GEORGE MURRAY, of Washington county, was born at Marsh Creek, near Gettysburg, Adams Co., Penn. His grandfather was Rev. George Murray, of Lockerbie, Scotland, and the following is the epitaph on his gravestone in the kirkyard [sic] of Shundergarth; “Here lies deposited the earthly part of the Rev. George Murray, late minister of the Gospel of the Associate Congregation of Annandale, at Lockerbie, who died April 1, 1757, in the 42nd year of his age, and fourteenth of his ministry. Meekness and zeal mutually qualifying each other in their steadfast adherence to the faith of the Gospel and to the Testimony for Scotland’s Reformation amidst the general opposition to both -- were his distinguishing characteristics.” Rev. John Murray, father of George Murray, above spoken of, was born in 1748 in Lockerbie, in the valley of the Annan, Dumfrieshire, Scotland, where his father Rev. George Murray, was pastor of the Associate (Antiburgher) Congregation; he was graduated at Glasgow University, and studied theology in the Associate Hall at Alloe; was licensed in the summer of 1773 by the Presbytery of Sanquhar. On the 2d of the following September he was appointed to go to America, and before the month was out sailed from Glasgow. He was ordained April 17, 1776, by the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania; was pastor of Marsh Creek Congregation, near Gettysburg, Adams Co., Penn., from November 2, 1777, until his death which occurred in the summer of 1785. He left two children, Mary and George. His wife was Eliza Johnston, youngest child of Thomas Johnston, of Pequea, Salisbury township, Lancaster Co., Penn.
The parents of George Murray (whose name opens the sketch) dying when he was quite young, he and his sister Mary (afterward Mrs. James Clark, of Mercersburg, Penn.) were reared in the home of their maternal uncle, Thomas Johnston, of Lancaster county, afterward of near Mercersburg, Penn. There he grew to manhood and acquired the trade of cabinet maker. Seeking his fortune in western Pennsylvania, he settled at Darlington. After he had been there a short time, he came to Washington county, to attend the marriage of Rev. David Imbrie and Miss Jane Reed. Shortly afterward he returned for the bridesmaid, Miss Mary Reed (first cousin of the former Miss Reed), and took her back as his bride November 28, 1805. In 1811 he disposed of his town property in Darlington, came to Washington county and purchased a farm called “Lovely Banks.” two miles northeast of Canonsburg ( part of which is now Van Eman Station). He improved this place by building a large brick house and frame barn on it (the same now owned by Mr. Greer). Afterward he bought several adjoining tracts of land, one of which is now included in the northern part of the Pennsylvania Reform School farm. He was a man of thrift and honesty, pious and upright in his deportment, an humble and devout Christian; a substantial pillar of the Association Presbyterian (Chartiers) Church of Canonsburg, and for many years one of its influential elders and liberal supporters. He died June 17, 1832, in the fiftieth year of his age. He and his wife and children (except John and Maria) are interred in Oak Spring cemetery (formerly Chartiers graveyard), Canonsburg, Penn. His wife, Mary Reed, daughter of David and Margaret (May) Reed, of near Venice, Washington county, was known by all for her kindness and hospitality. The “Proverbial” praise of the virtuous woman could aptly be ascribed to her, for, “She looked well to the ways of her household, and ate not the bread of idleness.” She died November 13, 1846, in the sixty-second year of her age. Their children were as follows: Margaret, born January 1, 1807, Eliza, born January 21, 1809, John born July 31, 1810 (all three born at Darlington, Penn.); David, born March 18, 1813, Maria, born January 9, 1815, James and George (twins), born October 20, 1816, and Martha, born December 2, 1821 (all six born at Canonsburg, Penn.). Of these Margaret married William H. McNary, and died at her residence in Canonsburg, June 6, 1882; Eliza married David Templeton, and lived in Canonsburg until after the death of her husband, March 6, 1869. After 1872 she made her home with her daughter, Mrs. M R. Johnston, at Mercersburg, Penn. Early in life she connected herself with the Association Presbyterian Church, and later with the Charters United Presbyterian Church, and gave liberally of her means for the spreading of the Gospel. She and Mrs. Esther Pollock were for many years prominent members of the first Bible Society of Canonsburg. At the time of her death she was a member of the Central United Presbyterian Church at Omaha, Neb. Modest and retiring in her disposition, her kindness of heart, her gentle manner and sincere piety caused her to be loved and respected by all. She died March 20, 1891, at the residence of her son-in-law, Thomas C. Johnston, Council Bluffs, Iowa, in the eighty-third year of her age. She left three children, Margaretta Reed Templeton, Caroline and George Murray Templeton. Margaretta Reed Templeton graduated at Washington Seminary. She married Thomas C. Johnston, and spent the greater part of her married life at Mercersburg, Penn., but in 1889 she finally moved to Iowa. At an early age she became connected with the Associate Presbyterian Church. She died April 24, 1891, at Council Bluffs, Iowa, in the fifty-sixth year of her age. She leaves one son -- A. M. Johnston -- and one daughter -- Ella E. Johnston. Caroline Templeton graduated at Washington Seminary, was a member of the Associate Presbyterian Church, and spent most of her life in Canonsburg. She was possessed of an exceptionally bright and amiable character, and none knew her but to love her. She died April 8, 1874, aged thirty-six years. Capt. George Murray Templeton was born at Canonsburg, Washington Co., Penn., May 3, 1841, and died May 4, 1870. Abandoning his studies at Jefferson College he enlisted, at the age of twenty, in Company D, One Hundred and Forty-ninth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers; was mustered into service August 23, 1862; appointed captain in the Thirty-second Regiment U. S. Colored Troops February 17, 1864; was wounded at the battle of Honey Creek, S. C., November 30, 1864; mustered out at close of Civil war, August 22, 1986, as second lieutenant in the Eighteenth Regular U. S. Infantry; October 19, 1867, was appointed a captain in the Twenty-seventh Regular U. S. Infantry. He was a man of sterling integrity, and an officer of distinguished bravery and superior acquirements.
