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History in
a Pecan Shell
Settled either
shortly before or after the Civil War, the fledgling community wasn’t
given a post office until 1874. It closed in 1880 and reopened from
1899 until it closed permanently in 1918.
The population in 1882 was reported as 200. Although it gained a
railroad connection around the turn of the century, it’s proximity
to the county seat dashed hopes of growth.
The decline of Murvaul occurred long before the Great Depression.
The decline started with the closing of the post office in 1918.
No reports from the 20s through the 50s are unavailable.
A smaller, community under the same name appeared on maps after
WWII, also
about 8 miles from Carthage, but
on FM 699.
The 1990 census counted 110 residents, the same number used for
the 2000 census.
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Photographer's
Note:
A town with two names
"I have possibly got one of the most confusing submissions of
all. It is a town with two names. My software map shows it as Daniels.
The Handbook of Texas also list it, Daniels. The Handbook of Texas
also shows the town of Murvaul in the same exact location. My photographs
shows all feature here as Murvaul. I found this town in Panola
County, on FM-10 at the junction of CR121, 6-miles south of Carthage,
2.5-miles north of Gary, 6-miles southeast
of Clayton." - Gerald
Massey
Re. Town name confusion
I was noticing your comments on the confusion surrounding the location
of Murvaul. Don't know if it will help much, but I thought I'd quickly
share my knowledge of the Murvaul post office. In its 1874-1918 history
it had an unusually precarious existence - opening no fewer than seven
times! Often such changes involved minor relocations, from one house/store
to another. However it did have two very distinct locations. the first
in 1874 was on the railroad where the community of Gary
now exists. In 1899, however, you could find it on the same railroad
but 2-3 miles north of its first site.
I am not familiar with the name "Daniels" but at Gary
there was a prominent citizen named Dr. Zack Daniel. I wonder if that
is the origin of the name?
There was another Murvaul post office in the area. This one was the
first, opening in 1853 and shutting down during the Civil War. It
was located along the same bayou, but was in Rusk
County.
I hope that this information might be of help rather than adding to
the confusion. - John
J. Germann, May 26, 2014 |
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Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
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