My grandfather tells me that somewhere down the line, our name McMurray was originally MacMurray. I'm not sure at what point in time, but it would be interesting to find out and may help alot of us out there. Does anyone have McMurray/McMurray/MacMurray relatives researched past 1750s yet? I am just curious since I am stuck on Thomas E.T. McMurray around 1785. It made me wonder if we are all having the same problem with time period. Michelle McMurray -----Original Message----- From: Don McMurray [mailto:don@norrishouse.com] Sent: Saturday, May 04, 2002 6:42 AM To: MCMURRY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [McMurry] Don-Samuel McMurry of TN/VA Lisa, several researchers have tried to discover the ancestors of the McMurray/McMurry men in Washington Co., Va. I'm pretty sure there is a connection for them. This because in 1782 John and Thomas McMurray, sons of William (son of William the Elder) were in Washington Co., Va. I think it was because their aunt, their father's sister, was there. She and her husband settled in the county after their marriage in Botetourt Co., Va.. Their farm was probably a good stopping-off place for John and Thomas between treks from home (on the Cowpasture River) back and forth to Ky. or N.C. Thomas was by then ready to move to Ky. permanently because in the same year, 1782, he had moved to Lincoln Co., Ky. Incidentally, I may have mentioned this before, don't put too much emphasis on the McMurray vs. McMurry names. It was usually the fault of enumerators and our gang could care less about their surname. Given names were all-important in those days. Several family groups of our McMurrays eventually became McMurrys. My direct line are the only ones to hold onto McMurray and a couple of them even went back to MacMurray. I've considered this but it would be too much work. TTYL, Don -----Original Message----- From: FP4SALE@aol.com [mailto:FP4SALE@aol.com] Sent: Friday, May 03, 2002 11:31 AM To: MCMURRY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [McMurry] Don-Samuel McMurry of TN/VA I enjoyed reading your McMurray info, but still can't tie it in with mine. My Samuel McMurry was born in Sullivan Co. TN about 1786 He was the son of Smauel and Elizabeth McMurray. He married Jane Ramey in about 1808 in what was probably then Washington CO VA. I have the following children: John, my ancestor born 1809 and married Edna Grizzle in 1831, Elizabeth, Joseph who had a son named Sanuel born 1866, the only other Samuel in this line, Sarh "Sally", Robert, Emaline, James, Ellijah J., Eliza Jane, Mary Jane. They resided in Scott CO Va. Samuel passed away November 6th, 1858 and his parents are listed on his death certificate. I believe that all of the Scott Co McMurrys decended from them. Do you have any more clues for me? WIth the name Samuel, and the location, I was hoping they tie in some how. If not, I would like to know where he came from. Thanks, Lisa Stephenson ______________________________

Michelle, your grandfather is right. If you look in the archives of this list you will find my explanation of how the MacMurray name became McMurray or McMurry. It has to do with the enumerators and their inability to spell (or understand the dialect) and their use of abbreviations. You can see the results in the early 1600's in the Ulster militia rolls for County Down, Ulster and later for all of Ulster Every man named MacMurray or MacMurry (misspelled from MacMurray) is listed as M'Murray or M'Murry. The enumerators were using shorthand to avoid writing the extra letters. I suspect, bur don't know, that is also how McMurry came into existence. We are a sept of the Highland Murray clan. In 1160 the Murrays and MacMurrays were scattered all over Scotland. This occurred after a major defeat in their homeland, the old Province of Moray (Murray), the center of which is about where Inverness is now located. I like to joke about how provident the defeat was, otherwise our ancestors would have been among the mooners depicted in the movie Braveheart. In that case, our gang would never have made it to Ulster in 1606 and ultimately to America. My guys turned up in the Shenandoah Valley of Va. in 1749. They may have stopped first in Lancaster Co., Pa. but, so far, I can't prove it. A short stay in Pa. was typical of the Ulster Scots when they landed in America. They were offered free land to farm (but not own) in return for acting as buffer against marauding Indians. For an Ulster connection for the family, the big problem is that most of the records have been lost during various rebellions in Ireland. The only hope is church records. So, out of frustration, I have spent my time tracing the movement of the Murray and MacMurray families from the Highlands to the Lowlands of Scotland, then to Ulster in 1606. A date, incidentally, the preceded the Great Plantation of Ulster in 1611. Another bit of luck; our guys went to County Down in 1606 so they readily survived a later Irish rebellion against the hated English, a rebellion that almost destroyed King James's plantation scheme in the rest of Ulster. Regards, Don -----Original Message----- From: Michelle McMurray de Luces [mailto:smcmurray@nc.rr.com] Sent: Saturday, May 04, 2002 3:09 PM To: MCMURRY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [McMurry] Don-Samuel McMurry of TN/VA My grandfather tells me that somewhere down the line, our name McMurray was originally MacMurray. I'm not sure at what point in time, but it would be interesting to find out and may help alot of us out there. Does anyone have McMurray/McMurray/MacMurray relatives researched past 1750s yet? I am just curious since I am stuck on Thomas E.T. McMurray around 1785. It made me wonder if we are all having the same problem with time period. Michelle McMurray -----Original Message----- From: Don McMurray [mailto:don@norrishouse.com] Sent: Saturday, May 04, 2002 6:42 AM To: MCMURRY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [McMurry] Don-Samuel McMurry of TN/VA Lisa, several researchers have tried to discover the ancestors of the McMurray/McMurry men in Washington Co., Va. I'm pretty sure there is a connection for them. This because in 1782 John and Thomas McMurray, sons of William (son of William the Elder) were in Washington Co., Va. I think it was because their aunt, their father's sister, was there. She and her husband settled in the county after their marriage in Botetourt Co., Va.. Their farm was probably a good stopping-off place for John and Thomas between treks from home (on the Cowpasture River) back and forth to Ky. or N.C. Thomas was by then ready to move to Ky. permanently because in the same year, 1782, he had moved to Lincoln Co., Ky. Incidentally, I may have mentioned this before, don't put too much emphasis on the McMurray vs. McMurry names. It was usually the fault of enumerators and our gang could care less about their surname. Given names were all-important in those days. Several family groups of our McMurrays eventually became McMurrys. My direct line are the only ones to hold onto McMurray and a couple of them even went back to MacMurray. I've considered this but it would be too much work. TTYL, Don -----Original Message----- From: FP4SALE@aol.com [mailto:FP4SALE@aol.com] Sent: Friday, May 03, 2002 11:31 AM To: MCMURRY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [McMurry] Don-Samuel McMurry of TN/VA I enjoyed reading your McMurray info, but still can't tie it in with mine. My Samuel McMurry was born in Sullivan Co. TN about 1786 He was the son of Smauel and Elizabeth McMurray. He married Jane Ramey in about 1808 in what was probably then Washington CO VA. I have the following children: John, my ancestor born 1809 and married Edna Grizzle in 1831, Elizabeth, Joseph who had a son named Sanuel born 1866, the only other Samuel in this line, Sarh "Sally", Robert, Emaline, James, Ellijah J., Eliza Jane, Mary Jane. They resided in Scott CO Va. Samuel passed away November 6th, 1858 and his parents are listed on his death certificate. I believe that all of the Scott Co McMurrys decended from them. Do you have any more clues for me? WIth the name Samuel, and the location, I was hoping they tie in some how. If not, I would like to know where he came from. Thanks, Lisa Stephenson ______________________________ ______________________________