John Murray married Elizabeth Wilson, who died December 9, 1842, in her twenty-second year, and he was afterward married to Ellen Peritte. He lived for many years on his farm, now part of the Morganza, Penn., Reform School land. He moved to Illinois, thence to Leavenworth, Kans., where he resided until his death. He left a widow and seven children. He was a volunteer in a militia company (known as the “Republican Rangers”) from 1840 to 1847. His children are Jennie, Annie, John, Minnie, Mattie, Georgiana and Stella, all living in Kansas. Jennie married Russell McCune; Annie married Samuel Trower; John married Emma Trower, Minnie became Mrs. Will. O. McCune, and Mattie married a Mr. Roup.
David Reed Murray died August 24, 1819. Maria Murray married John Henderson, and they afterward moved to Kansas, where they died, leaving seven children settled there: John Clark, Julia, Amanda, George, Mary and James (John was Mrs. Henderson’s step-son by his father’s first marriage to Miss Anderson). George Murray (twin) died January 18, 1839, on the Murray Hill farm, near Murray Hill Station.
James Murray (twin brother of George) married Miss Mary Clark Johnston, August 28, 1848, at the house of her father, Alexander Moncreiff Johnston, near Mercersburg, Franklin Co., Penn. He brought his bride across the mountains in a buggy, in the days before railroads. They resided on the Murray farm, in the house built by his father, George Murray, till the spring of 1852, when they moved to the adjoining farm, which he had bought of the executors of the Murdock estate, where he died August 20, 1853, in the house built and formerly owned by Gen. Morgan, and where the Aaron Burr conspiracy was made known in Colonial times. He was energetic, industrious in his worldly affairs, always willing to assist in any public enterprises; pious and exemplary in his Christian deportment. He was very fond of military matters, and it was only his filial obedience that prevented him from taking his company to the Mexican war; for twenty-one years he was a member of the Washington Guards, and for fourteen years captain of his company. The following is an extract from the Washington Reporter: “We have the melancholy duty to perform of announcing the death of Capt. James Murray, which took place at his residence, Morganza, in North Strabane township in this county, on Saturday, August 20, 1853. Capt. Murray was one among our most useful, public-spirited and highly esteemed citizens, universally beloved for those traits of character which command the respect and endear their possessor to the intelligent and good in every community. His sickness was of but few days’ continuance, and we believe assumed the character of typhoid fever. He was in the prime of life, being in the thirty-seventh year of his age. Society has had in Capt. Murray one of its most active and useful citizens, and his family are immensely endeared to him by his devoted affection, amiable character, upright and exemplary walks and deportment. We, ourself, feel a bereavement in the death of this amiable gentleman whom we ranked amongst our most attached friends.”
