Nicholas Russell Murray Sr (1906 - 1992)

Born 4 Jul 1906 in Kedron, St. Helena Parish, Louisiana, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Dorothy Lou (Ledbetter) Murray — married 4 Dec 1934 in Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States

Descendants

Died 25 Oct 1992 at age 86 in Hammond, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Joyce Rivette [send private message]

Biography

Nicholas Russell Murray was born on 4 July 1906 in Kedron, St. Helena Parish, Louisiana, United States, to Catholic parents George Patrick Murray and Deliliah Ann "Dilly" Hardy.^[1] He was christened within several weeks.

Nicholas married Dorothy Lou Ledbetter on 4 December 1934 in Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish. They had six children, two of whom are still living; the other four were:

1. Nicholas Russell Murray (1935 - 2014)
2. John Lee Murray (1938 - 2020)
3. Patrick Thomas Murray (1941 - 1947)
4. David Alan Murray (1945 - 2022)

Nicholas was widowed in 1987. He died on 25 October 1992 in Hammond, Tangipahoa Parish. He was buried at John Sharkey Cemetery in Amite.^[1]

The following biography was based on biographical information provided by his son, David Alan Murray:^[2]

Nicholas Russell Murray's earliest memory was of hiding behind a stove when visitors came to his home. He was four years old at the time. Even close friends never knew shyness bothered him his whole life. As an adult, even his fellow Toastmasters and Rotarians were unaware.

Russell, as he was known in his childhood, was somewhat isolated from his three older siblings, Rose Cecilia, Myrtis Helena, Ewell Charles and one younger sibling, Mary Dorothy, due to age differences.^[2]

Education was the path out of poverty for Nicholas and his descendants. A B.S. and M.S. in Journalism (abt.-all but thesis) was earned at LSU. Fellow journalism student Dorothy Ledbetter, later to become his partner and supporter for the rest of his life, impressed him with her passion and courage by supporting University of Missouri journalism students' freedom of the press stand by boycotting classes. Dot had demonstrated bravery and conviction but not necessarily good judgement; LSU chose not to readmit her after the matter was settled! Unfortunately this characteristic seems to have a genetic component.

Enrolling in the R.O.T.C. was a given for Nick as a member of the patriotic Murray family. His records were lost in the St. Louis fire but I do remember as a child, the fighter jets printed on the cardboard supports that the included in the laundry that did Dad's uniform shirts at Barksdale AFB where he was a 2nd Lt. serving as a U.S. Air Force Public Information Officer during the Korean War. Prior to that he may or may not have been a WWII Veteran (intel) in the U.S. Army Air Corp.

All of his life Nicholas had been a devout Catholic, in The Knights of Columbus, etc. The Church's consistent and intense support of child molesters within the clergy was the breaking point. One of his sons was serving as an altar boy and discovered that two priests in Hammond, Louisiana were raping several of the other altar boys! Nicholas demanded swift action of Church officials, he then discovered the officials knew about the situation all along and had no intention of doing anything about it. Nick then used his position as a public spokesman to condemn the Church's non action. One would expect the church's lay membership to react, they did, but NOT against the Church and its perverted priests but at the one warning them of the danger!

Years later when he witnessed his dear wife, after suffering months of debilitating migraines, and seeing her pain removed by the laying on of hands, Nick chose to investigate Mormonism. Becoming a High Priest in L.D.S. Church was a result of his quest for the True Church. His most active position was as Councilor to the Bishopric in the Hammond Louisiana Ward.

Writing was Nicholas Murray's talent and love. Newspapers were his tools. In approximate order of his ownership/involvement:

• The Kentwood Commercial (Kentwood, La 70444) 1895-1979
• The Independent (Independence, La 70443) 1939-1979
• The News Herald (Ponchatoula, La 70454) 1947-1970
• The Sun (Hammond, La 70404) 1955-198?
• The Sunday Sun (Hammond, La 70404) 1956-1958?
• The Home Almanac (Hammond, La 70404) 1960-1979
• The St. Tammany Tribune (Covington, La 70433) 1960-1979
• The St. Tammany Almanac (Covington, La 70433) 1965-1979
• The East Baton Rouge Almanac (Baton Rouge, La) 1967-1979
• The Mandeville Bantam (Mandeville, La 70448) 1967-1970
• The Daily Sun (Hammond, La 70404) 1977-1980
• The Livingston Parish Almanac (Denham Springs, La 70726) 1968-1979
• The Hammond Vindicator (Hammond, La 70404) 19??-2005
• The Morning Sun (Hammond, La 70404) 1978-198?
• The Morning Sun Advertiser (Hammond, La 70404) 1978-198?

Nicholas and three of his children became members of Mensa. A Democrat in early life, Republican in midlife, and lastly an Independent, he remained a staunch conservative throughout, always very patriotic. He kept a Journal. His creed: "It is one's duty to succeed under conditions as he finds them."

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Find a Grave, database and images (findagrave.com: accessed 11 Sep 2023), memorial page for Nicholas Russell Murray Sr. (4 Jul 1906–25 Oct 1992), Find A Grave: Memorial #64965465, citing John Sharkey Cemetery, Amite, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, USA, maintained by Jerry Biggs (contributor 46959146); includes headstone photo.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Biographical information provided by David Alan Murray.

Acknowledgements

• The contributions of biographical information for this profile from David Alan Murray, son of Nicholas, are greatly appreciated.