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Archiver > MURPHY > 2006-09 > 1158767522


From: "CheeryFats" <>
Subject: Re: [MURPHY] The Murphrey Letters (1768 - 1776 NC)
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2006 08:52:02 -0700
References: <00cb01c6dc51$108214e0$ae00a8c0@Dragon5><030401c6dc61$c61cc330$e7933e45@D2NMV171><6.2.5.6.2.20060920072901.0344b218@sbcglobal.net>


Thanks ever so much for this information, Sue. As I know you know, I am
forever chasing Murphys around trying to find the parents, siblings,
cousins--anybody!--of my William Murphy of Duplin. I gave William the
approximate birthyear of 1750, with not much to guide me. I use the date
over and over, but it's only to help me keep tabs and not because I'm
convinced that is the date of his birth.

The children of my William-1750:
1) Timothy bet 1774-79 who married Mary Polly Alderman. Was Timothy's
mother Elizabeth Wells?
2) Anna/Anne-1783, who married Thomas Lanier and died in early adulthood
3) Elizabeth-1785, who married Daniel Murphy
4) Ester-1786 who seems to have first married a Murphy and then married John
Lanier (bro to Thomas). I am fairly comfortable that this Ester is the same
Ester/Easter/Esther over the years I've been able to trace her based on bits
and pieces of data (including John Lanier's will).
5) Henry-1797
Children Anne/Anna through Henry seem definitely to be the children of
Elizabeth Wells.

Establishing my William-1750's parentage is very much obscured by the will
of Old Timmothy Murphy (I use all kinds of "gimmicks" to keep my Murphys
separate, and Old Timmothy's name had the double-m's in his will, which was
handy). He died in 1787, his wife was Barbara Wells, he left a handsome
inheritance to young Timothy, he refers to my William-1750 as "friend" in
the will (arrrrrgh!), he mentions the "other children" or William-1750 and
"his present wife", Elizabeth."

Old Timmothy Murphy had no children. The remainder of his estate (what he
didn't leave to young Timothy) was eventually settled in 1803 and was
divided among: Barbara (Wells) Murphy, Thomas Lanier, Anna/Anne Murphy,
Elizabeth Murphy, Easthor Murphy and Henry Murphy. Dr. Jerome Tew found
this in a file of loose papers in the archives in Raleigh. I will forever
be grateful to him as I had been told by my beloved grandfather, Tom Lanier,
and his brothers that their grandfather was named Thomas and that they
thought their grandmother was Ann or Nancy. Of course, nobody can take a
60-something year old's childhood memory and say it's unquestionably true.
Dr. Tew, though, did find that piece of paper and that's the nearest I'll
probably ever get to establishing the marriage of Thomas and Anna/Anne
Murphy Lanier. In addition, there's lots of other stuff in the Ps&Qs,
property documents, etc., in the first decade and a half of the 1800s of
intense goings-on between Thomas Lanier and Timothy Murphy.

"Young:" Timothy and Polly Alderman Murphy remained in Duplin until their
deaths. Most of their children joined their uncle, Henry Murphy (to be
distinguished from young Henry, son of Timothy & Polly Alderman Murphy), and
their cousins and migrated down to South GA. I've got them as firmly
documented as I can.

Among the Murphys who migrated (including the females who had "new" last
names such as Brice and Stallings) was one Thomas Murphy Lanier. He always
went by the name Murphy Lanier. He was my great-great-grandfather, son of
Thomas and Anna/Anne Murphy Lanier of Duplin. His son acquired properties
adjoining Murphy's original acerage and his grandsons acquired a bit more.
I grew up in my grandfather's house about three miles from the house that
Murphy built there east of the community of . . . .Ta Da! . . . Murphy, GA
(south of Moultrie). The house still stands, though no longer occupied by
Laniers. My grandfather and his brothers were all born in that house.

