It was therefore necessary to protect the goods passing between Leith and London by armed convoys.

Sometimes the vessels on their return were quarantined for a time in Inverkeithing Bay.
The first Mrs.Murray died, leaving her husband childless, and he married again.

By his second wife he had three sons and two daughters, two of the sons, born in 1779 and 1781 respectively, died in infancy, while the third, John, born in 1778, is the subject of this Memoir.

In 1782 he writes to his friend the Rev.John Whitaker: "We have one son and daughter, the son above four years, and the daughter above two years, both healthy and good-natured." In June 1782 Mr.Murray had a paralytic stroke, by which he, for a time, lost the use of his left side, and though he shortly recovered, and continued his work as before, he was aware of his dangerous position.

To a friend going to Madeira in September 1791 he wrote: "Whether we shall ever meet again is a matter not easily determined.