Sir Alexander MURRAY was born about 1687, the son of Sir
David MURRAY and Lady Anne
BRUCE.
Sir Alexander Murray of Stanhope, the third
Baronet, was M.P. for Peeblesshire
in 1710, and was
placed by his father in possession of the baronies
of Stanhope and Broughton on the occasion of his
marriage in that year to Grisell BAILLIE, the eldest
daughter of George BAILLIE of Jerviswood. This
marriage was not a happy one and she obtained a
decree of separation and aliment against him on 15th
March, 1714, when she returned to her father's
house. She had brought to him a tocher of 20,000
merks, and Sir Alexander settled on her by deed on
22 September, 1720, and aliment of 150 lb sterling,
payable from the lands and barony of Stobo. As the
aliment was not paid she adjudged these lands from
him in 1727, and obtained herself a Crown charter of
adjudication thereof on 12th February, 1729,
assigning her rights and claims to her father, and
he on 12th September of that year was infeft
therein. Two years later he adjudged from Sir
Alexander not only the lands and barony of Stobo,
but also those of Stanhope MURRAY, Over and Nether
Menzion, Glenrath and others. (From A HISTORY OF PEEBLESSHIRE by
James Walter Buchan, c1925-7 vol 3 pg 449.)
Grisell BAILLIE, the daughter of George BAILLIE of Jerviswood, was born
26 October 1692 at Rebraes. When she announced her intention to marry Alexander MURRAY of Stanhope,
her father was strongly opposed to the union. After much tearful pleading by 'Grissie', he reluctantly gave his consent.
George BAILLIE certainly had good instincts as this marriage was a most unfortunate one. Not surprisingly, there are two
sides to the story:
Alexander claimed that Grisell BAILLIE had a wandering eye.
Indeed, Grisell was the subject of a very unpleasant adventure with one of her Footmen, Arthur Grey, an
episode on which the greatly daring and thoroughly unconventional great friend of Grisell, Lady Mary Worley MONTAGU, wrote a
Ballad.
Grisell claimed that Mr. MURRAY, "under a pleasing exterior possessed a dark, moody,
and ferocious temper amounting almost to insanity, which made him the helpless victim of the most groundless
suspicions." Grisell's camp also claims that long after their divorce when Grisell "was having her portrait painted in London,
a gentleman, who afterwards was discovered to be Alexander MURRAY of Stanhope, came frequently
to the artist's studio, where he would stand for an hour with his arms folded gazing at her likeness."
(From the HOUSEHOLD BOOK OF LADY GRISELL BAILLIE, by the Scottish History Society, 1911).
Grissel BAILLIE is the "sweet-tongued Murray"
in John Gay's poem - "Mr. Pope's Welcome to
Greece." She wrote a memoir of her mother, the
heroic Lady Grizel Hume (1665-1746, daughter of the
Covenanting Earl of Marchmont), who is still
remembered as the author of the beautiful poem,
"Were na my heart licht, I wad dee." (From A HISTORY OF PEEBLESSHIRE by
James Walter Buchan, c1925-7 vol 3 pg 449.)
Sir Alexander MURRAY is given credit for discovering, in 1722,
a substantial deposit of lead ore at what is the present location of the
Strontian
Mines. However, Keith W. MURRAY says in his MURRAY PEDIGREES pg 130, that Sir Alexander MURRAY
"died a ruined man"
Sir Alexander MURRAY and Grissell BAILLIE had no children and after his death on
18 May 1743, he was succeeded by
Sir David MURRAY, the son of
Sir Alexander's brother, David MURRAY, Wine Merchant in
Leith. Grissell Baillie MURRAY died on 06 June 1759.
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