John Murdoch (abt. 1788 - 1841)

Born about 1 Jan 1788 in Ardclach, Nairnshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (MacPherson) Murdoch — married 18 Mar 1815 in Ardclach, Nairnshire, Scotland, UK

Descendants

Died Apr 1841 at about age 53 in Islay, Argyll, Scotland

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Biography

This profile is part of the Murdoch Name Study.

John Murdoch was born 1 January 1788 on Lynemore farm, Ardclach, Nairnshire, Scotland. He was baptized there January 5th. His parents are John Murdoch and Mary Mitchell.^[1] According to his son John's (b. 1818) autobiography, he is probably at least the tenth generation of John Murdochs. His son also states, "Lynemore, whatever the name may mean, commands a very extensive view northward to the shore of the Moray firth; eastward to Dava; westward across the turbulent Findhorn; and southward to the rampart of rocks of which Beum a' Chlaideimh forms a marked feature." He further says, "I found a good many relatives up and down the Findhorn - they beying MacPhersons, Murdochs, MacQueens, MacArthurs, and MacIntoshes."^[2]

On 18 March 1815, John married Mary McPherson in Ardclach Parish, Nairnshire, Scotland. According to the marriage register, Mary came from the parish of Calder.^[3] According to "For The People's Cause," John Murdoch's (1818-1903) autobiography, his parents had nine children [p.12], named "Betsy (a couple of years my senior) Eliza Murdoch , George (3-4 years younger) George Murdoch, Mary Ann Mary Ann Murdoch, Charles Charles Murdoch, Walter Walter Murdoch, Alexander Alexander Murdoch, Jessie one of the twins Janet Murdoch, and David who was a small boy when I left home David Murdoch." [p. 56, written about living at Claggan Farm, Isle of Islay]^[2]

Between 1818 and 1821 John was the manager of several crofts, and he worked on Highland estates near Lynemore farm.^[2] In 1821 the family lived for part of the year at Bonskeid House in the Atholl district of Perthshire, and for the rest of the year in a cottage at the roadside, at the foot of the hill of Clochgan. Bonskeid House was inside the angle formed by the Tummel and the Garry rivers.^[2]

In the summer of 1827 the family moved to Islay House near Bridgend on the Island of Islay, Argyll.^[2] Between 1829 and 1830 they lived in Claggan Farm near Bridgend. According to his son John's autobiography, this John (b. 1788) became a tenant of Claggan Farm in 1829-1830 as a favor conferred by the laird of Islay House, Walter Frederick Campbell. Son John (b. 1818) says of Claggan, "Looking to the right, we had a view of the upper parts of Daill.... To the left of Claggan, we looked over Springbank to Lochindaal... Across it we took in Kintra, Conisby, Gartacharra, and on to Port Charlotte." John Murdoch (b. 1788) was also one of the laird's gamekeepers at this time. John and Mary believed in educating their children, and often had music, Gaelic stories, etc. at their home. Teaching occurred at the farm and at school on the island. John (b. 1788) played the fiddle.^[2]

In March 1841, John was shot in the head, possibly accidentally, while duck hunting and serving as head gamekeeper for Wm. Campbell. He died of his injury at Claggan Farm a few days later.^[4][5] His son John records about his father "He and Cuthbert Campbell had been out with their guns down abut Blackrock. And somehow he got a grain of shot into his head – how, no one that I ever met could explain. My poor father fell by the roadside unable to proceed further and, before the intimation of the accident reached me, the wound proved fatal. I never saw him again."^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Baptisms record of 1794 from Ardclach, Nairnshire, Scotland, UK. Four Murdoch siblings listed on the page. No Murdochs appeared on one earlier or one subsequent page. Found at scotlandspeople.gov.uk, "[O.P.R. Births 120/ 0010 0191 Ardclach]"
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6} Book: "For the People's Cause, from the Writings of John Murdoch, Highland and Irish Land Reformer" edited and introduced by James Hunter, published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Edinburgh 1986, pp. 12, 13, 40, 43, 44, 49, 56, 70 and others.
3. ↑ Marriage, John Murdoch Mary McPherson 1815 Publication: www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk O.P.R. Marriages 120/0020 0056 Ardclach
4. ↑ Newspaper article published 24 April 1841 in the Londonderry Sentiel about the death of John Murdoch. May have originally appeared in the Glasgow Constitutional. It says, "On Thursday eight days, as two of the gamekeepers of Mr. Campbell of Islay were out duck shooting, the gun of one of them accidentally went off and wounded his companion, William [should have said John] Murdoch, fatally in the forehead. As soon as the accident took place, Mr. Murdoch's companion ran off for medical assistance, but before his return several people collected and would most cheerfully have removed the wounded man, but his dog, which was in attendance, would not permit one of them to go near him till the return of his companion. He was then conveyed Islay House, where every attention and medical assistance that could rendered was paid to him. He, however, expired on Sabbath last. Mr. Murdoch was head game keeper to Mr. Campbell for a considerable number of years past.- He was well respected by all who knew him, and has left a widow and respectable family to lament his untimely death.-Glasgow Constitutional"
5. ↑ Newspaper article that appeared in the Globe on 13 April 1841 about the death of John Murdoch. It says, "On the 31st ult. a serious accident took place near Islay House, the seat of W. F. Campbell, Esq. M. P. for Argyleshire. Mr. John Murdoch, the principal gamekeeper, and an assistant, were shooting at barnacles, and while they were creeping along among some rocks, Mr. Murdoch in front, the assistant fired, when the ball, which hit a rock, rebounded back and struck Mr. Murdoch above the eye with such force as nearly to cause his death. Indeed very little hope is yet entertained of his recovery. - Greenock Advertiser."

Acknowledgments

Thank you to John Patrick for creating WikiTree profile Murdoch-252 through the import of JMP-Ancestry_2013-03-04.ged on Mar 4, 2013.