The Tenth Texas Governor

Pendleton Murrah became the tenth Governor of Texas November 5^th 1863; he served until the end of the Civil War.

Pendleton Murrah was born about 1826 South Carolina or Alabama, he may have been the illegitimate son of Peggy Murrah or was an orphan.  Murrah received his early education through the charitable society of the Baptist Church.  He graduated in 1848 from Brown University.  Murrah moved to Texas where he started practicing law in Marshall, Texas.  He was elected in 1857 to the Texas State legislature.

When the Civil War started Murrah was a great supporter of the Confederate cause.  He served with the 14^th Texas as their quartermaster in 1862, but had to resign due to poor health.  He became the Governor of Texas November 5^th 1863.  Murrah and the Confederacy had issues over the impressment goods, conscription of soldiers, frontier defenses, and finances.  Even after Confederate General Robert E Lee surrendered Murrah continued to encourage Confederate troops to fight.  In May 1865 when Union troops entered Texas Murrah went to Mexico with other Confederate leaders.

Murrah’s health was not good and shortly after reaching Monterrey, Mexico he died of tuberculosis on August 4^th 1865.  He is buried in Panteon Municipal Cemetery, Monterrey, Mexico.