James Kenny Murray snr (abt. 1840)

Born about 1840 in Ireland

Son of Hugh Murray and Jane (Bailey) Lampton

Husband of Harriett (Bailey) Murray — married 1866 in Canada

Died [date unknown] in United States

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Biography

James was born in Ireland in January 1840^[1]. He is the son of Hugh Murray and Jane Bailey.

Following the Irish potato famine, during which his father had died, James emigrated to Canada^[2].

In 1866 he moved to the USA^[1], returning to Canada briefly the same year^[1] where he married Harriet Bailey^[2].

In 1880 the family are on their farm on their farm in Brady Township, Saginaw, Michigan.^[3] Present are:

• James, head, farmer. Shown as aged 30 here.
• Harriett. wife, aged 33.
• Mary A., 10.
• Elizabeth, 8.
• Martha, 4.
• Hannah, 2.
• George, 1 month.

In 1900 the family are still in Brady (the census transcript decodes the area as 'Oakley').^[1]:

• James, head, farmer, aged 60, and his wife, Harriett, aged 52, with 9 children born in Michigan, the following present at the census:
• Daughter, Martha, aged 24.
• Sons Robert(20) and Kenny J. (16) working on the farm.
• Daughter Lena M. (11) and son Hugh (M. or P.), both at school.

And in 1910^[4](this census gets the birthplaces in a muddle):

• Murray, James K., age 70.
• Wife Harriett, age 62, and children present at this census:
• Sons George R.(30), James K.(27), Hugh(19) and daughter Lena(21).

Research Notes

The mother/father columns in the 1910 children's entries show parents' origins the other way round, but then crossed out to agree with the parents' own entries! Note that in the 1900 census the birthplaces are reversed^[1], and the 1920 census^[5] concurs, so that version seems the most likely. with James born in Ireland and Harriett born in Canada. Immigration years vary as well, with the 1920 census settling on 1861 for James and 1866 for Harriett (which coincides with the marriage year implied in the 1910 census - the 1920 census does not show 'years married').

Significantly, James K. junior is listed as 'Kenny J.' in 1900. In 1920 'Unkle' George Murray has retired to live at the farm, alongside James and Harriett who seem also to have retired, with son Hugh now the farmer.

Bailey is apparently Harriet's maiden name. Noting that it's also James' mother's name, there may be some confusion, or else the two Baileys are related, so that Harriet could be James' cousin.

A possible candidate for Harriet, despite the surname spelling Baily, is in the 1861 census of Wellington, Ontario, where the age agrees with the 1901 census^[4], and she is born in Canada to an Irish father, Robert (born 1811): image at FindMyPast.. However, this is a long way from the persons we are surmising were possible Canadian locations for James's mother Jane, reducing the chance that they were related.

A daughter Bessie was born approx. 1875, married Edgar Walter, then returned to Brady after his death.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} U.S. Federal Census, 14th June 1900, Brady Township, Saginaw, Michigan. Supervisor's district 8, Enumeration district 24 sheet 8 family 194. Entry for Murray, James, head of house, born Jan 1840, age 60, married 34 years, he and parents all born Ireland, immigration 1866, farmer on own farm(mortgaged). Original image viewed at FindMyPast.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Family anecdote - see full text at father's profile, Hugh Murray.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MW3H-KFT : 14 January 2022), James Murry, farmer, Brady Township, Saginaw, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm . Image also at FindMyPast.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} U.S. Federal Census 1910. original image viewed at FindMyPast
5. ↑ U.S. Census 1920, original image viewed at FindMyPast
6. ↑ U.S. census 1940.