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Pirates in South Carolina

Pirates in South Carolina

Posted: 21 May 2002 10:41AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 20 Oct 2002 11:22AM GMT
Surnames: Murrell
Has anyone come across the name of John Murrell?
He was said to have been a pirate in the 1700's. He was supposed to have been the person Murrell's Inlet was named for. This is a place in South Carolina. I wanted to know if he had a relative, Robert Murrell from Berkeley, SC. Robert lived in the late 1600's to the early 1700s. He lived in the Christ Church Parish area of Charleston (Charles Town) SC.
Thanks for any help!
Susan

Re: Pirates in South Carolina

Ellie (View posts)
Posted: 31 Dec 2003 5:17AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 1 Jan 2004 7:14PM GMT
Surnames: Murrell
well how about the name, william t. murrell? has anyone heard this name? i've been told that it is also a name in connection with murrell's inlet in south carolina.

Re: Pirates in South Carolina

Susan (View posts)
Posted: 2 Jan 2004 1:28PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 3 Jan 2004 1:24PM GMT
Surnames: Morrall, Murrell
According to another researcher, William was the name of John's father.I am not sure this is YOUR William. They may have spelled their name Morrall at that time. You can check with this researcher about the Morrell/ Murrell name.
Laura aerie1@ix.netcom.com
She also has messages on genforum regarding the Murrell/Morrall surname.
Best of luck!
Susan

Re: Pirates in South Carolina

Frances Cullom Harper (View posts)
Posted: 31 Aug 2005 6:15PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Murrell, Morrall, Lewis
There seems to be a lot of misinformation concerning John Morrall of Murrell's Inlet. He did own the land now known as Murrell's Inlet, but he actually spelled his name Morrall. John Morrel, Elizabeth Girardeau, and I searched out many records concerning the early Murrells and Morralls of Christ Church Parish. You can find these records at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~fcharper/MaryMurrel... and http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~fcharper/JohnMurrel...

The basics:
Robert Murrell did have a son named John, but he was not John Morrall of Murrell's Inlet.
There was no close association between Robert Murrell's family and John Morrall of Murrell's Inlet although John Morrall did originally live in Christ Church Parish near Robert Murrell's family. If there was any kinship, it was probably very distant.
An early William Murrell who left records in Barbados and SC did have a son named John Murrell, but the son was not John Morrall of Murrell's Inlet.
John Morrall of Murrell's Inlet can be proven to be the son of John Murrell d ca 1706 and wife Elizabeth who lived on the Wando River in Berkeley Co. John had a brother named William Murrell and was closely associated with the Robert Lewis family.
We have found no records that prove that John Morrall was a pirate. We found one record that referred to him as Capt John Morrall, but the title Capt did not always mean the person was a ship's captain. There were militia captains, etc.
There is a record that indicates a Capt Murel was involved in slave trade between Guinea and SC, but there is not enough in the record to be sure this was John Morrall or even that this Capt Murel was from SC.

The Pennsylvania Gazette, October 16, 1729:
We have an Account from Guinea, that the Clare Galley, Capt. Murel, having compleated her number of Negroes, had taken her Departure from the Coast of Guinea for South Carolina; but had not got ten Leagues on her Way, before the Negroes rose, and making themselves Masters of the Gunpowder and Fire Arms, the Captain and the Ship's Crew took to their Long-Boat, and got ashore near Cape Coast Castle. The Negroes ran the Ship on Shore within a few Leagues of the said Castle, and made their Escape.

Re: Pirates in South Carolina

Susan (View posts)
Posted: 1 Sep 2005 1:03AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Morrall, Murrell
Thanks for this information!
I appreciate it very much. We go to Litchfield Beach a lot and always visit Murrell's Inlet for dining. I am not too happy about the commercializing of Murrell's Inlet. It will not be the same if it grows and develops too much!
Susan
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