Colonel Murray Street is named in honour of Colonel (later Major-General) John Murray a senior officer with the 99th Regiment of Foot who established the Richmond Military Settlement in 1818. Colonel John Murray was born in Jamaica and joined the British Army’s 37th Regiment of Foot in 1792. He saw action in the Netherlands, Gibraltar and the West Indies, rising to the rank of Major.
In 1804 he transferred as a Lieutenant-Colonel to the newly formed 100th Regiment of Foot and shortly afterwards sailed to British North America. The 100th Regiment garrisoned Quebec City and Montreal, but with the outbreak of the War of 1812, was sent to the Niagara area. There in the late 1813, Colonel Murray recaptured Fort George and went on to capture Fort Niagara.
With the end of the War of 1812 and the cessation of the Napoleonic Wars, the British Army set about reducing the number of regiments. As a result, the 100th Regiment of Foot was renamed the 99th Regiment of Foot and later disbanded in 1818, while garrisoned in Quebec City. Disbanded soldiers were offered land, tools, and rations to remain in Canada. Between 300 and 400 soldiers of the 99th Regiment accepted this offer and traveled to the Jock River area to establish the Richmond Military Settlement.
It does not appear that Colonel Murray accompanied them to Richmond, but the naming of the street in his honour is more likely due to his senior position within the 99th at the time of its disbandment. The cadre of the 99th Regiment, including Colonel Murray, returned to England. He died in 1832.
