Milton Reeves Hurt, second son of Ira Hurt, was born in 1825 in Franklin County, Virginia.  He married Elizabeth Ray, daughter of William & CLARISSA Ray, on December 07, 1846.   Milton was listed as one of the General Dealers in Dry Goods, Groceries, Hardware, &c. at Prillaman's on Thomson's Mercantile and Professional Directory 1851-1852 during which time he probably lived in the Brown Hill District of the county.  In 1854, he purchased the Saunder's land on Merriman's Creek in the Gill's Creek District of Franklin County where he began farming 300 acres of prime tobacco land.   (See Chancery Cause 1869-007 below).  As a tobacconist, he was often away on business in Atlanta, GA where he sold his crop on the tobacco market for prime dollar.  The land where he and Elizabeth made their home was originally the "Musgrove Plantation" and it had descended to  Elizabeth from her father, William  Ray.  By 1860, Milton Hurt had amassed a net worth of real estate valued at  $9,000 and personal property valued at $10,000.   Although a CSA military service record has not been found for him, he was appointed with Thomas B. Holland and seven others to patrol District 4 of the county for 3 months without compensation in 1861 at the outset of the war.  Thomas Holland would eventually become Captain of Company D of the 2nd Cavalry Virginia in which Milton's brother, William Henry, served from 1862-1865.  Holland died of wounds in June 1864.  Milton Hurt's life seemed to end abruptly at the age of 42 on August 22, 1867.  Like all of the Hurt men, Milton Reeves Hurt led a very successful business life and enjoyed the blessing of a wonderful wife and family of four children.  

Julia A. Hurt

William Ira Hurt

Richard A. Hurt

Walter M. Hurt

1869-007 – Chancery causes Franklin Co., John G. Meem vs. adm of Milton R. Hurt.  …against adm. of M. R. heir and heirs: Elizabeth Hurt, Daniel S. McConihay & Julia A., his wife, William I. Hurt, Richard A. Hurt, and Walter M. Hurt. Concerning 300 acres on Merriman Run, a branch of Staunton river.   This property was  originally owned by William Ray, Elizabeth’s father, and it descended to her from her father with the exception of 6 acres which was purchased by M. R. Hurt.  M. R. Hurt bought 240 acres and sold 19 to Rucker and 220 to Daniel McConihay.  The Daniel McConihay land is the tract called Musgrove Plantation, 270 acres at a cost of $1600 in 1867. At Milton's death, Elizabeth deeded all the 270 to her son-in-law, Daniel McConihay, and his wife, Julia. The tract had a grist mill and a saw mill on it. M. R. Hurt also owned at death, 3 town lots, No. 9, 25, 27 and they joined the mill tracts. 

Signed: Milton R. Hurt, M. R. Allen

I, William Ray, of the county of Franklin do hereby permit and require the clerk of said county to grant M. R. Hurt a license to marry my daughter, Elizabeth Ray, given under my hand this 17th of November 1846. 

Signed William Ray; Witness: M. R. Allen

A Note about William Ray

Milton R. Hurt's marriage to Elizabeth Ray, the daughter of William Ray of Franklin County,  is extraordinary because William Ray is one of the sons of Luke Ray and Tabitha Willett.  Luke and Tabitha Ray’s daughter, Senah Ray, married Colby Hurt, son of James & Ann Hurt of Bedford County.  James Hurt was a Revolutionary War veteran and inherited land from his father Moses & Ruth Turner Hurt in Bedford before moving to Maury County, TN where he received a land grant for his service as a private in the Revolutionary War.  James Hurt fought in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse among others. 

Milton Hurt, the son of the elder Ira Hurt, married his grandmother, Senah Ray Hurt's, niece.  This is evidenced by the following death record:

"Roy [Ray], William, white, male, farmer, d. 8/29/1853, Franklin County of old age at 85 years, 5 months.  Son of Luke & Tabitha [Roy] Ray.  Milton R. Hurt, friend, reported."   Franklin County Death Records 1853-1896, page 163.