|
|
|
|
|
|
Biography of Samuel Murphy
Samuel Murphy
Source: "Daily Oklahoman"
SAMUEL MURPHY, of Oklahoma City, a pioneer of '89, was the first territorial treasurer, appointed by Governor Steele in 1891, and by reappointment served under the succeeding Governor Seay and for ten months during the administration of Governor Renfrow, until he resigned from the office. In Republican politics and public affairs generally, Mr. Murphy is one of the most prominent men of Oklahoma. Coming to the territory on the opening day, April 22, 1889, he bought a quarter section adjoining the townsite of Oklahoma City, and as soon as the city had become settled as a business community he took up the practice of law. He was offered the Republican nomination for member of the first territorial legislature in 1890, but declined to run. In January, 1893, Samuel Murphy was appointed treasurer of the Territory of Oklahoma.
In Oklahoma City his best known public service was as postmaster, having been appointed to that office in July, 1898, by President McKinley, and serving a little more than four years. In the recent election for the members of the first state legislature, Mr. Murphy was Republican candidate for senator from the district comprising Oklahoma and Canadian counties, but was unsuccessful against the heavy Democratic majority of the district. Mr. Murphy is now retired from the practice of law, but is an influential citizen of his city and state.
As a stalwart Republican, Mr. Murphy has been so unfortunate as to pass most of his active career in Democratic states, and has not participated so actively in official affairs as he would if he had lived in other states. He was born at Kingston, Madison county, Arkansas, January 31, 1845, a son of John and Perlenta (Davis) Murphy. His great-grandfather, a native of Ireland, settled in South Carolina and from that colony volunteered and fought as a soldier in the Revolution. The grandfather, John Murphy, a native of South Carolina became a planter in Tennessee, and was a soldier in the war of 1812. The father, whose name was also John Murphy, was born at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and as a representative of the third generation of the family in America moved the family home still further west, beyond the Mississippi, he being one of the pioneer settlers of Madison county, Arkansas, near Kingston. He married Miss Perlenta Davis, a native of Tennessee and of Welsh ancestry. The Murphy family, though living in the south for several generations, were strongly opposed to slavery, and in the Civil war five sons of this John Murphy joined the Union army—namely, Isaac, John, Vincent W., Samuel and Alexander.
Samuel Murphy enlisted in 1863, at the age of eighteen, in Company A, Second Arkansas Cavalry. In Arkansas he saw service at Cheatham's Farm, Jasper, Mudtown, Fayetteville and Richland, and also east of the Mississippi. Toward the close of the war he was detached for service as clerk in Brigadier General Phelp's headquarters. He was mustered out at LaGrange in August, 1865. Directly after the war he lived in Springfield and Osceola, Missouri, and for a time conducted a ferry on the Osage river. His education had been interrupted by the war, and for the purpose of completing it he went to Golcona, Illinois, where he attended school a few months, and then entered Ewing College in Franklin county, Illinois. For about two years he was engaged in teaching school in Missouri and in Arkansas, and in 1870 became an instructor in Flowermont Academy, in Denton county, Texas, where he was also principal one year. Returning to Arkansas, he studied law a year, and in 1874 was admitted to the bar at Harrison, where he was engaged in practice until 1876. He concluded his education and professional preparation by a senior course in the law department of the University of Michigan, where he graduated with the degree of LL.B. in 1877. At Harrison, Arkansas, he was successfully engaged in practice until 1889, excepting a period as postmaster and internal revenue collector at Eureka Springs. His political prominence first came into note in 1876, when he refused the Republican nomination for Congress from the fourth Arkansas district. He refused because he desired to continue his law studies, but when the same opportunity came round again in 1880 he accepted the nomination and succeeded so far as to reduce the regular Democratic majority by a large number of votes. In Cass county, Missouri Mr. Murphy married Miss Delilah Floyd, who died in Arkansas, leaving one child, Anna, who is the wife of Henry Overholser of Oklahoma City. At Ann Arbor, Michigan, Mr. Murphy married for his present wife Miss Louise Berry, a native of York, England. They have four children: Mrs. Pearl Griffith, Paul, Clyde and Hazel.
[Source: "A history of the state of Oklahoma", Volume 2, By Luther B. Hill]
The following Military Record is on file as shown below:
U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865
Samuel Murphy
Side: Union
Regiment State/Origin: Arkansas
Regiment Name: 2 Arkansas Cavalry.
Regiment Name Expanded: 2nd Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry
COMPANY: A
Rank In: Private
Rank In Expanded: Private
Rank Out: Corporal
Rank Out Expanded: Corporal
Film Number: M383 roll 3
Obituary of Samuel Murphy
Treasurer Is Dead
Samuel Murphy, '89er, and prominent in early-day politics in Oklahoma died at 6 o'clock last night at his home at 615 East Ninth street. Mr. Murphy, who was 75 years old, made the "run" to Oklahoma City in 1889, served as postmaster here from July 1898 until 1902, was internal revenue collector at Eureka Springs, Mo., and was the first territorial treasurer, appointed by Governor Steele in 1892. He served in this position throughout Governor Steele's tenure of office, through the administration of Governor Seay following, and ten months under the administration of Governor Renfrow, when he resigned to practice law. He remained actively engaged in law practice until a few years ago when he retired. His last public service was a member of the city civil service commission. Mr. Murphy was an active worker in the republican party and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He was born at Kingston, Arkansas in 1845. In 1863 he enlisted in the Second Arkansas cavalry, with which he served until placed on detached service as a clerk in the headquarters of Brigadier General Phelps. After the war he re-entered Ewing college in Illinois and completed the course. He then taught in Missouri and Texas. After that he studied law in the Universit of Michigan and was graduated with the degree of LL B. Mr. Murphy was married to Miss Delilah Floyd shortly after finishing his education. She died a few years leaving one child, Anna, now Mrs. Henry Overholser of Oklahoma City. Mr. Murphy later married Miss Louise Berry, a native of Yorkshire England, at Ann Arbor Michigan. She and four children, Mrrs. Pearl Griffith, Mrs. Guy Kimball, Paul and Clyde Murphy, all of Oklahoma City survive him. The funeral service is to be held at the family residence at 3 o'clock Monday afternoon.
[Source: The Oklahoman May 9, 1920 Page 36]
