Murphy family memories from Christmas past

My husband Charlie (early 1960s in Monongah, West Virginia)

Tykie and Charlie (early 1960s in Monongah, West Virginia)

My sister-in-law Colleen and Charlie 

(early 1960s in Monongah, West Virginia)

My brother-in-law Pat and mother-in-law Mary Athya Murphy 

(late 1960s in Manassas, Virginia)

Manassas Christmas parade (ca. 1973)

Charlie is the second from the left

Stonewall Jackson High School Marching Band

Manassas Christmas parade  (ca. 1973)

Santa Claus

Manassas Christmas parade  (ca. 1973)

Petite and Charlie's grandma Bertha Smith Athya

(late 1960s in Manassas, Virginia)

Charlie (ca. 1960 in Monongah, West Virginia)

Mary Athya Murphy and Tykie

(ca. 1960 in Monongah, West Virginia)

Martin William Murphy

Martin William Murphy

Martin William Murphy, son of Samuel C. Murphy and Nancy Daugherty, was born on August 22, 1852 or 1853 in Marshall County, Virginia. He was the second child of five born to Samuel and Nancy—Mary C. Murphy, Martin William Murphy, Margarete Emily Murphy, Elmer Elsworth Murphy, and Nancy Elizabeth Murphy. Martin is my husband’s great grandfather.

On September 6, 1860, Martin and his family lived in Marshall County, Virginia (now West Virginia). His father was a farmer with real estate valued at $375 and a personal estate valued at $150. Martin and his sister Mary were attending school at the time. His sister Margaret at one-year-old was obviously too young to be in school. Martin’s maternal grandparents, John P. and Catherine (Brannon) Daughtery, lived five houses from the Murphy house. On this census record, I learned that John Daughtery was from Ireland. Martin’s sister Nancy was born on January 25, 1867 and was just under two weeks old when their mother died in Marshall County on February 7 at the age of 41 years. Martin’s mother was buried at Greenville Ridge Cemetery in Silver Hill, Marshall County, West Virginia. Martin’s father Samuel was now left to raise five children alone. But that changed on November 27, 1868 when he married Tabitha A. Bonar Clark, daughter of David Bonar and Elizabeth J. Core near Belton, Pennsylvania. Tabitha, a widow, had previously been married to James C. Clark who died in 1865 and had five children of her own—Eliza Jane Clark (20), Emeline Clark (15), Charles W. Clark (12), Ann Rebecca Clark (7), and Artimace M. Clark (4). Tabitha had a sixth child named Sarah E. Clark who died on October 4, 1863 at the age of 2 years in Wetzel County, West Virginia. Samuel and Tabitha were only married a few months when Tabitha’s daughter Emeline died on March 10, 1869.

On July 26, 1870, Martin and his now blended family lived in the Center Township of Wetzel County, West Virginia. His father was a farmer with real estate valued at $500 and a personal estate valued at $200. Martin’s stepmother Tabitha was keeping house and unable to write. At 17 years of age, Martin was attending school but was also unable to write. Only three of Tabitha’s children lived in the home—Charles, Rebecca, and Artimace. They lived next door to the William H. Murphy family and beside him was the James Murphy family. I need to figure out if they’re connected to Samuel and his family.

Sarah E. Anderson Murphy

On June 24, 1880, the Murphy family lived in the Liberty District of Marshall County, West Virginia. Martin’s father was a farm laborer, most likely assisted by 24-year-old Martin who was a farm laborer. His stepmother Tabitha was keeping house, sister Emily was working as a domestic, and brother Elmer was working as a laborer. Martin’s stepbrother Charles was working as a farmer, while stepsisters Rebecca and Artimace (enumerated as Arte) were both “at home.” Martin now had a nephew named James L. Blake, although I haven’t determined which sister or stepsister he belonged to.

