Adding some further snippets to this story. The Public Record Office of Victoria has a copy of James Muiry’s will, which is dated 1875.
In it, as well as providing for his wife, he names three children as follows:
‘… thirdly, that on the death of the said Jane Muiry, my wife, the residue be equally divided between my son
Alexander Muiry, born in the Parish of Banff, County of Banff in Scotland, now in Scotland, my son
James Muiry, born in Fordyce in the County of Banff in Scotland, now in Scotland, and
George Black, son of the said Jane Muiry, my wife, now living with us…’
So, I think it’s fair to say we have the correct James and Jane Muiry
- and also that George Black went to Australia with his mother and stepfather, but James Reid Muiry didn’t - or at least, wasn’t there in 1875.
I think the Alexander Muiry mentioned is very likely
Alexander Muiry or Inglis who was born in Banff on 4 July 1831, and baptised on 5 March 1832 in Boyndie -
‘Alexander, natural son of James Muiry in Boyne (sic) and Jane Inglis…’Jane Inglis married
John Car(r) some time before 1835 - I can’t find a note of the marriage, but their first child, John, was baptised in Banff on 11 March 1835.
Alexander Muiry is with his mother in 1841 and again in 1851:
1841
Alehouseburn, Banff
Jean Ingles, 35, Farm Servant’s wife, Banffshire
Alexr Murie, 10, BanffshireJohn Car, 5, Banffshire
William Car, 2 Banffshire
1851
Rettie (John Car’s), Boyndie
Jean Car, Head, married, 48, Farm Servants Wife, Banff, Banffshire
Alexander Minirey (sic), son, 19, Ag Labourer, Banff, BanffshireAndrew Car, son, 8, scholar, Banff, Banffshire
John Car, married, 36, Farm Servant, is at Rettie Farm House
Some time before 1855 (can’t find a marriage), Alexander Muiry married Margaret Porter:
1861
Blackhills, Boyndie
Alexander Muirie, head, married, 31, mole catcher, Banff
Margaret Muirie, wife, married, 30, Alvah
Alexander Muirie, son, 6, Boyndie
John Muirie, son, 3, Boyndie
James Muirie, son, 4m, Boyndie
I can see births for eight children in total between 1855 and 1868, all born in Banffshire except the youngest, who was born in Old Machar. In 1871, there is also an Andrew C Muiry, son, born abt 1851 in Alvah, who I think is probably the son of Margaret Porter before her marriage to Alexander Muiry - in 1851 in Alvah, there is an unmarried Margaret Porter who has twin sons aged 6 months - Andrew and George Chalmers.
By 1871, the family are in Old Machar and Alexander is a mason. He died in 1910 in Aberdeen. His mother, Jane Inglis or Carr, died in 1888 in Portsoy.
Ruth