Alexander Murray was born in Sutherlandshire about 1760. His occupation was mason.  He was married to Isabella McKay who was also born in Sutherlandshire about the same time as Alexander. (In Scotland Isabella and Elizabeth were interchanged, so there are records where Isabella is called Elizabeth).  In 1784 the Murrays were living in Ballon in the parish of Golspie. There are records of their children being christened there. Abstracts of the christenings from the parish records follow.

May 7, 1784 Alexr Murray, mason, Ballon child named Angus Murray

Nov. 18, 1785 Alexander Murray, mason, Ballin child named Jean Murray

Sep. 15, 1788 Alexr Murray, Mason in Ballair child Anne Murray

Dec. 1, 1791 Alexander Murray, Mason, Ballon child George Murray

Apr. 17, 1793 Alexander Murray, Mason in Drumury child ___________ Murray (This unnamed child is probably William. The township of Drumary is quite close to Ballon)

15 Dec 1799 Alexander Murray, Dyker, Ballon a daughter named Christy

Christy probably belongs to the family. A dyker is a person who builds stone fences so it is consistent with mason.

The spelling of Ballon is not consistent. Other spellings in addition to the ones above are Ballone and Ballelon. In Golspie's Story by Margaret Wilson Drummuie and Ballone are listed together and spelled as above in the section heading and Drumoy and Ballelon in the paragraph.

Ballon is no longer shown on maps and it likely disappeared about 1811. The following information about the Golspie area comes from "Birth of a Village nineteenth century Golspie" by Margaret Wilson Grant, B.Sc.:

"In the Board of Agriculture's 1811 report on the County of Sutherland the surveyor, Captain John Henderson, stated that in his opinion, a very considerable tract of good arable land would be obtained along the coastline between Dunrobin and Lock Fleet if some means of draining the swampy ground which lay between the sea and the foothills could be devised. The difficulty was that this area is below sea level and needed more skill, patience and outlay than could be expected from the small tenants who lived in scattered groups on the drier spots and raised somewhat meager crops of oats and potatoes. An attempt to adopt the given advice was made by creating three single tenant farms in the westem half of the area and letting these to men who agreed to introduce improved methods of draining, liming and rotation of crops. The changes called for the removal of the small tenants and their groups of old "black houses". They were offered new places on muir-land in Clyne or Donoch, rent free for the first seven years while bringing the land into cultivation"

The first record we have of Alexander being in Brora is a lease made on the 15th May 1819 .

Alex agreed to pay two shillings for and during the term of fourteen years from Whitsunday 1819. He was to pay half yearly (September and March). There were nine conditions attached to the lease. All mines, minerals, stone and clay as well as game was reserved for the proprietors. The wood and timber was for the use of the proprietors and could not be damaged by the tenants. The tenants had to perform services to churches, manses, school-houses, mills and milldams and pay the schoolmaster's salary. The tenant was not allowed to distil whiskey or sell the same (without a licence) on the premises. Within a year the tenant was to erect a house and offices valued at least twenty pounds. The tenant was to cultivate a portion of the land so that it would be made arable, but was not to break up meadow ground. He was to use the best rules of modern husbandry.

Alexander could not write, but as a mason he had a mark which he used to identify his work and he used this mark on the lease. Below is a copy of his mark.

The residence of the Murrays in Clyne Parish is called Brora Easter, or East Brora on the rent rolls. Occasionally on some records it is called North Brora. The street where they lived was called Shoemaker Street, but is now Academy Street.

The rent records started in 1819. This first rent record included Alex Murray, Angus Murray, Wm. Murray and Ann Murray. These four families appeared every year up to and including Martinmas 1830 & Whitsunday 1831 where there is annotation that it was the last rent for Angus Murray and J. Ross took his place. On the line for John Ross there is a notation, "late A. Murray, Smith - 1st crop 1832".

In the 1823 rent list Alex. Murray paid extra for a quarry lot.

Alexander, Anne & William continued on in the records up to 1844, when Alexander had the notation Heir after his name and a note saying, "See Deed Jean Murray, only Daur. Unmarried".

Alexander must have died around 1843 or 1844. His wife, Isabella was on the 1841 census but not the 1851 census, and the property went to her daughter so Isabella's death date was likely 1842 or 1843.

On the 1841 census of Brora. Alexander, Isabell and Jean lived in North Brora, although there is one discrepancy. Alexander is listed as age 60 while Isabella is listed age 80. It is likely a mistake on the census takers part, or on the person giving the information. Ann Murray lived next door along with Chirsty Sutherland, Archibald Sutherland and James Sutherland. Angus and his family were already living in Pictou County, Nova Scotia. Where was George?  

In 1851 both Alexander and Isobella were gone. Jean (now listed as Jane) lived alone, her occupation listed as lotter. Ann Murray, daughter, Chirsty (sic) Sutherland, and grandson, James Sutherland lived next door. Ann was listed as head of the family, unmarried and for occupation was a pauper. Chirsty was married and an agricultural labourer while James was age 14 and an apprentice tailor.

In 1861 Jane was listed as a pauper, laundress. Ann was gone and Christy Sutherland lived alone, now a widow and a Lotter.

In 1871 both Jane and Christy were no longer there, but James Sutherland was back with his wife, Angusina, and three children, Christina, Ann and Louisa. His occupation was tailor.

Of the children, Angus, our immigrant ancestor, came to Nova Scotia. Jane lived in the house until her death in 1868.  As yet we have no information about George. 

Christy was possibly the Christina Murray who was married to John McKenzie in Clyne on the 5 Jan. 1833. She died 12 Sep. 1839 and a tombstone in the Clyne Kirton Cemetery has the following inscription:

Christina Murray/died 12.9.1839 age 34/ erected by John McKenzie, N. Brora.

On the 1851 Census there is a John McKenzie age 42 living with his widowed mother, Isabella, his daughter Lexie and his unmarried brother, Donald. Lexie (Alexandrina) McKenzie was born 14 May 1839, four months before her mother's death. John and Lexie were on the 1861 and 1871 census and Lexie was alone on the 1881 and 1891 census. She was a dressmaker.

The ages on the various documents don't all work out for this family, but Christina is buried next to William Murray and his family which is a good clue.that Christine and William are brother and sister.