Jenny Murray

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Janet "Jenny" Fraser Murray was born 1719, the second child to Brian and Ellen Fraser, the middle child between older brother, William, and younger brother, James. She grew up in the Scottish Highlands on her family's estate, Broch Tuarach. She is married to Ian Murray and together they have seven children.

Personal History

Early Life

Jenny, the only daughter born to Brian and Ellen, would often spend time during her youth with her younger brother, James, and their mother. Ellen died when Jenny was only 10 years old, but she stepped up to the role of "woman of the house," even preparing dinner for her family on the day of her mother's funeral. She continued to run their household through to adulthood. When Jenny was in her teens, their home was raided by the English and Jamie attacked some of the soldiers. When their leader, Jack Randall, threatened Jenny with rape, Jamie ceased fighting and allowed himself to be held in an attempt to keep his sister safe. Jenny proceeded to kick Jack Randall in the privates which lead to Jamie being arrested and taken away. Following his removal, Jack Randall took Jenny into the house and attempted to rape her. Due to Jenny's attack on his nether regions, Jack was unable to perform, which Jenny teased him about.

Marriage to Ian

Jenny married Ian Murray in 1740 shortly after her brother was imprisoned and her father Brian died. After Ian returned from war without part of his leg, Jenny went to him while he was working, kissed him, and informed him that they would be married. Jenny and Ian already had a close relationship due to them growing up together (with only a year separating them in age, and her brother's closest friend), and they had a great understanding of each other.

When Brian died, the title Laird of Broch Tuarach (or Lallybroch, informally) passed to Jamie, who was in prison and unable to assume the role. In his absence, Jenny and Ian ran the estate. Not long after their marriage, they welcomed their first child, James Alexander Gordon Fraser Murray in 1741, affectionately known as Jamie or Young Jamie. Their arrangement as keepers of Lallybroch continued until Jamie returned to Lallybroch, over three years later.

Events of the Novels

Outlander

Claire meets Jenny when she and Jamie arrive at Lallybroch. Jenny, hugely pregnant and just as stubborn as her brother, argues at length with Jamie, who is operating under several mistaken assumptions about what happened to Jenny the last time he saw her. Soon, though, Jenny enlightens her brother as to what actually happened, and she and Ian are finally able to welcome Jamie home, and Claire to the family.

Jenny and Ian incorporate Jamie back into the management of the estate once he returns. It takes Jenny a while to form a friendship with Claire, not knowing if she is right for her brother, but soon she warms to Claire and they form a close bond. Only months later, Jamie is taken by the English and imprisoned, so Jenny and Claire leave to look for him. As Jenny is breastfeeding Maggie at the time, she has to return before they are able to complete the rescue mission, leaving Claire to continue on her own.

Dragonfly in Amber

When Jamie is forced to round up men to fight for Prince Charles, Jenny begs Jamie to take Ian with him, believing that Ian's pride will be hurt if Jamie doesn't ask him to join him in battle. Jamie does ask Ian, but he refuses, much to Jenny's relief. Just before the Rising, Jenny gives birth to their third child, Katherine "Kitty" Mary Murray in 1745. During the Rising, Jamie signs over the rights of Broch Tuarach to Jenny's oldest child, Jamie, to keep the land from being seized by the English crown. Jenny and Ian would then run Lallybroch until young Jamie was of age to assume the role of Laird.

Physical Appearance

Jenny resembles Jamie in that they both have the same deep blue, slanted Fraser eyes and straight long nose, but where Jamie is fair, Jenny is dark. Her hair is a curly black, and her skin is very pale. She is also barely five feet tall, not anywhere near Jamie's six feet, four inches.

Name

• Janet is a medieval diminutive of the name Jane, which is itself a medieval English form of Jehanne, an Old French feminine form of Iohannes.

TV Series

Main: Outlander (TV series)

Northern Irish actress Laura Donnelly portrays Jenny Murray in the STARZ Outlander television series.