The Murray and Murdoch Families
This page tells the history of James Murdoch, Mary Murray and their ancestors. The Murdochs came from Ayrshire and the Murrays were from Dumfries in Scotland.
Mary and her family became Mormons and went to America. A lot more detail can be found on a website dedicated to her by her American descendants. She is fondly remembered as Wee Granny.
The Wee Granny Website
A lot of the information below has been written with the help of the above website.
James Murdoch and Mary Murdoch
James Murdoch was born in 1776 in Commondyke, Ayrshire, Scotland. He married Mary Murray in Auchinleck, Ayrshire on January 10th 1811. He worked at a lime works in Gaswater, Ayrshire. He lost his life on October 20th 1831 trying to rescue a man who had fallen victim to foul air in a new mine shaft. But the gas overcame both men and they both died. James was said to be a 2nd cousin of William Murdoch who invented gas lighting.
Mary Murray was born in Glencairne, Dumfries, Scotland on the 13th October 1782. Mary was a hard worker and thrifty, frugal wife and a kind and loving mother to her children. She was 4ft 7 inches tall, weighing little over 90 pounds, she had blue-grey eyes and a medium complexion. After the death of her husband she was left with 6 children and an orphaned neice. Her 4 oldest children were able to work for themselves. A few years after her husbands's death she was able to built a house with the help of her sons.
In 1850 the Mormon elders came to Scotland to preach the gospel. Her son John readily accepted it. Mary and her daughter also called Mary carefully and prayerfully investigated it, they were also convinced of its truth. Later 2 more of children Veronica and William were also baptised and came to Utah.
John went first to Utah in 1852, He sent money in 1856 so his mother Mary now almost 74 could join him. She arrived in Iowa city in this year, and she was assigned to the Martin Handcart Company, they left on July 28th. Wee Granny trudged bravely as far as Chimney Rock, Nebraska where she succumbed to fatigue and exposure and the hardships of the journey on October 3rd 1856.
Veronica Murdoch
Veronica Murdoch, daughter of James and Mary Murray Murdoch,was born June 16, 1816, at Gaswater, Ayrshire, Scotland, the fourth child in a family of eight. She was christened
June 30, 1816,at Auchinleck Parish Church. After her father's untimely death Veronica adapted herself to all kinds of hard work. She was not able to attend school regularly but took advantage of every opportunity to learn. She was a constant reader and retained well what she read.
She was married to George Caldow February 15, 1839. She was the mother of eleven children, Mary, George, James, John, Alexander, William, Thomas, Joseph, David, Brigham, and Nephi. She was left a widow and worked diligently to raise her family and provide for their needs. In 1878, her brother William and his family made plans to come to Utah, and arrangements were made for her to come with him, he being responsible for her and paying her way. Her family was agreeable to her coming, thinking it best for
her to be with her brothers and sister in Utah and with the body of the church she had joined. None of her family joined the Church. She was in straitened circumstances and at the age of sixty-two, suitable work was hard to find in Scotland. I am sure that she had thought that at some future time at least part of her family would join her, but this was not to be. Preparations were made as soon as possible for their
departure. Sturdy boxes were made for their possessions, one each for their personal belongings and several large ones for general storage. Each box was labeled with their name and destination. I can well remember Aunt Vachey's,labeled Veronica M. Caldow, Utah, U.S.A. They were painted a steel
gray with black lettering. Several years later, Auntie's was-painted red. Crissie Lindsay Duke is the proud owner of Aunt Vachey 's box. Auntie Vachey was married to Thomas Giles on July 3, 1879, and continued to live in the little home they had rented from Mr. Giles. Her life with him was a pleasant one. They had many friends and were invited to all socials and entertainments. He provided well for her, and when he died several years later he left moderate means to take care of her needs. She had a pleasant disposition and with her bit of humor and Scotch brogue fit in to all occasions. After she was again
left a widow she lived alone for several years. Aunt Vachey did some knitting but her main pastime
was sewing carpet rags for people. She always kept busy. She loved pets and had one large yellow dog called Charley. She would give a low whistle and call "ChairlY," and he would come on the run to be fed or petted. She also kept a multitude of cats, much to the dislike of her visitors, but they were company for Auntie and that was all that mattered. Even with all the cats, there were still mice to be troublesome. Auntie liked to tell jokes on herself. I remember her telling of going to the doctor. She had been
bothered with a chest pain and went to have an examination. She told the doctor how miserable the pain was and also said, "I feel like there is something living about me." When she
unbuttoned the tight quilted basque she was wearing, a poor little mouse jumped out. She and the doctor had a good laugh. He said, '"Sure enough Auntie, there was something living about you."
She looked good in her clothes. She always liked pretty hats. I remember one time when she came to show us a new hat she had bought at Louvie Alexander's Hat Shop. Another time while she was staying with cousin Mary and William Lindsay she got a new bonnet-style hat and a new dress and small cape. I thought no one ever had a prettier auntie.
Mary Caldow
Mary Caldow was born in 1839 in Gaswater, Ayrshire. She was the oldest daughter of George Caldau and Veronica Murdoch. Mary's mother Veronica emigrated to America but she stayed in Scotland with her own family. She married twice first to Alexander Goldie on the 4th of December 1857, and had her first child with him on the 13th November 1859, called Mary again. Her husband died before 1867, living Mary a widow. Mary married her second husband Charles Baird in 1868 and we believe they had 3 children together.
Mary Goldie
Mary was the daughter of Mary Caldow and Alexander Goldie. She was born on 13th November 1859 in Auchinleck, Ayrshire, Scotland. She married Thomas Leckie on the 22nd of April 1881. They had at least one daughter called Elizabeth. Elizabeth was born in 1890. She later married Andrew McCrindle in 1910.
