John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Earl of Dunmore PC
Governor of the Province of New York
In office 1770–1771
Monarch	George III
Preceded by	Sir. Henry Moore
Succeeded by	William Tryon
Governor of the Province of Virginia
In office 1771–1775
Monarch	George III
Preceded by	Lord Botetourt
Succeeded by	Patrick Henry (as Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia)
20th Royal Governor of the Bahamas
In office 1787–1796
Monarch	George III
Preceded by	James Edward Powell
Succeeded by	John Forbes
Personal details
Born	1730 Taymouth, Fearnan, Scotland, Great Britain
Died	25 February 1809 (aged 78–79) Ramsgate, Kent, England, United Kingdom
Nationality	British/Scottish

John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore (1730 – 25 February 1809), also known as Lord Dunmore, was a Scottish nobleman and a governor for Britain in the American colonies and The Bahamas. He was the very last colonial governor of Virginia before the American Revolution.

Lord Dunmore became governor of New York in 1770. The next year, he moved to the Colony of Virginia to become its governor. While in Virginia, he led a war against Native American tribes, known as Lord Dunmore's War. He is also famous for a document called Dunmore's Proclamation in 1775. This document offered freedom to enslaved people who would fight for the British against the American Patriots. After the Burning of Norfolk in 1776, Dunmore left Virginia and later returned to Britain. From 1787 to 1796, he served as Governor of the Bahama Islands.

Early Life and Family

John Murray was born in Taymouth, Scotland, in 1730. His father was William Murray, 3rd Earl of Dunmore. When he was 15, John and his father joined the Jacobite Rising led by "Bonnie Prince Charlie". This was a fight to put Prince Charles on the British throne.

After the Jacobite army lost the Battle of Culloden in 1746, John's father was put in prison. By 1750, his father was pardoned, and John joined the British Army. In 1756, he became the 4th Earl of Dunmore after his uncle and father passed away.

In 1759, Lord Dunmore married Lady Charlotte. Their daughter, Lady Augusta Murray, later married a son of King George III. However, the King did not approve of this marriage. The Dunmores had other children, including Lady Catherine Murray and Lady Virginia Murray.

Governor of New York

Lord Dunmore was appointed the British governor of New York in 1770. He served in this role for about a year. Soon after, the governor of Virginia passed away, and Dunmore was chosen to take his place.

Governor of Virginia

Leading Dunmore's War

Lord Dunmore became the royal governor of the Colony of Virginia on September 25, 1771. He faced growing problems between the colonies and Great Britain. As governor, Dunmore led military actions against Native American tribes, especially the Shawnee. This conflict is known as Lord Dunmore's War.

His main goal was to make Virginia's claims stronger in the western lands, like the Ohio Country. Some people thought Dunmore might have planned the war to weaken Virginia's local army. They believed this would help the British if the colonists rebelled. However, Dunmore denied these claims.

Growing Tensions with Colonists

Lord Dunmore was not very good at working with others. He tried to govern Virginia for over a year without asking the House of Burgesses, which was Virginia's elected assembly. This made the already tense situation even worse.

When Dunmore finally called the assembly in March 1773, they wanted to talk about their concerns. They created a committee to discuss issues like the Townshend Acts and the Gaspee Affair with Britain. Dunmore quickly closed the assembly. Many members then met at the Raleigh Tavern to continue their discussions about taxes and their lack of representation.

In 1774, Dunmore called the assembly again. The members decided to make June 1, 1774, a day of prayer and fasting in Virginia. In response, Dunmore dissolved the assembly once more.

The assembly members met again as the Second Virginia Convention. They chose people to represent Virginia at the Continental Congress. Dunmore spoke out against sending delegates to the Congress but did not take strong action. In March 1775, Patrick Henry gave his famous "Give me Liberty, or give me Death!" speech. This speech helped convince delegates to prepare for armed resistance.

The Gunpowder Incident

As unrest grew, Dunmore tried to take away military supplies from Virginia's local army. On April 20, 1775, he ordered British marines to remove gunpowder from the Williamsburg magazine. The powder was to be taken to a British warship.

Local militias quickly gathered, and news of the event spread across the colony. This event became known as the Gunpowder Incident.

Conflict with the Hanover Militia

On May 3, the Hanover militia, led by Patrick Henry, arrived near Williamsburg. Dunmore moved his family from the Governor's Palace to his hunting lodge, Porto Bello. On May 6, Dunmore issued a statement against Patrick Henry and his "deluded Followers."

Dunmore threatened to declare martial law, which means military rule. He eventually went to Porto Bello to be with his family. On June 8, after being injured in the leg, Dunmore took shelter on the British warship HMS Fowey. For months, Dunmore sent raiding parties to take supplies from plantations along the James, York, and Potomac rivers. These raids made tensions worse because they also encouraged enslaved people to rebel.

Dunmore's Proclamation

Lord Dunmore is well-known for Dunmore's Proclamation. This document, issued on November 7, 1775, offered freedom to enslaved people. It stated that any enslaved person who left their Patriot owners and joined the British would be free.

About 800 to 2000 escaped enslaved people sought safety with the British. Some joined the army, while most helped in other ways. Dunmore formed these Black Loyalists into his Ethiopian Regiment.

Dunmore won the Battle of Kemp's Landing on November 17, 1775. However, he lost badly at the Battle of Great Bridge on December 9, 1775. After this defeat, Dunmore loaded his troops and many Virginia Loyalists onto British ships. Smallpox spread on the crowded ships, and about 500 members of the Ethiopian Regiment died.

Leaving Virginia

On January 1, 1776, Dunmore ordered the burning of buildings in Norfolk. Patriot troops were firing from these buildings onto his ships. However, the fire spread, and the city burned down. This ended any hope that Dunmore's loyalists could return to Virginia.

Dunmore retreated to New York. Some of his ships went south to Florida. When he realized he could not regain control in Virginia, Dunmore returned to Britain in July 1776. He continued to receive his pay as Virginia's governor until 1783, when Britain recognized American independence.

From 1787 to 1796, Dunmore served as governor of the Bahamas. During his time there, the British gave land to American Loyalists who had left the United States. The population of the Bahamas tripled in a few years. These Loyalists tried to grow cotton, but it did not last due to insects and poor soil.

Legacy

• Dunmore County, Virginia, created in 1772, was named after him. However, during the American Revolution, its name was changed to Shenandoah County in 1778.
• Lake Dunmore in Salisbury, Vermont, was named after him in 1773. He had claimed ownership of the area when he was Governor of New York.
• Porto Bello, Lord Dunmore's hunting lodge, still stands in York County, Virginia. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
• The Dunmore Pineapple was built in Scotland in 1761 before he left for America. It is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland.
• Dunmore Street in Norfolk, Virginia, was named for him. It is said to mark the place where he last set foot in Norfolk.
• The town of Dunmore in Pennsylvania is named after Dunmore Park in Scotland, where the Dunmore Pineapple is located.
• Lord Dunmore Drive is a street in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
• Dunmore Town, on Harbour Island in the Bahamas, is also named after him.