My New Zealand Family History: Murray Family - James and Agnes Murray (First generation)

James and Mary's eldest son James, aged 21 emigrated to New Zealand in 1866 arriving aboard the ship Caribou. Departing Glasgow on the 6th October arriving in Port Chalmers on the 13th January 1867.

SHIPPING TELEGRAMS—YESTERDAY.,
Otago Daily Times, Issue 1572, 14 January 1867

Page 1 Advertisements Column 3
Otago Daily Times, Issue 1572, 14 January 1867

Page 1 Advertisements Column 3,
Otago Daily Times, Issue 1572, 14 January 1867

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam."
DUNUDIN, WEDNESDAY, DEC 26.,
Otago Daily Times, Issue 1574, 16 January 1867

Page 1 Advertisements Column 3,
Otago Daily Times, Issue 1573, 15 January 1867

Hints for a successful voyage to New Zealand

James found work with Peter Whitelaw at Taieri and later at Balclutha, two or so years later James purchased a dray and two horses and started carrying on his own account. Eventually acquiring a wagon and eight horses. He carted regularly on the roads between Dunedin, Switzers, Waipori, Tapanui and Shag Point.

TAIERI PLOUGHING MATCH.,
Otago Daily Times, Issue 1728, 15 July 1867

In 1869 James married Agnes McKay (1849-1928). Agnes was born in Kilmarnock, Scotland her parents names were Thomas and Agnes and that is about all I know. This information I have found on her death certificate. Thomas and Agnes were married at Four mile creek, Warepa. Warepa-Kaihiku area map (m.1869/4896).

James and Agnes had 10 children:

Mary (1870-1930)

Andrew (1871-1946)

Janet (1872-1928)

James (1875-1941)

Robert (1877-1961)

Elizabeth Anne(1880-1931)

Agnes Welburn (1882-1925)

John William (1884-1937) my great-grandfather

Thomas Hugh (1886-1908)

Jane Jean MacKenize (1891-1975)

I will tell you more about each of the children in future blogs.

James is found on the Borough of Balclutha, Burgess Roll in 1878. James is entitled to 1 vote.

Burgess rolls were compiled and printed according to directions included in the Municipal Corporations Act 1867. The burgess rolls for the City of Auckland record the names of all adults who owned or occupied rateable property there. Each person on the burgess roll was automatically entitled to cast between one and five votes, depending on the annual rateable value of his or her property. The owner or occupier of a property rateable at less than £50 had one vote, while an owner or occupier with rateable property valued at £350 or more had five votes. The Municipal Franchise Reform Act 1898 abolished plural voting. City of Auckland Burgess roll search.

James and Agnes took over a property in Waipahi in 1878. James Jr. attending schools at Warepa and Te houka. Robert, Elizabeth and Agnes attend Warepa, Port Molyneux, Wiltshire Bay, Reomoana, Waipahi and Nugget Bay schools. In 1993 John (9 yrs) leaves school to work, may have been only temporarily. In 1894 Agnes and Elizabeth to Balclutha and Thomas home. In 1896 Thomas off to Waipahi. Not unusually for children to miss school depending on the help needed on the farm.
Electoral rolls show James' farms in the Waitepeka area between from 1880 - 1890. Agnes appears to be also leasing land.

DISPOSAL OF CROWN LANDS.,
Otago Witness, Issue 2100, 24 May 1894

LAND BOARD.,
Otago Witness, Issue 2218, 3 September 1896

From 1896 - 1919 James farms in Port Molyneux. Agnes appears to move around abit, in the 1896 Electoral roll Agnes is living at Nugget Bay, a domestic.

James and Agnes purchasing (or leasing??) False Island farm in abt. 1899 from Mr Forsyth who cleared the land in abt. 1876 farming and farmed there until 1899 when he passed agway.

THE COUNTRY. ROUND ABOUT DRUMMOND.
LAKE COUNTY. CLIFDEN. CLINTON. TUAPEKA WEST.
BALD HILL FLAT. WETHEKSTONES. POMAHAKA DOWNS.
OWAKA. MILTON. TAPANUI. GREEN VALLEY.,
Otago Witness, Issue 2380, 19 October 1899

I found many articles in the newspaper reporting a lovely day was had at False Island a very popular picnic spot.

CONSTIPATION.,
Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905

A lovely description of False Island. If only they could have seen it from the air.

ROUND ABOUT OWAKA.,
Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4496, 6 November 1897

Can find no reference as to when James' purchase False Island farm but his name appears a numbers times in the newspaper associated with False Island farm.

BREACHES OF THE RABBIT ACT.,
Clutha Leader, Volume XXIX, Issue 1680, 30 January 1903

BREACH OF THE RABBIT ACT.,
Clutha Leader, Volume XXIX, Issue 1681, 3 February 1903
James Murray Defence - Man employed to deal with rabbits.

COMMERCIAL., Clutha Leader,
Volume XXIX, Issue 1692, 13 March 1903

HIDE SALES,
Otago Witness, Issue 2590, 4 November 1903

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.,
Otago Witness, Issue 2450, 27 February 1901

In 1905 False Island farm was sold to Mr Alfred North, Portobello.

PROPERTY SALES.,
Otago Witness, Issue 2688, 20 September 1905

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.,
Otago Daily Times, Issue 13516, 13 February 1906

James suffered a painful injury to his hand in 1913 at the age of 67.

ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS,
Evening Star, Issue 15305, 3 October 1913

This photo of James must have been taken sometime later as you can see James has a glove on his right which he wore on his hand after the accident. My Aunty Violet remembers this.

James Murray circ. later than1913

James' Day in Court
Page 4 Advertisements Column 4,
Evening Star, Issue 16166, 14 July 1916

In 1916 Agnes has her land lease at Port Molyneux renewed.

OTAGO LAND BOARD.,
Otago Witness, Issue 3240, 19 April 1916

On the 6th September 1919 James and Agnes celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary at Port Molyneux.

PERSONAL.,
Otago Daily Times, Issue 17726, 10 September 1919

GOLDEN WEDDING.,
Clutha Leader, Volume XLVI,
Issue 22, 12 September 1919

The perfect opportunity for family photos.

Agnes and James Murray's 50th Wedding Anniversary - 1919
Back row left to right - Jean, Andrew, Thomas (deceased), Robert, Elizabeth, James, Janet
Front row Left to right - John, Agnes, James Mary, Agnes

James and Agnes Murray's daughters - 1919
Left to right - Elizabeth (Irvine), Agnes (Cunningham), Janet, Mary (Carrick), Jean (Paterson)

Extended Murray Family - 1919

Link to list of people in the photo.

It was this photo that started me on this journey of discovery. Where was my grandfather Thomas Hugh Murray? Born in 1908 he would have been 7 years old I would have thought he should have been in the photo. After a lot of visits to the Hocken library I found my grandfather and his brothers were living in Dunedin at the Anderson's Bay Orphanage at this time.

PORT MOLYNEUX.,
Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 74, 2 May 1913

Donations from the Port Molyneux Presbyterian Church Thanksgiving Harvest service were sent to the Anderson's Bay Orphanage.

James was an active member of the Early Settler Association attending an anniversary service at the First Church in Dunedin in March 1926.