John, son of James and Mary (née Moran) Murray was born in 1843 in Limerick in Ireland. He set sail from Liverpool on 23 June 1863 arriving in Victoria in September 1863 aboard the White Star. John had learned the trade of blacksmithing in Ireland and opened a blacksmith shop on the western corner of Colac and Cape Otway Roads at Clifford in the early 1870s. His advertisements appeared in the Geelong Advertiser from 1871 until 1874. It was here that he met and married Mary Ann, daughter of William and Jane (née Murphy) Todd on 27 December 1870 at St Mary's Geelong. Around the mid 1870s a decision was made to take up land, which was up for selection in the Pyramid Hill area of Victoria. John and his wife Mary Ann were joined by John Connell, who worked with him, John Murray's older sister Catherine, her husband William Shaw and their three sons James, Patrick and John. They staked their claim in the late 1870s. The two Johns built a house, set up a forge and operated a blacksmith shop again. John also farmed his land which he named Smithfield. John and Mary had the following children: Mary Jane Gerte "Polly" — born on 18 October 1871 at Geelong, married Patrick Ambrose Herrick in 1902, died in 1932 at Rochester, buried at Rochester Cemetery Susan — born in 1872 at Clifford, married Martin Maher in 1900, died in 1943 at Carnegie aged 71 years, buried at Springvale Botanical Cemetery John Thomas — born in 1874 at Mount Moriac, married Beatrice Clauscen in 1905, died in 1928 at Elsternwick Katherine* — born in 1875 at Mount Moriac William James — born in 1876 at Geelong Charles Patrick— born in 1877 at Mount Moriac Teresa — born in 1879 at Durham Ox, married Denis Murphy in 1908, died in 1951 aged 72 years at Toorak Francis Augustin — born on 8 September 1880 at Durham Ox, married Margaret Matilda Morrison in 1905, died on 19 November 1918 at Elizabethville in Belgian Congo Edward Henry -- born in 1882 at Pyramid Hill George Mascotte — born in 1883 at Pyramid Hill, married Esther Minns in 1909, died in 1958 aged 74 years at Pearcedale buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Cranbourne Cemetery Joseph — born in 1885 at Pyramid Hill Anastasia — born in 1886 at Pyramid Hill, died on 11 July 1915 aged 29 years at the home of Mary Jane and Patrick Herrick in Rochester Mary Ann died on 23 May 1886 at the age of thirty nine years as a result of Anastasia's birth. Elizabeth Buckley (wife of Michael) assisted at the birth. Mary's sister Isabella Buckley (wife of John) arrived an hour later and gave evidence at her inquest. John died in July 1913 aged 70 years at St Kilda Road, South Yarra and was buried at the Pyramid Hill Cemetery. He had suffered from Cystitis for three weeks. * Could be Catherine. It is Katherine on the birth record and Catherine on John's death certificate. |
3 Comments
Teresa McManus(Murray)
8/10/2020 11:52:09 am
My Great Grandfather. Thank you for this publication.
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Victor Murray
30/11/2020 02:49:06 pm
Hi Teresa and Gwen,
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Teresa McManus (née Murray)
28/1/2021 10:08:02 am
Hello Victor.
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