ALEXANDER MURRAY

Alexander Murray, who follows farming on section 9, Red Oak township, comes from across the sea, for he was born in County Down, Ireland, on the 8th of November, 1840, and was five years of age when he came to this country in company with his parents Henry and Jane (Galbraith) Murray, who were also natives of County Down. On reaching the shores of the new world, the family came direct to Cedar county, Iowa, where the father in the course of time acquired an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Fremont township. He was born on the 7th of May, 1808, and died at the home of his son Alexander in 1894, his wife having passed away in this county in 1872. On their emigration to America they were accompanied by his brother Hugh and his wife, who located in Ohio. To Henry and Jane Galbraith Murray were born eleven children, namely: Eliza, now the wife of David L. Davis, of California; William, a farmer of Red Oak township; Jane, who first married William Bandeen and after his death married James Mehan, while for her third husband she married Dr. Bainbridge, a resident of California; Alexander, of this review; Susan, now the widow of John Duncan, a resident of California; Mary, who married James Neff and both are now deceased; Nancy, the wife of William B. Fraseur of California; Henry S., of Atlantic, Iowa; Napoleon B., of Friendville, Nebraska; Thomas, deceased; and Julia Ann, the wife of Samuel Kinney of California.

Alexander Murray spent the first five years of his life in his native land and then with the remainder of his family took passage on the sailing vessel Olive and Eliza, which weighed anchor at Liverpool and arrived in New York six weeks and three days later. Their journey was not ended, however, on reaching the eastern metropolis, but for several weeks they were on their way to this state, traveling by river and canal and finally landed at Muscatine, Iowa. The first winter was spent in Linn county, two miles west of our subject’s present home, but the following spring the father entered eighty acres of land in Red Oak township and here our subject has since resided. He remained under the parental roof until his marriage and then removed to an eighty acre farm on section 5, Red Oak township, that he had previously purchased in the spring of 1869. Today he is the owner of a well improved tract of one hundred and sixty acres on section 8, Red Oak township. At one time he also owned sixty-five acres of timber land, which he has since sold to his son, and still has seven and one-half acres of timber. He has made all of the improvements on his place, as there was not a tree or building standing thereon when he purchased it. His entire time and attention have been devoted to general farming and stock-raising, and he is recognized as one of the leading agriculturists of his community. On the 10th of February, 1900, his residence was destroyed by fire, but he has since erected a more modern and substantial one, having one of the best homes in the neighborhood.

On the 14th of December, 1862, Mr. Murray was united in marriage to Miss Lucinda E. Pierce, whose birth occurred in Richland county, Ohio, on the 12th of November, 1840. She was brought to this county in1854 by her parents, Aaron and Hannah (Cuning) Pierce, who were born in Pennsylvania and died in this county. To our subject and his wife have been born five children, as follows: Aaron P., of Mechanicsville; William B., of Red Oak township; Siddie M., the wife of George W. Williams of Cass township; and Eliza Jane and Hannah, both at home.

A pioneer of this county, Mr. Murray has witnessed almost its entire growth and development. On his arrival here deer and Indians were still numerous in this locality and most of the land was entirely wild and unimproved. At that time there were no settlers on the prairie, as those who located here preferred to make their homes in the timber. In the work of development he has ever borne his part and as a progressive, public-spirited citizen has exerted his influence for the benefit of his adopted county. For fifty-five years he has now made his home here and his circle of friends is limited only by that of his acquaintances.