San Luis Obispo-Santa Clara County CA Archives Biographies.....Murphy, Patrick Washington 1840 - 
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Author: Thompson & West (1883)

GEN. P. W. MURPHY.

  THE history of the pioneers of California presents a remarkable array of men
of extraordinary enterprise and courage; of stalwart manhood and high-souled
honor, attended by brilliant successes in business and statesmanship, or
untiring energy in the ordinary walks of life. The family of Murphy was the
first of the pioneers, and are among the first in wealth and in social and
political influence. Their history runs far back into Ireland, thence to Canada,
and to the United States in Missouri, and at last to California when it was a
Mexican dependency, and to the present. The founder of the family in California
was Martin Murphy, Sr., who early in the present century went with his family
from Ireland to Quebec, Lower Canada, as the agent of a body of colonists of
that region. In 1840 he removed to Holt County, Missouri, and there founded a
colony at a place called "Irish Grove." The locality was not a healthy one, and
the settlers were afflicted with malaria. In their illness they were visited by
the Priest of the Jesuit Mission at Council Bluffs, Rev. Father Hoskins, who
told them in glowing terms of the beauties of the land by the sunset sea, where
malaria did not exist, and disease was scarcely known. Father Hoskins had lived
eight years in California, and was so enthusiastic in its praise that he
instilled the desire in the stricken colonists to seek a home in that fair and
distant land. On the 24th of May, 1844, the settlers of Irish Grove started on
their pilgrimage across the trackless wilderness to the land of their hopes and
their future. Their journey was long and toilsome, but fortune favored them, and
late in the fall of that year they arrived at the Eastern base of the Sierra
Nevada, near the shore of a beautiful lake, which now bears the name of the
unfortunate Donner, and there the company halted for the winter. Cabins were
built and preparations made for the long period of isolation and danger. A
portion of the company, however, concluded to push forward, and did so, entering
California by way of the Bear River and to Sutter's Fort. This party gave the
name to Truckee River in honor of a faithful Indian guide who accompanied them.
In the chapter devoted to Early Immigrants this party is more fully noticed.

  Patrick Washington Murphy was one of that noted band of pioneers, although
then but a mere child. He was born while his parents resided in Missouri,
September 11, 1840. His grandfather, Martin Murphy, Sr., was the commander and
master spirit of the first party of emigrants ever to cross the Sierra Nevada
with wagons and oxen to California. His father is Martin Murphy, Jr., who was
born in County Wexford, Ireland, November 9, 1807. His mother's maiden name was
Mary Bulger, a native of the same county. They were married in the cathedral at
Quebec, July 18, 1831, and fifty years later celebrated their golden wedding
with great eclat, and in the presence of a large assemblage at their homestead
at Mountain View, in Santa Clara County.

  In the pleasant Santa Clara P. W. Murphy grew to manhood, there attending
school and graduating at Santa Clara College, receiving the degree of B. S.
After leaving college he removed to San Luis Obispo County to take charge of the
great landed property of his father, the ranchos of Santa Margarita, Atascadero,
and Assuncion, comprising about 70,000 acres. At a later date he became the
owner of these ranchos, and also of the Cojo Rancho, of 9,000 acres, near Lompoc
in Santa Barbara County. These are grand estates, and in monarchial countries
would ennoble the holder with lordly titles and high distinction. The owner has
many times borne the title of Honorable, as the political history in this volume
stows him to have been three times elected to the office of State Senator, and
once to the Assembly of California. These positions he filled with distinction,
and his frequent re-elections indicate the satisfaction he gave his
constituency. He bears the title of General, having been appointed by Governor
Irwin Brigadier-General of the Second Brigade of the National Guard of California.

  The Santa Margarita is the home rancho of General Murphy. This is often
mentioned in these pages, and is one of the loveliest and most valuable in San
Luis Obispo. General Murphy's land is chiefly devoted to grazing, and his cattle
are numbered by thousands. In the business of cattle-raising he has been
eminently successful, and his property is valued at $1,200,000. The family have
been equally successful, and their fortune aggregates $4,000,000, the result of
energy, business ability, and the opportunity of life in California. As a
business man in San Luis Obispo he has always borne a prominent part, being
first in all the great enterprises. He was one of the originators of the San
Luis Obispo Water Company, and a large stock-holder, also an incorporator of the
Bank of San Luis Obispo, and one of the Directors. In other enterprises he has
been active, and in his charities munificent, giving thousands of dollars where
the wants of the poor and suffering require it.

  General Murphy was first elected to the Senate as an Independent, but in
politics he is a Democrat and exercises a powerful influence in his party. His
brothers are politicians as well as capitalists. Burnard D. Murphy has often
been Mayor of San Jose, and State Senator, and his youngest brother, James T.
Murphy, was the first Bank Commissioner appointed to that office. His sister,
the late Mrs. Taffe, of San Francisco, was the first American child born in
California. Two other sisters are Mrs. Mary Carroll, wife of Richard T. Carroll
merchant of San Francisco, and Mrs. Helen Argues, of San Jose. His relatives in
California are numerous and of the most wealthy and prominent people.

  He  was married, February 23, 1870, to Miss Mary Kate O'Brien, daughter of Dr.
P. M. O'Brien, a well-known gentleman of San Francisco, one of the founders of
the Hibernia Bank, and the author of its constitution and by-laws. Mrs. Murphy
was a native of Philadelphia, a lady of elegant accomplishments, and highly
esteemed. She died in Santa Clara some years since, deeply mourned by all who
knew her, as an irreparable loss to her husband and to society.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
CALIFORNIA

WITH

Illustrations and Biographical Sketches
OF ITS
PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.


OAKLAND, CAL.
THOMPSON & WEST

1883.


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