WILLIAM JAMES McMURRAY, editor of the 1923 "History of Auglaize County", was born near Newport, Kentucky on October 17, 1849, the youngest child of Robert Jr. and Mary (Hurst) McMurray, both of whom were natives of England. He was but an infant when his father died and he never knew what it was to have a father's care. He spent several years of his childhood with his Grandmother Hurst and his Aunt Jane (Hurst) Hartington. His mother, Mary (Hurst) McMurray, lived until October 24, 1896.
William James McMurray attended private schools in Newport and Covington, Ky. and also one term in a select school near Grants Lick, Campbell County, Kentucky. In 1859, at the age of 10, he accompanied his mother and sister in their move to Wapakoneta, his elder brother (Robert III) having preceded them.
After coming to Ohio, William J. McMurray attended school at St. Marys for one year, and then went to Wapakoneta, where he lived with his paternal grandparents and attended the Wapakoneta public schools for six years. Having been too young to enter the service of his country during the Civil War, Mr. McMurray had no military record. He served five years, however, in the Ohio National Guard.
In the spring of 1867 (at the age of 17), he accepted a position as a clerk in John Shawber's dry goods store, where he worked for twelve years. During his twelve years as salesman, he saved enough money to purchase a farm of 45 acres near the village.
Before embarking in larger business undertakings, Mr. McMurray spent much of his time in reading, and was later seized with the wanderlust of his forbears. Accordingly, in the winter of 1880-1881, in company with a friend, he planned a trip to the West Indies to satisfy a longing desire to spend a winter in Havana, Cuba.
Returning from Cuba in May 1881, he was urged by prominent Republicans to establish a new Republican newspaper in Wapakoneta. He had no experience in the printing or publishing business other than being an occasional contributor to the local and city press, however the pressure became so great that he reluctantly agreed to start a newspaper. He secured a partner in the person of Robert Sutton, who at that time was engaged in getting out the (1880) Atlas of Auglaize County. They issued the first number of the weekly publication, The Auglaize Republican, on August 18, 1881. This partnership lasted about two years (until 1883), when Mr. McMurray bought the interest of his partner and edited the paper alone until 1887, when he sold a half interest to William R. Duvall. This partnership continued until 1890, when Mr. Duvall sold his interest. Mr. McMurray then became sole owner of The Auglaize Republican and conducted the paper alone until 1915, when he sold the plant to his nephews, William B. Morey and Charles Sumner Whiteman.
When the electoral college met in Columbus in January 1893 to cast the vote of Ohio for President and Vice President of the United States, Mr. McMurray was chosen the messenger to carry the returns to Washington. Though never having held public office, Mr. McMurray held many offices of trust and honor in civic and industrial organizations. He was also a charter member of the Knights of Pythias, Duchouquet Lodge No. 165.
On May 31, 1912 (at the age of 62), William J. McMurray was married at Knightstown, Indiana to Louise Nagel, daughter of Philip and Hermina (Menges) Nagel of Wapakoneta. Louise McMurray passed away March 4, 1914, at the age of 43, after less than two years of marriage. In 1923, at the age of 74, William J. McMurray published the two-volume set of the "History of Auglaize County, Ohio". He died September 8, 1931 at the age of 81. He and his wife are both buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in Wapakoneta.
William James McMurray attended private schools in Newport and Covington, Ky. and also one term in a select school near Grants Lick, Campbell County, Kentucky. In 1859, at the age of 10, he accompanied his mother and sister in their move to Wapakoneta, his elder brother (Robert III) having preceded them.
After coming to Ohio, William J. McMurray attended school at St. Marys for one year, and then went to Wapakoneta, where he lived with his paternal grandparents and attended the Wapakoneta public schools for six years. Having been too young to enter the service of his country during the Civil War, Mr. McMurray had no military record. He served five years, however, in the Ohio National Guard.
In the spring of 1867 (at the age of 17), he accepted a position as a clerk in John Shawber's dry goods store, where he worked for twelve years. During his twelve years as salesman, he saved enough money to purchase a farm of 45 acres near the village.
