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Description area
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History
Beamish Murdoch, barrister, writer, and historian, was born at Halifax, N.S. on 1 August 1800, the son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Beamish) Murdoch. In 1822 he was admitted to the bar of Nova Scotia and began a legal practice. He also began to contribute articles to the Acadian Recorder and Acadian Magazine. He served as MLA for Halifax Township, 1826-1830, after which he published his first book, Epitome of the Laws of Nova Scotia (1832-33). In 1841 he became clerk of the Central Board of Education followed by recorder for the city of Halifax, 1852-1860. He retired in 1860 and began to write A History of Nova Scotia, or Acadie, published between 1865 and 1867. Murdoch was active in several civic and charitable organizations, including the Charitable Irish Society (vice president, 1824-1825); Poor Man's Friend Society, 1825; Nova Scotia Philanthropic Society in the 1830s; and the Halifax Temperance Society (president, 1842). He died on 9 February 1876 at Lunenburg.