John Murphy was born on March 20, 1820, in Virginia to William Murphy and Nancy White. He was one of at least six children, including siblings Mary Ann Murphy, Ezekiel G. Murphy, William Murphy Jr., Grafton Murphy, and Michael Murphy. John is my husband’s 2nd great-grandfather, with his daughter, Lucinda, their closest common ancestor. Lucinda is my husband’s great-grandmother.
When I decided to write about John, I uncovered a wealth of information. Every time I explore our Murphy lineage, I look for connections between our two Murphy branches. One branch traces back to Samuel C. Murphy, born in 1825 in Monongalia County, Virginia, while the other follows John and his daughter Lucinda, who married Robert Church. Although I have not identified the exact county in Virginia where John was born, I know he lived in Monongalia County at one point. This places both Samuel and John, who are close in age, in the same area. They might belong to separate Murphy families, but my goal is to determine their connection.
I spent a week searching through county records, but still could not connect these Murphy branches. However, it was not a wasted effort. Two years ago, I blogged about my speculations regarding John’s father, William, and his children. During my search, I found a deed related to the heirs of Grafton White. Although I was not familiar with his name, the deed included many names I recognized. The deed aimed to divide and distribute Grafton White Sr.’s real estate among his heirs and descendants. Some of those heirs were the children of the late Nancy (White) Murphy: John, Mary, Ezekiel, William, Grafton, and Michael. Nancy was Grafton’s daughter and John’s mother. This deed, which specifically named John and his wife Joanna, provided the name of John’s mother, which I did not have before, and it took that line back two generations.
In October 1836, John’s father, William, owned 170 acres of land in Dunkard Creek in Monongalia, Virginia. A survey book for that county records William and several other Murphy men as head of household, but not John. At 16 years old, John was likely still living with his father.
John married Joanna Ullom, though the exact date is unknown. Joanna’s father was Elijah Ullom, but her mother’s identity is also unknown. They had three confirmed children: Louisa Murphy, Lucinda Murphy, and Mary Ann Murphy. It is possible they also had two additional children, William H. Murphy and Milley J. Murphy, who appear in only one record, which I will discuss below.
On October 10, 1850, John (aged 27) and Joanna (aged 21) lived with John’s father, William (head of household, aged 60) in District 37 of Monongalia County, Virginia. John’s 19-year-old brother, Ezekiel, also resided with them. Additionally, 15-year-old Catherine Pethtel, born in Ohio, lived in the household. While Catherine’s exact relationship to John is unclear, it is possible she is connected to John’s sister, Mary, who married Robert Pethtel. John, his father, and Ezekiel were all farmers. Neither John nor Joanna could read or write, while Catherine was attending school. William’s real estate was valued at $2,000.
Nancy’s father and John’s grandfather, Grafton White Sr., died by suicide in Monongalia County, Virginia, in 1829. A coroner’s inquest determined that he hanged himself in a barn using a rope, driven by a disturbed state of mind. In September 1853, his 170-acres estate in Monongalia County was divided among his children and their descendants. As the child of Nancy (White) Murphy, who had apparently passed away (date unknown), John inherited a portion of his grandfather’s estate. To increase his share, John purchased the interest of his sister Mary and her husband, Robert Pethtel, for $110, with $10 paid upfront and the remaining amount to be paid later. Unfortunately, the deed did not specify how many acres John and Joanna now owned.
John’s brother, Grafton Murphy, apparently died in Monongalia County about 1856. I was able to find estate records in my search, but not death records for Grafton.
In December 1856, John and Joanna transferred 100 acres of land on the waters of Fish Creek in Wetzel County, Virginia, to John Hostetter for $1,150, with $300 paid upfront and the remainder to be paid annually. In March 1857, Samuel Sharpreck and his wife sold 100 acres of land on Fish Creek to John for $700.
By July 6, 1860, the Murphy family had relocated to a home in Knob Fork, Wetzel County. John continued his work as a farmer, with real estate valued at $800 and a personal estate worth $150. The 1860 census listed John’s birthplace as Pennsylvania, a change from the 1850 census, which recorded it as Virginia. Neither John nor Joanna could read or write. This census is the only record that mentions the children William H. Murphy and Milley J. Murphy. Typically, a couple’s children are listed directly under them in the census. In this instance, the enumerator recorded them differently, with William and Milley listed after daughters Louisa and Lucinda.
It remains unclear whether William and Milley are John and Joanna’s children. Despite searching for them under various sets of Murphy parents, I have found no records of their existence beyond the 1860 census. My search in death records also yielded no results. If anyone has insights into this family, I would love to hear from you.
Joanna’s father, Elijah (74), and Martha (18, likely Joanna’s sister), along with a 27-year-old domestic named Lucinda Davis, also resided in the home. Lucinda may have connections to the White family, as Nancy (White) Murphy’s brother, Grafton White Jr., had a daughter named Margaret who married Joshua M. Davis. However, I have not confirmed this connection.
