OBITUARY

Southland Times, Issue 22296, 11 April 1934, Page 3

OBITUARY

MR WILLIAM MURRAY. (From Our Correspondent.) The death occurred recently of Mr William Murray, of Mokoreta, known as the “grand old man” of Wyndham Valley. He was 74 years of age. By his passing the community in which he had been settled so long has lost a man of clear vision and broadminded character. The late Mr Murray, who was born in 1859 in the North of Ireland, was of Highland parentage. His father eventually emigrated to New Zealand, accompanied by his family of two sons and three daughters (of whom only one daughter, Mrs Ellen McNab, of Mosgiel, now survives). They arrived at Port Chalmers in 1878 by the Waitaki. William Murray was then 19 years of age. Mr Murray, sen., accompanied by his son William, not long afterwards went out to Mokoreta, where the young man purchased the “Fcrnhill” property, which remained in his possession until his death. Shortly before this, he married Miss Annie Farquharson. Of a family of six sons and one daughter, four sons survive—David (Christchurch), Robert (Grove Bush), John (North Auckland), and Charles (Mokoreta). Three members of the family, William, Gladys and James are deceased, and there are eight grandchildren.