Mary Clark (Johnston), wife of James Murray, was born two miles west of Mercersburg, Penn., January 30, 1828. Her mother was Esther, youngest daughter of Jeremiah and Mary (Clark) Rankin. Her father, Alexander Moncreiff Johnston, was the youngest son of Thomas Johnston, who came to Mercersburg from Pequea, Lancaster county, in 1794, and was a lineal descendant of Archibald Johnston (Lord Warriston), of Scotland. [The Johnston coat-of-arms was a winged spur, the motto was “Nunquam nonparitus” (Never unprepared).] When quite young she (Mary C. Johnston) joined the Associate Church at Mercersburg, under the Rev. Findley McNaughton. She spent her married life of five years at Murray Hill, Washington Co., Penn., and after her husband’s death she made her home at Mercersburg until her death, which occurred February 28, 1876. She was a person of strong faith and great zeal for her church, giving the half of her income for the support of the Gospel. She was a strong Abolitionist in her political sentiments before and during the war of the Rebellion, and while her home was surrounded by the Rebel army she gave shelter to homeless refugee colored people; and when her roof was no longer a protection, because the houses were to be searched, she gave them clothing and helped them away by night to the mountains. She rests from her labors, her remains being interred in Fairview cemetery, Mercersburg, Penn., beside her two children and her parents. The children of James and Mary Clark Murray were Mary Emma, who died, aged twelve months, at Mercersburg, Penn.; Hettie Alverta, now Mrs. William B. Pollock, born September 22, 1851 (a brief sketch of whom follows), and Lidie Martha Murray, who died September 4, 1861, aged seven and one-half years.
Mrs. William B. Pollock was born in the house built by her grandfather, George Murray, on a farm called “Lovely Banks,” in Washington county, Penn., a part of which is at present known as Van Eman Station, and here she spent the first two years of her life. At the death of her father, August 20, 1853, she removed with her mother to Mercersburg, Franklin Co., Penn. Here she attended Mercersburg College, afterward completing her education at Wilson’s Female College, Chambersburg, Penn. She united with the Mercersburg United Presbyterian congregation, under the pastorate of Rev. Gracey Ferguson, D. D., when fifteen years of age. On February 11, 1875, she was married, and in June of that year she and her husband took a picturesque drive over the Alleghany [sic] Mountains in their own buggy to their new home, and began housekeeping in Canonsburg, Penn. Here she lived three years, and then moved to her present dwelling at Murray Hill. Mrs. Pollock possesses a talent given to but few -- that of an artist. She received some instruction in drawing in her youth, but sketches readily from nature. The walls of the different apartments of her home testify to her skill and handiwork, and many friends have decorative mementoes of her brush and easel. An oil painting, well executed, of her own residence, at present decorates her dining-room. She decorates china with ease and fine finish, and her cupboard contains a large supply, the work of her own brush and kiln. By disposition she is amiable and hospitable. Her friends are welcome guests at her house.
Dr. Thomas Johnston Murray, brother of James, was born January 7, 1819, and died January 21, 1851. He graduated at Jefferson College, Canonsburg, studied medicine in Philadelphia, and afterward located in Canonsburg where until his death he was a very successful practicing physician. His wife, Elizabeth Calohan Murray, was born October 12, 1821, died April 28, 1856. Rev. George Reed Murray and Anna Kelly (Hodgens), now Mrs. James M. Thomas, are the children of Thomas and Elizabeth Murray, both now residing at Thomas, Washington Co., Penn.
Rev. George Reed Murray volunteered in the U.S. army August 13, 1862, at the age of seventeen years, served in Company G, One Hundred and Fortieth Pennsylvania Volunteers, until after the close of the war. Entered Westminster College in the fall of 1866; graduated from the classical department in the spring of 1871; in the fall of the same year entered the United Presbyterian Seminary in Newburgh, N.Y., and spent two years there; in the fall of 1873 entered Theological Seminary of Princeton, N. J., and was licensed to preach in spring of 1874 by the First U. P. Presbytery of New Jersey.
On October 7, 1875, Rev. George R. Murray was married to Miss Mary Henrietta McClees, of Taylorstown, Penn., by whom were born six children, three of whom are now (February 19, 1893) living, viz.: Harry Alexander Murray, aged sixteen years; Thomas Johnston Arthur Murray, aged eleven years; James McClees Murray, age nine years. Mr. Murray was pastor of the U.P. Church in Centreville, Iowa, some four years; settled again in Murray, Cass Co., Neb., in 1880, serving as pastor for ten years, then was released to accept a call to Mount Prospect U. P. Church, Thomas, Penn., July 1, 1891. On March 14, 1889, Mrs. Mary H. Murray died, and Mr. Murray was married December 30, 1890, to Mrs. Agnes C. Blair, of Monmouth, Illinois.
Martha Murray died unmarried September 2, 1854, in her thirty-third year. Lovely and winning in her ways, kind and affectionate in her disposition, she was revered by all friends and acquaintances. Mrs. William B. Pollock’s maternal grandfather, Alexander Moncreiff Johnston, was a son of Thomas and Anne (Houston) Johnston, Anne Houston being one of the Houston family of Lancaster county, a daughter of John Houston, who came from Scotland or the North of Ireland.
Text taken from page 615 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed April 1997 by Barbara Bower of Yorktown, VA as part of the Beers Project.
Published April 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]