Martin married Sarah Elizabeth Anderson, daughter of Lewis Anderson and Mariah (or Mary) Eckelberry. I have yet to find a marriage record to determine the date and location. Between the years 1881 and 1903, Martin and Sarah had 11 children—Cora Belle Murphy, Edward Francis Murphy, Charles Homer Murphy, Essie Lee Murphy, William (Willie) H. Murphy, Ella Mae Murphy, Arliff Barow Murphy, Tabitha M. Murphy, Cecil Pearl Murphy, Addie Opal Murphy, and Olive Ruby Murphy.

Daughter Tabitha was born in 1896. Sadly, she only lived for about two years, dying in 1898. Tabitha was buried at Anderson Bethel Cemetery in Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia. I wasn’t aware of this child until we visited the cemetery in 2009 and found her grave, which thankfully was clearly marked by the stone below.

 I found a second marker nailed to a tree.

On June 22, 1900, Martin and his family lived in Littleton, within the Clay District of Wetzel County, West Virginia. The 1900 census record shows that Martin and Sarah had been married for 16 years which would have meant they were married about 1884, three years before their first child was born in 1881. Martin supported his family working as a teamster, someone who hauled merchandise using a team of horses. As a teamster, Martin would have “worked 12–18 hours a day, seven days a week for an average wage of $2 per day” according to the Teamster’s webpage. His wife Sarah was enumerated as having had nine children, eight of which were living. That would account for the death of little Tabitha in 1898. Martin, Sarah, Charles, and Essie were all able to read and write, however, sons Edward and William weren’t. Their daughter Cora had already left home, living in the home of James and Ida Johnston, a local merchant. Cora was working as a servant, although it’s not clear if she was working for the Johnston’s or someone else. Daughter Essie married Frank Oscar Grimm in 1907 and by 1908 had started a family of her own.

On April 27, 1910, the Murphy family continued to live in the Clay District of Wetzel County. Martin was now working as a general farmer. The 1910 census record shows that Martin and Sarah had been married for 27 years and that Sarah was the mother of 11 children, 10 of which were living. Eight of the children still lived at home—Edward (26), Charles (21), William (18), Ella (17), Arliff (16), Cecil (11), Addie (8), and Olive (6). Edward, Charles, and William were working as teamsters in an oil field, daughter Ella as a servant for a private family, and son Arliff as a farm laborer. Cecil and Addie were both attending school while six-year-old Olive was not. On May 25, 1915, Martin’s daughter Essie died of septic endometritis in Warwood (a neighborhood of Wheeling), Ohio County, West Virginia. She was just 27 years old and left three young children behind, the youngest being three years old.

On January 13, 1920, Martin and Sarah still lived in the Clay District of Wetzel County, along with three of their adult children—William, Arliff, and Addie. Martin was the only person in the home working—farming on a general farm. Martin’s wife Sarah died of cancer on April 1, 1927 in the Clay District at the age of 67. She was buried at Anderson Bethel Cemetery in Littleton. Just five days later, Martin died on April 6, 1927 in Mannington, Marion County, West Virginia at the age of 74. He was buried beside Sarah at Anderson Bethel Cemetery in Littleton on April 8. Martin’s son Willie was the informant on his death certificate. Dr. F. W. Vance noted that he did not treat Martin and that he evidently died from a cerebral hemorrhage, also known as bleeding of the brain.

I wanted to write about Martin after finding the above photos of him and his wife Sarah last weekend on the www.familysearch.org website. These photos take us back visually one more generation in my husband’s family, which is very as exciting. Thank you to Cora Childers for posting the photos, as well as for giving me permission to post them here.


References

• Find A Grave, Martin W. Murphy memorial 38949113.
• Martin Murphy Certificate of Death no. 4950, West Virginia State Department of Health.
• Martin Murphy, West Virginia Births, 1853–1930; www.wvculture.org.
• Martin Murphy, West Virginia Deaths, 1804–1999; http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view2.aspx?FilmNumber=834817&ImageNumber=315.
• Martin William Murphy and Sarah Anderson Murphy photos courtesy of Cora Childers.
• Personal visit by Denise Murphy to Anderson Bethel Cemetery, Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia.
• Sarah Murphy, General Index and Register of Deaths, Wetzel County, West Virginia.
• Tabitha Murphy tombstone, Anderson Bethel Cemetery, Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia.
• The Early Years, Teamster’s; https://teamster.org/about/teamster-history/early-years.
• United States Federal Census, Marshall County, Virginia, 1860.
• United States Federal Census, Center Township, Wetzel County, Virginia, 1870.
• United States Federal Census, Liberty District, Marshall County, West Virginia, 1880.
• United States Federal Census, Clay District, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1900, 1910, 1920.

