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Mercedes Espinosa was born in Chile about 1822. Apparently she came with
her first husband from Chile to the California gold fields and was
widowed in Sonora, Tuolumne County, California, about 1850. In such
straits, she could not have remained a widow for any length of time,
especially in the mining camps where women were scarce. She was consoled
by the attentions of Walter Murray, who was operating a newspaper in
Sonora at the time. She had a daughter from her first marriage. She and
Murray were married in San Luis Obispo on February 23, 1851,by Father
Miguel Gómez, although according to other accounts of Murray’s life he
did not live in San Luis Obispo until 1853. He must have had some ties
to the town prior to 1853. We know from letters from Murray’s mother in
England that he had made the acquaintance of Romualdo Pacheco in the
gold fields. It was likely this connection that brought the Murrays to
San Luis Obispo. Working also for Murray’s Sonora Herald was
Myron Angel, who also later moved to San Luis Obispo and then wrote a
county history, but he arrived much later than the Murrays.
The
1870 U.S. Census lists the Walter Murray household:
Walter Murray, 43,
attorney, born England, real estate value $5,000, personal property
Value $800
Mercedes, 47, age 47, born
Chile
Elizabeth, 17, born
California
Mercedes A. age 12, born
California
Anita, age 10, born
California
Sarah C. G., age 8, born
California
Walter A., age 6, born
California
Frances J., age 4, born
California
James A., age 1, born
California
Amelia Godoy, 18, born
California
Espiridiona, 8, born
California
Andrea Murray, 36, born
Chile, real estate value $6,000, personal property value $6,000
James Alfred Murray
died at San Miguelito on May 13, 1871. He was nearly three years old.
Mercedes was a close
friend of Chona Boronda de Muñoz.
There is no obituary
for Mercedes in the San Luis Obispo newspapers, but it is believed that
she died in town.
San Luis Obispo
December 17th, 1875
My dear Sister,
Your sadly sweet letter brought to us joy and bitterness combined. With
eyes filled with tears and hearts bursting with grief, did we eagerly
listen to your kind words which were read aloud by the eldest daughter
of that noble father who is lost to us forever upon this earth. Not in
the earthly home will we again be blessed by his sweet companionship and
may we so live that we will be allowed to enjoy it in the Heavenly Home.
The loss which we have met is indeed irreparable. One which we must
mourn until our days upon this earth are ended. - It is a very great
comfort to us dear sister, to feel that we have your affection and kind
sympathies, although the great distance which separates us renders it
impossible for us ever to become personally acquainted. But since we
cannot communicate in person it will ever be to us a great consolation
to do so in writing, and to feel that you take an interest in the
welfare of the unfortunate family of your deceased brother - who was so
much beloved by you, as they were by him.
He was highly esteemed and respected by all who knew him and to me this
is a very consoling thought. Although he has been taken from us, his
memory will be with us forever.
I was indeed proud of my relation with one of God’s own noblemen, and
although he has been removed from our midst, I shall always pride myself
in his name - a name which we shall honor and suffer to remain unsullied
so long as we shall live.
At present I am much confused, and know not what I shall do. Everything
appears as a black cloud to me. I trust that dear Jesus will cast a
light in my path and with his kind helping hand guide and instruct me.
This is certain - I must do something. The children must have schooling,
and I must sacrifice anything for their education. It is indeed hard to
be left along with a large family in your hands. It is true that he has
left many friends, but there are none who offer us more than sympathy
for our loss. You know what this world is - Each one for himself. I have
not yet found one as ready to help and advise as was our dear Walter. He
was ever willing to lend a helping hand to all. Now I must be dealt with
as one of the world - with no pity - no compassion. Each one for himself
- such is California.
So far, out of the numerous friends which my dear husband left behind,
only one has proved
worthy of the title. This is Charles Rutherford - father of a large
family. He and dear Walter were boys together in Boston and were as dear
to each other as brothers, until Walter’s death. Now he is doing all he
can to help us. His wife came down while our loved one was breathing his
last, with my daughters Mercedes and Anita, who were at College in San
Francisco. When all was over she insisted upon taking Josephine home
with her that she might attend school there, as our schools in San Luis
are in a bad condition. They had refused to take pay for Josephine’s
board and she is cared for as though she were their own child. Josephine
will be 14 years old in April.
Walter, my only son is also with Mr. Rutherford and attending school in
San Francisco. I pay all his expenses. It is the first time the dear boy
has been away from home and it seems a little hard to him. He will be 12
years old in January. I have a great desire that Walter shall grow up to
be as good, and as intelligent a man as his father was, and while I live
he shall have every good opportunity that I can afford him.
Anita - her father’s pet - is attending the State Normal School. This is
a very superior institution of learning and I hope I can keep Anita
there until she graduates. She has always expressed a desire to become a
teacher and if she graduates from this school she will be qualified to
teach anywhere and will obtain a State certificate. Her advancement for
one so young is quite remarkable. She has her father’s head and is more
like him than any of the other children are. She is going to make a
noble woman.
Mercedes left school at the time of her dear father’s death. We thought
to keep her at school a year longer, but since our sad misfortune she
feels that she must give her place to one of the younger ones.
My daughter Eliza is still with me - her health is not good. Fannie, my
youngest - now 9 years old - is getting to be a big girl. At present I
dare not send her to school. She is a very delicate child, and I intend
to keep her at home this winter. Mercedes hears her lessons. Fannie is a
smart child - very quick to learn. I trust that God will help me in
bringing up my dear children. They were deprived of a noble father’s
guiding hand just when they most needed his counsel.
