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It is unfortunate that the Murray Family didn't keep journals or diaries so we could find out more about their lives. John Murray probably had experiences that would make interesting reading. He travelled from Scotland to Nova Scotia to the California Gold Fields and back to Nova Scotia during his lifetime. All we can do is speculate on many of the events of his life. John was born to Angus and Elizabeth Murray on the 9th September 1822 and christened on the 12th September according to the Clyne Parish records. He lived in Brora long enough to start school. The only information we have about his life in Brora comes from his son, A. H. Murray, who said that John had to cross the Brora Bridge every day to get to school. He couldn't have progressed too far in school in Brora because the family came to Nova Scotia when John was about 8 years old. Presumably he finished whatever schooling he had and began farming with his father and brother in the Mount Thom area of Pictou County. On the 20th April 1844 a Deed from Book 28 Page 701 was registered showing that John purchased 75 acres from his father, Angus. Angus died later that year. John's mother had died four years previously. John farmed for the next two years, but on the first day of June 1846 his brother, Alexander, gave him eighty-five pounds for his share of the land. (See volume 2 #1 page 3). Gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in California, Jan. 24, 1848 and the famous California Gold rush began with men from all parts of the world rushing to California. We know that John was in California mining for gold at some point and with him selling his land in 1846 he could have left Nova Scotia at this time and ended up mining for gold in California. There were three routes to California. One route was from the eastern U.S. by ship around Cape Horn. Another route was by ship to the Panama, overland to the west side of Panama and by ship up the coast to California. The third route opened later on and was overland across the U.S. Those who went the Panama route were wealthy. Many of them perished in Panama and many were unable to find ships on the west coast to continue the journey. The overland route was taken by those who lived inland nearer the frontier. John was not wealthy so he probably didn't take the Panama route and since he lived on the east coast it is likely that he went by ship around Cape Horn. The 1860 census of Greenwood Township, El Dorado, California list a John Murray, blacksmith who could be John. The California Gold Rush was over in a few short years. John returned to Nova Scotia with enough gold to purchase a farm. His brother, Alexander, now owned the original Murray farm and descendents still live there today. John bought land somewhere between Salt Springs and Watervale. There are rumours that John squandered all the wealth gained from gold mining, but who is to know how much he found and if he ever had more than enough to buy his land? A tombstone in Baillie Cemetery gives an indication of how he spent some of his money. It reads.. Erected by John A. MURRAY, To the memory of his much loved nephew, Angus McPherson, Died Dec. 24, 1852, Age 5 years 11 months & 24 days. The 1871 census lists John in Mount Thom. He was listed on the census taken on April 14th as living alone. The census taker made a notation that John "declined to answer". Does that sound like a Murray? The census taker found the information elsewhere because he listed John's age as 47 (only two years out), his birthplace as Scotland and his religion as Free Church. On July 18, 1876 John married Jessie Murray (no relation that we know of). He gave his age as 53 years old (He was actually closer to 55 years old) and Jessie was 33. They were married in Durham, Pictou County by Rev. Jas. W. Fraser of the Church of Scotland. By 1881 John and Jessie had four children Angus A. (age 5), Alex H.(age 3), James W. (age 1), and Elizabeth J. (age 6/12 born September). On the 1881 census John was listed as John A. Murray. According to A. H. Murray (Angusl, John2) the A. didn't stand for anything. John just wanted a middle initial, so he adopted the A. The 1891 census shows the completed family : John A., Jessie, Angus, Alex, James, Jane (Jean?), Robert, Annie and John. John died on the 25th January 1894. The Presbyterian
Church of
Scotburn, Hermon and Saltspring Register of Deaths 1888 - 1910 on page
216 record his death information as follows- It appears that John was remembered for his participation in the California Gold Rush even in the burial records. Most of the family went west sometime after John's death. Angus Allan went west in 1902 after attending Pictou Academy and teaching for a time. He graduated with his M.D. from the University of Manitoba in 1913. He was issued full registration by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba on June 5th, 1915 and practised in the field of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Medical Arts Building in Winnipeg. Alexander H. Murray came west with a Harvest Expedition in 1905 and after being in Brandon for a year bought land near Rosthern, Saskatchewan where he farmed until he retired to Brooks, Alberta. James W. Murray left home at age 12 according to rumor. However, he was still enumerated on the 1901 and 1911 Census at Salt Springs. Perhaps he worked from age 12 in the area of his home. He did work in Montana before buying land near Sceptre, Saskatchewan. Jean Murray married Alexander Woodworth and lived in Nova Scotia and after Alex's death in Winnipeg. Robert and John Murray homesteaded near Sceptre. Saskatchewan in 1909 and lived there until their deaths. Annie Murray came west in 1912 bringing her widowed mother, Jessie with her. She kept house for her brothers until her marriage. Jessie died 11 May 1929 at Sceptre.
Jessie had the surname MURRAY so it seems appropriate to give some of her history even though there is no indication that she was related to Angus and Elizabeth. Her family came from the same county in Scotland that Angus Murray came from, but from a different parish (approximately 10 miles away). The earliest record on Jessle's ancestry is the marriage of her grandparents, James MURRAY and Catharine SUTHERLAND on the 19 July 1802 in the parish of Kildonan, Sutherland, Scotland. At least three children were born to James and Catherine in Kildonan: John born 25 April 1803, Barbara, born 30 Jan 1805 and Alexander born the 25 January 1807. The family or, at least, some of the family left Kildonan and emigrated to Pictou County, Nova Scotia where they settled in West Branch River John - only a few miles away from Mount Thorn. (John settled in North River Colchester Co.) There is no record of James in Nova Scotia. It is unclear whether he died in Scotland, in Nova Scotia or, perhaps, on the ship coming to Canada. Catherine died in West Branch River John and the inscription on her tombstone reads: CATHERINE MURRA Y There is no stone for James in the West Branch Graveyard. There is no more information about John (son of James). (***Since this issue more information about John and family has been discovered.) Alexander married Jane Ross in Nova Scotia about 1837. They raised a family of ten children. James MURRAY married Eliza McKAY 30 July 1873. He lived in Nova Scotia all his life and was buried in West Branch River John cemetery. He had two children: Alex and Janie and three grandchildren. Hugh MURRAY married Catherine McKENZIE and was also buried in the same cemetery as his mother and brother. He had a son, Alexander, and a daughter, Gertrude Abigail, who was an R.N. Jessie Murray's history in given with that of her husband John MURRAY. Catherine Murray married Isaac ROSS on the 23 November 1875. She died 3 Dec 1935 in Pictou, but is buried in West Branch River John. William MURRAY married Eliza McKAY on the 25 Dec 1879. He died 23 Dec 1939 and is buried in West Branch River John. Barbara MURRAY married and emigrated to California. Can anyone provide any information about her marriage and family? Apparently she had one or two children. Isabella MURRAY died at age 21 at West Branch River John. John MURRAY and Mary MURRAY were both born in 1854 (8 months apart). Neither married and both are buried in the West Branch River John Cemetery. Jane Laurie MURRAY died age 17 and is like the majority of her siblings is buried in West Branch River John. Return to Children of Angus and Elizabeth Murray Return to Murray Matters Home Page |