I think it will work out real well, the job that is ...

Earl Murphy, ca. 1988 (this photo was
used in the company newsletter)

The 52 Ancestors theme this week is “work,” so I thought I would share the story of my father-in-law Earl Murphy’s move from West Virginia to Virginia and a little of what the family went through during the transition.

In 1963, my husband Charlie and his family lived in the coal mining town of Monongah, Marion County, West Virginia. His Dad, Earl, worked for Monongah Municipal Water Works there in town. He had previously worked at the Mountaineer Coal Company in Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia. Sometime before August, Earl left the water works company and headed to Rockville, Montgomery County, Maryland where his brother lived. The rest of the family (my mother-in-law Mary and their three children—Colleen, Charles, and infant Patrick) stayed behind in West Virginia with the plan that once Earl got settled and saved enough money, they would follow him there. By August, Earl got a job with the Washington Gas Light Company at their new Ravensworth Station in Springfield, Fairfax County, Virginia. He moved out of his brother’s home into a rented room in Springfield to be closer to work. According to the publication Entering the Big Leagues: Chapter II, 1960–1969 by the gas company, Washington Gas Light had opened a new “underground liquid propane storage cavern in the Ravensworth area of Fairfax County, Virginia” in 1962. Charlie remembers Earl telling him stories about how the cavern was built, although I’ll note that Earl wasn’t working at Washington Gas Light during construction of the cavern, so this is being told third hand—and that’s all I’ll say about that. Earl told Charlie they started out with a three-foot hole which they dug by hand. Once the cavern was big enough, they dismantled bulldozers, or some type of digging vehicles, placed them in the cavern, and then put them back together. When the job was completed, they left the vehicles in the cavern.

Earl on the right, working at the Washington Gas Light Company

Earl missed his family and wrote the following letter to Mary on August 4. In the letter, he discusses finances and told Mary it was up to her to take care of selling the house and other belongings to raise money to move everyone to Virginia:

Hi Everybody, Thought it was about time I wrote you all a letter. To lazy I guess. How are you all? The last time I came up here it wasn’t to bad being away for the first couple of weeks, but this time I am lost. I miss you all very much and wish you were here with me. I just don’t know what to do with myself from the time I come home from work until I go to bed. 

Well I found a room here just outside of Springfield. It is 9 miles from where I work. It will take about 20 minutes to get there so it is much better than driving 38 miles from Rockville and back. The room is not what I would like, but will do for a while. 

This job I think I will like real well. I worked Thursday and Friday with the weekend off. This week I work day, next week afternoon, and the next week midnight. Being low man will give me shift work for awhile. This new storage field is out in the woods and is still under const. The first test run will be sometime in Nov. I think it will work out real well, the job that is. We can talk about this some other time. 

Mary, with the $360 a month I will be getting for the next 3 months is going to hurt us very much. I don’t know just what we can do but I do know I want you and the kids here with me as soon as possible. School starts the first of Sept and I would like you all here by then or no later than the 15th of Sept. I don’t know how we can work this but we have to do something. I am going to need at least $140 to $150 to rent a house and get until turned on. Once we get moved up here, maybe you could go to work for a while until we can get going again. We will live in one of these places, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Annandale, or Springfield, and it will have to be wherever the rent is best.  

