Louis A. Murphy, Caddo Parish, Louisiana

Submitted by Mike Miller
Date: 1999-2000






***********************************************************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
***********************************************



Louis A. Murphy.  A name distinguished over the country in engineering 

circles is Louis A. Murphy, and it represents wide experience and the 

height of mechanical engineering skill in the construction and 

installation of machinery. Captain Murphy, for he is an overseas 

veteran officer of the World war, was especially commissioned at 

Washington for military service because of his proved ability.



Louis A. Murphy was born at Gretna, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, and 

later attended McDonough Public School No. 4 at Algiers, New Orleans. 

 From boyhood his natural inclinations kept him interested in machinery 

and ultimately led to his learning the machinist's trade in the Marka-

Moss Iron Works at Algiers and later qualifying as mechanical engineer.  

In the latter capacity he traveled extensively over the country installing 

machinery in industrial plants.  At the time the United States became 

involved in the World war he was serving as engineer for the Standard 

Gas Generator Company at New Orleans, but immediately resigned this 

desirable position, enlisted for military service and went to Camp 

McClellan, Anniston, Alabama, from which place, on account of his 

engineering ability, he was sent to Washington, District of Columbia.  

There he was commissioned captain of engineers and in the fall of 1917 

went to France as captain in the Seventeenth Engineers.  He served with

 the greatest efficiency in different sections of the war zone before 

returning home and receiving his honorable discharge in May, 1919.



Mr. Murphy did not long remain unattached, very soon after his return 

accepting a position as engineer for a large fruit company at Guyamel,

 Honduras, where he remained until early in 1920, when he came to 

Shreveport as inspector for this district for the Hartford Steam 

Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company, with which corporation he 

continued for four years.  In November, 1924, he went into business 

for himself as district engineer in charge of both sales and engineering 

branches for the Buckmaster Luck Malochee Engineering Company. Incorporated, 

of New Orleans, general agents for some of the leading machinery manufacturers 

of this country, including the Erie City Iron Works of Erie, Pennsylvania, 

manufacturers of a complete line of engineering equipment.  This 

appointment has opened a great future along the line of his profession 

to Mr. Murphy in which he has few equal competitors.  He is also 

general agent for the entire Southwest for the Godsey Cast Iron Gas 

Burner, which is manufactured at Shreveport, and has been accepted as 

an invention of great merit, but recently having been installed in some

 fifty plants in this city alone.



Mr. Murphy married Miss Mattie Keen, of New Orleans, and they reside 

at Cedar Grove, Caddo Parish, Mr. Murphy since 1922 having been a 

member of the Caddo Parish School Board and a valued citizen of the 

suburb of Cedar Grove.  Mr. Murphy is a Mason and a member of the 

Grotto.  He is also an Odd Fellow and for the past four years has 

been service officer of his post in the American Legion.



A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 128, by Henry E. Chambers.  

Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.