Jack Neil Murff

Jack Neil Murff was born April 3, 1944 in China, Jefferson County, Texas. The son  of 

 Walter Leslie Murff (1897-1974) and Orene Janice Smith (1911-1999). Jack had three syblings.: Robert Walter Murff (1930-2020), Olen Ward Murff (1932) Nancy Rebecca Murff  (1945-1947). Jack lost his sister in a house fire when he was two years old. Jack graduated fro South Park High School in Beaumont Texas the class of 1961. 

  

 Jack attend Stephen F. Austin University where he studied Graphic Design. While taking a break from his studies, Jack was drafted into the Army during Vietnam. He was wounded and contracted malaria during that time but eventually made it back to Nacogdoches to finish his degree and graduated Class of 1971 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. 

   

     

After his military service, Jack worked for Moore Business Forms and Bailey's Men's Apparel but eventually his entrepreneurial spirit led him to own and operate several businesses including: 

   

The Greenhouse Pot Shop, Brick Street Antiques and in 1975; The Flower Shop and Greenhouse. The Flower Shop as it is now known has been a mainstay for weddings, anniversaries, remembrance of loved ones, new additions to the family, SFA and community events. Jack and his life partner Michael "Mike" Coppedge always enjoyed serving the residents of Nacogdoches and always did so with the utmost attention to detail and consideration of the emotional expression required. They touched many lives in Nacogdoches through The Flower Shop over the last forty-eight years. Jack's protégé and manager of The Flower Shop, Pamala Russell, will honor Jack and his legacy by continuing to do the same.

Jack's involvement in the community was not limited to his businesses. He was highly active in the community and his sense of commitment to Nacogdoches was unparalleled by most. He was a very active member of his college fraternity, Sigma Tau Gamma, and served as an advisor and the house manager of the fraternity house on Mound Street for many years. More importantly, he was a mentor, fraternity brother, and to some a father figure in the fraternity. His fraternity brothers could always count on Jack to help no matter the situation. As if this was not enough, Jack's community service also included many other community organizations such as the Nacogdoches Chamber of Commerce, Texas Blueberry Festival, Main Street, Scare on the Square, Downtown Merchants Association, and the Nacogdoches Christmas Parade; his service spanned many years and he served as member, director, board member or concerned citizen at one time or another depending on the organization. Notably, he was President of The Nacogdoches Downtown Business Association from 1995-1999 and President of the first Main Street Advisory Board in 1998. 

  

       Marty Taylor, Scott Ingalls, Jack Murff, Jeff Abt, Judy Hale, Gerry Larbee, Linda McKinney

He was also part of the delegation that traveled to Austin to petition to have Nacogdoches recognized as a Texas Main Street City. Most recently, Jack was serving on the board of the SFA Friends of Visual Arts, an organization near and dear to his heart. This organization is dedicated to supporting the visual arts in Nacogdoches including the students and faculty of SFA and local galleries such as the Cole Art Center. Of equal importance was Jack’s treatment of his fellow citizens, whether it was a neighbor, friend or stranger, Jack was always wiling to help those in need. Nacogdoches is going to miss his compassion and benevolence.

"Jack was the epitome of a "citizen par excellence" and will be greatly missed here in Nacogdoches. Jack was one of the kindest and most generous people many have ever met. He was known for his warm smile, infectious laugh, and thoughtfulness." 

Jack N. Murff, age 79, of Nacogdoches, Texas passed away on Sunday, May 7, 2023. 

23 Reasons Why The Stephen F. Austin State Normal ought to be located at Nacogdoches

 

Nacogdoches Time Line through 1860

 Time Line of Nacogdoches County

5000 B.C.-A.D. 500) Nacogdoches County is located in an area of early human habitation. Archeological artifacts were found near the Sam Rayburn Reservoir area, dated to this Archaic Period.

Hasinai Indians of the Caddo confederacy (agriculture people, built the flat topped earthen temple and burial mounds.

1600-1700s Nacogdoches, ColonyThis was home of the Nacogdoches Indians, a Caddo tribe. Spanish settlements, settled and abandoned the area and missions in 18th century due to French encroachments. 

1. Nacogdoche Indians - near the city of Nacogdoches.
2. The Hasinai tribe in western part of the county along the Angelina River. 
3. Nasonis in the northern part of the county.
4. Nacao Indians in the northeastern corner.