Before embarking in larger business undertakings, Mr. McMurray spent much of his time in reading, and was later seized with the wanderlust of his forbears. Accordingly, in the winter of 1880-1881, in company with a friend, he planned a trip to the West Indies to satisfy a longing desire to spend a winter in Havana, Cuba.
Returning from Cuba in May 1881, he was urged by prominent Republicans to establish a new Republican newspaper in Wapakoneta. He had no experience in the printing or publishing business other than being an occasional contributor to the local and city press, however the pressure became so great that he reluctantly agreed to start a newspaper. He secured a partner in the person of Robert Sutton, who at that time was engaged in getting out the (1880) Atlas of Auglaize County. They issued the first number of the weekly publication, The Auglaize Republican, on August 18, 1881. This partnership lasted about two years (until 1883), when Mr. McMurray bought the interest of his partner and edited the paper alone until 1887, when he sold a half interest to William R. Duvall. This partnership continued until 1890, when Mr. Duvall sold his interest. Mr. McMurray then became sole owner of The Auglaize Republican and conducted the paper alone until 1915, when he sold the plant to his nephews, William B. Morey and Charles Sumner Whiteman.
When the electoral college met in Columbus in January 1893 to cast the vote of Ohio for President and Vice President of the United States, Mr. McMurray was chosen the messenger to carry the returns to Washington. Though never having held public office, Mr. McMurray held many offices of trust and honor in civic and industrial organizations. He was also a charter member of the Knights of Pythias, Duchouquet Lodge No. 165.
On May 31, 1912 (at the age of 62), William J. McMurray was married at Knightstown, Indiana to Louise Nagel, daughter of Philip and Hermina (Menges) Nagel of Wapakoneta. Louise McMurray passed away March 4, 1914, at the age of 43, after less than two years of marriage. In 1923, at the age of 74, William J. McMurray published the two-volume set of the "History of Auglaize County, Ohio". He died September 8, 1931 at the age of 81. He and his wife are both buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in Wapakoneta.
WILLIAM JAMES McMURRAY, editor of the 1923 "History of Auglaize County", was born near Newport, Kentucky on October 17, 1849, the youngest child of Robert Jr. and Mary (Hurst) McMurray, both of whom were natives of England. He was but an infant when his father died and he never knew what it was to have a father's care. He spent several years of his childhood with his Grandmother Hurst and his Aunt Jane (Hurst) Hartington. His mother, Mary (Hurst) McMurray, lived until October 24, 1896.
William James McMurray attended private schools in Newport and Covington, Ky. and also one term in a select school near Grants Lick, Campbell County, Kentucky. In 1859, at the age of 10, he accompanied his mother and sister in their move to Wapakoneta, his elder brother (Robert III) having preceded them.
After coming to Ohio, William J. McMurray attended school at St. Marys for one year, and then went to Wapakoneta, where he lived with his paternal grandparents and attended the Wapakoneta public schools for six years. Having been too young to enter the service of his country during the Civil War, Mr. McMurray had no military record. He served five years, however, in the Ohio National Guard.
In the spring of 1867 (at the age of 17), he accepted a position as a clerk in John Shawber's dry goods store, where he worked for twelve years. During his twelve years as salesman, he saved enough money to purchase a farm of 45 acres near the village.
Before embarking in larger business undertakings, Mr. McMurray spent much of his time in reading, and was later seized with the wanderlust of his forbears. Accordingly, in the winter of 1880-1881, in company with a friend, he planned a trip to the West Indies to satisfy a longing desire to spend a winter in Havana, Cuba.
Returning from Cuba in May 1881, he was urged by prominent Republicans to establish a new Republican newspaper in Wapakoneta. He had no experience in the printing or publishing business other than being an occasional contributor to the local and city press, however the pressure became so great that he reluctantly agreed to start a newspaper. He secured a partner in the person of Robert Sutton, who at that time was engaged in getting out the (1880) Atlas of Auglaize County. They issued the first number of the weekly publication, The Auglaize Republican, on August 18, 1881. This partnership lasted about two years (until 1883), when Mr. McMurray bought the interest of his partner and edited the paper alone until 1887, when he sold a half interest to William R. Duvall. This partnership continued until 1890, when Mr. Duvall sold his interest. Mr. McMurray then became sole owner of The Auglaize Republican and conducted the paper alone until 1915, when he sold the plant to his nephews, William B. Morey and Charles Sumner Whiteman.
