Alexander MURRAY & Isabella ROSS

Alexander MURRAY
[11/2/1872-2/2/1943]
married
ISABELLA ROSS
[4/12/1884-20/12/1967]

Alexander was born at Bank, Rogart, son of Paul Murray and Jane Ross. Isabella was born at Proncy Croy, Dornoch, daughter of John Ross, crofter of Proncy, Dornoch and Christina Mackay. Alexander and Isabella married at the Pittentrail Inn, Rogart, on 8th June 1911. Alexander was a railway platelayer at the time of his marriage and Isabella was a domestic servant living at working at Pittentrail, Rogart.

Alexander died at Bank, Rogart, in 1943. He is buried with Isabella in Rogart.
They had the following children:
WILLIAM JOHN MURRAY, born 6th October 1912 Bank, Rogart [died 28 May 1926 – buried with parents]
DAVID ALEXANDER MURRAY born 17th June 1915 Bank, Rogart [died 10th March 1995, Inverness – retired railway station master] [married Elspeth Ann Macdonald - David was a railway signalman of Bank, Rogart, at the time of his marriage]
PAUL ROSS MURRAY born 1st March 1924 Bank, Rogart [died 3rd March 1990 at Edinburgh – retired Railway Manager] [married Mary Burnett] – had a son also named Paul Murray

Paul MURRAY & Jane ROSS

Paul MURRAY
[1847-31/3/1924]
married
Jane ROSS
[1849-6/3/1919]

Paul was born at Rhemusaig, Rogart, son of William Murray and Catherine Grant. Jane is a daughter of George Ross and Margaret Matheson. Paul and Jane married at Rogart on 26 March 1869.

In 1871 they were living with Jane's aunt - Catherine Matheson (1804-1897), sister to Margaret Matheson, Jane's mother - at Milton, Rogart - which is sometimes known as Miltonbank or simply Bank. Catherine was a daughter of James Matheson and Elspet Sutherland. Her brother Donald and sister Jane, also lived with her.

Paul worked as a railway platelayer in Rogart. They were still in the aunt's five-roomed house in 1881. The house was home that year to Catherine Matheson; her brother, Donald, her sister Jane, plus Paul, his wife Jane and their five children. Aunt Catherine was still alive in 1891 aged 88 years. She died in 1897 at the house. Paul and Jane continued to live at the house - by this time the house was referred to as being at Bank, Rogart. Jane died there in 1919. Paul also died at Bank, in 1924, and is buried with his wife in St Callan's churchyard, Rogart.

"The Reaper has been busy in our midst lately, gathering in the young and aged. On Saturday there was laid to rest one of our older inhabitants in the person of Jane Ross, wife of Mr. Paul Murray, Bank. For a number of years Mrs. Murray was laid aside from any active participation in life, and latterly had been confined to bed, from the effects of a stroke of paralysis. An attack of influenza which also seized the other members of the family, proved too much for Mrs. Murray’s strength, and she succumbed to the disease. Of a kindly and cheery nature, she will be missed in the home, and by a wide circle of friends of the older generation" (NT13/3/1919).

Paul & Jane had the following children:
WILLIAM MURRAY, born 25 January 1870 Bank, Rogart [died 31 December 1898, ironworker, bachelor, killed by falling from a train at Dalmore, Rogart] - at home in the 1871 & 81 census
GEORGE MURRAY, born 20 February 1871 Bank, Rogart [died 3rd July 1937 East End, Golspie] [married Isabella Matheson & Helen Chalmers Matheson]
ALEXANDER MURRAY, born 11 February 1872 Torbuie, Rogart (IGI) [died 2nd February 1943] [married Isabella Ross] – at home with parents in 1881 & 91 census
CATHERINE MURRAY, born 27 November 1876 Bank, Rogart [died 1st February 1932 Glasgow] [married 1st George Craig Stewart and 2nd James Mactaggart] – at home in 1881 & 91 census
DONALD MURRAY, born 14 August 1880 Bank, Rogart [died 18 March 1934] – at home in 1881 & 91 census

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.

