NANCY ANN MURCHISON and WILLIAM ANDERSON HAILE
Copyright © James B. Evans

Nancy Ann Murchison was born 12 March 1830, a daughter of Murdock Murchison (1801-1881) and Sarah Hogue Ross (1799-1859). In the 1830's the Murdock Murchison family moved to Lafayette County in northwestern Mississippi from Tennessee; by April 1848 they had moved to Rusk County, Texas. At the time of the 1850 census Nancy Ann Murchison was living in the household of her parents in Rusk County. [1850 Census Rusk County, Rusk district, 386/386] In the 1850's the Murdock Murchison family moved near Selma, Texas.

William Anderson Haile had close connections with James Weston Smith, his half-brother, business associate and future brother-in-law. According to James Weston Smith's obituary in 14 June 1907, Uvalde [Texas] Leader-News, in 1849 the two men

joined a prospecting expedition and went overland via Salt Lake City to the gold fields of California...While going through the desert he was one of a party that nearly perished for the want of water. He was unable to continue the journey and Mr. Haile went out in search of water and finally found some in time to save them.

After spending two years in California they returned east via the Isthmus of Panama and went to New Orleans. They then came on to Bexar county and located on the Cibolo at the place now known as Schertz station. They invested in lands there and owned extensive interests on both sides of the Cibolo. They also bought a large number of cattle and started what was known as the Smith and Haile cattle ranch...
On 28 February 1852, William Anderson Haile and James Weston Smith purchased seven parcels of land totaling 2048 acres on the Cibolo river from Enoch Jones for $3250, $2250 in cash and $1000 due 01 October 1852. The land was located in Bexar and Comal Counties. [Bexar County Deeds, Vol. K1, pp. 525-6.] These properties were the main land holdings for W. A. Haile, J. Weston Smith and the Smith-Haile partnership; they gradually sold this property over a period of approximately thirty years.
Nancy Ann Murchison Haile

William A. Haile, James Weston Smith and the Smith-Haile partnership were first recorded on the tax rolls for Bexar County in 1853. As documented by tax records the Smith-Haile partnership began ca 1853 and continued until ca 1882. The partnership in 1853 owned 1988 acres of land on the Cibolo River, one slave and 40 cattle. Until the Civil War the men separately and in partnership owned nearly 1500 acres located on Cibolo Creek on the boundary of Comal, Bexar and Guadalupe counties. In the period from 1853 to 1864 the partnership owned between 40 and 500 cattle with peak years in 1862 and 1864. On 14 March 1856, J. M. Hill of Lampasas County sold Smith and Haile, ten acres, lot 3 in Hillsboro, for $100. [Bexar County Deeds, Vol. N2, p. 377.] In an 02 March 1862 deed, William A. Haile sold J. Weston smith 500 acres on the south side of Cibolo Creek for $1500. [Bexar County Deeds, Vol. S2, pp. 261-2.]

Nancy Ann Murchison married William Anderson Haile on 16 June 1856 in Bexar County, Texas. The Hailes had ten children. At the time of a warranty deed in June 1907, their surviving children were: James T., Sarah Murdock, William A. Jr., Robert E. L., George, John H., and Elizabeth. Joel Haile died in 1879; Arthur Foster died ca 1907; and Rebecca died before June 1907. In a 22 August 1867 letter, William A. Haile wrote, "We have six children four boys & two girls. Our last are twins named Rebecca & Robert, they are pretty babies, but do not favor the girl is rather dark complected and dark brown eyes, and the boy is light complected with large blue eyes." On 21 June 1868, William and Nancy Haile wrote in a letter to Allie Murchison, "We have an other fine boy, he was borned the 6th of April and is a very fine child. We call him Arthur Foster."

