J. Murchison and His Gold Expedition

History pieces on the pavement, La Grange, TX

John Murchison was born 30 June 1804, in Fayetteville, Cumberland, North Carolina. He had at least10 siblings and they were the children of Kenneth McKenzie Murchison, Jr. and Flora McDonald's.

On 20 January 1831, in Coweta, Georgia, John married Miss Sarah Ann Terry (1).

 Sarah Ann passed in about 1846. John remarried on 19 February 1848, in La Grange, Fayette, TX (2).

His second spouse was Miss Nancy Cox Nail (born on 20 September 1827), widow of Mr. William A. Nail.

As mentioned above, John Murchison organized The La Grange Company.

Clipping source: The Texas Democrat (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 10, Ed. 1, Saturday, March 31, 1849, newspaper, March 31, 1849; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48390/: accessed October 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

He also found gold in California and tried to get there with his company to collect the riches.

 

Clipping Source: The Texas Democrat (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 14, Ed. 1, Saturday, April 28, 1849, newspaper, April 28, 1849; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48393/: accessed October 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

 

 

Clipping Source: Moore, Francis, Jr. Democratic Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 14, No. 20, Ed. 1, Thursday, May 17, 1849, newspaper, May 17, 1849; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48540/: accessed October 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

 

 

 

Clipping source: Moore, Francis, Jr. Democratic Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 14, No. 20, Ed. 1, Thursday, May 17, 1849, newspaper, May 17, 1849; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48540/: accessed October 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.  

 

 

Clipping source: The Texas Democrat (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 21, Ed. 1, Saturday, June 16, 1849, newspaper, June 16, 1849; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48396/: accessed October 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

 

 

Clipping source: The Corpus Christi Star. (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 46, Ed. 1, Saturday, August 4, 1849, newspaper, August 4, 1849; Corpus Christi, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth80238/: accessed October 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

 

 

Clipping source: The Texas Democrat (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 28, Ed. 1, Saturday, August 4, 1849, newspaper, August 4, 1849; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48402/: accessed October 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. 

 

 

Clipping source: Moore, Francis, Jr. Democratic Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 14, No. 33, Ed. 1, Thursday, August 16, 1849, newspaper, August 16, 1849; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48551/: accessed October 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

Clippings source: Moore, Francis, Jr. Democratic Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 14, No. 33, Ed. 1, Thursday, August 16, 1849, newspaper, August 16, 1849; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48551/: accessed October 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

 Clippings source: Moore, Francis, Jr. Democratic Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 14, No. 33, Ed. 1, Thursday, August 16, 1849, newspaper, August 16, 1849; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48551/: accessed October 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

John Murchinson did not live to enjoy the California riches. He died after he shot himself by accident on July 28, 1849.

About Talking

In my early years, I believed speaking was only needed when there was something important to communicate/share.
At the age of 20, I realized people find it awkward (or even rude) when someone does not speak, just is there. So I started practicing small talk - to show kind interest, care, and respect.

 Some time ago, I came across an acquaintance while I was walking home. The person threw the usual, "How are you?" I did not know that someone much so I replied, "Fine, thank you. How are you?"

"Good. Thank you", I heard in response, and we both continued walking in the opposite directions.

"So we talked", I laughed to myself. Although, actually, we did not. I appreciated the person's friendly attitude - it did feel nice. On the other hand, we used so many words, but the result of it all was the same (or perhaps not?) as if we had exchanged: 

- "Hello

- "Hello" only or
- "Good morning"
- "Good morning".
 

So why should we have bothered to say more than one or two words? I guess it is the older/younger me approach getting through here.

These days, after so many years of training, I do practice small talk while socializing and I got used to it. However, I still prefer mutual communicating than just talking/using the speech only to break the silence. After the customary "How are you?", following the purpose of saying those words, I am also still willing to listen to/hear how a person is actually doing (and I appreciate when somebody makes an effort to express that).

Another aspect of talking - words have their own energy. They can hurt really deep too. Regarding the fact that whatever we "send in the air" comes back to us in one way or another, let us be mindful what words we choose to say. For our own sake.