Elizabeth Reid Murray
1925-2014
Elizabeth Reid Murray dedicated her life
to documenting and preserving the history of Wake County, the place she
considered “just the finest place on Earth.”
She was the author of Wake Capital County
of North Carolina: Prehistory through Centennial (Vol. 1), 1983, and the
co-author of Wake Capitol County of North Carolina: Reconstruction to 1920
(Vol. 2), 2008. These books are the most definitive authoritative secondary
resources on the history of Wake County. The Elizabeth Reid Murray Collection
at the Olivia Raney Local History Library is an extensive resource for
scholarly research on Raleigh and Wake County.
Born Mary Elizabeth Davis in Wadesboro,
North Carolina, she first moved to Raleigh to attend Meredith College, graduating
in 1946. She began her professional life as a continuity writer of WPTF radio
and as the program manager for WADE radio in Wadesboro.
Returning to Raleigh, she held numerous
positions, including: Director, Meredith College News Bureau; editor, woman’s
section, Raleigh News and Observer; Executive Secretary, Governor’s
Coordinating Committee on Aging for NC; research assistant to Dr. Clarence Poe;
teacher, local history courses for Wake County Public Schools and Wake
Technical College; local history correspondent, Raleigh Times, News and
Observer, Raleigh Spectator and Raleigh Magazine; and member, Raleigh City
Council (1973).
Mrs. Murray was frequently recognized for
her many contributions to the community and was awarded the following: American
Association State and Local History for From Raleigh Past (1965); first
Meredith Distinguished Alumna award (1970); W.P. Peace Award for best book on
NC history (1983); Community Service Award, Raleigh Board of Realtors (1983);
Wake County Phi Beta Kappa Award (1985); Silver Bowl Award, NC Museum of Art
(1987); President’s Cup, Wake County Historical Society (1994); Anthemion
Award, Capital Area Preservation, Inc. (1994).
Elizabeth Reid Murray was a wife, mother
and grandmother.
She and her husband James Reid, a former
mayor of Raleigh had three children, Michael Ernest Reid, Nancy Kennedy Reid
Baker, and James William Reid, Jr. Mr.
Reid died in 1972. In 1979, Mrs. Reid married Dr. Raymond L. Murray of the
Nuclear Engineering Department of North Carolina State University.
In 2006, Elizabeth Reid Murray donated her
entire collection of manuscripts, slides, postcards, and photographs to the
Olivia Raney Local History Library. The collection of more than 500 boxes of
materials spans from 1965-2004 and is the largest archival collection owned by
Wake County Public Libraries. Mrs. Murray was a longtime supporter of WCPL
serving as a library trustee and a member of the planning committee for the
opening of the Olivia Raney Local History Library in 1996.
In her research, she enjoyed uncovering
stories of not only the elite but also of unsung heroes - people of color,
people in remote and rural communities, and outstanding leaders. Her work ethic
to affirm that her sources and facts were accurate was impeccable. Known in the
community as someone who was generous with her knowledge, she was an
inspiration to researchers.
Elizabeth
Reid Murray died in 2014. Her books, publications, and collection at Olivia
Raney Local
History Library represent the passion and
dedication she had for sharing the
history of Wake County.
