San Joaquin County
Biographies
MRS. SARAH McMURRAY
MRS. SARAH McMURRAY, one of
our early pioneers, was born in Buchanan County, Missouri, a daughter of
William and Rosanna (Pyle) Whiteman, who were a part of the Murphy party,
arriving in San Jose in September, 1846, where they remained that winter. Mrs.
Whiteman was born in Virginia, in 1805, and was there raised to womanhood.
After her marriage to Mr. Whiteman they moved to Missouri, then to Chicago,
thence to California, in 1846. Mr. Whiteman was drowned on his way to the mines
in 1848. By this marriage there were four children, namely: Mrs. Elizabeth McCracken,
Mrs. Sarah McMurray, the subject of this sketch, John, deceased, and Eliza
Whiteman,--all of whom, excepting Mrs. McMurray, reside in San Jose. Mrs.
Whiteman remained a widow for ten or twelve years, then married Samuel Hill.
They have no children. Both are living on the original ranch, which Mr. and
Mrs. Whiteman took up, and a part of which is a part of San Jose.
Mrs. McMurray, the subject of this sketch,
was raised in San Jose from the time she was four years of age. She was
married, May 6, 1858, to Abraham Jefferson of San Joaquin County, California,
who came to this State about 1850. After their marriage they moved to San
Joaquin County, and lived in Stockton about a year, then returned to San Jose,
where Mr. Jefferson died May 15, 1865. Mrs. Jefferson remained a widow two
years, when she married, May 15, 1867, James McMurray, an old pioneer of San
Joaquin County, a native of Plattsburgh, New York, where he was born October 4,
1829. He came to California in 1852, making the voyage around Cape Horn, and
from that year up to the time of his death has been a resident of San Joaquin
County. He spent a short time in the mines, when he was taken sick and came
down to Stockton and found employment with a Mr. Belden in the soda factory. A
short time afterward he started in the hotel business at the five-mile house on
the Lower Sacramento road. One year later he settled on his farm, where he
remained until his death, which occurred October 4, 1886. He was mourned by a
large circle of friends and neighbors. The widow still resides on the ranch
which she gives her personal supervision. She is the mother of ten children,
three by her first marriage and seven by the last. Six of the latter are still
living.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Pages 307-308. Lewis Pub.
Co. Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2008 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Genealogy Databases