Elizabeth Livingston Murison

Elizabeth Livingston Murison, or “Miss Murison”, born in New Orleans 24 August, 1857,  was Alice Silverman’s beloved teacher for many years, encouraging her, challenging her and in many ways acting as a substitute mother after Alice’s mother died. Alice was almost obsessively attached to her.

Elizabeth’s father owned a large sugar plantation in New Orleans. 

Elizabeth owned and presided over “Miss Murison’s School”  on the corner of Clay and Pierce Streets in San Francisco, working there for 30 years. Her parents, both from Scotland, were Dr. John Barnett Murison (1816-1870) and Elisabeth Livingstone McGregor (1817-1885). She had 3 siblings, William Alexander (184901904), Grace Ann (1853-1913) and John McGregor (1855-1896). Alice talks about Grace’s death in her 1913 diary. 

Miss Murison never married. In 1906 she translated a book called “The Soul of an Artist” (Un Anima Sola), by Neera, supposedly the confessions of a genius of the Italian stage. She traveled to Europe in 1912 with Miss Aimee Raisch. Many young women attended her school. 

She died in San Francisco, 21 Jan 1935, at the age of 78. She was buried in the Mount Tamalpais Cemetery in San Rafael, CA where she had bought a plot for herself, in 1898, for $135. Her brother William Alexander Murison, sister Grace Ann Murison and mother Elizabeth McGregor Murison were also buried there.

Alice adored her. Most pages of her diaries, especially the year after her mother’s death are full of mentions of Miss Murison, how kind and good and generous she is.