There is a local legend for Nacogdoches  :

Caddo Indians founded Nacogdoches. According to legend a chief lived near the Sabine River with twin sons. One with light skin and blond hair while the other twin had darker skin and hair. When they grew up to lead a tribe, the blond was sent three days westward toward the Setting sun. The son with darker hair and skin was sent eastward toward the rising sun. he twin with blond hair settled in Nacogdoches, Texas. The twin with dark hair settled Natchitoches, Louisiana. The road they traveled upon to visit, was the El Camino Real.

1685 French under René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, established a colony on the coast. This caused Spanish to build missions in effort to deter the French from claiming the land for themselves.

1689 Alonso De León, the governor of Coahuila, led expedition, found the French settlement in ruins and settlers dead. Massanet founded mission on San Pedro Cr. (NW) of Houston Co. among the Hasinai near Nacogdoches.

 Alonso De León, the governor of Coahuila

1690 De León and Father Damián Massanet, recommended building missions among the Hasinai Indians to the Coahuila and Count of Galve. Massanet founded a mission on thrSan Pedro Creek NW of Weches, Houston County.

Father Damián Massanet

1691- Domingo Terán de los Ríos explored East Texas, up to the Red River and across the NW part of Nacogdoches co. 

Ramón built

1. Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de los Hainai Mission on Mill Creek on the Angelina River.
2. San José de los Nazonis on Dill Creek in NW Nacogdoches County.
3. Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de los Nacogdoches (named for the Nacogdoche Indians) on the site of present Nacogdoches, and a presidio for protection, abandoned 1718, resettled 1720.

1774- Antonio Gil Ibarvo led settlers back from San Antonio to build Bucareli, they abandoned it to rebuild Nacogdoches.

1779 Ibarvo began building the Stone house, and trading post known as the "Old Stone Fort" and made land grants to settlers. Ibarvo also began making informal land grants to the early settlers. Ibarvo was later accused of smuggling goods into Nacogdoches and trading with the Indians horses which had been stolen from the Spanish. After being cleared of charges, he was banished from Nacogdoches.

1792 Juan Antonio Cortez, a military official, was sent to regularize the land grants, but only a few formal land grants were issued. Many of the early grants were imperfect. This caused problems when Anglo Americans arrived 1820s, 1830s.

1798 -Early settlers were William Barr and Peter Samuel Davenport, Luther Smith and Edward Murphy, formed the House of Barr and Davenport trading company. Barr and Davenport kept their headquarters at Ibarvo's stone house, had an exemption from Spanish officials to trade with Louisiana, thus virtually guaranteeing them a monopoly of trade in the region.

1801 Philip Nolan 1801 Nolan illegally entered Texas , and formed a fort near present Nolan Creek. He was killed by Spanish soldiers who had been sent to arrest him, when they discovered papers implicating him in a plot to seize the East Texas region

Aug 12, 1812- 1813 Gutiérrez-Magee expedition seized control of Nacogdoches, accompanied by Mexican revolutionaries from Louisiana. Aug 1813 royalist force led by Joaquín de Arredondo crushed the revolt. Nacogdoches became the scene of a bloody purge, during which royal authority was reestablished through execution and confiscation. 

1818 the area was deserted as the residents of the town and surrounding countryside fled across the Sabine River into Louisiana. 
1819 James Long led another filibustering expedition, he found Nacogdoches abandoned.

James Long

1820 W. F. Dewes, described the settlement as a desolate place with a population of only 100.

1820s- 1830s Caddo Indians from were from Louisiana and displaced the Cherokees. A few years later many of the Hasinais moved west of the Brazos River.

1821 After the Mexican War of Independence, Nacogdoches was target of a filibustering expedition led by Augustus W. Magee and José Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara. American settlers were driven out of East Texas. Nacogdoches was left virtually abandoned.

July 1821 Stephen F. Austin described Nacogdoches as a ruin of a village, consisting of a church, the stone house, and six other dwellings. 

1821 Mexico won its independence from Spain, Coahuila and Texas were joined as one state, and Nacogdoches was included in the Department of Bexar. Municipality of Nacogdoches was given jurisdiction over the region between the Neches and Sabine rivers. 

