John Murrell (bandit) - Accepted Claims

Accepted Claims

Accepted facts about his life include these:

  • He stole horses, and at least once was caught with a freed slave living on his property. Murrell was also known to kidnap slaves and sell them back to other slave owners. He was sentenced to ten years in a Tennessee prison for slave-stealing. Murrell would be considered a conductor on the Reverse Underground Railroad.
  • Murrell was one of three brothers who were known to be petty thieves. Their father was a Methodist circuit preacher.
  • After Murrell died nine months after leaving prison, parts of him were dug up and stolen. His skull is still missing, but one of his thumbs is in the possession of the Tennessee State Museum.

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