My Murphys for many generations dipped into the family tradition and used
the same names over and over and over: William, Timothy, Henry, Elizabeth,
David, Hillory, Kilby. I'd love to think that my William descended from
Michael, and I trust you won't be disappointed with me for saying this, but
they never used the name Michael, either in Duplin or South GA. That
doesn't mean there was no relationship, just that their not using the name
is odd since they were so tradition-bound in terms of names they gave their
children.

If you are or ever become interested in what happened to my Murphys, do let
me know. I've got tons of info on them. I just wish they'd revert back to
the old names, though. They're now into "Zack" and "Birtney", etc. Sigh.

A few of those Chestnutts came down to South GA during the Great Migration,
too. And the Rouses; I keep getting the feeling there is some relationship
between them and my Murphys also, but nothing definite has ever percolated
up.

Many, many thanks. And do keep me in mind whenever you find another
possible link. I'll be most grateful. -- Katherine Lanier Ricker





----- Original Message -----
From: "Tony & Sue Skay Abruscato" <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 7:56 AM
Subject: Re: [MURPHY] The Murphrey Letters (1768 - 1776 NC)


> Hi Katherine:
>
> Actually it is believed that your William may be either the son or
> brother of Michael Murphrey/Murphy that settled in Duplin Co., NC.
>
> I am also researching these Murphrey/Murphy's in Duplin/Sampson Co.,
> NC. My husband descends from Willis Murphrey who was born in
> Duplin/Sampson Co., NC on 19 Aug 1792. He was the son of Richard
> Murphrey (d. presumably 1808) and possibly Jerusha Scott, daughter of
> Joseph Scott. In 1808 Willis, Wiley and Mary Jane Murphrey, orphans
> of Richard Murphrey, were put under the guardianship of Willis Magee
> (married to Asha Scott, sister of Jerusha) in Sampson Co., NC. 2nd
> Monday of Feb, 1810 Page B 2-13-1811 the Amite Co., MS Court ordered
> that Richard Murphy be appointed guardian of Willis, Wilie & Mary
> Murphey by their own assents and has given bonds and security as the
> law requires. This Richard's Rev. War Pension application can be
> found:
> http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ms/simpson/military/revwar/pensions/rmurphy.txt.
> We have not been able to determine how this Richard is related to the
> Richard Murphrey who died in 1808, but possibly a cousin.
>
> The letters online are concerning the Capt John "Jack" Murphrey and
> Elizabeth Harrison of Isle of Wight VA. The Michael Murphrey/Murphy
> of Duplin who married Mary Parker is believed to be his son, however
> there was another John Murphrey (an uncle) who married an Ann who
> also had a son Michael and I believe a son William. They also had a
> daughter who married Alexander Chesnutt, who also is the Alexander
> Chesnutt who shows up in Duplin Co., NC along with Michael, so I do
> have some doubts about the original genealogies published about this line.
>
> Here are some Duplin/Sampson records that you might find interesting:
>
> 1790 Sampson Co., NC Federal Census - Fayette District (Sampson was
> formed from Duplin Co., NC in 1784)
>
> Richard Murphy - 13200
> 1 male over 16
> 3 males under 16
> 2 females (including heads of household)
>
> Miles Murphy - 22302
> 2 males over 16
> 2 males under 16
> 3 females (including heads of household)
> 2 slaves
>
> Michael Murphy - 23400
> 2 males over 16
> 3 males under 16
> 4 females (including heads of household)
>
> Charles Murphrey - 14700
> 1 male over 16
> 4 males under 16
> 7 females (including heads of household)
>
> Duplin/Sampson Co., deeds:
> 1782 Michael Murphey to Richard Murphey.. 50 pds for 150 Acres
