ m. status/race/gender
William H Murray / 32 / head / VA / VA/ VA/ M / W/ M
Elisa Y. Murray / 35 / wife / VA / VA/ VA/ M / W/ F
Robert F. Murray / 11/ son/ VA/ VA/ VA / S/ W/ M
Irby G Murray / 9/ son/ VA/ VA/ VA/ S/ W/ M
Nannie L Murray / 7/ daughter/ VA/ VA/ VA/ S/ W/ F
Rosa Murray / 4/ daughter/ VA/ VA/ VA/ S/ W/ F
Elisa C. Murray / 2/ daughter/ VA/ VA/ VA/ S/ W/ F
It seems that this Elisa Y Murray b. about 1845 is the same as Louisa Y Buntin listed in the other researcher's records.
The main complication is that I have no proof yet that the Elisa C. Murray b. 1878 is the same Eliza Murray that married William Robert Cole. If it is one in the same then according to other researchers the line goes Elisa C Murray (1878-?) to William H Murray (1843, VA - 1889) to Robert Murray (1820, VA - 1864) to John Murray (1795, NY - ?).
The last bit of info that has not fit the puzzle is that our family has held for years that Eliza Murray was of Cherokee descent; possibly full-blooded. This shows up nowhere in the details I have received about the Buntin family. Either I am a victim of one of the top 10 genealogical myths, or there really is no connection between my Eliza Murray and the Buntins.
I have not set out to prove the connection back to John Murray from NY since I have yet to prove the connection between the two Elizas as noted above.
