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.

Donald MURRAY & Margaret MACKAY

Donald MURRAY
[c1770-pre 1837]
married
Margaret MACKAY
[c1770-28/4/1837]

Donald Murray, a miller, was born at Sallach, Golspie, son of William Murray and Isabella Mackay. His parents were forced to move from Sallach around 1809 when the family settled at Rhemusaig and Kinnauld, Rogart. Donald and Margaret were both living at Auchspilly, Golspie, when they married on 9 February 1792 at Golspie. As can be seen from the birth places of their later children Donald and Margaret did not immediately move to Rhemusaig with his parents. Donald’s eldest son William married Catherine Grant and they did settle at Rhemusaig as soon as they married. They lived in a separate croft from William’s grandfather William.

I have always believed that Catherine Grant’s parents may have had connections with Rhemusaig as there were Grants living there before the Murray families arrived.

Donald Murray was certainly at Rhemusaig in 1812 when the Duchess of Sutherland issued eviction notices to the following persons there:

George Murray in Rhimusaig

Paul Macdonald there
John Macintosh there
Donald Murray there (this is Donald married to Margaret Mackay)
John Mackay, taylor there
William Murray, miller there (this is William married to Catherine Grant)
William Mackay, blacksmith there (this is actually William Mackay, Kinnauld)
Janet Maculloch there
Elspet Murray there
Elspet Macintosh relict of the deceased Robert Mackay there
Margaret Murray there (this is probably daughter of Donald and wife of James Grant)

All were summoned to appear before the Sheriff Depute in Dornoch. As we now know the Murrays were not evicted and I believe none of the others were either. The above list shows clearly the different crofts at Rhemusaig and Kinnauld.

Margaret Mackay died at Rhemusaig, Dornoch, at the home of her eldest son, William. The Parish Register states that “Margaret Mackay, relict of Donald Murray, late miller, died of decay of old age”. The register puts her age at 87 years but I question if that can be correct. Donald and Margaret went back to Golspie for burial. They are buried in St Andrew’s churchyard where only their names show on an old flat stone. They are buried with other Murray families around them.

They had at least the following children:
WILLIAM MURRAY, born 18 December 1792 Golspie [died 14 June 1858 Rhemusaig] [married Catherine Grant]
CHRISTINA MURRAY (Christy) born 25 February 1794 - the census shows a Christian Murray, born circa 1794 Golspie who in 1841 and 1851 was at Drummuie, Golspie - a pauper. In 1861 she was at Tiled House, Golspie, spinster and pauper. In 1871 she was at Tower Poor House, Golspie, a field worker and pauper. Is this Chirsty?
MARGARET MURRAY born circa 1795 [died 4 November 1843 Rhemusaig] [married James Grant]
JANE MURRAY (Jean), born 24 December 1801 Golspie
JANE MURRAY, born 1808 at Creich

Donald and Margaret are my three times great grandparents