Notes for James Thurtell (MURRAY)

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Notes for James Thurtell (MURRAY)

The family tree done by Harriet Thurtell about 1900 and the History of the Thurtell Family done by Susan Persia Thurtell about 1968, both in the possession of Susan Persia Thurtell Miller, show James Thurtell died December 1, 1867, at age 77.

Information from Peter Murray shows that James and his wife, Sarah Holt Thurtell, changed their last name to Murray.

Records obtained from the Mormon Library by Charlotte Mackie show that the Register of Baptisms for Hopton, Suffolk County, England, show that James, son of John Thurtell and Ann his wife, late Ann Browne Spinster, was born November 17, 1790, and was baptised privately on November 28, 1790, and was received into the church on June 10, 1792.

The information received from Peter Murray in 1997 shows that James Thurtell (Murray) was born November 17, l790 (2nd son of John and Anne Thurtell of Hobland Hall), was baptised November 28, 1790, at Hopton, was received into that church June 10, 1792, and died December 1, 1867, aged 77. He changed his name to Murray in 1824 owing to the notoriety surrounding the trial and execution in that year, for murder, of his first cousin John Thurtell (son of the mayor of Norwich, Thomas Thurtell). The reason for the choice of the Murray name is unknown. Family records do not state where James Thurtell Murray lived, but at least two of his children were born in London England. Letters now in possession of Bancroft Library, University of California at Berkeley, written to his two sons who settled in the U.S.A., show that he and his wife Sarah long lived at 430 Hackney Street, place not stated but presumably in London. They also show that by their old age money was very tight for them as well as for many others in the family, and there were high hopes for the sons in America to do well. In a letter from California on September 30, 1843, his son Walter Murray tells him "Take care to address no more letters under the name of Thurtell."

Information received from Evan Knox-Davies in 1999 shows that James Thurtell was born in 1790, the son of John Thurtell and Anne Browne, and that he died December 1, 1867, at age 77. His records also show that James changed his name to Murray in 1824 because of a scandal when his cousin committed a murder and was hanged. His records show that James Thurtell Murray was Chief Justice of Demerara and that he had 12 children by his wife Sarah.

James Thurtell (Murray) married Sarah Holt (a descendent of Sir John Holt, one time Lord Chief Justice of England), and they had eight children according to Peter Murray's information.

An index found on the internet in November 1999 shows that James Thurtell, alias James Murray, age 77, was buried on December 7, 1867, at Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington High Street, Stoke Newington, London, N160LH, England. The internet web site is located at http://www.cam.org/~hopkde/abney.html, and the two reference lines are 040478 and 040478a on the internet index.

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