I want you to get rid of the house if you can. If you could get $500 to $800 and have someone to take over payments or give it back to Jane or if you can get enough to pay the bank where we got the siding. That will almost have to be paid. Next see if you can sell the little car $85 or $100. Parts to fix it will be $8 to $10. Sell all 4 of my guns. All the houses here have stoves and refrig. So, if you can they can be sold. The $5000 ins policy I have had for the pasts 10 years or so, cash it in for what it is worth. I have a $10,000 policy on me here at work. Now see all the loan co. we owe money to and see if we can miss one or two payments, that will help very much. I just have to get you and the kids here with me this time, because I don’t plan on living in W. Va. Any longer. There is work here for anybody that is not afraid of work and if that is what I have to do to have a roof over our head and feed us than that is what is going to be done. Honey please get busy doing these things I asked as soon as possible. I would like to come home, but it would cost about $75 which I don’t have. My first pay will be about the 23rd and that will be for a one week period and then I will get paid every Friday from then on. I don’t like the thought of coming home to see you all, because the way I feel right now, it would be damn hard to leave again. Tell Colleen and Charles I miss them very much, but for them to be good until I come home. How is Pat? Has he grown any? Well honey, I have run out for tonight, so will write you later. Let me know what you do. Do as much as you can as soon as possible. Don’t look for me for at least 3 weeks. Love to all of you and write soon.

My address here is Route 5, Box 392, Alexandria, Va. 

Love, Earl 

Honey, I forgot, but if you could sell the tent that will also help. Love

Earl wrote a second letter to Mary on August 7:

Dear Mary and all, Have not heard from you, but there may be a letter at Glenn’s. Have not been up since last Sunday. I was going to write last night, but I worked 16 hours, from 7:30 to 11:00 last night. My schedule for next week is 11:00 to 7:00 then I go on 7:00 to 3:00 PM. I don’t think I will mind working shifts. They are only for a week at a time. 

How are all of you by now? Fine I hope. I still miss you all. Since your [sic] not here to fix me a birthday cake tomorrow, you can fix it for me when I can get home. Will that be alright? I really don’t have much to tell you, so this won’t be much of a letter. I don’t know when I will get home to see you and the kids. I hope it can be real soon.  

Honey, have you did [sic] anything yet about the car, house, ins. Policy etc.? You are going to have to do all of it by yourself since I’m not there to help you. I can’t do anything about a house until I have some money to do it with. I do want you here as soon as we can do it. I would like to get Charles and Colleen started to school up here, so they wouldn’t have to start later in the year and then be behind. I think these schools may be better than what we have there. I’m sorry I don’t have any money to send you, but one of these days I will. Do you have any to get good with? 

Colleen, why don’t you set down and write me a nice long letter and tell me what you and Charlie and Patrick are doing. OK. You be real good until I can get home to see you.

Charles, are you keeping out of trouble? Has mommy had to spank you lately and you behave, because your suppose to be the man of the house since I am gone. Give your mother a big hug and kiss for me. 

Well honey I can’t think of anything more to say at this time so will c lose for now. Write real soon and let me know how things are coming along. Almost forgot about Patrick. Has he been OK. 

Love to all, Earl

We have one more letter written by Earl on August 12. In several paragraphs of this letter, he writes about drama with some people, supposedly friends, back in West Virginia. At one point, he tells Mary she has nothing to be ashamed of or to hide. Because he mentions name, I’ll leave those paragraphs out since I don’t know what was going on.

Hi Honey, I was up to see Glenn Sat and got your letter along with Colleen’s and Charles. It was real nice to hear from you. Have not received any down here yet.
I’m sorry you can’t start the doodle bug, but maybe it is for the best until I get some rod bearings in it. 

… … … 

I got Colleen’s and Charles letters. It was nice to hear from then to. Do you know I got up on my birthday, came to work and didn’t know I had one until the 9th. Forgot all about it. I have been looking at the ad’s on houses and apts., but not much I can do at present. Hope we can soon. I started on the 11:00 to 7:00 shift tonight. It is now 6:00 AM so wanted to mail this on my way to my room. The people I am staying with went on vac this week so I have the house all to myself. Honey, I miss you all very much. If I can I will try to be home this weekend. I hope. The job is going just fine. I like the work and I even feel better. I am down to 156 pounds. Do a lot of walking. 

