Johnson County KS Archives Biographies.....Murphy, Patrick H. 1842 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 8, 2008, 7:48 pm Author: Ed Blair Patrick H. Murphy, a retired merchant of Spring Hill, Kan., has spent nearly fifty years of his life in the Sunflower State. He was born in County Armagh, Ireland, May 1, 1842, and is a son of James and Mary (McArdle) Murphy, both natives of County Armagh. James Murphy was a son of Peter and Nancy (Finnegan) Murphy. He spent his life in his native land. His wife, Mary McArdle, was a daughter of John McArdle. Patrick H* Murphy was one of a family of six children. He received a good common school education in his native land. When a boy of ten years old he secured his first position, carrying mail to some private families in Newton-Hamilton. He did this work in connection with attending school. When about fifteen years of age, like many other boys of his native land, he had heard the stories of the wonderful possibilities and opportunities in America, and determined to come to this country and learn a trade. His ancestors for generations had been butchers, but the boy determined not to follow in their footsteps in choosing a vocation. He wanted to learn some other trade. Pursuant to his determination on June 24, 1857, when only fifteen years old, he embarked on the sailing vessel "Endymion" at Liverpool, England, bound for New York. He was accompanied by no friends or relatives and six weeks and three days after setting sail from Liverpool they reached New York. After spending a few days in the great American metropolis, he went to Vermont where an uncle, Peter Murphy, lived. He remained in Vermont, with the exception of one year that he spent in Massachusetts, until 1866, when he came to Kansas, locating in Johnson county. He entered the employ of the Barlow, Sanderson & Company stage line, as a hostler at the stage station, one and one- half miles north of Olathe. He remained in that position for two years and in 1868, when the Kansas City & St. Scott railroad was built, he entered the employ of William G. Davis, as clerk, at "Old Town," Spring Hill. Mr. Davis kept a general store and was also postmaster. Mr. Murphy remained in that position with Mr. Davis and his successor, M. E. Moore, until 1872, when he engaged in the grocery and drug business-for himself, and remained in that business continuously until April, 1914, when he sold out. He conducted his business at the same location all these forty-two years and was very successful, accumulating a competence. The story of Mr. Murphy's career is the story of what can be accomplished by a poor boy whose only assets at the beginning were industry and honesty, with a determination to succeed. When he came to Kansas he had $2.40. Today he is one of the well-to-do men of Johnson county. He owns two valuable farms, besides business property and his residence in Spring Hill. Mr. Murphy was united in marriage January 1, 1877, to Miss Mary E. Daugherty, a daughter of Edward and Catherine (Buckley) Daugherty, natives of Roscommon county, Ireland, who immigrated to America in 1865 and settled in Miani county,, Kansas. To this union were born seven children, one son and six daughters, two daughters now residing with the father at Spring Hill. The wife and mother departed this life January 25, 1905. The family are members of the Catholic church, and Mr. Murphy is a member of the Knights of Columbus, and politically is a stanch Democrat. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF Johnson County Kansas BY ED BLAIR AUTHOR OF Kansas Zephyrs, Sunflower Sittings and Other Poems and Sketches IN ONE VOLUME ILLUSTRATED STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY LAWRENCE, KANSAS 1915 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/johnson/bios/murphy204nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ksfiles/ File size: 4.2 Kb