AARON P. MURRAY

Living all his life in Cedar county, deeply interested in its welfare and closely associated with its progress along agricultural lines, Aaron P. Murray well deserves mention in this volume. He was for a considerable period engaged in farming in Red Oak township, where he owned and cultivated a highly improved tract of land of eighty acres. It was in that township that his birth occurred December 28, 1863, his father being Alexander Murray, a native of Ireland, whence he came to the new world when a lad of ten years, arriving in Cedar county about 1844. After arriving at years of maturity he married Miss Lucinda Pierce, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Aaron Pierce, one of the pioneer settlers of this region. Purchasing land, Alexander Murray developed a farm in Red Oak township, becoming the owner of a well improved tract of land of one hundred and sixty acres. His family numbered two sons and three daughters, the brother of our subject being William B. Murray. The sisters are Siddie, now the wife of George Williams; and Eliza J. and Anna, both at home.

At the usual age Aaron P. Murray became a pupil in the district schools, which he attended during the winter seasons, while the summer months were devoted to the work of the farm. He was reared upon the old homestead and continued to assist his father in its development and cultivation up to the time of his marriage, which important event in his life was celebrated in Red Oak township on the 17th of September, 1844, the lady of his choice being Miss Agnes Lumley, who was born and reared in Red Oak township and is a daughter of John Lumley, who came from Missouri to Iowa when the work of progress had scarcely been begun in Cedar county. He was a native of Ohio, however, and was still a young man when he came to this state. He was married in Cedar county to Miss Mary J. Paton, who was here born and reared and is of Scotch lineage, her father being John Paton. Mrs. Lumley is now a resident of Mechanicsville.

After his marriage Mr. Murray rented a farm in Fremont township and for seven years lived upon the farm belonging to his mother-in-law in Red Oak township, there making his home until 1894, when he purchased a tract of land of eighty acres near the old home in Red Oak township. Upon that place he built a dwelling, fenced the fields and developed the farm. He built a small stable at first and later a good bank barn, and added other outbuildings as they were needed for the shelter of grain and stock. His fields were carefully tilled and responded in abundant harvests. He also raised considerable stock and continued actively in business until 1904, when he rented his land and removed to Mechanicsville where for two years he was engaged in the real-estate business. At length he sold his farm for one hundred and thirty-seven and a half dollars per acre and in Mechanicsville purchased a neat residence and five acres of land adjoining.

Mr. and Mrs. Murray have become the parents of two children: Urban A., a graduate of the Mechanicsville high school; and Beryl, the wife of C. H. Stoffel, a business man of Mechanicsville. Mr. Murray belongs to the Modern Woodmen camp of Mechanicsville and gives his political support at the polls to the democratic party but otherwise takes no active part in politics, having ever concentrated his time and energies upon business affairs. He is not without the public spirit, however, that upholds and supports projects for the general good. His business ability is evidenced in the success that has attended his efforts. He had no assistance at the outset of his career and no favorable circumstances aided him in gaining a start. He realized, however, that diligence is the basis of all honorable advancement and year by year saw him ahead of the starting point of the previous year. Gradually, therefore, he progressed toward the goal of prosperity and is now comfortably settled in life, having an attractive home in Mechanicsville, where he has not only the necessities but also some of the luxuries of life.