PASSING OF UNCLE JERRY MURRAY

At his home in Maeser Uncle Jerry Murray departed from this life Sunday September 5th, 1909.

Jeremiah Hatch Murray was the son of John Murray and Sarah Bates Murray. he was born in Lucerne Township, Monroe County, Michigan, July 11th, 1844.

His father came from Scotland in the British army in 1831 during Canadian border troubles and soon left the British and joined the Americans. His mother came from Ireland.

While living in Monroe County, Michigan Uncle Jerry Hatch, our late patriarch went to the Murray home as a missionary and converted his parents to "Mormonism," baptized his parents when he was eleven days old and blessed and named after himself. The family then started westward but stopped a year or two at different places on the way, reaching Salt Lake Valley in 1852.

On February 6, 1863 Mr. Murray married Miss Maria Nelson and on March 1, 1865 he married Miss Mary Ashby, forming a plural marriage.

He then volunteered to go as a missionary to the "Muddy" to settle that region and to help establish a branch of the church there. It was in this capacity that the young fearless adventuous heart of Uncle Jerry, overflowing with vitality and burning with a desire to better the conditions of his people, performed many duties of the most trying and stirring nature.

Surrounded with hostile tribes and in a desert land nearly two hundred miles from the nearest source of provisions he was compelled to leave his wives and babies with nothing to eat but green corn while he and his companions went to Pine Vally for provisions. This corn was grated on the bottom of a pan and made into porridge. Before they returned with provisions the Indians destroyed most of the cornfields and many a night the tired family went to bed without any supper.

While on this journey they were compelled to corral their wagons on the Rio Virgin because of the Indians. While in this position the Indians attempted to kill a Texas steer by shooting him with arrows. The enraged animal goared one of the redmen and the other Indians were unable to rescue him. Uncle Jerry and his companions went out into the opening with their guns and killed the steer. This act was the means of saving their lives. One of the Indians went for help and they were permitted to journey on in safety.

This is one instance in many where his manly courage made lasting friends of the angry redman and many times he was warned of danger by his husky friend.

In 1866 he returned to Spanish Fork and there took an active part in the church and political affairs. He served as picket guard in the Blackhawk troubles under Captaim William McKee.

In 1881 Uncle Jerry, Bill Warren and John Beck contracted and furnished the ties and telegraph poles for the D & R G Railroad when it first went from Price down Spanish Fork Canyon.

In the fall of 1886 he left his home and many friends to the Ashley Valley.

One of his mottoes was "YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL A WORKMAN BY HIS CHIPS." If we retrace his steps we will find the words were not spoken in vain. While he may have had his weak points his industrial and business career presents a model any youth may safely follow.

The last few years of his life were accompanied by more or less ill helath caused by over work and exposure. Finally diabetes attacked him and was the cause of his death. The funeral services were held at the Maeser Ward meeting house Tuesday and the remains were interred in the Maeser Cemetery.

Uncle Jerry leaves a wife, twelve sons, five daughter, sixty-six grandchildren and one great-grandchild living. Peace be to his memory.

-Vernal Express, September 10, 1909, transcribed by Rhonda Holton
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Jeremiah H Murray

Jeremiah Hatch Murray, son of John Richard Murray and Sarah Bates. He was the 7th child in a family of eight, 7 boys and one girl. He was born July 11,1844 in Lucerne Township, Monroe County, Michigan. He was named Jeremiah Hatch after the Utah missionary that taught them the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Jeremiah's father, John Murray came from Scotland in 1831 with the British Army during the border dispute between the United States and the Canadian Government. He was stationed near Niagara Falls of the Canadian side of the St. Lawrence River. He often came across the river and mingled with the Yankee boys and their charming gals. He soon acquired a wholesome respect for them, so much that he decided to cast his lot with them. Accordingly he left the British and joined the Americans.

Young Jeremiah Hatch was a lively, robust and ambitious lad. He was always ready for a fight or frolic, just take your choice. In later years he tells the story of when they were leaving Missouri to continue their trip to Utah, the family of Thomas Kerren, who were living there at the time, came to bid the Murray family farewell. The afternoon ended up in a fight in which his brother John, who was on crutches, used them to drive Thomas Kerren and his colleagues home. Uncle Jerry and Uncle Tom, as they were called in later years both settled in the Ashley Valley and many hearty laugh's were enjoyed by them, in remembrance of this boyhood affair. They became life long friends, who associations together were of a frolicsome trend.

