Changemakers

The original Murray family members

Andrew Murray Snr

Andrew Snr

Andrew Murray Snr was one of the first Scottish ministers to have governor Lord Charles Somerset come to South Africa, on the one hand, to help relieve the shortage of ministers but on the other hand especially members of help the Dutch Reformed Church angels. He was also the father of five sons, all of whom became ministers, among whom dr. Andrew Murray and Prof. John Murray , and the ancestor of the Murray family, including countless ministers and missionaries.
maria susanna magdalena murray

Maria Susanna Murray

Maria Stegman was born in the Cape into a family of business people. Her father, a trader and producer of furniture, was well known and respected Capetonian. When Maria, at the age of sixteen, said “yes” to the young Rev Andrew Murray.
john murray

John Murray

John, the firstborn, seemed to have been quiet, serious and studious even as a little boy – characteristics which were to be his ‘trademark’ until his death. Prof Marais, his one-time student and then colleague at the Theological Seminary, said this of John at his funeral: “Seemingly cold, often almost unreachable, turned into himself, he had a warm heart. There were moments when one was given a glimpse of what was going on in his warm heart.
andrew murray jnr

Andrew Murray Jnr

Andrew Murray, a well-respected minister of the Dutch reformed church, was born in Graaf-Reinet on the 9th May 1828. At the age of nine Andrew and his brother John were sent to Aberdeen for their education where they both graduated at Marischal College. Following this, the two brothers traveled on to Utrecht where they furthered their theological studies as well as received qualifications in Dutch.
william murray

William Murray

William, the third child, is described as “essentially the mother’s boy” being the eldest at home after his two brothers left for Scotland and Maria was sent to boarding school, it fell on him to help Mama Maria in the house. William received his basic education in Graaff Reinet and then went on to Cape Town to find employment in a merchant’s warehouse so as to fit him for business.
maria neethling murray

Maria Murray

As the third child of Andrew and Maria Murray, Maria (Jnr) was the first daughter in the family. For her basic education, she was first sent to Mrs. Wentworth’s school and at the age of twelve, to the boarding school of Mrs. Pears in Somerset East. After two years at Mrs. Pears’ school, Maria came home to assist her mother with the little ones. She taught them in the morning and in the afternoons helped Mama with sewing.
charles murray

Charles Murray

Charles was born on 26 February 1838 in the old parsonage, where, as a little boy at the age of four, his life was nearly ended prematurely. Unseen, he fell in a dam in the back of the parsonage. Fortunately, the nurse saw his petticoats afloat on the water, ran to pull him out, and the family doctor was able to restore him.
George Murray

George Murray

1834 - 1840. Died at the age of 6
Jemima Murray

Jemima Murray

Jemima (Mima) was the 7th child and second daughter of Andrew and Maria. As the second daughter, it was expected of her to be her mother’s assistant and helper, something she was exquisitely equipped for given her amiable nature, loving heart and skilful hands. She seemed to love to bake, whether biscuits, a tart for Sunday or cake for a picnic.
Isabella Murray

Isabella Murray

1838 - 1839. Died at the age of 1
Isabella_Murray_Hofmeyr

Isabella (Bella) Murray

Isabella, the seventh child of Andrew and Maria Murray of Graaff Reinet, was “a beautiful girl, tall and slim, with blue eyes, dark wavy hair and a particularly good skin”. She was an exquisite needlewoman, a voracious reader with an exceptionally good memory, and had an intense love of fun. Fortunately for the man who married her, she was also trained in all the arts of home-making.
Catherine Murray

Catherine Murray

Catherine (Kitty) lived for only nineteen years, yet her death had a profound impact on many of the family members, such as her sister Isabella and even on her new sister in law, Andrew’s wife Emma Murray (Rutherfoord), with whom she had spend some time shortly before her death. She is described as “the really musical one of the family”. Unfortunately, she died unexpectedly a few days before her nineteenth birthday in Graaff Reinet.
James Murray

James Murray

Born in 1843, James was named after a dear family friend, Barend Jacobus Burger, who was to be his godfather. At the age of seven, he had an attack of rheumatic fever, leaving his heart affected. Thus, he remained under his mother’s watchful care when the other children were send to school. James developed a strong love for farming and spend some years on the farm Rooi Poort with Willem Burger (son of BJ Burger).
GEORGE MURRAY

George Murray

George was the youngest son in the family of Andrew and Maria Murray, described by his on sister as robust, lively, and full of fun. His mother (Maria) writes of him: “He is really the life of the house; though Papa has sometimes to check him, when his temper becomes too lively. I trust he will be preserved form temptation. I believe he is the Lord’s.
Robert Murray

Robert Murray

1847 - 1850. Died at the age of 3
helen murray

Helen Murray

Helen, less robust than her other brothers and sisters and of a timid disposition, preferred reading to tree climbing. Therefore, at the age of fourteen, she was sent to Cape Town where she lived with her brother Andrew and his wife Emma. There Helen attended the South African College classes for ladies, a course in astronomy and English literature, and the lectures of Professors Cameron and Noble.
Margaret Murray

Margaret Murray

1852 - 1857. Died at the age of 5
ELIZABETH MURRAY

Elizabeth Murray

Eliza was the youngest of the large Graaff Reinet Murray-family. Born twenty-nine years after the eldest John, most of her older brothers and sisters were already settled in homes their own. Eliza was left an “only child” in the large parsonage with her parents Andrew and Maria (snr). Andrew died in 1866 when Eliza was only ten, leaving Eliza and Mama to stay on in the Graaff Reinet-parsonage.

Want to know more?

Download the full family tree document here.