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Alexander Murray, (2 June 1810 – 18 December 1884) was a Scottish
geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althou ...
. Murray is best known for his career with the
Geological Survey of Canada The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC; french: Commission géologique du Canada (CGC)) is a Canadian federal government agency responsible for performing geological surveys of the country, developing Canada's natural resources and protecting the e ...
and the Geological Survey of Newfoundland.


Biography


Early life

Alexander Murray was born at Dollerie House,
Crieff Crieff (; gd, Craoibh, meaning "tree") is a Scottish market town in Perth and Kinross on the A85 road between Perth and Crianlarich, and the A822 between Greenloaning and Aberfeldy. The A822 joins the A823 to Dunfermline. Crieff has becom ...
,
Perthshire Perthshire ( locally: ; gd, Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the nort ...
, Scotland on 2 June 1810. He was educated at the Royal Navy Academy and joined the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...
in 1824. During his career in the navy, Murray was wounded at the Battle of Navarino and received a medal for his actions. Murray became a lieutenant in 1833 and retired from service in 1835. Following his retirement, Murray immigrated to
Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock. Billed as "an Aq ...
,
Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North Americ ...
. During the
Rebellions of 1837–1838 The Rebellions of 1837–1838 (french: Les rébellions de 1837), were two armed uprisings that took place in Lower and Upper Canada in 1837 and 1838. Both rebellions were motivated by frustrations with lack of political reform. A key shared g ...
, Murray volunteered for service and served in Lieutenant Andrew Drew's naval brigade, which destroyed the US steamer Caroline. After spending a period farming, Murray and his family returned to England in 1841, and he applied unsuccessfully for re-appointment to the Royal Navy. During his time in England, Murray studied geology and received an appointment in 1842–1843 to the Geological Survey of Great Britain.


Geological Survey of Canada

In 1842, the
Province of Canada The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report on the ...
formed the
Geological Survey of Canada The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC; french: Commission géologique du Canada (CGC)) is a Canadian federal government agency responsible for performing geological surveys of the country, developing Canada's natural resources and protecting the e ...
and appointed William Edmund Logan as its first director. While spending the winter of 1842 in England, Logan made the acquittance of Murray and he appointed him as his assistant. Murray returned to Canada in May 1843, and the pair commenced a survey of colony's natural resources. Murray examined land in the
Ontario Peninsula The Ontario Peninsula is the southernmost part of the province of Ontario, and of Canada as a whole. It is bounded by Lake Huron to the west, Lake Ontario to the east, and Lake Erie to the south. At its tip, it is separated from Michigan by the D ...
, while Logan surveyed
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...
and
New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
. On 31 May 1851 Murray conducted fieldwork in Enniskillen Township following Thomas Sterry Hunt's analysis of a 100-pound sample of
bitumen Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term a ...
taken from the region. In his report, Murray confirmed that the region contained various bituminous deposits, noted the presence of
oil seeps A petroleum seep is a place where natural liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons escape to the earth's atmosphere and surface, normally under low pressure or flow. Seeps generally occur above either terrestrial or offshore petroleum accumulation stru ...
and declared the material suitable for the production of lamp fuel, paints, varnishes and asphalt. Although Murray was cautious in calculating the economic benefits of the gum beds, his work attracted the attention of Charles and Henry Tripp, who acquired a lot in Enniskillen in 1852 and established the world's first incorporated oil company in 1854. In 1858, at an Enniskillen oil seep located by Murray,
James Miller Williams James Miller Williams (September 14, 1818 – November 25, 1890) was a Canadian-American businessman and politician. Williams is best known for establishing the first commercially successful oil well in 1858 and igniting the first oil boom i ...
established North America's first commercial oil well.


Marriage and children

Around 1836, Murray married Fanny Judkins in Scotland. Together, they had a son and two daughters: Anthony Hepburn (born 30 October 1840) Mary Ellen (born 2 October 1838) Helen (born 19 March 1843) Judkins died in the winter of 1862–1863 in Woodstock while Murray was temporality residing at the Geological Survey of Canada's headquarters in Montreal.


Later life and death

In 1864 Murray moved to
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
and became the first director of the Geological Survey of Newfoundland. His first major task was to produce a reliable topographical map of the interior of the island. Murray did detailed work in the area between
Hall's Bay Geo. Hall & Sons, more recently known as Hall's, was a soft drink manufacturer founded in 1849 in Marryatville, South Australia (a suburb of Adelaide) by English immigrant George Hall (1818-1881). The plant later moved to Norwood, using water f ...
and St. George's Bay, as well as the area surrounding Conception, Placentia and St. Mary's bays. He also mapped parts of the
Great Northern Peninsula The Great Northern Peninsula ( Inuttitut: ''Ikkarumiklua'') is the largest and longest peninsula of Newfoundland, Canada, approximately 270 km long and 90 km wide at its widest point and encompassing an area of 17,483 km2. It is def ...
and central Newfoundland. Murray produced the first geological map of
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
and his reports of rich resources in the island's interior were an important factor in the decision to build the trans-island railway in 1881. Poor health caused Murray to return to Scotland in 1883. On 18 December 1884 Murray died in Belmont Cottage, Crieff.


References


External links


Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''Biography at the Canadian Encyclopedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murray, Alexander 1810 births 1884 deaths Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Scottish geologists People from Crieff People from Newfoundland (island) Geological Survey of Canada personnel