The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-04-29
c0LORED WOMAN DIES
AT RIPE OLD AGE
Mrs. Harriet M'Murry Lived
1926 Years
WAS BORN IN MARYLAND
Seventy Seven Years She
Served in Slavery.

Mrs. Harriet McMurry, colored, aged
125 years, and probably the Oldest person
in the state, died at the home of her
daughter Mrs. Stephen Watson, at 1926
North Topeka avenue, yesterday morning.
At o'clock.
Mrs. McMurry came to Wichita from
Nashville, Tenn, about eighteen years
ago, and has made her home with her
daughter for forty-three years She
served in slavery for seventy-seven years.
She was born in 1873 at Billy Pixies
Creek" Maryland, and was the youngest
of six children. When she was six years
old her mother and the six children were
stolen by traders and, taken to Nashville
Tenn, where they were placed in the sale
house and sold at auction. The mother
and two children were bought by James
Ridley; the other four children We're sold
to another person. and the mother never
heard of them again. as they were sold
to a man whose plantation was farther
south. For seventy-seven years, until
the close of the war, Mrs. McMurry
served in three different families in Ten
nessee. and was fond Of relating Incl
dents connected with the early days in
the south
: She was the mother of eight children
and lived to see four generations. Mrs
Margaret Watson, her daughter, is the
only surviving child.
Mrs. McMurrys husband died forty
three years ago. during an epidemic OF
cholera in Nashville, Tenn
One of the old lady's dearest posses
sions was a case-knife that was used
at a large banquet in Nashville Tenn,
at which George Washington and An
drew Jackson Were present. The knife
was given to her mother by their master.
Ridley, and was used by her in cooking
for men who We're building the famous
Murfreesboro Pike, in Tennessee. and it
was afterward given by the mother to
her daughter, who had treasured it for
SO many years, and who now leaves ii to |
her daughter The knife has bone
handle and the blade is made of superior |
steel, which has been worn down by |
much sharpening and grinding until il |
is not over four inches in length. How |
ever. the makers name, Wv Dunn" is |
still quite plain upon it. Mrs. Watson |
tells how carefully her mother guarded |
the knife and would not even allow the |
other members of the family to touch it,
though it was used by her when she
wished TO pare fruit or potatoes
She was also very proud of her rocking
chair, which she received as a prize for
being the oldest woman attending a per-
Torrance at the Auditorium a few years
ago. friend told her that such prize
had been offered and she was very anx-
1ouS to attend as she said she felt sure |
she would win the prize. She was very
much delighted when she was announced
the winner.
Many years before coming to Wichita.
She made her burial clothes. the laces
and trimming all her own hand work
and in Difference to her last wishes she
Will be laid away in these robes which
she had preserved for such a long time
Mrs, McMurry's snow-white hair at
lNacted much attention when she woulch
register at the City building before an
election. and the fact of her extreme age
would always be mentioned in the papers.
Her last vote was cast for Z. Mellinger.
when he was on the ticket for council
man.
She has always been very active until
since last January when she began to
grow weaker and gradually failed until
her death yesterday morning The doc
tors could ascribe no direct cause of her
death other than old age