The world turned upside down in 1861 with the start of the United States Civil War. I find no evidence that John served during the war. There was a John Murphy who served from Wetzel County; however, records later show his wife was named Rachel, not Joanna. In 1863, western Virginia split to form West Virginia due to their opposition to secession and differing economic interests.
On August 4, 1870, the Murphy family continued living in Knob Fork, recorded as the Center Township of Wetzel County in the newly-formed state of West Virginia. As in 1850, John was listed with Virginia as his birthplace. Joanna was born in Pennsylvania, so it is possible the enumerator mistakenly recorded her birthplace for John’s in the 1850 census. Over the past decade, John’s real estate value had grown significantly, now valued at $2,000, with his personal estate valued at $250. Both John and Joanna had learned to read and write. Three daughters—Louisa, Lucinda, and Mary—were living in the home, with Lucinda and Mary attending school. A 20-year-old male named William Davis also resided with them, working as a farm laborer. William might have been a descendant of Grafton White Jr., the brother of Nancy (White) Murphy.
John’s daughter, Louisa, married Samuel S. Carney at John’s home on Christmas Eve, 1871. Louisa was 18 years old, and Samuel was 23.
In December 1872, John and Joanna sold a tract of land in Wetzel County to Jacob Brookover and Wesley Degarmore for $2,970. The payment included $800 in cash, with the remaining balance due with interest. They agreed that Brookover would pay two-thirds of the purchase price and receive two-thirds of the land, while Degarmore would pay one-third and receive one-third of the land. John also sold 40 acres in Wetzel County to G. W. Fox for $400.
In March 1876, five years after their daughter Louisa married Samuel Carney, John and Joanna sold 35 acres of land on Long Drain in Fish Creek, Wetzel County, to Samuel for $500. This land was considered a dowry and was described in the deed as Louisa’s share of John’s estate.
Once again, family gathered at John’s home to celebrate the marriage of his daughter, Lucinda, to Robert Church on April 2, 1876. Lucinda was 18 years old and Robert was 23.
By 1878, John owned 246 acres of land in Long Drain. The property, located 25 miles northeast of the Wetzel County courthouse, was valued at $6 per acre, amounting to a total value of $1,476.
On June 4, 1880, John, Joanna, and their daughter Mary were residing in the Church District of Wetzel County. John continued his work as a farmer while Joanna managed the household. Mary, who was now 17 years old, was not attending school.
In February 1883, John’s maternal uncle, Michael White, passed away. In his will, Michael left a portion of his estate to the “Freedman’s Aid Society,” but for reasons unknown, the court declared this part of the will invalid. Consequently, this portion of the estate was distributed according to intestate succession laws. The court appointed someone to identify the rightful heirs and determine their shares of the estate. The heirs were identified as Michael’s siblings: William White, Grafton White Jr., Nancy Murphy, Hannah Butters, and Rebecca Gidley. Since all of them were deceased, their children, Michael’s nieces and nephews, inherited their shares. Nancy Murphy’s children, including John, who was living in Burton, Wetzel County at the time, were listed in the report and received one-fifth of that portion of the estate. John’s share amounted to 1/25th of the estate.
Following the tradition of her sisters, John’s youngest daughter, Mary, chose her father’s home for her wedding. On December 10, 1883, she married George Washington Sole. Mary was 22 years old, and George was 23.
In November 1885, John and Joanna purchased a 47-acre tract of land situated on the waters of Long Drain, within the Clay District of Wetzel County. They purchased this land from Mary and Jeremiah Stottlemire for a total of $175, with an initial payment of $75 upfront. The remaining balance of $100 was to be paid in two equal annual installments over the next two years, with interest accruing from November 11, 1885. The land was adjacent to the properties of Henry Sole and others.
In October 1887, likely due to eminent domain, the Wetzel County Court ordered the opening and maintenance of a new road starting southwest of John’s house on Long Drain in the Church District, passing through his and Samuel Carney’s lands for public use. The court ordered them to appear and show cause why the road should not be opened for public travel.
In 1888, likely anticipating the end of his life and wanting to ensure his affairs were in order, John began transferring property to his three daughters: Louisa, Lucinda, and Mary.
In January 1888, John and Joanna transferred 54 ¼ acres of land on Long Drain in the Church District, excluding one acre where their house stood, to their daughter Louisa Carney and her children; and 22 acres to their daughter Mary Ann Sole and her children. Each tract was valued at $1,000. In return, Louisa and her husband Samuel, as well as Mary and her husband George, agreed to provide John and Joanna with a comfortable living, including food, clothing, medical care, and funeral expenses, for the rest of their lives. John was also allowed to keep one horse and one cow on the land.
In 1889, a tax assessment for the Church District of Wetzel County detailed John’s ownership of three parcels of land in Long Drain. The first parcel was six acres, located 25 miles east of the Wetzel County courthouse, valued at $8 per acre, with buildings worth $48. The second parcel comprised 47 acres, situated 30 miles east of the courthouse, valued at $4 per acre, with buildings worth $197. The third parcel included 2.75 acres, located 25 miles east of the courthouse, valued at $8 per acre, with buildings worth $22.
