Sophia (Heywood) McMurray was born in Liverpool, England in 1789 and died at her home in Wapakoneta on September 17, 1877 at the age of 88. She toured Wales while still a young girl and remained in that country long enough to speak fluently the Welsh language. She was married at an early age to Robert McMurray in Edinburg, Scotland and later located at Wigton, a suburb of the city of Carlisle, England. Here they conducted a general store and lived in a house located on the banks of the river Eden, near the Carlisle Castle, famous in the history of England and Scotland.
In time they resolved to seek a home in the United States with the hope that their children might have better opportunities. Robert McMurray Sr., together with the eldest son, Robert Jr., went in advance for a year or two to see if the family could do better in America. Mrs. McMurray then sold their real estate and chattels and, with eight children, left for Liverpool to sail to America.
While in Liverpool awaiting the departure of the sailing vessel, two of the children became afflicted with smallpox, which was epidemic in the port, and both of them died. It was many weeks before they were out of quarantine and enabled to sail, but finally the heartbroken mother and the children set their faces westward, little realizing that they had other sorrows to face. During the twelve week voyage, two of the remaining children took sick and she was compelled to witness their burial at sea.
The father and the eldest son met the family with great joy and yet with sad hearts when they learned of the deaths of four of the children. Robert McMurray Sr., upon landing in America had placed his eldest son, Robert Jr., in school in New York City and had sought employment as superintendent of a cotton factory. The family later moved to Philadelphia, then located in Newport, Kentucky and then Dayton, Ohio, where Robert McMurray Sr. became proprietor of the Mansion House (hotel). After some years he bought a farm on the Auglaize / Shelby County line where he was successful as a stockman.
In 1852, he sold the farm. After making a trip to New York City, he and his wife located in Wapakoneta, where they spent the remainder of their days.
In addition to Robert Jr., the McMurrays had a daughter, Margaret, who married Frederick A.P. Barnard, D.D.LL.D., one-time professor in the Univ. of Alabama, later president of the Univ. of Mississippi, still later, after the Civil War, president of Columbia University in New York City.
[McMurray's "History of Auglaize County"–1923]
In time they resolved to seek a home in the United States with the hope that their children might have better opportunities. Robert McMurray Sr., together with the eldest son, Robert Jr., went in advance for a year or two to see if the family could do better in America. Mrs. McMurray then sold their real estate and chattels and, with eight children, left for Liverpool to sail to America.
While in Liverpool awaiting the departure of the sailing vessel, two of the children became afflicted with smallpox, which was epidemic in the port, and both of them died. It was many weeks before they were out of quarantine and enabled to sail, but finally the heartbroken mother and the children set their faces westward, little realizing that they had other sorrows to face. During the twelve week voyage, two of the remaining children took sick and she was compelled to witness their burial at sea.
The father and the eldest son met the family with great joy and yet with sad hearts when they learned of the deaths of four of the children. Robert McMurray Sr., upon landing in America had placed his eldest son, Robert Jr., in school in New York City and had sought employment as superintendent of a cotton factory. The family later moved to Philadelphia, then located in Newport, Kentucky and then Dayton, Ohio, where Robert McMurray Sr. became proprietor of the Mansion House (hotel). After some years he bought a farm on the Auglaize / Shelby County line where he was successful as a stockman.
In 1852, he sold the farm. After making a trip to New York City, he and his wife located in Wapakoneta, where they spent the remainder of their days.
In addition to Robert Jr., the McMurrays had a daughter, Margaret, who married Frederick A.P. Barnard, D.D.LL.D., one-time professor in the Univ. of Alabama, later president of the Univ. of Mississippi, still later, after the Civil War, president of Columbia University in New York City.
[McMurray's "History of Auglaize County"–1923]
Sophia (Heywood) McMurray was born in Liverpool, England in 1789 and died at her home in Wapakoneta on September 17, 1877 at the age of 88. She toured Wales while still a young girl and remained in that country long enough to speak fluently the Welsh language. She was married at an early age to Robert McMurray in Edinburg, Scotland and later located at Wigton, a suburb of the city of Carlisle, England. Here they conducted a general store and lived in a house located on the banks of the river Eden, near the Carlisle Castle, famous in the history of England and Scotland.
In time they resolved to seek a home in the United States with the hope that their children might have better opportunities. Robert McMurray Sr., together with the eldest son, Robert Jr., went in advance for a year or two to see if the family could do better in America. Mrs. McMurray then sold their real estate and chattels and, with eight children, left for Liverpool to sail to America.
While in Liverpool awaiting the departure of the sailing vessel, two of the children became afflicted with smallpox, which was epidemic in the port, and both of them died. It was many weeks before they were out of quarantine and enabled to sail, but finally the heartbroken mother and the children set their faces westward, little realizing that they had other sorrows to face. During the twelve week voyage, two of the remaining children took sick and she was compelled to witness their burial at sea.
The father and the eldest son met the family with great joy and yet with sad hearts when they learned of the deaths of four of the children. Robert McMurray Sr., upon landing in America had placed his eldest son, Robert Jr., in school in New York City and had sought employment as superintendent of a cotton factory. The family later moved to Philadelphia, then located in Newport, Kentucky and then Dayton, Ohio, where Robert McMurray Sr. became proprietor of the Mansion House (hotel). After some years he bought a farm on the Auglaize / Shelby County line where he was successful as a stockman.
In 1852, he sold the farm. After making a trip to New York City, he and his wife located in Wapakoneta, where they spent the remainder of their days.
In addition to Robert Jr., the McMurrays had a daughter, Margaret, who married Frederick A.P. Barnard, D.D.LL.D., one-time professor in the Univ. of Alabama, later president of the Univ. of Mississippi, still later, after the Civil War, president of Columbia University in New York City.
[McMurray's "History of Auglaize County"–1923]
In time they resolved to seek a home in the United States with the hope that their children might have better opportunities. Robert McMurray Sr., together with the eldest son, Robert Jr., went in advance for a year or two to see if the family could do better in America. Mrs. McMurray then sold their real estate and chattels and, with eight children, left for Liverpool to sail to America.
While in Liverpool awaiting the departure of the sailing vessel, two of the children became afflicted with smallpox, which was epidemic in the port, and both of them died. It was many weeks before they were out of quarantine and enabled to sail, but finally the heartbroken mother and the children set their faces westward, little realizing that they had other sorrows to face. During the twelve week voyage, two of the remaining children took sick and she was compelled to witness their burial at sea.
The father and the eldest son met the family with great joy and yet with sad hearts when they learned of the deaths of four of the children. Robert McMurray Sr., upon landing in America had placed his eldest son, Robert Jr., in school in New York City and had sought employment as superintendent of a cotton factory. The family later moved to Philadelphia, then located in Newport, Kentucky and then Dayton, Ohio, where Robert McMurray Sr. became proprietor of the Mansion House (hotel). After some years he bought a farm on the Auglaize / Shelby County line where he was successful as a stockman.
In 1852, he sold the farm. After making a trip to New York City, he and his wife located in Wapakoneta, where they spent the remainder of their days.
In addition to Robert Jr., the McMurrays had a daughter, Margaret, who married Frederick A.P. Barnard, D.D.LL.D., one-time professor in the Univ. of Alabama, later president of the Univ. of Mississippi, still later, after the Civil War, president of Columbia University in New York City.
[McMurray's "History of Auglaize County"–1923]
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