# Cousin Jimmy Murray — Emily of New Moon character guide

> Cousin Jimmy Murray in Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Jimmy Murray, Murray, Cousin Jimmy Murray, Cousin, Jimmy, cousin Jimmy, Jim, Simple Jimmy Murray, Jimmy Murray

**First appearance:** 0000-i-the-house-in-the-hollow

## Snapshot

Simple, gentle Cousin Jimmy, who tends New Moon's famous garden and loves Emily with the uncomplicated devotion of a child, is the household's hidden treasure.

## Who they are

Cousin Jimmy is called simple by the world, but his garden is a work of genius and his heart is the warmest at New Moon. He becomes Emily's first true friend in the house, sharing her love of growing things and offering her the unconditional affection her aunts cannot. His garden is also the story's emblem of beauty worth protecting, and his quiet loyalty gives Emily a refuge when the Murray world presses hardest.

## In the story

### [A Watch in the Night](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/ii-a-watch-in-the-night)

Cousin Jimmy is mentioned as living with Elizabeth and Laura at New Moon Farm.

### [IV: A Family Conclave](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/iv-a-family-conclave)

Guards the door while Emily says her private goodbye to her father and gives her peppermint lozenges.

### [Diamond Cut Diamond](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/v-diamond-cut-diamond)

Cousin Jimmy suggests settling the matter by lot, whispers encouragingly to Emily about Aunt Laura's cooking, and shares his poetry with her.

### [VI: New Moon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/vi-new-moon)

Gentle and whimsical, he secretly treats Emily to ice-cream and speaks of fairies in the woods.

### [The Book of Yesterday](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/vii-the-book-of-yesterday)

Shows Emily the graveyard and tells her the stories of the Murrays, including old Hugh and his wife.

### [X: Growing Pains](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/x-growing-pains)

Cousin Jimmy retrieves the mail and is briefly mentioned.

### [XI: Ilse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xi-ilse)

Mentioned as the source of the tradition that family members are moved to the spare-room to die.

### [XIII: Daughter of Eve](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xiii-daughter-of-eve)

Cousin Jimmy is mentioned as having gone to Shrewsbury with the aunts; his saying 'tastes like more' is recalled.

### [Fancy Fed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xiv-fancy-fed)

Cousin Jimmy boils the pigs' potatoes, recites his poetry to Emily, and reluctantly obeys Aunt Elizabeth's order to drown the kitten, though he later helps Emily keep it.

### [XV: Various Tragedies](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xv-various-tragedies)

Cousin Jimmy tells Emily the tragic story of the Lee brothers and the well. He advocates for hiring Perry because he saved Emily's life.

### [Check for Miss Brownell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xvi-check-for-miss-brownell)

Cousin Jimmy defends Emily by pointing out that Miss Brownell's actions were not 'fair and square,' causing Aunt Elizabeth to change her stance.

### [Living Epistles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xvii-living-epistles)

Measures Emily's height, gives her a blank book for her birthday, and helps with the garden.

### [Father Cassidy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xviii-father-cassidy)

Cousin Jimmy is distracted and distressed, as his garden will be ruined if the bush is cut down.

### [Friends Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xix-friends-again)

Cousin Jimmy expresses his gratitude to Emily for saving the bush.

### [By Aerial Post](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xx-by-aerial-post)

Mentions the end of the world rumor, carves turkey at Christmas, and helps make taffy with the girls.

### [XXIX: Sacrilege](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xxix-sacrilege)

Mentioned as someone who also writes poetry, but his accident has left him childlike.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/characters/cousin_jimmy
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/characters