Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 475.
 
W. ALEXANDER MURCHIE

     who resides one mile west from Wasco and gives his attention to farming,
was born in Nevada county, California, on August 27, 1858. Andrew Murchie, his
father, was a native of Maine and his parents of the same country, being of
Scotch descent. He came to California in 1854 and followed farming and mining
until. 1880, when he came to Sherman county. He married Mary Nesbitt, a native
of Maine, where also her parents were born, being descendants of an old colonial
family. Our subject was reared in Nevada City, California, and completed his
education in the high school. Then he went to work for his father in the quartz
mill and in the mines owned by his grandfather and two uncles until twenty-one.
In 1880, he came to this part of Oregon and took a preemption and later a
homestead. In 1881, he put forty acres into wheat, being among the first to
raise that cereal here. Now he owns a section of fine land, a handsome
residence, beautified by shade trees, with plenty of stock and improvements. He
came here without capital and his entire property holdings are the result of his
industry in Sherman county.
     On November 15, 1885, at The Dalles, Mr. Murchie married Lilly M. Andrews
and to them one child has been born, Ruth B., on May 21, 1892. Mr. Murchie has
the following named brothers and sisters: John M., a liveryman ; Harry T., a
baker; Marcello A., a commercial traveler; Melvin, and Burt, liverymen; Frank, a
horse dealer in Coulee City, Washington ; Addie, wife of Arthur Knight, a wheat
buyer of Pendleton.
     Fraternally, Mr. Murchie is connected, with  the A. O. U. W., and in
politics is an active Republican. He has attended nearly every county convention
since coming here, and is a man who labors hard for the forwarding of those
principles which he believes to be right. When our subject's father came here,
he took up land and also bought more. He had previously met with reverses in
California, having lost his stamp mill by fire, and four of his men being burned
to death. His death occurred on March 8, 1896. Our subjects uncles, Skeffington
T. and William H., are now part owners of the mine previously owned by our
subject's father, and are prominent and influential men in California.  Mr. and
Mrs. Murchie are popular and genial people and are to be numbered among the most
substantial residents of this part of the state.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2010 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.