Have you talked to Jane yet? You had better write me more often and let me know what you are doing. School isn’t far off.. 

Hi Son, I’m glad you have a tank truck and airplane. I miss you to very much. I’ll be home to see you before to long. You take care of everything for me and be good. Write me another letter. A long one. Dad 

Hi Colleen, Yes Pat’s birthday is mine. Does he look better with a haircut? You will have to get your mother to cut Charles’ hair also. Were the cakes you made out of the biscuits good? What all are you throwing away? I still love you to. Be good. I will see you soon and write me. Love Dad 

Well Honey, I think I will stop for now. The man will be in to relieve me in about 15 min. This place is away out in the woods and is very lonely here at night. I miss you and love you very much. Write soon. All my love, Earl

Earl's letters from 1963

Earl and Mary were finally able to move the family to Pimmit Hills, Fairfax County, Virginia about March or April 1964. Pimmit Hills is about 13 miles from Springfield and I’m sure traffic was much better then than it is today.

Washington Gas Light flag

Things worked out for Earl at Washington Gas Light where he spent the remainder of his career. The shift work continued until he retired. His hours rotated between day shift with two off days, afternoon shift with two off days, then midnight shift followed by a week off. Earl liked shift work because it allowed him to take the family on camping trips and to visit family without having to use vacation. He had perfect attendance from 1981 – 1986 and was recognized for six consecutive years of no avoidable accidents resulting in personal injury in December 1986.

Earl hated the union, paying his dues because he had to, but wanting no parts of it. When the union went on strike, he went to the beach and told them to call him when it was over. I’ll note that Earl’s father-in-law George Athya had been a union organizer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania which caused friction when he was dating Mary.

In August 1988, Earl reached a milestone at the gas company and was welcomed into the Quarter Century Club after celebrating 25 years of service. Earl retired as a controlman in 1990 at the age of 61 after 27 years of service. At the time of his retirement, Earl received $1,773.94 per month until he reached the age of 62. At 62, the payment was reduced to $1,037.94 per month. That would eventually be reduced to $949.05 per month. Earl and Mary were very conservative with their finances so were able to live comfortably, enjoying 23 years of retirement before he passed away in 2013.

Earl on the right

References

1. “Entering the Big Leagues: Chapter II, 1960–1969,” Washington Gas Light; https://www.washingtongas.com/-/media/d2067877df1e446991e9bece0a1749da.pdf.
2. Fiftieth Annual Dinner program, Quarter Century Club of The Washington Gas Light Company, Fairfax, Virginia, April 21, 1990.
3. Personal papers of Earl Murphy.

James Benton Church

James Benton Church, son of Robert Church and Lucinda Murphy, was born December 12, 1882 in Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia. He was the 3rd child of 11—George Church, Samuel C. Church, James Benton Church, Jennie F. Church, Anna B. Church, Dessie Church, Charles Cleveland Church, Martha Church, William Henry Church, Donald Roy Church, and Presley Church. James was my husband’s grand uncle.

James’ brother George died sometime between 1880 and 1900 but I’ve been unable to find any record of his death.

On June 9, 1900, James and his family lived in the Church District of Wetzel County. His father was a farmer. At age 16, James worked as a farm laborer. Samuel and Charlie were also farm laborers. His mother was enumerated as the mother of 11 children, 10 of which were living. Samuel, James, and Charles were helping work the farm.

On May 29, 1904, James married Louisa Virginia (Jennie) Kiger, daughter of Nicholas Kiger and Martha Elizabeth Watson. The marriage was performed at her parents’ home in Littleton by James Vanhorn, Minister of the M.E. Church. James already had a connection to Jennie—his brother Samuel married her sister, Rhoda M. Kiger, in 1901. Together James and Jennie had two children—Mary Lucile Church and Sue Ella Church. Mary was born on March 5, 1905; Sue was born on October 14, 1908. Both of their daughters were born in Wetzel County.

