334                 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

the business and his brother, Martin C. Murphy, was admitted to a
partnership. The brothers then carried on the business alone for about
three years, when they sold out.
    Mr. Murphy of this review has filled several local offices. He was
appointed deputy sheriff of Clay county by his father and in 1900 was
elected clerk of the circuit court, which position he filled for four years.
In 1904 he took up the real estate and insurance business and secured a
good clientage, successfully conducting the business until January, 1907,
when he withdrew, having been appointed receiver and general manager
for the Progressive Coal & Mining Company. This is his present busi-
ness connection save that he is also secretary and treasurer of the Inde-
pendent Telephone Company, of which he was one of the organizers,
since which time he has served as its secretary.
    The lady who now bears the name of Mrs. Michael Murphy was in
her maidenhood Miss Anna Burke and their marriage was celebrated
November 17, 1890. Mrs. Murphy was born in Vigo county, Indiana.
in 1869 and is a daughter of Patrick and Bridget Burke, the former a
native of America and the latter of Ireland. They were married in
Pennsylvania, where Mr. Burke engaged in mining coal until his removal
westward to Vigo county, Indiana, in the ‘60s. There he carried on
mining and farming up to the time of his death, which occurred when he
was fifty-three years of age. He was a member of the Roman Catholic
church and in politics was a Democrat. In his family were five chil-
dren, four sons and one daughter, all of whom reached years of maturity,
namely: William E., who is train master for the Vandalia Railroad
Company Martin, residing at Logansport, Indiana; John, who has
charge of the government supplies in the Philippine Islands; Mrs.
Murphy and Mary, wife of James McNulty, of Brazil.
    Unto Mr. and Mrs. Murphy have been born seven children:
Edward L., Michael, Jr., John. Agnes, Frances, Gertrude and Macrenia.
Mr. Murphy is an inflexible adherent of the Democratic party. He
belongs to the Roman Catholic church and to Brazil Lodge, No. 762,
B. P. 0. E., and the Knights of Columbus. The greater part of his life
has been passed in Clay county and his official and business record is
characterized by much that is commendable, so that throughout the entire
period of his life he has made steady progress.

    REECE JEFFRES.—Noteworthy among the veteran agriculturists of
Clay county is Reece Jeffres of Perry township, who has spent the greater
part of his life in this vicinity, and is a true type of the energetic, hardy
and enterprising men who have actively assisted in the development of
this fertile and productive agricultural region. A native of Ohio, he
was born, January 1, 1834, in Clermont county, a son of James Jeffres.
His grandfather, William Jeffres, moved from Pennsylvania, which it is
supposed was his native state, to Ohio, where he spent the declining years
of his life.
    James Jeffres was born, reared and married in the Keystone state.
from there migrating to Clermont county, Ohio, where he resided until
1835. In the fall of that year he came, with his wife and nine children,
to Clay county, Indiana, making the entire journey with teams. Locating
in Perry township, he bought a tract of land from Abel Donham, a part
of it being prairie and the remainder heavily timbered. The family
moved into the small cabin made of round logs which stood upon the