Hector MURRAY & Isabella MUNRO

Hector MURRAY
[27/2/1825-1/3/1873]
married
Isabella MUNRO
[27/9/1824-22/12/1907]

Hector was born at Rhemusaig, Rogart, son of William Murray and Catherine Grant.
Isabella (Bell) was born in Creich, and at the time of the wedding was at Whiteface. She is the daughter of Hugh Munro and Janet Mackay. Hector and Isabella married on 10 December 1849 in Creich.
Hector worked as a blacksmith and appears to have moved about quite a bit. In 1851 the family were at Spinnngdale, Creich. By 1861 they had moved to the Farm Manager's House, Embo, Dornoch. The 1871 census shows them living at Oldtown, Brora, Clyne, in a three-roomed house. A granddaughter, Isabella Murray, one month old, born Dornoch, lived with the family – daughter of Isabella Murray. Hector died in 1873 at Gordonbush, Strathbrora, from smallpox from which he suffered for eight days. He is buried at Ascoile, Strathbrora where a gravestone was erected by Isabella and his children - photographed above. Sadly today this gravestone is broken and lies on the floor.

The 1881 census shows Isabella at Fascally, Clyne, with John and Alexander plus granddaughter Isabella, now 10 years old. The 1891 census shows Bell to be the keeper of the reading room at The Institute, Brora. She was assisted by her granddaughter Isabella. Isabella Munro died at North Brora in 1907.
Hector and Bell had the following children:
ISABELLA MURRAY, born circa 1850 Spinningdale [died 23 June 1914 Golspie] [married Alexander Stewart Morrison] – 1851, 61 & 71 census records with parents – Isabella had a daughter, Isabella, born in 1871 and who later married George Robertson. Her mother was a nurse. In 1901 Isabella was living in a two roomed house at Sutherland Street, Brora.
WILLIAM MURRAY, born circa 1853 Spinningdale, Creich – 1861 census with parents
JEMIMA MURRAY, born 23 December 1855 Embo Mains, Dornoch [died 8 April 1944 Brora, Clyne] [married Alexander Mackay] – 1861 and 71 census with parents
HUGH MURRAY, born 28 April 1858 Embo Mains, Dornoch – [died 5th October 1932 Johnson Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire] [married firstly to Margaret Cassells and secondly to Catherine Cairns] - 1861 and 71 census with parents – in 1881 Hugh appears to have been working as a farm servant in 1881 at Rhives, Golspie.
JOHN MURRAY, born 27 October 1860 Embo Mains, Dornoch [died 31 January 1950 Swordale, Bonar] [married Margaret Sutherland] – 1861, 71 and 81 census with parents
GEORGE MURRAY, born 18 October 1863 Embo Mains, Dornoch - 1871 census with parents – 1881 census with his brother Walter, at Major General William Tod Brown's farm at Kilcolmkil, Clyne. Walter was employed as a cattle boy and George as a house lad.
WALTER MURRAY, born 28 March 1866 Skelbo [died 7 February 1932 Dornoch] [married Jane McGowan] - 1871 census with parents – ploughman in 1871 - in 1881 he was recorded, with his brother George, at Major General William Tod Brown's farm at Kilcolmkil, Clyne
ALEXANDER MURRAY, born 4 December 1868 Littletown, Dornoch – 1871 & 1881 census with parents

William MURRAY & Catherine GRANT

William MURRAY
[18/12/1792-14/6/1858]
married
Catherine GRANT
[1800-21/2/1894]

William was born in Golspie parish in 1792, the year of the sheep - Bliadhna nan Caorach - son of Donald Murray, a miller, and Margaret Mackay.

The 1813 Muster List of the Sutherland Local Militia shows a William Murray of Speelte, Golspie. A member of the Grenadier Company he is recorded as being 5'9½" tall. A later Militia List - 1824 reports "William Murray, miller, aged above 30. Grounds for exemption from militia force - poor and has children .........."

