John Murray UEL (1735 - abt. 1805)

Born 31 Aug 1735 in Over Mumbiehurst, Canonbie Parish, Eskdale, Dumfriesshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1805 at about age 69 in Bedeque, Prince, Prince Edward Island

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John Murray was a United Empire Loyalist.
UEL Status:Proven
Date: Undated

Biography

This profile is part of the Murray Name Study.

Born in Dumfries-shire Scotland about 1735^[1], John Murray was a tenant farmer who fell into arrears with his landlord. With his wife, Mary Kennedy, and several young children (including Jean, who was christened December 17, 1756^[2]; Janet, who was christened February 11, 1759^[3]; John, who was christened April 5, 1761^[4]; David, who was christened February 3, 1765^[5]; Ellen, who was christened August 2, 1767^[6]; and William, who was christened September 23, 1770^[7]), the family emigrated from Scotland to America about 1772. The Murrays found land to rent in Harpersfield, Tryon County, in the Province of New York. Two more children were born there.

In the spring of 1775, a band of Patriots arrived in Harpersfield seizing some two dozen men and delivering them to the Albany goal, 60 miles to the northeast. Kept in irons, Murray languished in Albany for 6 months before being released. Returning to his farm, he was in his words "kept in a state of imprisonment for more than six years."

In 1777, he was officially indicted as a Loyalist making the whole of his estate subject to confiscation. Yet, in spite of the raids and skirmishes going on around him, the next year, John Murray purchased 300 acres of land and continued to farm, perhaps evidence of his stubborn nature. By 1780, due to the war, most residents of Harpersfield had abandoned their homes.

Finally in 1782, the Murrays and three local families, fled to New York and the following spring the Murrays were loaded on a transport ship, the Eleanor, for delivery to Shelburne, Nova Scotia.

As with many loyalist refugees in Shelburne, John Murray, in 1783, completed a sworn deposition and an estimate of his losses valued at £211. In his deposition, he states, "I was at different times by different parties of the Americans robbed, plundered and beat and at length made prisoner in close confinement in Albany. The whole of my property, within specified, was taken from me, sold, or wasted and destroyed."

Moving on from Shelburne, John Murray, his wife and three younger children, arrived at Charlotte Town, on the Island of Saint John (now Prince Edward Island), on July 26, 1784.

Five years later, Murray had not received compensation for his losses. Upon hearing that Commissioners appointed to deal with the claims were at Quebec, he immediately went there to present his claim. He was accompanied by several witnesses, who under oath would have supported his claim. Alas, on their arrival at Quebec they were informed that the Commissioners had sailed three days earlier.

Back at home, he decided to journey with two other loyalists, into Charlottetown to obtain a letter from the Governor to back his claim and to prepare a second deposition. By now, it was 1889.

Struggling to recover his war losses was just one of Murray's ongoing problems. As it was for many island settlers, the Governor would not give clear title to land grants. In addition, the 500-acre grant offered to Murray comprised 50 acres fronting Bedeque Bay in Prince County and 450 acres some distance inland. Murray refused to sign for his grant. Eight years after his arrival on the island, in 1792, he was offered 500 acres on the Dunk River, at Bedeque Bay, if he surrendered his claim to the original grant. Again, he did not like the terms. Finally, two years later he received clear title to this second grant.

Along with 37 other refugees and disbanded troops, John Murray is memorialized by having his name on the Bedeque Harbour Loyalist Monument in Prince Edward Island^{[8] [9]}

Sources

1. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT1K-294 : 10 February 2018), John Murray, ; citing Canonbie, Dumfries, Scotland, reference 2:16LBQ6P, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,067,956.
2. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XB5G-ZM5 : 10 February 2018), Jean Murray, 16 Dec 1756; citing , CANONBIE, DUMFRIES, SCOTLAND, reference , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,067,956, 102,309.
3. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XB5P-LR4 : 10 February 2018), Janet Murray, 11 Feb 1759; citing , CANONBIE, DUMFRIES, SCOTLAND, reference , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,067,956, 102,309.
4. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT12-NJQ : 10 February 2018), John Murray, ; citing Canonbie, Dumfries, Scotland, reference 2:16LDFWR, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,067,956.
5. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT1K-PB6 : 10 February 2018), David Murray, ; citing Canonbie, Dumfries, Scotland, reference 2:16LDPL9, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,067,956.
6. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XB5G-C9Q : 10 February 2018), John Murray in entry for Helen Murray, 02 Aug 1767; citing , CANONBIE, DUMFRIES, SCOTLAND, reference , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,067,956, 102,309.
7. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYQL-T88 : 10 February 2018), John Murray in entry for William Murray, 21 Sep 1770; citing , reference 2:16LF4GN, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,067,956.
8. ↑ Bedeque Area Historical Museum exhibit tells the story of the settlement of United Empire Loyalist families around Bedeque Bay in 1784 published in The Guardian; Jul 06 at 4:03 p.m. 2018
9. ↑ New Brunswick Genealogical Society listing for John Murray, Sr notes that children John, Mary and Ellen settled in New Brunswick, and gives the following sources: MC1/Murray #2, 50 pages: contains a report titled A Murray family genealogy by Sharon Murray: file has a report titled Murrays of Tabusintac by Thomas A. Murray: MC80/1535 Hazel Murray’s Descendants of John Murray, United Empire Loyalist, pages 7-13.

• United Empire Loyalist Directory listing for John Murray Sr. #1241