William A. Haile served in the Thirty-first Texas Cavalry of the Confederate forces. At age 36 William A. Haile enlisted on 29 March 1862; he joined for duty on 05 April 1862 in San Antonio, Texas and was mustered-in 21 April 1862 in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas for the duration of the war. He traveled 290 miles to the rendezvous point. He had a horse valued at $140 and equipment, $30. W. A. Haile was initially in Company H, 31st Texas Cavalry and later in Company C, Hawpe's Regiment of Texas Cavalry, Dismounted. W. A. Haile was slightly wounded at the engagement at Newtonia, Missouri on 30 September 1862. William A. Haile was promoted to first lieutenant on 01 July 1864. He was present for duty at Hempstead, Texas on the regimental roll of March 1865. On 23 September 1865 W. A. Haile, a first Lieutenant in Company C, 31st Texas Cavalry, was paroled at San Antonio, Texas. At that time his residence was Bexar County, Texas.

In a 22 August 1867 letter, W. A. Haile wrote:

We lost most all of our stock during the war, we did not brand more than a hundred head of calves last year, We have branded none at home, this year but have several to brand, have not got up any, but what cows we milk We have about 50 calves branded at the ranch in Kearnes [Karnes] County. What few horses I have are scatered (sic) all over the county. [In the 1867 Bexar County tax records William A. Haile owned 28 horses and the Smith Haile partnership 150 cattle.]...

We have made good corn crops this year. Corn is now worth fifty cents for bushel...Our market for beef & horses is very dull since the war and stock raisers are some what discouraged and many are trying to sell out their stock...
On 07 November 1866, William A. Haile and J. Weston Smith of Bexar County, sold Sebastian Schartz of Guadalupe County, Texas 307 acres of $1500. This land was located in Guadalupe County on the Rio Cibolo described as Division No. 10, Survey 67, Section 3. A. W. Denton [probably Ashley Newton Denton, brother-in-law] and M. Murchison [probably Murdock Murchison, died 1881] witnessed the deed. [Guadalupe County, Texas Deeds, Vol. K, pp. 59-60.]

According to the Bexar County tax rolls in 1870 W. A. Haile owned 408 acres Malpas survey; J. Weston Smith had 600 acres of the Malpas survey; and the Smith & Haile partnership had 363 acres Malpas survey, 45 acres William Bisett survey and a lot in Selma. Haile's acreage was valued at $1320. The maximum tax valuation on the 408 acres of the Malpas survey was $5000 in 1874.

Smith and Haile sold five acres on the west side of Cibolo Creek to Henry Heidkamm of Comal County for $50 on 28 December 1868. [Bexar County Deeds, Vol. V2, pp. 30-1.] Smith and Haile sold Xaver Ritteman 100 acres from the Malpaz survey for $300 on 05 October 1871. [Bexar County Deeds, Vol. W1, p. 381.] On 25 December 1871, Smith and Haile sold John G. Miller of Bexar County lot 3 of a town tract west of Selma for $100. [Bexar County Deeds, Vol. W2, p. 231.] In an undated deed, filed 27 December 1872, Smith and Haile sold Hermann Willenbrook of Guadalupe county 150 acres in Bexar County on Rio Cibolo for $750. [Bexar County Deeds, Vol. 11, pp. 422-423.] On 27 December 1872, Smith and Haile sold Henry Willenbrook of Bexar County 113 acres on the west side of Cibolo Creek, part of the Malpaz survey, for $565. [Bexar County Deeds, Vol 11, pp. 423-4.] By the time of the 1873 tax rool the partnership had sold all the Malpas survey land but continued to own about 35 acres Bissett survey.

Texas Christian Advocate for 17 January 1880 carried the obituary of the Haile's son, Joel, who died 18 December 1879 of pulmonary consumption [tuberculosis] near Converse Station, Bexar County, Texas, age 20 years, 9 months and 2 days. At the time of the 1880 census the William A. Hail family was living in Bexar County, Texas in precint 2. The family consisted of W. A. Hail, 54; farmer; his wife Nancy, 50; and their children: James, 21; Sarah, 18; Rebecca, 14; Robert, 14; Asa, 11; George, 9; John, 7; and Elizabeth, 5. All the children had been born in Texas. Based on his age, Asa is Arthur Foster Haile. [1880 Census Bexar County, Texas, ED 19, p. 20, 170/178.] W. A. and Nancy Haile's son, William Haile, a 19 year old male stock raiser, was enumerated in the household of his uncle and aunt, Robert W. and Rachel Young Murchison, in Concho County in West Texas. [1880 Census Concho County, Texas, ED 39, p. 4] Nancy Ann Murchison Haile died 19 October 1880 based on Murdock Murchison family Bible record and 18 October based on her obituary in Texas Christian Advocate, 01 January 1881.

