Edward J. Murphy Biography

This biography appears on pages 1205-1206 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author.

EDWARD J. MURPHY, the local representative of the Mississippi Lumber and Coal Company at Bristol, Day county, was born in Washington county, Wisconsin, on the 29th of March, 1858, being a son of John and Bridget Murphy, who are now deceased. He attended the public schools of his native county and as a youth learned the art of telegraphy. At the age of twenty-one years he was given a position as telegraph operator on the line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad in Iowa and Minnesota, where he remained until the spring of 1883, when he was made operator of this system at Summit, on the Sisseton Indian reservation in what is now a part of South Dakota. He was thus identified with railroad work of this nature in the employ of the company mentioned for a period of about seven years, at various points in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. In 1883 he took up a homestead claim in Valley township, Day county, this state, and since that year has consecutively maintained his home in this county, being one of its early settlers and one who is well known and highly esteemed in the community. He proved up on his claim in due course of time, and still retains the same in his possession, while he also has two other adjoining farms in the county, all being located within a short distance of the village of Bristol, where he has resided since 1901, having become the local agent of the Mississippi Lumber and Coal Company at the time of its organization, in 1901, and having ably and successfully managed its business here. He had previously given his attention to farming and stock growing for a period of eight years. Mr. Murphy was one of those prominently concerned in securing the incorporation of the Day County Co-operative Creamery Association, of which he was secretary for two years, the enterprise having proved very successful. In politics he maintains an independent attitude, having followed the reform movement. In 1885 and 1886 he served as a member of the board of county commissioners, while he has ever shown a deep interest in educational matters and in all else that has tended to conserve the advancement and prosperity of the community, having held various local and school offices. He has erected two houses in Bristol, and in point of consecutive residence here he is now one of the oldest citizens, there being but two or three others now here who had anticipated his location in the village. He is a member of Andover Lodge, No. 115, Ancient Order of United Workmen. In this county, in August, 1886, Mr. Murphy was united in marriage to Miss Alice Larkin, who was born and reared in Green Lake county, Wisconsin, and they have two children, Edward J. and Mary Alice.