On April 28, 1910, James, Jennie, and their daughters lived on Sugar Run Road in the Center District of Wetzel County. James and Jennie had been married for seven years. James was “working out” as a laborer. Both he and Jennie could read and write.

James registered for the World War I draft on September 12, 1918. His permanent address was 1 Glover Gap in Marion, West Virginia. James was a self-employed farmer. He was of medium height and slender build, had blue eyes, and light brown hair.

Marriage License, Wetzel County, West Virginia

On January 7, 1920, James and Jennie lived in the Church District of Wetzel County. James’ brother Samuel and his family lived next door. James was a farmer on a general farm. Daughters Mary (age 14) and Ella (age 11) were attending school and could read and write.

On April 3, 1926, daughter Mary married Armond Tustin, son of Doctor Columbus Tustin and Elizabeth Bessie Hart, in Mannington, Marion County, West Virginia.

On April 16, 1930, James and Jennie were still living in the Church District of Wetzel County. His brother Samuel and his family lived two doors away. James owned his home which included a radio. James was a laborer at Manufacturers Light and Heat Gas Company.

The 1930s was a hard decade for the Church family. On June 22, 1931, James’ brother Samuel died at age 50 in the Church District of Wetzel County. His father Robert died on November 29, 1932 in Littleton of an organic heart lesion contributed by a blocked left coronary artery. He lost his mother Lucinda on January 13, 1933 (in Littleton). All three were buried at Thomas Chapel Church Cemetery in Wetzel County. James’ sister Martha Church McIntire died in Clarksburg on August 6, 1936. She was buried at Elkview Cemetery in Clarksburg beside her two husbands, twin brothers Lester and Chester McIntire.

On April 30, 1940, James and Jennie lived alone in the Church District of Wetzel County. Both had an 8th grade education. James was a laborer for a gas company. They had been living in this house since at least 1935. Thanksgiving Day that year (November 21) would have been a sad one for James as his sister Dessie died at home in Littleton on November 20 after suffering from stomach cancer. She was only 51 years old and left five children behind—the youngest my father-in-law at 12 years old. Dessie was laid to rest with her parents in the front row at the base of the hill at Thomas Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery in Wetzel County.

James Benton Church and his wife Louisa Virginia (Jennie) Kiger

James registered for the World War II draft in 1942. He lived in Hundred, Wetzel County, West Virginia but his mailing address was Burton, West Virginia. At age 59, he was still working at the Manufacturers Light and Heat Gas Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His telephone exchange was Rose Line.

On May 31, 1949, James’ daughter Sue Ella married Edward P. Brethold, son of Henry D. Brethold and Katherine A. Schurr, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. This was a second marriage for Sue. She had previously been married to a Mr. Smith, first name and date of marriage unknown. Sometime between the time James registered for the World War II draft and his daughter Sue’s marriage, they moved to Lisbon, Ohio.

The Church family decline continued in the 1950s. James’ brother Charles died in Littleton on April 12, 1955. He was buried at Anderson-Bethel Cemetery there in Littleton. His sister Anna died of occlusive arterial disease at Weston State Hospital in Weston, Lewis County, West Virginia on March 29, 1959. She was buried at Green Lawn Cemetery in Clarksburg. Another sister Jennie died of a cerebral hemorrhage and arteriosclerosis on February 26, 1963 at Weston State Hospital in Weston. She was buried beside her parents at Thomas Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery.

James’ wife Jennie died in Ohio on February 3, 1968. She was buried at Hope Cemetery in Salem, Columbiana County, Ohio. Daughter Sue Ella was named executrix of the estate. A year and a half later, James died at North Columbiana County Community Hospital in Salem, Columbiana County, Ohio on August 9, 1969. He was buried with his wife Jennie at Hope Cemetery. Sue Ella was named executrix of his estate as well. James’ estate of household goods, antiques and old items, and tools and miscellaneous was sold at public auction on May 9, 1970.

Gravestone photo by BMK, Find A Grave member #47156952

My father-in-law often spoke of his aunts Jennie and Anna and uncles Charlie, Henry, Donald, and Presley but I don’t recall him ever mentioning James. Neither does my husband.