In regard to what means my beloved husband left us, he left something
beside the Homestead but I do not know how much will remain with us
after everything is settled. I find that there is quite a sum to be paid
out and I fear that there will be very little left us - if anything.
There are a number of persons who were owing him but we will have a hard
time in obtaining their pay. One of these owed Walter three thousand
dollars and in the hour of his death he said to this man - in my
presence “Be sure and let my family have what you owe me”. Now the man
denies the debt. It seems to have
been an agreement made
verbally as we can find no papers by which we could force the man to
pay. And so it is - they all hand in their bills but refuse to pay
theirs. Yes, my dear sister, such is my situation and I am utterly
incapable of altering it. May the All Father help us in our trying
hours.
We buried our loved one near dear Alexander. I have not yet had the
grave arranged but we are daily expecting the money for his Life
Insurance and with a part of this I mean to build a sort of vault for
him and the dear children whose remains I will remove from where they
now lie and place them with their dear father. When this is done I will
have the dear grave photographed and will send you copies of it, that
you may behold where our loved ones lie.
I send you as much of his hair as I can possibly spare. I will also send
some to our dear old Mother from whom I received a precious letter last
night. I will write to her very soon. I see that she is not living with
you. Still independent as ever is she? The dear old lady is not long for
this world. For her the blissful reunion is not far distant, God knows,
but it is less distant for us. Our loved ones have gone only a little
while before us, and Oh! to prepare ourselves for the meeting.
I also send you two more copies of the account of dear Walter’s death. I
tried to obtain more but could not. There was nothing said about him in
any paper but the Tribune. Have you as many of his photographs as you
want? I am having some copied from the best ones we have of him and if
you wish I will send you one or two copies.
Mr. Thompson is dead. He committed suicide by shooting himself shortly
after his arrival here. It is said that he committed this rash act
because a young lady whom he greatly admired, refused to marry him. I do
not know how true this is. All that reached us of the box which you sent
us by Mr. Thompson was a piece of greyish cloth. The rest of the things
were lost on the way out. We thank you for your kindness in sending
them.
I shall hope to hear from you again, dear sister, and shall ever be
happy to answer your dear missives. Mercedes says she will with pleasure
write to her dear Aunt. She will also write to her Grandmama soon. I
hope this letter will find you all well and may God watch and protect
you ever. Your nieces would all be delighted to make their Aunt’s
acquaintance, but he who might some day have taken them to visit the
dear relatives is gone to return no more, and the children must now be
satisfied by making the relations' acquaintance through writing only.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blest be the name of the
Lord. We poor short sighted mortals cannot understand these afflicting
dispensations of Providence but He says that we shall know hereafter.
Present my respects to
your kind husband, and to your family - much love from their unknown
cousins. The girls all send love to their dear Aunt. Accept, dear
sister, and present to your dear children my best love with the
assurance that I am
Yours affectionately
Mercedes Murray
San Luis Obispo
December 21st, 1875
My very dear Sister,
I have just received your kind and very welcome letter refering to Mr.
Henderson’s letter to your husband. Mr H. is an old acquaintance of 25
years and was one of your dear brother’s best friends. He says that you
are mistaken in that - He being Administrator of the Estate of Alexander
could not with propriety act for heirs in England, but he merely
recommended the appointment as your attorney in fact, Mr. John Simmler -
our Post Master - as a proper person to be instructed with your
interests, he being an old and tried friend of my husband’s and this
appointment is fully indorsed by me. I am the sole Executrix of Walter.
The children are much pleased with the little cards you sent them and
they thank you for them. They are doubly pleased with their little gifts
as having come from their dear Aunt. As to health, we are all well thank
God, but the wound in our bruised hearts is as sore and fresh as ever. I
am still undecided as to what I shall do to earn something that I may
keep the children at school. I hope that as soon as all business matters
are settled I will be able to see my way clear to do something to help
us along. Thank Heaven we are not at present suffering from poverty -
but I fear that if we do not find some other means for living than that
which our dear one left us we will some day fall short. He was taken
from us just at the time when he was beginning to set himself up. His
re-election was considered secure and he was so ambitious and anxious
about it. The very day he died he sent a man out in the country
electioneering. You can imagine how great was his enthusiasm. He died on
the 5th day of October and the election took place on the 20th of that
month. But the Great All Father knows best. He does all things wisely
and I feel that He will help us in this our sorrowing time.
We shall hope to have your dear letters always, as a consolation and
comfort. Mercedes and Anita will write to you and to their dear
Grandmama regularly and they hope that when you are unable to write, the
unknown cousins will do so for you. They would love to hear from them.
I hope that this will
find you enjoying perfect health in company with your dear husband and
family. The children unite with me in love to yourself and all the dear
unknown relations.
If you conclude to send Mr. Simmler the power of Attorney, do it with
all possible dispatch. You may safely place all confidence in this
gentleman, as he is perfectly reliable.
Hoping to hear from you soon again I remain
Yours affectionately
M Murray
http://www.zentus.com/kraushaar/murraylettersframe.htm
Sources:
[1] Letters from Walter Murray’s parents
to Walter and to his brother Alexander; Murray file, Vertical Files, San
Luis Obispo County Historical Society Museum.
[2] Myron Angel’s History of San Luis
Obispo County, Thompson and West, Oakland, CA, 1883.
Contributed by Don Rivara
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