On February 6, 1863, Jeremiah Hatch married Miss Karren Marie Neilsen, a young convert to the Gospel from Denmark. To this union were born six sons and three daughters, all of which grew to adulthood and had families.

On March 4, 1865, he took a second wife, Miss Mary Ashby, a convert from England. To this wife were also born six sons and three daughters, eight of which grew up and raised families. One daughter, Elizabeth, died in childhood of diphtheria.

Later in 1865, Jerry as he was then called, volunteered to go to colonize Muddy Mission, in Muddy Valley now called Moapa County. The Muddy River, a tributary of the Rio Virgin which was a branch of the Colorado, with the head in the Zion Park Area. The land was arid and foreboding but the saints, the pioneers, learned that hard work, patience and water could produce astounding results. Their efforts proved fruitless and they had to return to Utah.

In 1866, Jerry returned with his family to Spanish Fork. The Black Hawk Indian War officially began in April of 1865. He joined the Milia and served as a picket guard under Captain William McKee in 1881.

Having a large family, Jerry realized that if he kept his sons out of the mines to work he must procure more land for farming. Accordingly, in the spring of 1886, he made a trip out to the Ashley Valley to look that country over. His brother, Richard had moved there three years previous and liked the place, and had sent back very favorable reports about it. Jerry, also was favorably impressed with the possibilities of the valley, especially for farming and stock raising. He bought forty acres located in the Mill Ward, now Maeser, from Bill Bradshaw.

He made his own brick and built two homes for his two familes to live in.

During the winter months, he manufactured brooms. He bought a small hand operated machine from William Jex, of Spanish Fork. Mr. Jex was installing modern broom making equipment at that time. These brooms he placed in the mercantile stores of Jensen and Vernal. They were retailed at from thirty to fifty cents each.

Uncle Jerry was always a lover of good horses, of which he raised many. He was especially proud of his draft breeds.

Uncle Jerry always had several irons in the fire at the same time. This was made possible, as well as necessary, because of having a large family. He had to pull a lot of strings in order to make all ends meet. Besides being an all around farmer, he was a carpenter, blacksmith and contractor. He took contract to furnish all kinds of farm produce, wood and charcoal to Ft. Duchesne, Utah. When this post was being erected, he spent several winters working on the officers quarters that were being built there.

Referring again to his having many irons in the fire at the same time, when the orchard on the Mill Ward, of Measer farm began to produce, there was always a certain amount of apples that were not first class. From these apples he made quantities of apple cider which was sold to local merchants, and from them it was retailed as apply vinegar. On this farm he also raised several acres of sorghum cane for molasses, or sorghum. During the molasses season he operated two mills to squeeze out the sap and several vats full would be boiled each day; and oh the fun the youngsters of the neighborhood would have in the evenings when the last vat was finished off. They would come from near and far. Alma Thompson was the vat operator and he always left a generous supply in the vat for candy making.

Besides working up his own, Uncle Jerry did custom work for the community charging a certain portion as toll for doing so. When the molasses season was over he would have several hundred gallons of molasses. Most of this was disposed of in fifty gallon barrels to the merchants, way mills, mines, wood camps, et. The rest was sold in small lots of one to five gallons to individual families. It was sold in five gallon cans, kegs, candy buckets, or what have you. The going price was one dollar a gallon.

After his first wife, Aunt Mariah, having passed away on June 12th, 1897, Uncle Jerry spend his declining years on the farm in Maeser, where Aunt Mary, the second wife lived. Here they made a home for several of their grandchildren who were left motherless while they were very young.

One of his favorite mottoes was; "You can always tell a workman by his chips." He often referred to his children as "chips off the old block". They were all ambitious and full of the pioneers spirit. After a lingering illness, he died at his home in Maeser, on Sunday, September 5th, 1909. He was survived by his wife, aunt Mary, seventeen children, sixty-five grand children, and sixteen great grandchildren.

His funeral services were held in Maeser Ward Meeting House, and interment was in the Measer Cemetery. He died in his home in Maeser on Sunday, Sep 5, 1909. the father of 18 living children, nine by each wife. His families were all ambitious and full of the pioneer spirit. One of his mottoes was "You can always tell a man by his chips!"

-Karen Marie Nielson