James McMurray

James McMurray, the grandson, (c1729-1756) is proven to be the son of James McMurray, the Pirate's Wharf settler's, son John McMurray (c1702-1735) from the inventory and accounting of Elizabeth McMurray's estate in 1753. She was the spinster sister of James McMurray (the settler) and her estate was distributed to her heirs including "John McMurray's children; James, Ann, Sarah and Betty McMurray." (Maryland Prerogative Accounts, Liber 33:374)

James McMurray disappears from the Tax Lists after 1754 and a bond to do an accounting of his estate was entered into the Testamentary Court of Maryland in Jun 1756. The grandson James McMurray (c1729-1756) became the sole owner and operator of the McMurray plantation at Pirate's Wharf about 1750. He married, Elizabeth Stewart, who was a step-daughter to George Dashiell aforementioned (Dashiell's second marriage was to her mother) and who probably pre-deceased him. When James McMurray, the grandson, died in 1756, an inventory of his personal estate was taken (not real estate) and his mother, Elizabeth Adams, acted as administrator as she had remarried to Roger Adams after the death of her first husband, John McMurray, in 1735.

Items in the inventory are of interest to help show what the plantation was like in the mid-1750s. In it, five slaves are listed; a man Abner, a woman Jean with children Jacob, Love and Rose and many farm implements and wood cutting tools to support the plantation. He also had a boat and livestock including 33 pigs/hogs, 20 sheep, 3 horses, 17 geese, 7 bulls/cows and yearlings and a pair (yoke) of steers with supporting items including a man's saddle and a side saddle. He had three raw hides and one side of a hide, a gun and a pair of pistols and a "patch of wheat." Household items included are 15½ pounds of new pewter and 18 pounds of old, a spinning wheel, colander and 4 earthenware platters, tea ware, case of knives and forks, 6 tubs and an old chest, frying pan and 3 pots, 2 brass candlesticks, ½ lb. of tea and ¾ lb. of chocolate, two looking glasses, 2 desks, an old trunk, a dozen old flag chairs, hand bellows, 8 cider casks, 28½ lbs. of wool, a snuff box, pack of cards, a spy glass, 3 sets of beds and furniture, an ink stand and several books. Clothing items listed are 2 pairs of yarn stockings and one pair old worsted stockings, new coat and britches and 2 old coats and 2 jackets, a pair of old britches and boots and two pair of old shoes, an old 'chock' shirt and one white shirt, two old hats, a dozen waistcoat buttons, a pair of knee buckles and 2 pairs of silver shoe buckles and one gold ring.

The estate was valued at £190.0.8 which was above average for the time even though McMurray was only a young man of about age 27 when he died. From the list, we can gather that James McMurray was literate based upon the books he kept and his inkstand for writing. Tobacco is not listed in the inventory probably because it was early in the growing season but, there is little doubt tobacco was grown on the land at that time. He did have an active crop of winter wheat to harvest and a robust amount of livestock that would have provided food and other byproducts for use around the farm. It is rare to see chocolate listed on the early inventories like this but it and the bulk tea show how the McMurray plantation would have had direct access to imported luxuries of the time. He also had a boat to ply up and down the river ways. For relaxation and entertainment, there were a pack of cards and a snuff box. The inventory gives us a fascinating look into what it was like to live on the Pirate's Wharf land back before the Revolution! The account was finally approved in November 1761 and George Dashiell was named guardian to James McMurray's children, his daughters Anne and Rebecca McMurray. (Maryland Prerogative Inventories, Liber 61:372)

James married Elizabeth (Betty) Stewart, daughter of Alexander Stewart and Rebecca Dashiell, about 1750. (Elizabeth (Betty) Stewart was born about 1733 in Somerset Co., MD and died before 10 Jan 1785 in Somerset Co., MD.)