CHARLES F. MURREL
Page 420
CHARLES F. MURREL
Page 420
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CHARLES F. MURREL. The plain statement of facts embraced in the life of Mr. Murrel, a man well and favorably known to the people of Mason County, is all that we profess to be able to give in this volume, yet, upon examination of these facts, there will be found the career of one whose entire force through the world has been marked by great honesty and fidelity of purpose. He is now living in the city of Havana, where he won the honored position of Superintendent of the water works, to which he was appointed May 3, 1891. Our subject was born in Henry, Marshall County, this state, January 20, 1856, and is the son of John and Elizabeth (Lehman) Murrel, the father a native of North Carolina, and the mother born in England. John Murrel came to Marshall County in an early day, where he was classed among the pioneers and where he lived until his decease, in 1862. Mrs. Murrel was brought to America by her parents when quite young, they locating in Putnam County, this state, where they engaged in farming pursuits. Mr. Murrel was a very successful agriculturist and made a specialty of breeding fine grades of stock, keeping on his place a large number of thoroughbred animals, among which were valuable horses. He always took an important part in public affairs, was upright and hones in all his dealings, and was looked upon as one of the leading citizens of Marshall County. Charles F. Murrel, of this sketch, attended school in Marshall County until reaching his tenth year, at which early age he started out in the world on his own account, and was variously employed for four years, when he hired out on a canal boat, running between Chillicothe and Chicago. After making a few trips, he remained in Chicago in the employ of a man named M. C. Gregory, in a boiler and engine supply house, for whom he worked for about six months. At the expiration of that time he found work with Eugene Howard, engineer on the tugboat "O. B. Green," and under his instruction he learned naval engineering. Having become a competent engineer, Mr. Murrel secured a first-class license after being duly examined by John P. Far, who was boiler inspector of Chicago, and accepted a position on a compound canal boat running between Chicago and Lockport, loaded with grain for Norton & Co. He had full charge of the boat for one season, and in the fall of 1878 went to St. Louis, where he found employment in the St. Louis Machine Shops, and the next spring was made Chief Engineer of the steamer "C. W. Anderson," plying between St. Louis and Peoria. He acted in that capacity for one season, when he hired out to the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad Company as a locomotive engineer, which position he held until 1887. Later we find him acting in the capacity of engineer of the water supply for the Jacksonville South-eastern Company, by whom he was employed until the spring of 1891, when he came to Havana, and May 3 was appointed to his present position of Superintendent of the water works. He has full charge of the works, lays all the water mains in the city, and often has in his employ from thirty to thirty-five men. July 2, 1877, Charles F. Murrel was married to Miss Jennie, daughter of James Salisbury. The lady was born in Fulton County, this state, of which place her father was a pioneer. She is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and with her husband, occupies a nice residence pleasantly located in the city. Socially, our subject is a member of Mason Lodge No. 143, I. O. O. F., and is a stockholder in the Havana Building & Loan Association. He is classed among the most respected citizens of the community, and in politics is a strong supporter of the Democratic party. |