92357: John Murray

John Murray (1822-1901) was the son of John Murray and Annie Macdonald. It is not certain where the family were living at the time of his birth, his father was from North Dell and his mother was from Habost. The family were not on the Old South Tolsta Tack sub-tenants list of 1820.

In 1826 John’s mother died.

By 1829 John’s father had remarried and his first half brother had been born. Eventually John had three half brothers and three half sisters. His step-mother was Margaret Murray.

In 1830, during the croft lottings, the family obtained 13 Old South Tolsta.

John married Mary Nicolson, of 16 Old South Tolsta. It is not certain where the couple spent their early marriage and had their first child, who was born in 1848, it seems likely they were cottars at John’s parents croft.

In 1851, during the croft relottings, John’s parents obtained 29 North Tolsta and John and Mary and their child settled there as cottars.

In 1853 Mary’s parents and several of her siblings emigrated to Whitton, Quebec.

In 1855 John and Mary and their first child also emigrated to the Whitton, in the Eastern Townships of Quebec.

Once in Quebec the couple had a further four children. In total they had five children: four boys and a girl.