> 1785 Miles Murphey to Richard Murphey.. 100pds for 180 Acres
> 1779 Michael Murphey to Miles Murphey.. 20 pds for 180 Acres
>
>
> Colony of N.C. Deeds:
> p.423. #6000.p.399. MICHAEL MURPHY, 23 April 1762, 456 ac. in Duplin
> Co. on the west side of the 6 Runs between Thomas Pugh and Jacob Chesnut
> joining marsh and the swamp.
> p.501. #7051. p.39. MICHAEL MURPHY, Feb. 15, 1764, 45 ac. in Duplin on
> the west side of Seal Run, joining Jacob Chesnut, James Gaylor, Samuel
> Webster, and a pond.
>
> Duplin Murphrey marriages: (these were the actual spellings off the
> marriage bonds)
>
> Michael Murphery to Mary Parker, May 23, 1778 Miles Murphey, John
> Chestnutt bondsmen (this is believed to be his second marriage)
> Michael Murphery Jr. m. Betsey Jones Jan 17, 1779, Joseph Scott bondsman
> William Murphery m. Susannah Parker Sep 13, 1779, Robert Chestnutt,
> Michael Murphey bondsmen
>
> Our Willis Murphrey married Priscilla Dixon, daughter of David Dixon
> and Sylvia Boothe (married in 1797 in Orange Co., NC) on 09 May 1816
> in Amite Co., MS. This family was in Sabine Co., TX (then de Zavalla
> Colony) by 1825. His sister Mary Jane Murphrey married Theodore
> Dorsett in Wilkinson Co., MS (adjacent to Amite), and settled in
> Liberty Co., TX. We have found no trace of Wiley or Willie as listed
> on some documents.
>
> Would love to discuss this line with anyone interested, or who has
> more information concerning it.
>
> Sue
> Murphy listadmin
>
>
>
>
> At 08:06 PM 9/19/2006, you wrote:
>>This is wonderful, Sharon! Would you be kind enough to provide some
>>clarity
>>on who exactly (if anyone knows, I mean) these people are? My William
>>Murphy was in Duplin County, NC; apparently born at least by 1750. Just
>>trying to get my bearings here.
>>
>>Again, a wonderful gift to have posted those letters. They are
>>ascinating. -- Katherine
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Sharon" <>
>>To: <>
>>Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 6:06 PM
>>Subject: [MURPHY] The Murphrey Letters (1768 - 1776 NC)
>>
>>
>> > Found these and thought they might be of interest to someone...
>> >
>> > The actual text of these letters can be found at
>> > http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/nc/lenoir/letters/murphrey.txt
>> >
>> > The Murphrey Letters (1768 - 1776)
>> >
>> > July 3, 1768 - Letter from Michael Murphrey to Patsey Hill
>> > September 30, 1768 - Letter from Captain John Murphrey to Drewry
>> > Aldridge, Sr.
>> > October 1, 1768 - Letter from Drewry Aldridge, Sr. to Captain John
>> > Murphrey
>> > September 14, 1769 - Letter from Gale Murphrey to John Murphrey, Jr.
>> > May 3, 1770 - Letter of agreement to build the Little Goshen Chapel
>> > June 1, 1770 - Letter from Gale Murphrey to John Murphrey, Jr.
>> > June 2, 1770 - Letter from Captain John Murphrey to Murphrey Dickson
>> > June 10, 1770 - Letter from Murphrey Dixon to Captain John Murphrey
>> > September 9, 1770 - Letter from Captain John Murphrey to his son John
>> > Murphrey
>> > September 10, 1770 - Letter from Gale Murphrey to John Murphrey, Jr.
>> > December 10, 1770 - Letter from Gale Murphrey to William Murphrey
>> > March 19, 1771 - Letter from Jethro Murphrey to Captain John Murphrey
>> > and his wife Elizabeth
>> > August 10, 1772 - Letter from Michael Murphrey to Captain John Murphrey
>> > August 7, 1774 - Letter from Elizabeth Murphrey to her husband, Captain
>> > John Murphrey
>> > April 12, 1776 - Letter from Elizabeth Murphrey to her daughter-in-law
>> > Mrs. Mary Murphrey
>> > October 19, 1776 - Letter from Mrs. Mary Murphrey to her mother-in-law
>> > Elizabeth Murphrey
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > -------------------------------
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