1825 Colonization law by Coahuila and Texas, 2 impresario grants were awarded in Nacogdoches: Frost Thorn and Haden Edwards who challenged the previous Spanish, Mexican land titles. Edwards, his brother and 30 folders seized control of the Stone Fort, declaring independence of Texas. (Fredonian Rebellion was stopped by Mexican militia, 

1826-1827-- Fredonian Rebellion took place. The original 23 counties were created from the Nacogdoches Department; subsequently 20 other counties were created from Nacogdoches County.

1828 Settlement had 600 men and 100 women. Immigrants from the USA came to the area or passed through on the way to other impresario grants such as Robertson, Stephen F Austin, Burnet, Zavala or Vehlein. Nacogdoches was a political department, covering most of E Texas from Anahuac on Trinity River (SW) to Red River in north, east to Louisiana.

1830's Located on one of the principal routes of immigration from the United States, Nacogdoches developed into a leading entry way for Anglo immigrants, earning the title, Gateway to Texas.

Aug 2, 1832 The battle of Belasco (Nacogdoches) was fought on August 2, 1832^[2]

August,1832 Battle of Nacogdoches - after a group of Texan colonists resisted an order issued in July by the commander of the Mexican Army at Nacogdoches, Texas to surrender their arms. This increased into a major battle. James Bowie was a participant. The Texansl thought they had a champion when Santa Anna declared himself against the centralist regime in 1832.. This soon changed.

• Battle of nacogdoches Wikipedia

• battle Nacogdoches, Handbook of Texas

• Battle of Nacognoches Texas Escapes

1832 - immigration laws and land titles caused revolt of the Mexican and Anglo-American, resulted in victory of the antigovernment forces in the battle of Nacogdoches. Alcaldes, José Ignacio Ibarvo and Vital Flores were elected, then ayuntamientos were Anglo .

Jan 2, 1835- December 14, 1835, 822 certificates of immigration were issued at Nacogdoches. Henry Rueg, political chief of the Department of Nacogdoches, appointed Thomas J Rusk, Frost Thorn to form the Nacogdoches Committee of Vigilance and Safety. The committee organized a militia and collected arms and provisions for the revolution. 

1835-36 100's of USA volunteers poured through the area on their way south to fight for independence. 

March 17, 1836 - Runaway Scrape the area was virtually abandoned once again. After May, when residents heard of Santa Anna's defeat, returned en masse. 

• Nacogdoches County is an original county of the Republic in 1836, and was organized in 1837. Nacogdoches City became the County Seat in1836 The name comes from Caddo tribe in the area.

1836-37 - municipalities within the Nacogdoches Department, Liberty, Jefferson, Jasper, Sabine, San Augustine, and Shelby, were established as counties of the Republic of Texas. 

March 17, 1836 - Area east of the Trinity River was designated Nacogdoches County.

June 1837 the city of Nacogdoches was officially incorporated. Proposals were made to designate Nacogdoches the official capital of the new republic. The House favored Nacogdoches, but the Senate wanted San Jacinto. 

Summer, 1836 - Vicente Córdova, alcalde and primary judge of Nacogdoches, led a revolt of Mexicans and Indians against the republic. The plot was discovered before he could act, and the Córdova Rebellion was quelled by the Thomas J Rusk forces. Córdova escaped to Mexico, Menchaca and others, were put on trial in San Augustine and found guilty. President Mirabeau B Lamar pardoned Menchaca.

1845 Nacogdoches University was chartered. A brick building was built 1858. This operated until 1895 several private schools began. A brick building was built 1858, The University operated 1845-1895. Private schools began.

April 1846 The county was further subdivided into 20 counties: Anderson, Angelina, Camp, Cherokee, Dallas, Delta, Gregg, Henderson, Hopkins, Houston, Hunt, Kaufman, Raines, Rockwall, Rusk, Smith, Trinity, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood.

Robert Smith Patton

1847-49 Robert S. Patton brought his steamboat Angelina up the Angelina River as far north as Pattonia in the SE corner of the county at the mouth of Dorr Creek. 1849 the boat hauled cotton and produce downstream to Sabine Pass returning with provisions, clothing, manufactured goods. 

1850s Nacogdoches County was rural and agricultural, with the residents living on farms. The only church was the Catholic church. Protestant ministers traveled, holding revivals.

1860 -388 families present. 70% were from Old South: Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana the economy was subsistence farming. (1858, 38,221 acres cultivated, planted in corn. Only 11,828 acres in cotton, 1,589 - wheat. 5,200 acres - vegetables.