The Morrow/Moser Family Union:Information about James Lawrence Murphy
James Lawrence Murphy (b. 1/10/1834, d. 11/02/1921)
Notes for James Lawrence Murphy:
mother died when he was 4 yrs. old, father died 2 yrs. later
was given to foster parents who were very cruel
ran away at 11 yrs. old, crossed English Channel on cattle boat landing in England
worked in mines until 19 yrs. old
Sister Margaret found him & brought him w/ her to America, landing in New York in July 1853
from New York, went to Pittsburg, PA working in mines until Sept. that year (1853)
when he went into Civil War
Enlisted w/ Third AR Regement, received honorable discharge at Washington in May 1865
Next to Kewanee, IL where he met & married Rose McCormick
1868 left IL headed for Grass Valley California,on his way went through Salt Lake City, Utah w/
mormons in full emigration, met Brigham Young
Coal miner & farmer
nickname:YellowHammer
THE STORY OF MY GRANDFATHER JAMES L. MURPHY WRITTEN FOR MY SCHOOL WORK IN 1924 OR 1925ByMary Mabel Murphy
My Grandfather James L. Murphy was born in Mayo Co., Ireland on January 10, 1834.His parents were very poor so he received no education as there were no public schools and only the rich people could afford to hire tutors for their children.
During the great famine in Ireland between 1831-1842 many people starved.Several of his brothers and sisters died during this time.His mother died when he was four years old.He said he remembered distinctly the night she died.His father passes away two years later.An older brother, Patrick, joined the Kings army and was lost.My Grandfather and two sisters were all that were left of a large family.
The two sisters went to work and Grandfather was given to foster parents.The foster parents were very cruel to him and at age eleven he ran away and crossed the English Chanel on a cattle boat and landed in England.Being so young the only work he could do was hitch mules to coal cars.He worked in the mines in England until he was 19.
His sister Margaret found trace of him and as she was coming to America he accompanied her.They landed in New York in July 1853.From New York they went to Pittsburg, PA where he worked in the mines until September of that year.He worked in various mines in the east until the first call of troops in the Civil War.He enlisted in the Third AR Regement afterwards received an honorable discharge.He often spoke of General Grant and Sherman.After his discharge at Washington in May 1865, he went to Kewanee, IL to work.It was there he met my Grandmother, Rose McCormick.They were married December 22, 1866.He continued his work at Kewanee, IL until 1868.Their first child was born January 23, 1868.He decided to go to Grass Valley, California to work.On his way to Grass Valley he went through Salt Lake City.The Mormons were in full emigration.While he was in Salt Lake City he met the great Mormon leader Brigham Young.
After reaching Grass Valley he and some other men decided to go to Dawson in the Klondike gold region.When they were in short distance from San Francisco they met up with some people who were on their way to AZ so they decided to accompany them and try their fortunes in the South instead of North.He traveled through Los Angeles, Phoeniz AZ and on to Galveston TX.They went on up through Death Valley and the skulls of miners who had died could be seen lying around.The only means of travel then was by stagecoach or Pony Express.They went on to Leadville, CO and it was made up of a few miner's shacks at that time.
He came back to Kewanee and brought his family to IA and purchases 80 acres south of Melrose, IA but he wanted to go back to the west so in a few years he went back to CO.He returned to Melrose in February 1879.He purchases another 80 acres and remained at home until 1882.He went back to Denver to work.He came home in 1884 and often spoke of returning to the west but advancing age prevented him from doing so.He resided on the farm south of Melrose until 1920.Grandmother passed away in July of 1918.
He made a visit to the home of a daughter, Mattie, in Oklahoma in the fall of 1920.He spent the winter there and came back to Melrose in the spring of 1921.He liked the climate in Oklahoma and planned on returning there but he became ill and passed away November 2, 1921 at the age of 87years, 8 months, and 23 days.They had a family of one boy and six girls.
More About James Lawrence Murphy:
Burial: Unknown, Melrose Cemetery, Melrose, Monroe Co., IA.
Immigration: 7/1853, New York.
Military service: Civil War Vet.
Nationality: Irish.
More About James Lawrence Murphy and Rose Ellen McCormick:
Marriage: 12/22/1866, Kawanee, IL.
Children of James Lawrence Murphy and Rose Ellen McCormick are:
- +Margaret E. Murphy, b. 1/23/1868, Kawanee, IL, d. 4/1942.
- +John Lawrence Murphy, b. 1/18/1873, Appanoose Co., IA, d. 12/28/1937, Appanoose Co., IA.
- +Mary Murphy, b. 1/18/1873517, d. date unknown.
- Mattie Murphy, b. 9/17/1875, d. 12/04/1950.
- Bessie Murphy, b. 11/21/1879, d. 12/28/1964.
- Rose Murphy, b. 12/20/1880, d. 1/04/1948.
- Florence Murphy, b. 7/24/1885, d. 9/19/1964.