MURRAY, William (1788-1873), a talented and much-admired builder, contractor and cabinet maker in the Miramichi Valley region of New Brunswick. He appears to have both designed and built his own structures, and he habitually made plans for buildings over a period of 40 years. The New Brunswick Museum in Saint John N.B. holds a small collection of his sketches and drawings (NBM, Louise Manny Coll.). In 1875, two years after his death, he was referred to as “the designer” of the Baptist Church at Hopewell Corner, New Brunswick (Daily News [Saint John], 11 Nov. 1875, p. 2, col. 2), thus confirming his role as architect and builder.
Born in Stobo, Scottish Borders, Scotland on 21 March 1788, he arrived in New Brunswick in 1819, and his name can be connected with a variety of institutional, ecclesiastical and residential landmarks in towns and villages in northeast New Brunswick. He was “...a keen, clever conscientious craftsman and he took much pride in producing the best for himself”. He possessed a thorough knowledge of the elements of classic ornament, and the quality of his craftsmanship on the facade of St. James Church in Newcastle (1828-29) was described in 1832 as “...one of the most graceful and elegant specimens of architecture in the whole province”. Murray was, by all accounts, a designer who was “irascible and stubborn, and he annoyed his fellow workmen by insisting on perfection”. Murray later died in Newcastle, N.B. on 15 June 1873 (death notice Union Advocate [Newcastle], 18 June 1873). A detailed biography and list of works by of this architect & builder, entitled 'William Murray – Miramichi Builder' written by Louise Manny was published in the journal Maritime Art, Vol. 2, No. 4, April-May 1942, p. 124-27 and 139-40, illus. This article is cited in the list below.
BUSHVILLE, N.B., St. Paul's Church, 1825 (L. Manny, list of works)
NEWCASTLE, N.B., residence for the architect & builder William Murray, 1826 (John Leroux, Building New Brunswick, 2008, 67, illus.;L. Manny, list of works)
NEWCASTLE, N.B., St. James & St. John United Church, King George Highway at Henry Street, 1828-29; still standing in 2022 (John Leroux, Building New Brunswick, 2008, 67, illus.; Parks Canada, Canada's Historic Places, Designation statement 24 Sept. 2004; L. Manny, list of works)
CHATHAM, N.B., residence for Michael Samuel, 1828 (L. Manny, list of works)
NEWCASTLE, N.B., Northumberland County Court House, Prince William Street, 1839, in collaboration with Shepherd Frost, architect & builder (John Leroux, Building New Brunswick, 2008, 67; L. Manny, list of works)
DOUGLASTOWN, N.B., residence for Hon. Alexander Rankin, 1837 (John Leroux, Building New Brunswick, 2008, 65-66, illus.; L. Manny, list of works)
DOUGLASTOWN, N.B., Seaman's Hospital, cupola for the existing building, 1839 (L. Manny, list of works)
NEWCASTLE, N.B., residence for Judge Williston (now part of St. Mary's Academy), 1844; altered (L. Manny, list of works)
BUSHVILLE, N.B., residence for Mr. Peters [now part of the Miramichi Golf Club], c. 1845 (L. Manny, list of works)
SOUTH ESK, N.B., interior finishing of a house for John Goodfellow, c. 1850 (L. Manny, list of works)
BARTIBOG, N.B., St. Peter's Church, 1852-53 (L. Manny, list of works)
NELSON, N.B., residence for George Burchill, 1855 (L. Manny, list of works)
BLACKVILLE, N.B., a church, c. 1860 (L. Manny, list of works)
HOPEWELL CORNER, N.B., Baptist Church, 1874-75, and likely designed by Murray before his death in June 1873 (Daily News [Saint John], 11 Nov. 1875, 2)