Leeson Ancestry: Murison [Murieson] - Robert and Descendants

When Arthur Frank Vanek and Mona Inez Leeson wed on August 31, 1949 they linked the following family trees, [Maternal ~ Muench and Leeson] [Paternal ~ Vanek and Gremaux].

Muench Ancestry ~ Leeson Ancestry ~ Vanek Ancestry ~ Gremaux Ancestry

William and James Murieson, twin sons of George Murieson were baptized in Whiteside, Scotland on November 4, 1744.

William married Mary McKay December 28, 1775 in Rathen parish, Scotland. Their son, John married Elspet Smith on April 25, 1816.

John was a Feurar, meaning he had a Scottish Land Grant. They had sons Robert (1818) and John, both born in Strichen, Scotland.

This much of Robert Murieson's history is known. Robert, as merchant shoemaker, married Isabella Faith and they had four children before Isabella died. Isabella Murison, Margaret Murison, Mary Murison and William Murison.

On January 11, 1858, at the Free Church of Scotland, Kinglasser, Fraserbutgh, Robert Murison, farmer of 4 acres, merchant and widower, age 40, of Smithyhill, Strichen, married Elizabeth, housekeeper, age 33, of Smithyhill, Strichen. An 1861 Birdsay census shows Elizabeth [nee Mackie] Murison (36) and Robert (43.)

At that time, Robert owned four acres of land at Slinghorn. The Birdsay census lists Robert and Isabella's four children, Isabella, age 13, born in Strichen 1848, Margaret, age 12, born in Strichen 1849, Mary, age 10, born in Strichen 1851, and William, age 8, born in Strichen 1853, plus two sons borne by Elizabeth, Robert Mackie Murison, age 2, born 1859, and James William Murison, age 1, born January 3, 1860 at Castle Street, Fraserburgh, Scotland.

The couple had more three more children later: George Mackie Murison, born September 17, 1861 at Caroline Place, Alexander George Cardno Murison, born October 31, 1863, and Elizabeth Mackie (Margaret) Murison, born July 14, 1867 at New Leeds, Scotland.

William Murison

George Mackie Murison

Alexander, the third Murison son of Robert and Elizabeth, immigrated to Australia where he eventually was ships master.

Tracing the family name back to 1744, it originally was spelled Murieson, then became Murrison, spelled with two "r"s, but with the generation pictured here, the three sons dropped one "r" from their family name, and spelled it Murison, while their sister, Elizabeth retained both "r"s, Murrison.

Capt. Robert Mackie Murison

Captain Robert Murison, born in 1859, was a seaman and was drowned at sea off the coast of Heuvla, Spain in 1898 at the age of 39. He had no known family.

Except for Robert and Alexander Murison, all of Robert and Elizabeth Murison's children emigrated to the United States of America.

In 1883, James Wm. came to New York, USA. He was 23. He worked in the general Repair Shop for 4 years. In 1889, when fire wiped out the town of Spokane, Washington, James took the opportunity, moved there and worked as a carpenter.

With the 'grub stake' he earned that summer, he moved to Waterville, Washington, and filed on a homestead. He named it 'Glen Brae Farm.' His brother, George, took up an adjoining homestead before winter.

George Mackie Murison

Glen Brae Farm

James Murison farming Glen Brae Farm 1916

In 1885 their parents, Robert and Elizabeth Murison left Scotland and also immigrated to America.

Elizabeth Mackie Murison 1895

Their daughter, Elizabeth [nee Murrison] Leeson, who had also emigrated and was living in New York, met them.

Elizabeth Murison ca. 1884

From there, Robert and Elizabeth went by train and boat to New Jersey, and stayed there 4 days. They returned to New York and bought tickets, paying $140 each, to travel by North Pacific Railroad 140 miles to Montreal, Canada, and then 350 miles through North Eastern Canada by St. Paul Railroad, and then through the Rocky Mountains in the United States, to reach Coulee City, Washington. They arrived at the railway station in Coulee City during the middle of winter, in December, and were 40 miles from their the homesteads of their sons' James and George.

Robert Murison was 77 years old when he came to America, and he was very homesick for the 'Old Country'.

Elizabeth Murison at the Murison homestead at Mansfield, Washington ca. 1916

His wife, Elizabeth was 70 years old when she filed their land for homestead. It was in one of the valleys and consisted of about 80 acres of flat land with the rest of the 160 acres on hills on both sides – east, west, south and north. They could see for a mile and a half from the house James built for them, which faced east into the rising sun.

Robert died in 1903 of cancer of the ear, which had spread to his throat. He was 85 years old, and is buried in the Bridgeport, Washington Cemetery.

Elizabeth Murison and Mabel, her granddaughter

Elizabeth continued to live in their little shingled house. While out walking with a 3-year old granddaughter in 1915, Elizabeth fell and broke her hip. She never recovered her health. She died December 4, 1916, and is buried in the Bridgeport, Washington Cemetery.