Murray F. McDonald

As printed in 1881

MURRAY F. McDONALD.

Murray F. McDonald was born January 3, 1836, in Culpepper county, Virginia. His parents were Eben McDonald, and Elizabeth (Settle) McDonald, both of whom were natives of Culpepper county, Virginia; Eben McDonald, born about 1806, and his wife, Elizabeth, in 1808. They were highly respected and honored citizens of the Old Dominion, and were noted for that genuine hospitality which ever characterizes the true Virginian. Eben McDonald died in 1852, and Elizabeth McDonald in 1863. Murray's grandfather, Latt McDonald, was also a Virginian. He served creditably in the war of 1812. He had five brothers who emigrated westward from Virginia at an early day. Murray F. McDonald, the subject of this sketch, was reared on a farm, receiving his education at a high school in Jefferson, Virginia. When he came to be a man, he entered the mercantile business as clerk and salesman. In 1854, he moved to Richmond, Ray county, Missouri, where he was again employed for some years as salesman in a dry goods store. In 1859, he embarked in his favorite pursuit, that of merchandizing, on his own account. He retired, however, in 1861, on account of the civil war, then commencing. In 1869, he again resumed the mercantile business, in Richmond, Missouri, at the store room he now owns and occupies, on the north side of the court house square. He has a very large, costly and elegant stock of goods, and is liberally patronized. Murray F. McDonald is one of the leading business men of Richmond; he is of a modest, retiring disposition, attends closely to his calling, but he is deeply interested in the welfare of his town and county, and is a man of warm impulses, morally upright, honest and reliable. He has been a member of the city council several terms, and has held other positions of trust since becoming a resident of the city of Richmond. He was married December 28, 1858, to Miss Maggie Davis, a daughter of Dr. Nathaniel Davis, of Richmond, Missouri. They have four children living, viz: James A., born December 3, 1859; Murray, born January 7, 1861; Beverly, born November 13, 1862, and Daisy, born August 8, 1866. Mr. McDonald is a member of Richmond Lodge A. F. and A. M.

As printed in History of Ray County, Mo. (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.