In a deed dated 27 December 1883, William Anderson Haile acting in an individual capacity and "also the surviving husband of Mrs. Nancy Haile, dec'd having obtained authority from the Probate Counrt of Bexar County to administer the Community Estate" sold Hermann Willenbruck 308 acres Malpaz survey for $5000. Terms of the sale were $1000 in cash and $4000 due 01 January 1885. According to the deed J. Weston Smith, an heir of John W. Smith and W. A. Haile's brother-in-law, sold this land to William A. Haile 26 March 1862 [Bexar County Deeds, Vol. S2, p. 263.] before W. A. Haile's marriage to Nancy Murchison and "paid for the same with his individual money." Actually W. A. Haile married Nancy Murchison in 1856. According to the deed W. A. Haile would remain a tenant on the land until October 1884. [Bexar County Deeds, Vol. 32, pp. 365-368.] On 05 August 1884, Smith and Haile sold J. H. Uecker of Comal County unspecified acreage on Cibolo Creek for $75. [Bexar County Deeds, Vol. 38, pp. 201-2.] In 1884 W. A. Haile was named in the Bexar County tax rolls with 1 wagon or carriage, $25; 5 horses, $100; 6 cattle, $72; cash on hand, $4500 and miscellaneuos, $60 for a total of $5202.

When William Anderson Haile died is uncertain. The last record for W. A. Haile, Sr. on Bexar County tax rolls was 1886. On 03 March 1891, William A. Haile of Bexar County conveyed to Arthur P. Haile of Bexar County lot 249 in Lake View property, located partly in San Antonio for $1. [Bexar County Deeds, Vol. 87, p. 206.] William A. Haile died between date of this deed and the June 1907 warranty deed which involved his surviving children: James T., John H., Elizabeth B., William A., George, Robert E. L. and Sarah Murdock Haile. [Bexar County Deeds, Vol. 271, pp. 399-401.]


Anderson, Hugh Allen, editor H. Allen Anderson. "Indian Raids on the Texas Frontier: The Personal Memoir of Hugh Allen Anderson." West Texas Historical Association Year Book 1975. Abilene, Texas: West Texas Historical Assocation, 1975. pp. 85-94.

Bexar County, Texas Tax Records, 1846-1888

Cox, Louise Bailey. Letter to Mr. Murchison [?Kenneth Murchison, Sr.]. 20 May 1935. Includes Murdock and Sarah Ross Murchison Genealogy. Pp. 100-105 in Murchison Family. Manuscript, 1949.

Davenport, Lurleen. "William Davenport" in History of Bandera County Texas. Bandera County History Book Committee, 1986.

Haile, Nancy A. and William A. Letter to Mary Alice [Allie] Murchison, 28 Feb. 1869. [collection P. M. Hartley, Brandon, Mississippi]

Haile, William A. Letter to Mary A. Murchison, 22 August 1867. [collection P. M. Hartley, Brandon, Mississippi]

Lu, Helen Mason. Texas Methodist Newspaper Abstracts, Volume 4. Dallas, Texas: Dallas Genealogical Society, 1992. [also on microfiche, 1987.]

"Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Smith Dead" in Uvalde [Texas] Leader-News, Friday, 14 June 1907, p. 1.

Murchison, Callie [Mrs. George Newton Murchison]. Letter to Mary (Allie) Murchison, 27 Oct. 1867. [collection P. M. Hartley, Brandon, Mississippi]

Murchison, Kenneth, Sr. and Margaret Ann Scruggs-Carruth. Murchison Family. Manuscript, 1949.

Sowell, Andrew J. Early Settlers and Indian Fighters of Southwest Texas. First published, 1900. Reprinted New York Argosy-Antiquarian Ltd., 1964.

Texas Christian Advocate, 01 January 1991, abstracted in Texas Methodist Newspaper Abstracts, Vol. 4, p. 97 by Helen Mason Lu.


© 27 May 2005 James B. Evans


Haile Family Photos

Bexar County, Texas AHGP Home