George Murray was born in Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland, March 7, 1810. He received in his native town a fair education, and when but a young man, determined to seek his fortune in the new world. He came to America, and, after traveling about awhile finally located at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, where for a year he followed his trade of cabinet maker.
Along in the early thirties began the era of railroad building in Pennsylvania. It did not take young Murray long to reach the conclusion that in this new enterprise lay a promising field for future endeavor. He entered upon the work as a contractor, and for many years was one of the prominent railroad builders of the country. He built the Allegheny & Portage Railroad, the Pottsville Railroad, sixty-five miles of the Pennsylvania Central Railroad, and constructed several miles of canal along the Sandy and Beaver rivers in Ohio. In 1852 he took a contract on the Iron Mountain Railroad in Missouri. In all of his railroad contracting he was successful and managed to accumulate a considerable amount of money.
In 1854 he came to Davenport and purchased what was known as the “Dalzell” farm, located four miles north of the City of Davenport, on the Orphans' Home road, and consisting of two hundred and eighty acres. To this original purchase he added from time to time until he had a large tract of land.
Mr. Murray lived at his country home in Scott County until 1875, when he removed to the City of Davenport, where he built a handsome brick residence just above Twelfth on Brady Street. After taking up his residence in the city he lived a life of leisure, except in so far as his official duties gave him employment.
He served the people of Scott County in many official positions, and always honorably and well. In 1873 he was elected County supervisor, vice J. L. Davies, deceased; he was reëlected in 1874 and served until 1878, the last three years as president of the board. He rendered the County more than ordinarily good service in this capacity, as his practical knowledge of the construction of public works gave him a peculiar fitness and qualification for such position.
He was for many years a director in the Scott County Agricultural Society, and for three years its president. He was also a director in the City Central Railroad Company; in fact took an active part and interest in many of Davenport's public enterprises and improvements.
More than forty years before his death he became a member of Holiday Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, at Portage, Pennsylvania, and affiliated with this lodge until the time of his death.
BIOGRAPHIES