Murray Cemetery History

MURRAY CEMETERY is located in the southeast corner of the south east quarter of Section 13 of Richland Township. Follow Highway 5 to the Warren-Marion County line and take road S-35 north to where it cuts diagonally to the west. No fence surrounds this cemetery.

Edward Murray owned land in Section 13 of Warren County. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1807 and married Elizabeth Walter. She died in 1833 and left Edward with two young sons, Jaroh and Joshua. When he was 22 he went to Richland County, Ohio and stayed there until 1850 when he moved on to Warren County. While in Ohio, Edward married Elizabeth Dennis. From 1850-1853 Edward and his family lived in Marion County, Iowa where he owned 400 acres. In 1853 they returned to Warren County and Edward built a saw mill in Section 13 at a cost of $4,000. A son, John, died on April 11, 1853. Another death occurred in the neighborhood in Section 13 in 1853. James, the son of Charlotte and Nathaniel Benjamin died and was buried in the Murray Cemetery. Another Benjamin boy, John R., died in 1854 as did Henry Murray. S.S. Padget lost two; wives, both named Sarah, within a year (around 1858-59). They were buried in the cemetery also.

Edward and Elizabeth's children were Ezra D., Angeline, Barbara, John, Henry, Samuel and Catherine.

Murray Cemetery is also known as the Viers Cemetery since Daniel and Elizabeth Viers owned the adjoining land for many years. Some refer to it as the Reeves Cemetery because the Reeves family lived on the farm for a long time.

Cemetery and Death Records of Warren County, Iowa, Warren County Genealogical Society, Walsworth Publishing Company, Marceline, Missouri: 1980.

View records submitted to the Iowa Gravestone Photo Project for Murray Cemetery.