The Seventh Baronet
Sir John MURRAY of Broughton
His Family
Sir John MURRAY, of Broughton, also known as
Secretary to Prince Charles, was the son
of Sir David MURRAY and Margaret SCOTT.
He was born about 1715 and by 1732 was enrolled in the University of Edinburgh. In 1735, he was studying
at the University of Leyden in the Netherlands. Two years later, John MURRAY was in living Rome.
Sometime late in 1738 John MURRAY returned to Scotland and married the lovely Margaret
FERGUSSON, the daughter of Col. Robert FERGUSSON and niece of William FERGUSSON of Cailloch, in Nithsdale. Margaret is fondly remembered as the
Beautiful Recruiting Sergeant.
Children of Sir John MURRAY, of Broughton and Margaret FERGUSSON:
i. Lt. Sir David MURRAY, who succeeded his father to Stanhope.
ii. Fergusson MURRAY, born about 1742 and died 03 Nov 1743 in the Canongate Parish of Edinburgh.
iii. Sir Robert MURRAY, who succeeded his brother to Stanhope.
iv. Thomas MURRAY, of the 48th Regiment; he married first Miss SKYNNER and secondly in 1787 Mrs.
HOPKINS. Mrs. Hopkins was a widow of the Chamberlain of the City of London.
(From THE MURRAYS OF ROMANNO, BROUGHTON AND STANHOPE, by J. Balfour Paul.
v. Charles MURRAY was born 25 September 1746 and died a few days later.
Margaret left Sir John sometime after the '45 and it was alleged that she was
unfaithful to him. "There is a tradition in the MURRAY family that she became the Prince's mistress.
There is not only not a particle of evidence for this but the story is inherently improbable."
(From MURRAY MEMORIALS, by Robert Fitzroy Bell, 1898)
Sir John MURRAY, of Broughton then had a relationship (marriage?) with a schoolgirl named Dorothy Webb.
Miss Webb, a young quakeress eloped from boarding school with MURRAY. She is reported to have been
a lady of great personal charm and was recognized and lived in Scotland for some years as Lady MURRAY.
Children of Sir John MURRAY, of Broughton, and Dorothy WEBB:
vi. Harriot MURRAY who married Joshua Pickersgill. Information on
their descendants can be found at the De Mornay Davies and Denniss families' web site.
vii. Charles
MURRAY, born about 1754 at Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.
John MURRAY of Broughton died at Cheshunt, Hertfordshire on 6 December 1777 and is buried
at the old St. Marylebone Cemetery northwest of London.
[ Home ] [ What's New ] [ Ancestors of Stanhope ] [ 1st Stanhope Baronet ] [ Murray of Cardon ] [ Photos/Images ] [ Keith W. MURRAY ] [ Peeblesshire Maps ] [ Bibliography ] [ Links ]
This site maintained and created by [Jack Murray]
Copyright © 2000-2002 . . JaMur Webs . . All rights reserved.
Please do not duplicate from this site without my consent.
Please feel free to link to this site.
