The Five Murphy Brothers, Early Settlers

Morris Murphy and Dorothy Smith, Port Lyden, Lewis Co, N. Y., were married on March 24, 1759, and had several children, one of whom was -

John Murphy, born Feb. 19, 1761. He married Ruth Parmler on Nov. 28, 1781, and they had twelve children, one of whom was -

Stephen Murphy, born Oct. 17, 1801. Stephen married Caroline Sliter, born March 27, 1808, the daughter of John and Mary Sliter. They lived at Port Lyden, and had the five sons who were identified with Warren. In their order of birth, these five boys were:

Melbourn S. Murphy the eldest, was born at Port Lyden on November 10, 1831 and died in Warren on March 29, 1916. He married Elizabeth Agur Pitcher, of Port Lyden. She was born June 22, 1839 and died in Warren on October 6, 1904.

Mortimer Murphy, the second child, was born at Port Lyden on Oct. 9, 1833, and died in Warren on August 31, 1914. He married Charlotta Stimson, of Port Lyden. She was born in 1838, and died in Warren in 1922.

John A. Murphy, the third child of Stephen and Caroline Murphy, was born at Port Lyden, N. Y., on Jan 23, 1836, and died in Warren in June 1917. He married Helen Coppernoll, a sister of Z. G. Coppernoll, of Warren. She was born in 1838, and died in 1922.

James H. Murphy, the fourth child, was born at Port Lyden on April 19, 1838, and died at or near Warren on May 11, 1892. He married Martha Josephine Simmons on July 16, 1867. She was the daughter of Jacob and Mary Simmons, who lived near Stockton, Ill. She is now the wife of the Rev. Daniel Bond, and lives in Stockton.

George H. Murphy (bachelor) the fifth or youngest child of Stephen and Caroline Murphy was born at Port Lyden on Oct., 27, 1840. He was a farmer and teacher. He came to Warren in 1865, and lived on his brothers' farm near Stockton, but later moved to Humboldt, Iowa, where he died on Jan. 12, 1911.

Melbourn S. Murphy came to Warren, a bachelor, in 1852, and settled on a farm near the present Stockton, Ill. After locating his farm, he returned to Port Lyden and married Elizabeth A. Pitcher on Nov. 16, 1852, and brought her to his farm. They had two children, viz:-

Caroline Mary Murphy, the eldest, first married John Long, and had a son, Walter Long, now (in 1931) residing in Warren. Her second marriage was with George R. Eby, of Warren, a stepson of the late Abram L. Brink. The second marriage resulted in the birth of Ethel Eby, now wife of Wilbur Cook, of Rockford, Ill.; and the birth of Robert C. Eby, who is married and living on a farm near Madison, WI.

The second child of Melbourn S. Murphy was named Melbourn S. Murphy Jr. He was born in 1863 and died in 1864.

Melbourn S. Murphy left his farm in 1868 and settled in the village of Warren, where he was a member of the firm of Murphy & Hare, engaged in the marble and monument cutting business in Warren. At various times, Melbourn S. Murphy was a detective, town marshal, insurance agent, collector and justice of the peace, as well as deputy sheriff.

Mortimer Murphy and his wife Charlotta Stimson, lived on their farm near Warren, at Greenvale, until about 1871, when they moved into the village. He engaged in the livery business, at the stables opposite the Stone Hotel. Mrs. Murphy operated a millinery in Warren for years. They had two children. Their daughter, Blanche Murphy, resides in Warren. Their son, Mortimer, died in infancy.

John A. Murphy came to Warren in 1852, along with his brother Melbourn, and engaged in farming near Stockton. In about 1871 he moved his family into the village of Warren and engaged in the furniture business. His eldest child, Charles S. Murphy, was Post Master in Warren from May 5, 1914 to July 1, 1919, and from Nov. 15, 1919 to March 9, 1920. Charlie is a bachelor and resides in Rockford. John A. Murphy's other child, Guy, married Sarah Wright, daughter of Charles Wright, and died in April 1928. His widow resides in Rockford.

James H. Murphy came to Warren in 1858. He was raised on the farm at Port Lyden, N. Y. and educated at Fairfield Academy, Herkimer Co., N. Y., and at the Lowville Academy at Lowville, N. Y. Arriving in Warren when twenty years of age, he joined his brothers on the farms near Stockton, and followed farming and teaching. He was a teacher for 23 winters and a farmer for 23 summers. From 1875 to 1879, and from 1888 to 1892, a total of eight years, he was Surveyor for Jo Daviess County. He was also a Notary for years. His son, Frank D. Murphy, lived on the old farm near Stockton until a few years ago, when he moved to Stockton to occupy his beautiful new residence.

The Murphy brothers were faithful to their duties, industrious, alert and progressive, and dealt fairly and "on the level" with all men.

Jay M. Whitham

This is a transcription from an unidentified newspaper article. However, based on content it is thought to have appeared in the Warren Sentinel-Leader in 1931." Contributed to Genealogy Trails by Wendy Fjelstad
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