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				PAUL and MARTHA F. (WARNER) MURRAY

	Paul Murray was  born in the town of La Chute, in the Province of Quebec, Jan. 21, 1834.
His family are of Scotch origin, his ancestors having been born in the Highland of Scotland, 
where they were for many years tenant-farmers.  His father, William Murray, was born in 
Northumberland, on the line between England and Scotland.  Arrived at manhood, he emigrated to 
Canada, where he met and married Jane Doig.  Her parents were natives of Scotland, from whence 
her mother and her family emigrated to Canada after the death of her husband.  After his marriage
William bought two hundred acres of land, mostly new.  This he improved and made into a fine 
farm on which he lived and died.  Paul, who was the fourth of nine children, grew to manhood on 
the old homestead, receiving only a common-school education, obtained at the winter schools, his 
summers being devoted to work on the farm.  In October, 1854, in company with his brother, John 
M. Murray, he came to the United States in search of a home.  They came to Bloomer township, and
bought each an eighty-acre lot in section 13.  There were a few acres chopped on Paul's lot, but 
none cleared.  For the land he ran in debt three hundred dollars, which at that time was 
considered a very large sum.  When not working out by the month he made his home with his 
brother, who was married, until his own marriage, on the 5th day of march, 1860, to Miss Martha
F. Warner.  She was born Oct. 7, 1839, in Lyons, Ionia Co., Mich., where her parents, Thaddeus O.
and Philancy (Hutchinson) Warner, were among the earliest settlers, having settled on East Plains
when there were but three families in that part of the township.  They were from Lyons, Wayne 
Co., N. Y.  To Mr. and Mrs. Murray there have been born the following children:  William Henry 
and Sarah J., born Jan. 18, 1861 (William H. died July 28, 1873); Lawson W., Sept. 26, 1862; 
Thaddeus O., June 4, 1864, died Aug. 12, 1864; Paul, Jr., Oct. 27, 1866; Emily, May 1, 1868, and 
one who died in infancy.  Lawson is now attending the college in Hillsdale, while Sarah is, and 
has been for nearly three years, a teacher in the Carson City school.  After his marriage Mr. 
Murray at once built a log house on his farm, during which time they lived with Mr. Robinson.  
The house built and ready for occupancy, the newly-married pair started for the new home, each 
with an armful of household goods, and this was their wedding-tour.  Their chairs were a couple 
of stools made by Mr. Murray, as were their table and bedstead.  But it was home, and its 
occupants were animated by bright hopes of the future, which have been more than realized in the 
fine farm and beautiful house of which they are now the happy owners.  The eighty acres have been
added to until the farm now embraces one hundred and thirty-one acres, one hundred being under 
improvement, the work and result of Mr. and Mrs. Murray's industry and economy.  In politics he 
is a Republican, and has always been since he became a citizen.  He has been two terms town 
treasurer, three terms highway commissioner, and four years one of the school board.  They have 
been for many years consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  



This biography is taken from "HISTORY OF IONIA AND MONTCALM COUNTIES, MICHIGAN" 
by John S. Schenck. Philadelphia:  D. W. Ensign & Co., 1881.  Pages 428-429.  Bloomer.