The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1867-03-07
lindIey Murray---The Author Of ''Mur-
rays GRAMMAR, :, and the s.EnglisA Read.
er's.-.she Quaker Mason.

LindIey Murray---The Author Of '.Mur
r rays GRAMMAR. and the s.EnglisA Read
er''.--the Quaker Mason.
What student of the English languag,
+, has not pored over the English Gram
mar and admired the English Reader o
Lindlcy Murray 'Murray's Grammar
is as widely known as the English Ian
gusge, and is vision of school days o.
the educated American. .aa.
. Murray's father was of the noble and
Masonic Murray family of Scotland, who
with the spirit of adventure, became q
farmer and miller of Pennsylvania, mar.
, rying Mary Lindley, a modest young
Quakeress. a 5aae
Murray was born at Swatara, near
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 1745 Is We
At an earl, age he attended school in
Philadelphia, where be was thoroughly
instructed in the English branches by
Ebenezer KinerslIy, a Masonic brother.
friend and correspondent of Pennsylva
MAS eminent craftsman. Dr. Franklin.
1755, Lindley, being in his tenth year,
/ his father became merchant in New
York city, and young Murray studied
Latin and Greek, with great success,
preparatory to entering college, but fail
ing health compelled him to leave bis
books. He entered his fathers counting
! room, but its routine and the sternness
| OF his parent became irksome He was
| intensely devoted TO books, and received
punishment from his father which he
deemed unmerrited, he fed from his
home, and for weeks thereafter was a
close student of boarding school at
Burlington, n. j., before his friends as
certained his place of concealment With
reconciliation, Lindley returned to the
drudgery of a merchants desk.
After much persuasion, young Muir
rays father permitted him to enter the
law office Of Benjamin Kissam, rs a stu
dent, where he enjoyed the fellowship Of
John Jay; then preparing for that bril-
liant public career upon which he soon
afterward entered Robert Murray, the
father of Lindley, owned one Of the first
three coaches introduced into the city Of
New York, about ninety years ago. An
other, owned by Mr.. Beekman, is vet
well preserved, and in possession of his
descendant, Hon. James W. Beekman.
There was much prejudice against coach
His country seat was on land now known
as Murray Hill, in the city of New York,
whence Lindley came daily to the law
office. His father gave him fine law
library, and Lindley Murray commenced
the practice Of his profession, in the city
of New York, with promise of great sue
cess. He married an amiable woman,
and regarded himself as permanently
settled for life, when feeble health ad-
monished him to try a change of climate.
He went to England. was greatly bene-
fitted, and sent for his family but yearn
ing for his native land, he returned in
1771. When the War for Independence
broke out, he acted consistently with the
principles and discipline of the Society
of Friends, of which ne was valued {
member, and remained neutral and in
retirement, at Islip, Long Island. His
father died during the war, and on the
return of peace. Lindley went back to
the city, resumed the mercantile busi-
ness which he abandoned in youth, pur-
chased beautiful country seat on the
Hudson, and seemed about TO take rank
with the merchant princes Again i'll
health warned him away from the change
able climate of New York He went to
England, purchased beautiful estate in
Yorkshire, and there gradually sunk into
the confirm ed inyalid's chair. His NAL
ady was disease of the muscles, which
finally deprived him Of the use of his
limbs. For sixteen years he WAS con-
fined to his room, and it was during that
long season Of bodily affection that he
produced his popular English Grammar,
English Reader, and several religious
. works At his death, which occurred on
the 10th of February, 1926. in the eighty
! first year of his age, he left fund, the
interest of which was to be devoted to
the diffusion of religious sentiments in
America The trustees faithfully execute
| that provision of his will, and have graf
uiously distributed many thousands Of
his Power of Religion on the Mind
They have published Dymond's sInqui-
~ into the Accordance Of War With the
Principles of Christianity,' for the same
purpose, and other works are following
Thus the good of this Mason lives after
him. 3a ~ .saes
1766, as soon as Murray had reached
his twenty first year, he Was initiated
into St Johns Lodge, . Lodge holding
its warrant from the Grand Lodge OF
England. He became a Fellow-Cra in
two months, and Master Mason before
the close Of the year. He showed great