Catherine (Kate) Grant was born in Glasgow, daughter of Hector Grant and Janet Duff of Dornoch - I believe her father was in the army at that time. William and Kate married around 1817. They crofted three acres at Rhemusaig, Rogart. William was the miller at Rhemusaig as his grandfather and his father Donald were. The mill at Rhemusaig lay midway between the crofts at Rhemusaig and those at Kinnauld. Rhemusaig was earlier known as Reamusack. Members of this family lived at both places. There were in total approximately twelve crofts between the two places and these seem to have been inhabited mainly by members of the Murray, Mackay and Grant families - I believe Kate was related to those Grants but have yet to determine how. William's mother, Margaret Mackay, died at Rhemusaig in 1837. The family farmed at Rhemusaig for many years but for William life was short. He died, on the croft, on 14 June, 1858, aged 56 years. The cause of death was given as 'natural decay'. This is hardly surprising when we consider the life he had lived: born in the 'Year of the Sheep', mass clearances, famines, cholera and twelve children whom he had, against the most awful odds, kept alive, only to see most of them forced to leave his beloved Highlands. Following William's death in 1858, Kate continued to farm at Rhemusaig. In 1861 her grandchildren William and Margaret Murray, children of her son Donald, were with her. By 1871 the croft had grown to six acres and the house had five rooms. Her son Alexander remained at home with his mother - indeed, he never left Rhemusaig throughout his lifetime. Her grandaughter Margaret was still on the croft. Margaret's father, Donald Murray, lost his life in December 1879 when the Tay Bridge collapsed. By 1881 her son Alexander (my great grandfather) had married and his wife, Jane Mackenzie (my great grandmother), joined the household. Alexander and Jane's first child, William (my grandfather), lived with his Granny Mackenzie at Torbreck, Rogart. His younger sister, Bessie, was also sent to Granny Mackenzie's. The 1891 census shows Kate still alive, aged 90 years. She lived as a widow for over thirty-six years. She continued to croft at Rhemusaig with her son Alexander and daughter-in-law Jane, until her death, passing away on the evening of twenty-first February, 1894 aged 93 years. Her death certificate states cause of death as 'supposed chronic bronchitis and old age'. She is buried with William in St Callan's churchyard, Rogart - photograph of their gravestone above. In 1871, their son Alexander erected a stone in memory of his parents. Mr Alexander, Ground Officer of Rogart, wrote to the Sutherland Estates Office “Widow William Murray, 347 Rhimusaig died 21 February and leaves a grown up family which have all left except Alexander, a son, married and has been living in the house with his late mother and attending to the croft etc for many years.”

William and Kate had the following children:
WALTER MURRAY, born 3 February 1818 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married Elspet Macintosh] – at home with parents in 1841
JANET MURRAY (Jessie), born 25 April 1820 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married James Mackay] – at home with parents in 1841
MARGARET MURRAY, born 3 October 1822 Rhemusaig, Rogart – at home with parents in 1841
HECTOR MURRAY, born 27 February 1825 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married Isabella Munro) – at home with parents in 1841
DONALD MURRAY, born 17 August 1828 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married Mary Bell and Elizabeth Mackay] – at home with parents in 1841 & 1851
ANN MURRAY, born 1 December 1830 Rhemusaig, Rogart – at home with parents in 1841
CHRISTINA MURRAY (Christy), born 7 June 1833 Rhemusaig, Rogart [died 10 December 1908 Bonar Bridge] – at home with parents in 1841 & 1851 - when Christy died in 1908 she left the sum of £127. The probate details show that she was a “sometime” housekeeper at Braelangwell, Ardgay, lately residing at Bonar Bridge where she died. She did not leave a will but confirmation was granted to her brother Alexander Murray, crofter, Rhemusaig.
CATHERINE MURRAY, born 31 March 1836 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married Hugh Sutherland] – at home with parents in 1841 & 51
ALEXANDER MURRAY, born 24 April 1838 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married Jane Mackenzie] – at Rhemusaig through all census records from 1841 until his death – took over croft from mother at her death in 1894
JOHAN MURRAY, born 21 May 1840 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married John Bannerman] – at home with parents in 1841 & 51
DAVID MURRAY, born 22 June 1842 Rhemusaig, Rogart [died 8 July 1893 Dalmore, Rogart] [married Julia Macintosh] – at home with parents in 1851 & 61 – witness at his brother Paul’s son, George, wedding
PAUL MURRAY, born 1845 Rhemusaig, Rogart [married Jane Ross] – at home with parents in 1851 & 61

William and Kate are my two times Great Grandparents.