James is a descendent of Henry “Old Hundred” Church for whom the town of Hundred, West Virginia is named.

52 Ancestors – Edward Francis Murphy – (week 39 – 2015)

Edward Francis Murphy

Edward Francis Murphy, son of Martin William Murphy and Sarah Elizabeth Anderson, was born October 3, 1883 in Mannington, Marion County, West Virginia. He was the 2nd child of 11—Cora Belle Murphy, Edward Francis Murphy, Charles Homer Murphy, Essie Lee Murphy, William H. Murphy, Ella Mae Murphy, Arliff Barow Murphy, Tabitha M. Murphy, Cecil Pearl Murphy, Addie Opal Murphy, and Olive Ruby Murphy.

When Edward was 15 years old, his two year old sister Tabitha died in 1898. She was buried at Anderson-Bethel Cemetery in Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia.

On June 22, 1900, Edward lived with his family in the Clay District of Littleton. He was enumerated as Ed.

On April 27, 1910, Edward and his family still lived in the Clay District. He was a teamster in an oil field.

On May 4, 1912, Edward married Cassandra Rebecca Kennedy, daughter of Franklin Scott Kennedy and Edna Elizabeth Booth in Logansport, Marion County, West Virginia. She was listed as Catherine Kennedy on the marriage certificate so I can’t be 100 percent sure this is the correct marriage but I feel good about it. The West Virginia Division of Culture and History website has free online birth, marriage, and death records so I searched on “Murphy” and “Kennedy.” The search results contained eight records with Ed Murphy and Catherine Kennedy appearing to be the logical choice. And, the marriage occurred in Marion County, which is where they lived. As far as I can tell, Edward and Cassandra never had children.

 

Results of marriage records search
West Virginia Division of Culture and History website

Edward’s sister Essie died in Warwood, Ohio County, West Virginia on May 25, 1915. I have yet to find her burial location.

On January 13, 1920, Edward and Cassandra lived in Mannington. His occupation was “laborer/drives team.”

Edward’s mother died in Littleton on April 1, 1927. Five days later on April 6, his father died in Mannington from a cerebral hemorrhage. Both of his parents were buried at Anderson-Bethel Cemetery in Littleton.

On April 8, 1930, Edward and Cassandra lived on Rymer Road in Mannington. She was enumerated as Cassie. Edward owned his own home which was valued at $800. He was a laborer doing road construction.

Pearl Harbor was attacked in December 1941 and America became entrenched in World War II. Although an old man of 58 (Siri tells me the life expectancy of a man in 1942 was 62.3 years), Edward registered for the World War II draft in April 1942. He listed the person who would always know his address as his wife, Cassie R. Murphy. They lived in Mannington at R.F.D.I. and did not have a telephone. Edward’s occupation was “self-employed cutting props” in Mannington. That summer, his wife Cassandra died of cervical cancer in Mannington on July 31, 1942. She was buried at Gill and Haught Cemetery, a small family cemetery in Rymer, Marion County, West Virginia. Cassie was just 49 years, 5 months, and 13 days old. The decade ended with the death of two of Edward’s brothers—Arliff who died in Wolf Summit, Harrison County, West Virginia on July 11, 1947 and Charles who died in Littleton on November 16, 1949. Arliff was buried at Anderson-Bethel Cemetery in Littleton and Charles at Thomas Chapel Cemetery in Wetzel County.

The family would go a little over a decade without losing anyone until the 1960s when Edward lost three siblings as well as his own demise. His brother William died in Littleton on March 28, 1960 and was buried at Anderson-Bethel Cemetery. His sister Cecil died in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia on September 26, 1963. She was buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling. And his sister Cora died on November 29, 1964 in Weirton, Hancock County, West Virginia. She was buried at Chapel Hill Cemetery in Weirton. The family barely had time to bury Cora when Edward himself died in Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia on December 12, 1964. He was buried at Anderson-Bethel Cemetery in Littleton.