Alexander Hunter Murray (1818 - 1874)
Alexander Murray was born in Kilmun in Argyllshire, Scotland and immigrated to America as a young man. He joined the American Fur Company and travelled widely in the United States. He says he entered the HBC service at Fort Garry in 1846.1) Papers in the HBC archives state that Murray entered the company service on 11 June 1845 from Kilmun Parish, Argyllshire, Scotland.2)
Murray was sent north and started immediately for the Mackenzie River District. Along the way he met his future wife and they were married by Chief Factor Mackenzie. They travelled to Fort McPherson where they wintered. In the spring, Murray took his wife over the mountains to LaPierre House on the Bell River and he returned to Fort McPherson to prepare for establishing a post on the Yukon River. He left Fort McPherson on June 11, 1847 and arrived at LaPierre House three days later.3)
On the 18th he embarked on the riverboat Pioneer, a boat built at LaPierre House for the trip down the Porcupine River, while his wife remained at LaPierre House. Murray reached the Yukon River on June 25th and found a site for the fort [Fort Yukon] about three miles above the mouth of the Porcupine River.4) Murray suspected from the beginning that the post was in Russian territory.5)
Murray spent the winter at Fort Yukon and then departed for LaPierre House with the returnees for the year on 5 June 1848. He returned to Fort Yukon with his wife in the same year. In 1850, he accompanied Robert Campbell to LaPierre House. The following year he travelled to Fort Simpson and spent the winter there.6) In the fall of 1852, Murray reached Fort Garry with his wife and several children. He spent the next winter at Fort Pembina and stayed there, in charge, for several years. He then managed the district of Lac le Pluie. He returned to Pembina and was promoted to Chief Trader in 1856. In 1857, he returned to Scotland in poor health. He was back in Fort Garry, and in charge, by 1861. He retired from the service to the Red River region in 1867. He lived in several places around Fort Garry and died at home. His eldest son, Alexander Campbell Murray (born 1859) was in charge of Fort St. James for the HBC.7)