Name Andrew 1st | ||
Sir Andrew Murray, 1st Lord Balvaird (1597?–1644) was a Scottish minister of Abdie in Fife, and the only minister of the Church of Scotland on whom a knighthood or peerage was conferred.
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Life
He was the second son of David Murray of Balgonie, Fifeshire, by Agnes, daughter of Moncrieff of Moncrieff. He was educated at the University of St Andrews, where he graduated M.A. in 1618. In 1622 he was presented by his grandfather, Sir David Murray, 1st Viscount Stormont, to the church of Abdie, to which he was admitted on 1 October. On the death of his grandfather in 1631 he succeeded to the baronies of Arngask and Kippo in Fifeshire. During the visit of Charles I to Scotland for his coronation in 1633 he was, on 15 June, dubbed a knight at Seton.
Murray was the second of those who, in February 1638, signed the covenant in Greyfriars Church, Edinburgh. Although his name was also inserted as supporting the libel against the bishops in the same year, he may not have concurred with it. At a meeting of the assembly of the kirk in the same year, he, although not a member, tried modify the attitude of the extremists towards the king's proposals. The high commissioner, the Marquis of Hamilton, reported this to the king, and on 17 November 1641 Murray was created a peer by the title of Lord Balvaird.
As a peer Balvaird attended a meeting of the convention of estates; but on 10 August 1643 it was decided by the assembly of the kirk that he should keep his ministry, and give up speaking in parliament. On the death of Mungo Murray, 2nd Viscount of Stormont in March 1642, Balvaird succeeded to the lands, lordship, and barony of Stormont, but not to the title. He died on 24 September 1644, aged about 47.
Family
By his wife Lady Elizabeth Carnegie, daughter of David Carnegie, 1st Earl of Southesk, he had five sons and three daughters. The sons were:
The daughters were: