MURRAY, John, soldier, born in Scotland about 1731; died in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, 3 February, 1798. He emigrated to this country with his father, William Murray, and in 1766 purchased land near the town of Dauphin, Pennsylvania He was an ardent patriot, and in March, 1776, was the first to be appointed to command a company in Colonel Samuel Miles's "rifle regiment." In March, 1777, he was pro-rooted major of the Pennsylvania state regiment, and in December, 1778, he was made lieutenant-colonel of the 2d Pennsylvania. He served until the disbanding of the army in 1783, participating in the battles of Long Island, White Plains, Trenton, Princeton, Germantown, and the Brandywine. In 1791 he was commissioned justice of the peace, the only political office he ever held.--His brother, JAMES, also served in the same war as captain of a company in the Pennsylvania troops.