When the electoral college met in Columbus in January 1893 to cast the vote of Ohio for President and Vice President of the United States, Mr. McMurray was chosen the messenger to carry the returns to Washington. Though never having held public office, Mr. McMurray held many offices of trust and honor in civic and industrial organizations. He was also a charter member of the Knights of Pythias, Duchouquet Lodge No. 165.
On May 31, 1912 (at the age of 62), William J. McMurray was married at Knightstown, Indiana to Louise Nagel, daughter of Philip and Hermina (Menges) Nagel of Wapakoneta. Louise McMurray passed away March 4, 1914, at the age of 43, after less than two years of marriage. In 1923, at the age of 74, William J. McMurray published the two-volume set of the "History of Auglaize County, Ohio". He died September 8, 1931 at the age of 81. He and his wife are both buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in Wapakoneta.
William James McMurray attended private schools in Newport and Covington, Ky. and also one term in a select school near Grants Lick, Campbell County, Kentucky. In 1859, at the age of 10, he accompanied his mother and sister in their move to Wapakoneta, his elder brother (Robert III) having preceded them.
After coming to Ohio, William J. McMurray attended school at St. Marys for one year, and then went to Wapakoneta, where he lived with his paternal grandparents and attended the Wapakoneta public schools for six years. Having been too young to enter the service of his country during the Civil War, Mr. McMurray had no military record. He served five years, however, in the Ohio National Guard.
In the spring of 1867 (at the age of 17), he accepted a position as a clerk in John Shawber's dry goods store, where he worked for twelve years. During his twelve years as salesman, he saved enough money to purchase a farm of 45 acres near the village.
Before embarking in larger business undertakings, Mr. McMurray spent much of his time in reading, and was later seized with the wanderlust of his forbears. Accordingly, in the winter of 1880-1881, in company with a friend, he planned a trip to the West Indies to satisfy a longing desire to spend a winter in Havana, Cuba.
Returning from Cuba in May 1881, he was urged by prominent Republicans to establish a new Republican newspaper in Wapakoneta. He had no experience in the printing or publishing business other than being an occasional contributor to the local and city press, however the pressure became so great that he reluctantly agreed to start a newspaper. He secured a partner in the person of Robert Sutton, who at that time was engaged in getting out the (1880) Atlas of Auglaize County. They issued the first number of the weekly publication, The Auglaize Republican, on August 18, 1881. This partnership lasted about two years (until 1883), when Mr. McMurray bought the interest of his partner and edited the paper alone until 1887, when he sold a half interest to William R. Duvall. This partnership continued until 1890, when Mr. Duvall sold his interest. Mr. McMurray then became sole owner of The Auglaize Republican and conducted the paper alone until 1915, when he sold the plant to his nephews, William B. Morey and Charles Sumner Whiteman.
When the electoral college met in Columbus in January 1893 to cast the vote of Ohio for President and Vice President of the United States, Mr. McMurray was chosen the messenger to carry the returns to Washington. Though never having held public office, Mr. McMurray held many offices of trust and honor in civic and industrial organizations. He was also a charter member of the Knights of Pythias, Duchouquet Lodge No. 165.
On May 31, 1912 (at the age of 62), William J. McMurray was married at Knightstown, Indiana to Louise Nagel, daughter of Philip and Hermina (Menges) Nagel of Wapakoneta. Louise McMurray passed away March 4, 1914, at the age of 43, after less than two years of marriage. In 1923, at the age of 74, William J. McMurray published the two-volume set of the "History of Auglaize County, Ohio". He died September 8, 1931 at the age of 81. He and his wife are both buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in Wapakoneta.
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born Newport, Ky.
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