Murfree House
Murfreesboro, Hertford County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
Murfree House. Home of William Hardy Murfree, member of U.S. Congress, 1813-1817; N.C. House, 1805 & 1812; presidential elector, 1812. House stands 1 block N.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
The Murfree House was home to William Hardy Murfree, a North Carolina legislator who went on to serve in the U.S. Congress from 1813 to 1817 and cast a ballot as a presidential elector in 1812. He belonged to the founding generation of leaders who steered the young republic through its early decades. The nearby town of Murfreesboro bears his family's name.
Why it matters
Murfree's public service reflects how the Revolutionary-era families of the region continued to shape the governance of the new nation.
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Related people
- Β· William Hardy Murfree
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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