[3] The family moved from Ross-shire in Scotland to Bathampton in Somerset England for his father to recuperate from an illness, but he would die there in 1796.

[4] He began his working career with the East India Company.

[1] While he was Resident in Penang, he conducted a geological survey of Penang on behalf of his brother Roderick Murchison, who was President of the Geological Society.

[5] He became the Governor of the Straits Settlements on 7 December 1833,[6] however, he spent much of his time as Governor outside of Southeast Asia, and the administrative duty was performed by his deputy George Bonham.

His first wife died in 1816, and he married Anne Nesham in 1826 with whom he had two surviving sons, Kenneth-Robert and Roderick.