Alexander MURRAY & Jane MACKENZIE

Alexander MURRAY [24/4/1835-30/12/1926]
married
Jane MACKENZIE [1841-22/7/1931]

Alexander (Sandy) is the son of William Murray and Catherine Grant of Rhemusaig, Rogart. Known all his life as Sandy, Alexander Murray was the ninth child of William and Catherine. He is recorded on his eldest son's birth certificate as a general merchant; another source records him as a meal miller; yet another as a crofter and his own marriage certificate states he was a farm servant. I believe in his lifetime he was all these things! He was recalled in recent years by an elderly resident of Rogart as being "one of the old Rogart worthies". He remained a bachelor until he was 38 years old, living on the croft at Rhemusaig with his widowed mother, Kate. Jane is the daughter of William MacKenzie and Elspet Mackay of Torbreck, Rogart.

Alexander and Jane married on 26 February 1875 at Torbreck in a Free Church service. He took his bride to Rhemusaig to make her home. Jane returned to her old home at Torbreck for the birth of her first child but, thereafter her children were born at Rhemusaig. Jane's mother-in-law Catherine Grant (Kate), lived with the couple for nearly twenty years until her death in 1894. This may have been a factor, together with Sandy's reputation of being a difficult man, which led to Jane leaving her husband and the family home when her children had grown up. She moved to Tain, Ross-shire, to be with her daughter Christine. This, virtually unheard of event, left Sandy alone at Rhemusaig. Sandy is buried in the new cemetery at Rogart. Jane is buried in Tain.

They had the following children:
WILLIAM MURRAY, born 1 January 1876 Torbreck, Rogart [died 14 May 1923 Edinburgh] [married Margaret Ann Mackenzie] - these are my grandparents
MARY ANN MURRAY, born 11 June 1877 Rhemusaig [died 10 April 1928 Edinburgh] [married George Taylor in Edinburgh]
ELIZABETH MUNRO MURRAY (Bessie), born 10 October 1879 Rhemusaig [died 19 December 1952 Edinburgh] [married George Barclay] – Bessie lived with her grandmother, Elspat Mackay, Widow Mackenzie, at Torbreck, Rogart as a youngster.
DONALD KENNETH ALEXANDER MURRAY, born 17 September 1881 [died 21 December 1944 Northern Infirmary, Inverness] - suffered from a paralysis which committed him to a wheel chair. It is not clear whether he was born disabled or whether an illness or accident affected him. Known as 'Uncle Dan' he was reputed to be a real star in his wheel chair. Apparently he could achieve amazing speeds over any terrain. He left Rhemusaig with his mother spending the rest of his life in Tain although it is said in Rogart that he did return at least one time.
JANE MACKENZIE MURRAY, born 26 August 1883 Rhemusaig [married Harold Harvey] - Jane and Harold married in Kent where they are known to have had at least two daughters.
MARGARET ELLEN MACKENZIE MURRAY, born 7th March 1886 Rhemusaig [died 13th May 1955 Cape Town, South Africa] [married William Petrie Birnie in Edinburgh 1919]
COLIN MACKENZIE MURRAY born 4th March 1888 Rhemusaig [died 26th May 1964 Glasgow] [married Isabella Sutherland]
CHRISTINE MACKENZIE MURRAY, born 9 March 1890 [died 6 May 1922 Tain] [married Joseph Birnie]
JANET MACKENZIE MURRAY (Jessie) born 11 June 1893 Rhemusaig [died 19 August 1981 Edinburgh] [married James Watt]
Alexander Murray and Jane Mackenzie are my great grandparents.