Margaret Gray

BMDB data

     Margaret Gray was born cir. 1809 at Tormsdale, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT, (from age on dth cert.).^2,3 Some sources show Margaret as born cir. 1811 (from 1851 census).⁴
     Margaret Gray married William Murray on 6 Aug 1830 in the Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT, William Murray in Olgrinmore and Margaret GRAY in Tongside.⁵
     Margaret Murray died on 30 Sep 1855 at Olgrinmore, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT; cert. shows Margaret MURRAY as 46 born Tormsdale, 46 years in this parish; Married to William MURRAY, farmer, Olgrinmore; Issue: Margaret 24, Donald 22, William 20, James 18, Benjamin dec'd 6 mos, Jane 15, Betty 13, Sinclair 10, Christian 8, Benjamin 5; Died 3pm at Olgrinmore of fever, 4 weeks, no medical attendant; Buried Halkirk Church Yard, cert. by Francis SUTHERLAND, grave digger; Inf. husband William MURRAY; Reg. Halkirk 11 Oct 1855.^3,2 She was buried with William Murray at Halkirk, CAI, SCT, #236: TS (tablestone) Don Murray catechist this par. 16.6.1838 77, Jane DAVIDSON 10.[4?]1834 71, s Ben 1811 9, Dtr Margt 30.9.1855 46, Wm d Olgrinmore 12.5.1883 84 Elder FC Westerdale (see Auld: Minsters and Men in the Far North).⁶

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     Margaret Gray lived in Aug 1830 at Tongside, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT.¹
     Margaret Gray appeared on the census of 1841 at Olgrinmore, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT, with William Murray, as MURRAY: William 40 farmer; assumed wife Margret (sic) 37 ; assumed children: Margret 9, Donald 7, William 6, James 4, Cand (as per ancestry, assumed to be Jane, which FreeCen confirms) 1; Also F.S.: Janet TAIT 15 (x2 on ancestry & FreeCen), Margret SUTHERLAND 12; All b CAI (NB enumerators were instructed to round ages down to the nearest multiple of 5).^7,8
     Margaret Murray appeared on the census of 1851 at Olgrinmore, Par. of Halkirk, CAI, SCT, with William Murray, enumerated as MURRAY (all b Halkirk): William 51 farmer 20 acres; wife Margaret 40; Children: Margaret 18 farm serv; Donald 16 farmer's son; William 14, James 12, Jane 9, Betty 7 (all scholars); Sinclair (m) 5; Christiana 3; Benjamin 1. Servant BUDGE: Mary 20 b Halkirk
(ancestry) MURRAY: William 51 farmer 21 ac; wife Margaret 42 both b Halkirk; Children: Margaret 18 servant; Donald 16 (no occ), William 14, James 12,Jane 9, Betty 7, all scholars; Sinclair 5, Christiana 3, Benjamin 1, all b Halkirk; Servant Mary BRIDGE ?BUDGE seems more likely, which FreeCen confirms? 20 b Halkirk.^4,9

All the other info

     
     For several years Margaret has been tagged in my database as being of an age to be a dtr of William, although there were a number of other Gray families in the area at this time. Naming pattern of her children fitted, but no baptism was found. When she married William Murray of Olgrinbeg, she was living at Tongside, which added to this speculation. Bobby has subsequently, Jul 2009, found her death certificate, indexed only under Murray, not Gray, and it shows the speculation was correct, and adds a birthplace of Tormsdale.^5,10,3