Samuel Murray, farmer and preacher, Covington; is a son of David Murray, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and, came when a boy with his parents to Montgomery Co., where he married Hannah Kimmel, and resided on Wolf Creek until about 1832 or 1833, then removed with his family to Miami Co., having purchased the northeast quarter of Sec. 32, which he improved and lived on until in 1856, he sold out and returned to Montgomery Co., where he still resides. The subject of this sketch was born in Montgomery Co. in 1828, and grew to manhood here on the farm in the days of hard labor and limited facilities; he has always followed farming, first commencing for himself in Sec. 28; his farm is the north half of two 80 acre tracts, one being in Sec. 32, and the other adjoining in Sec.,33, it being the unimproved portion of each tract at the time he purchased; he has cleared most of it, erected the present neat and substantial buildings, and the farm now compares favorably with others in this well-improved neighborhood. He was married Jan. 23, 1851, to Mary Shellaberger, daughter of Jacob and Hannah (Mohler) Shellaberger, who also came from Pennsylvania, and settled in Sec. 33 of this township. She also grew up here, and both Mr. and Mrs. Murray went to school in a log schoolhouse that stood on the same ground where the present neat brick house is situated, in which their children are now being educated under much more favorable circumstances than their parents enjoyed. Mr. Murray is a useful, respected citizen, and both he and his wife are members of the German Baptist Church, of which he was elected Deacon in 1860, and since 1864 has been the chosen and useful minister. They have five children, all of whom are as yet members of the family household.