This page tells the history of James Murdoch, Mary Murray and their ancestors. The Murdochs came from Ayrshire and the Murrays were from Dumfries in Scotland.
Mary and her family became Mormons and went to America. A lot more detail can be found on a website dedicated to her by her American descendants. She is fondly remembered as Wee Granny.
The Wee Granny Website
A lot of the information below has been written with the help of the above website.
James Murdoch and Mary Murdoch
James Murdoch was born in 1776 in Commondyke, Ayrshire, Scotland. He married Mary Murray in Auchinleck, Ayrshire on January 10th 1811. He worked at a lime works in Gaswater, Ayrshire. He lost his life on October 20th 1831 trying to rescue a man who had fallen victim to foul air in a new mine shaft. But the gas overcame both men and they both died. James was said to be a 2nd cousin of William Murdoch who invented gas lighting.
Mary Murray was born in Glencairne, Dumfries, Scotland on the 13th October 1782. Mary was a hard worker and thrifty, frugal wife and a kind and loving mother to her children. She was 4ft 7 inches tall, weighing little over 90 pounds, she had blue-grey eyes and a medium complexion. After the death of her husband she was left with 6 children and an orphaned neice. Her 4 oldest children were able to work for themselves. A few years after her husbands's death she was able to built a house with the help of her sons.
In 1850 the Mormon elders came to Scotland to preach the gospel. Her son John readily accepted it. Mary and her daughter also called Mary carefully and prayerfully investigated it, they were also convinced of its truth. Later 2 more of children Veronica and William were also baptised and came to Utah.
John went first to Utah in 1852, He sent money in 1856 so his mother Mary now almost 74 could join him. She arrived in Iowa city in this year, and she was assigned to the Martin Handcart Company, they left on July 28th. Wee Granny trudged bravely as far as Chimney Rock, Nebraska where she succumbed to fatigue and exposure and the hardships of the journey on October 3rd 1856.
Veronica Murdoch
Veronica Murdoch, daughter of James and Mary Murray Murdoch,was born June 16, 1816, at Gaswater, Ayrshire, Scotland, the fourth child in a family of eight. She was christened
June 30, 1816,at Auchinleck Parish Church. After her father's untimely death Veronica adapted herself to all kinds of hard work. She was not able to attend school regularly but took advantage of every opportunity to learn. She was a constant reader and retained well what she read.
She was married to George Caldow February 15, 1839. She was the mother of eleven children, Mary, George, James, John, Alexander, William, Thomas, Joseph, David, Brigham, and Nephi. She was left a widow and worked diligently to raise her family and provide for their needs. In 1878, her brother William and his family made plans to come to Utah, and arrangements were made for her to come with him, he being responsible for her and paying her way. Her family was agreeable to her coming, thinking it best for
her to be with her brothers and sister in Utah and with the body of the church she had joined. None of her family joined the Church. She was in straitened circumstances and at the age of sixty-two, suitable work was hard to find in Scotland. I am sure that she had thought that at some future time at least part of her family would join her, but this was not to be. Preparations were made as soon as possible for their
departure. Sturdy boxes were made for their possessions, one each for their personal belongings and several large ones for general storage. Each box was labeled with their name and destination. I can well remember Aunt Vachey's,labeled Veronica M. Caldow, Utah, U.S.A. They were painted a steel
gray with black lettering. Several years later, Auntie's was-painted red. Crissie Lindsay Duke is the proud owner of Aunt Vachey 's box. Auntie Vachey was married to Thomas Giles on July 3, 1879, and continued to live in the little home they had rented from Mr. Giles. Her life with him was a pleasant one. They had many friends and were invited to all socials and entertainments. He provided well for her, and when he died several years later he left moderate means to take care of her needs. She had a pleasant disposition and with her bit of humor and Scotch brogue fit in to all occasions. After she was again
left a widow she lived alone for several years. Aunt Vachey did some knitting but her main pastime
was sewing carpet rags for people. She always kept busy. She loved pets and had one large yellow dog called Charley. She would give a low whistle and call "ChairlY," and he would come on the run to be fed or petted. She also kept a multitude of cats, much to the dislike of her visitors, but they were company for Auntie and that was all that mattered. Even with all the cats, there were still mice to be troublesome. Auntie liked to tell jokes on herself. I remember her telling of going to the doctor. She had been
bothered with a chest pain and went to have an examination. She told the doctor how miserable the pain was and also said, "I feel like there is something living about me." When she
unbuttoned the tight quilted basque she was wearing, a poor little mouse jumped out. She and the doctor had a good laugh. He said, '"Sure enough Auntie, there was something living about you."
She looked good in her clothes. She always liked pretty hats. I remember one time when she came to show us a new hat she had bought at Louvie Alexander's Hat Shop. Another time while she was staying with cousin Mary and William Lindsay she got a new bonnet-style hat and a new dress and small cape. I thought no one ever had a prettier auntie.
Mary Caldow
Mary Caldow was born in 1839 in Gaswater, Ayrshire. She was the oldest daughter of George Caldau and Veronica Murdoch. Mary's mother Veronica emigrated to America but she stayed in Scotland with her own family. She married twice first to Alexander Goldie on the 4th of December 1857, and had her first child with him on the 13th November 1859, called Mary again. Her husband died before 1867, living Mary a widow. Mary married her second husband Charles Baird in 1868 and we believe they had 3 children together.
Mary Goldie
Mary was the daughter of Mary Caldow and Alexander Goldie. She was born on 13th November 1859 in Auchinleck, Ayrshire, Scotland. She married Thomas Leckie on the 22nd of April 1881. They had at least one daughter called Elizabeth. Elizabeth was born in 1890. She later married Andrew McCrindle in 1910.