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Alexander Sinclair Murray

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Sea Captains: A selection of fiction, non-fiction, and books for children. "Master Under God"
Captains exercised absolute authority at sea and so were dubbed "Master Under God"
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The Annapolis Book of Seamanship


Shipbuilders, Sea Captains, and Fishermen


Get Your Captain's License
Charlie Wing


The Marlinspike Sailor
Hervey Garrett Smith


Moby Dick.
Herman Melville


Travel with InternationalHarbors.com

Alexander Sinclair Murray was born in Scotland in 1827.

Upon reaching the age of fourteen, he entered a lawyer's office, leaving it eighteen months later to sail for Australia, where, after his arrival, he worked with a brother until the news of the California gold discoveries reached him, when he set sail for the El Dorado of the day, reaching San Francisco in April 1849 on the Eleanor Lancaster, 438-ton barque, built at Maryport in 1839, owned by London shipowner Robert Brooks. The Eleanor Lancaster left Sydney January 21, 1849. Arrived in San Francisco on April 2 (71 day passage). Captain: Francis W. Lodge.

After remaining there ten days, he chartered a ship's longboat and began business on the Sacramento, exchanging his first craft for a larger one after making a few trips. With the money made in this venture he bought a 175-ton brig, and sailed for Sydney via Honolulu. On the return trip the brig called at Navigator's Island, and in getting away from there was wrecked.

Murray had no insurance on the vessel. After remaining at Upolu forty days, he returned to Sydney, going from there to San Francisco, arriving at the Bay City on August 9th.

From there he went to Portland on the schooner Urania in September and spent the winter at Salem, going below in the spring and purchasing the Washington, which he brought up on the Success and placed above the falls. He ran her between Canemah and the Yamhill River, making the first trip June 6th. As she did not prove profitable in this trade, he brought her down the following year and operated her on the Portland and Oregon City route, where she ran until the Portland, a steamer built and owned by Murray and John Torrance, took her place.

Murray was one of the most noted characters who had yet appeared in marine circles in the Northwest, and for several years after his arrival was regarded as the king of the steamboat fraternity.

He subsequently built the steamer Portland and was interested in the sidewheel steamer Wallamet. He also owned shares in the steamers Gazelle, Enterprise, Express and Onward. The Fraser River Mining excitement lured Murray away from the Columbia and Willamette rivers, and he built the steamer Governor Douglas at Victoria, the first constructed in British Columbia.

The following year, in company with William Irvine, he constructed the steamer Colonel Moody. His roving disposition again asserting itself, Captain Murray disposed of his interests to his associates and with the proceeds purchased the bark Sea Nymph, 240 tons, and set sail for Melbourne, where, on arrival, he sold the bark and began steamboating on the Murray River. His first boat, the Settler, appeared on the river in 1861. He followed it with the Lady Daly in 1862 and the Lady Darling in 1865. He then went to the Clutha River in New Zealand, where he built the Tuape Ka.

After leaving the Northwest, Murray invested about $200,000 in the construction of steamers. He took a very important part in the early marine business, and the Northwest owes much to his enterprise. He is at present running one of his steamers out of Sydney, New South Wales.
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Page: http://www.maritimeheritage.org/murrayas
Date Entered: October 5, 2005
Source: Lewis & Dryden's Marine History of the Pacfic Northwest, Antiquarian Press, New York 1961

Research and WebDesign: D.B.A. Levy
Contact: D. Blethen Adams Levy
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