An undated newspaper cutting from the NORTH ARGYL has the following interesting information recorded under the heading of surnames.

'There appear to be two sources for this name, one in Kincardineshire and the other in Ayrshire.
"A Hugh de Urie swore fealty to Edward I at Perth and Forfar in 1296 and a Hugh Urry of Ayrshire also did homage." Two of the names were recorded at Irvine in early times.'

In Dr. D.F. du Toit Malherbe's book called Family register of the South African Nation, reference is made to one by the name of Paul Urie who came from Prussia. The source of information in this case dates back to about 1807.

The progenitor of the South African branch of the Urie family to which this chronicle refers is a John Urie, soldier in Her Majesty's 91st, later to become the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders (1871).

"The soldiers of that era were tough men who had to march to the scene of action carrying with them heavy packs and equally heavy muzzle-loading muskets. During the many border wars the troops came to rely more and more on the bayonet, both as a weapon for attack and defence. The regiment was stationed at Fort Beaufort from January 1844 to the end of the War of the Axe in 1847 and again from November 1852 to July 1855. These men were obliged to enlist for 21 years with the option of rejoining the regiment after the termination of the initial period of service."

John Urie was always in the thick of the fray and had many narrow escapes in the pitched battles which were fought in the Amatolas at Boma Pass, Burnshill, Gwanga and Fort Cox. He and a few of his companions figured prominently at Fort Hare and Waterkloof when they carried their wounded officers, Captain Gordon and Colonel Fordyce, to places of safety. The fighting was so fierce that the rescuers had to fight every inch of the way. John seems to have bought himself out of the regiment when it became obvious that they were being withdrawn in the middle of 1855; perhaps Margaret had already appeared on the scene. At the time of their marriage John appears to have been a shoemaker in Fort Beaufort but some four years later on 1st December 1860 he was appointed as gaoler at the new gaol in Bree Street, Cradock. In due course his wife Margaret was appointed matron of the prison.

In an obituary written by a senior magisterial official at Cradock, John is described as a cool, even-tempered and warm-hearted man of good character. He was no doubt on account of his military training, an excellent disciplinarian. In his native land he belonged to the Church of Scotland and he was very proud of the Scottish heritage. John was a good Christian and took a leading part in Free Masonry for over 20 years, usually as Tyler.
One gets the impression that he must have been a formidable figure and a well-respected citizen of Cradock.

There is a very imposing colour portrait (or painting) of John in his masonic regalia in the Great Fish River Museum in Cradock.'

(Gordon Nesemann)