The taxes owed on these properties were calculated for various purposes: state, free school, county levy, district levy for roads, teaching, and building. The assessment provided a detailed account of the taxes owed for each parcel, offering a comprehensive record of John’s land holdings and the associated tax liabilities.
In February 1890, John and Joanna sold a 47-acre tract of land on the waters of Long Drain in the Clay District of Wetzel County to their daughter Lucinda and her husband Robert Church for $200. This was the same land they had purchased from Mary and Jeremiah Stottlemire in November 1885.
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Robert and Lucinda (Murphy) Church |
In March 1891, John and Joanna leased 18 acres of land in the Church District of Wetzel County to the South Penn Oil Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for $1. The five-year lease permitted South Penn Oil to operate for oil and gas extraction, lay pipelines, and build necessary structures. Specifically, the company agreed to deliver one-eighth of all oil produced to John and Joanna at no cost and to pay $200 annually for each gas well drilled on the premises if the gas was marketed and used off the property. The company also committed to minimizing interference with the cultivated portions of the farm, burying gas lines two feet below the surface, and compensating John and Joanna for any crop damage. The company pledged to complete one well within 10 months or pay an annual rental of $18 until completion, retaining the right to surrender the lease at any time, thereby ceasing all payments and obligations under the lease terms.
In April 1891, John and Joanna sold 9 ¼ acres of land on the waters of Long Drain, a branch of Fish Creek, in the Church District of Wetzel County, to George W. Sole (Mary’s husband) for $115. This land bordered property already owned by Mary. Interestingly, the deed noted that one white oak tree on the land was reserved and not part of the sale.
In February 1893, John’s daughter Lucinda and her husband Robert Church sold their 47-acre tract of land in the Clay District of West Virginia to S. A. Carney. They had purchased this land from John and Joanna for $200 in February 1890 and sold it for $1,060, making a substantial profit of $860.
On March 24, 1893, John and Joanna sold a one-acre tract of land to Lucinda and her family for $1. This land, located on the waters of Long Drain in the Church District of Wetzel County, included the house where John and Joanna lived. It bordered the property of Louisa and Samuel next door and was originally part of the larger piece of land sold to Louisa in January 1888.
Two weeks later, on April 8, John passed away in Wetzel County at the age of 73, likely in his home. His family laid him to rest at Shriver Cemetery in Wetzel County.
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John and Joanna's stone at Shriver Cemetery |
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Entrance to Shriver Cemetery |
In April 1894, Lucinda and Robert Church sold the one-acre tract of land they had purchased from John and Joanna in March 1893 to Samuel Carney for $150. The deed specifically described the land as starting at a stone in the county road and running south, passing between the house occupied by Samuel and the house John lived in before his death, ending at a stake in the field. This tract of land was originally part of the 54 ¼ acres that John and Joanna sold to Louisa and Samuel in 1888.
Note: During my research, I found many deed and land records for John Murphy. I made every effort to distinguish between several men with the same name to determine whether he was the actual subject of this sketch. This was often easier when his wife, Joanna, was listed. I also tried to use his location (i.e., Fish Creek) as a deciding factor. However, I feel certain this does not include all records for John.
References
- Grafton White, Monongalia County, Virginia, Guardianship Records 1822–1830, Land Records 1822–1830, Military Records 1822–1830, Probate Records 1822–1830, Public Records 1822–1830, School Records 1822–1830, Tax Records 1822–1830, Government Records 1822–1830, Court Records 1822–1830, Citizenship Records 1822–1830, images 216–217, FamilySearch.
- John Murphy, Monongalia County, Court Records 1873–1888, images 441–443, FamilySearch.
- John Murphy, Monongalia County, Virginia, Deed Books 1850–1854, images 309–310, 343, FamilySearch.
- Personal visit to Shriver Cemetery, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 2010.
- U.S. Federal Census, Church District, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1880.
- U.S. Federal Census, District 37, Monongalia County, Virginia, 1850.
- U.S. Federal Census, Knob Fork, Center District, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1870.
- U.S. Federal Census, Knob Fork, Wetzel County, Virginia, 1860.
- Wetzel County, West Virginia, Court Records 1886–1892, images 158–160, FamilySearch.
- Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1855–1865, images 150, 168, FamilySearch.
- Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1872–1877, images 439, 442, and 635, FamilySearch.
- Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1885–1887, image 124, FamilySearch.
- Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1888–1889, images 61–63, FamilySearch.
- Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1890–1891, image 331, FamilySearch.
- Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1891, images 346–347, FamilySearch.
- Wetzel County, West Virginia, Deeds 1893–1895, images 203, 248–249, FamilySearch.
- Wetzel County, West Virginia, Land Records 1872–1878, image 503, FamilySearch.
- Wetzel County, West Virginia, Land Records 1885–1890, image 446, FamilySearch.
- Wetzel County, West Virginia, Marriage Records 1854–1886, image 245, FamilySearch.
- Wetzel County, West Virginia, Marriage Records 1882–1888, image 65, FamilySearch.
- William Murphy, General Index to Surveyors Books, 1781–1859, Monongalia, Virginia: Monongalia. Land Records 1781–1859, image 61, FamilySearch.
