Richard McMurtrie's biography, Homer Township, Calhoun County, Michigan

Copyright © 1999 by Pat Nowicki. This copy contributed for use in 
the MIGenWeb Archives.  

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Richard A, MCMURTRIE was born in Oxford, Sussex county, New Jersey, April
27, 1799.  In 1809 with his father's family, he removed to Luzerne county,
Pennsylvania, where he remained until early in 1832, when, as stated
elsewhere in this work, he set out for Michigan and settled in this
township, locating his lands on section 2 and 11.  On July 4, 1834, he was
united in marriage to Miss Nancy J., daughter of Frederick Ansterburg.

Mr.McMurtrie's first house was a log cabin, but two years later he built a
frame house.  In 1839 he erected a barn 40x60 feet, with underground
basement, and nine years later put up the brick house in which he died,
November 27, '82.  His first farm implements are worthy of mention, being
made by his own hands from imaginary models of his own devising.  The
wheels of his wagon were circles sawed from the end of a large pepprage log, 
and the axletrees were of white oak.  His wheat was put in by the use of a
crotched drag with wooden teeth.  He went to Ann Arbor, or White Pigeon to
mill and to get his plow-shares sharpened.  He drew oats and pork to
Adrian, where he sold the former for ten cents a bushel.  At the time of 
his death he was the owner of 520 acres of land, of which 240 were in this 
township, 160 in Pulaski and 120 in Albion.  He was upright in deal with 
his fellow men, was always full of sport, which made the home of  "Uncle 
Dick" and "Aunt Nancy" a pleasant place to visit by the young as well as 
the old.

Mr. M. had five children, Joseph F., married Cornelia Whitney, and lives in
South Albion; John married Ellen Patterson, and resides in this village;
Aiten, who married Fila Thorne, and lives in Litchfield; Sarah, widow of the
late David Johnson, who died in Albion Feb. 11, '81; and Mary, who died in
1865, at which time she was Mr. Johnson's first wife.  Mrs. McMurtrie is
stil living and resides with her daughter, Mrs. Johnson, in Pulaski.

From Homer and it's Pioneers - 1888