Murphy, William I., 1861-1934

MURPHY, GRIFFIN, WHORLEY

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:37

From the Rock Valley Bee, April 27, 1934:

W. I. MURPHY PASSED AWAY TUESDAY

W. I. Murphy passed away at his home in Rock Valley early Tuesday morning, following a lingering illness. Mr. Murphy was taken ill about three or four months ago, but was not confined to his bed very much of the time. He came down town frequently, continuing this habit until a few days before his death. His acquaintances did not realize the fact that his condition was as bad as it was and his death Tuesday morning was a great surprise to them.

Mr. Murphy lived in Rock Valley more than thirty-five years, and was well known throughout Sioux and Lyon counties. He served as Justice of the Peace here for many years, and was Mayor of Rock Valley for the past ten years, his term of office expiring April 1st of this year. He was an efficient and conscientious official, as his long hours of office indicates.

William Isaiah Murphy was born in West Manchester, Ohio, February 28, 1861. He grew to manhood in Ohio, but after living at different places in that state, the family moved to Ridgeville, Indiana. When a boy of only sixteen he became interested in the temperance movement known as the “Murphy Movement” and signed the pledge which was faithfully kept to the time of his death. At the age of sixteen he was converted and joined the United Brethren church. At the age of nineteen he began to preach. In the fall of 1883 he came west and had charge of what was known as Rock river mission in the Dakota Conference, his headquarters being Hull, Iowa.

On October 1, 1884 he was married to Miss Anna Griffin of Rock Valley at Canton, S.D., while Dakota was still a territory. That fall, at the conference held at Canton, he was stationed near Kingsley, Iowa, with three country appointment.[?] After serving the charge one year he decided to go to Kansas and secured an appointment at Randall, Kansas, and on December 1, 1885 he and his wife started to drive to Kansas in an open buggy with a team of ponies. After encountering storms and bad weather they arrived in about twelve days. He became an ordained minister in the fall of 1887 at Russell, Kansas. After spending ten years in Kansas, enduring all the hardships of an itinerant preacher, he then returned to Indiana and spent about one and one-half years there, coming west again in the fall of 1898, coming to Rock Valley to settle down and make their permanent home here.

He followed the occupation of painting for several years but had to abandon it on account of ill health. For many years he was the Rock Valley correspondent to the Alton Democrat. In 1914 he was elected Justice of the Peace and served in that capacity until he was elected Mayor in 1924.

Mr. Murphy was one of a family of twelve children, five of whom survive. They are Mrs. E. I. Melicke, Pueblo, Colorado; Mrs. Mary F. Arthur, Logansport, Indiana; Mrs. Addie I. Saylor, Middletown, Ohio; J. C. Murphy, Sioux City, Iowa; and C. C. Murphy, Dayton, Ohio.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the home and at 2:00 p.m. in the Methodist church on Friday. Rev. G. A. Tyler officiated and G. Van Nimwegen’s Funeral Home was in charge.

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ADDITIONAL NOTES

An obituary in the Alton Democrat, April 27, 1934 adds that he died at about five o’clock Tuesday morning, April 24, 1934 after a lingering illness beginning January 18. He was the third of a family of twelve children. On April 4, 1915, he and Mrs. Murphy united with the Methodist church and since that time he served in various offices in that church. In 1924 he was elected mayor of Rock Valley and held that office until April 1, 1934. He always did his utmost to conduct his office in a Christian and businesslike way.

Also in the April 27 Alton Democrat, Rock Valley news: Mr. W. I. Murphy, ex-mayor of Rock Valley, is failing fast as since Saturday noon he has been suffering with hiccough caused by the nerves of the brain causing spasm in the diaphragm.

A brief obituary in the Sioux County Index (Hull), April 27, 1934 says that he passed away at his home early Tuesday morning after having suffered a paralytic stroke some time ago. He was found dead, no one knowing exactly the time of his passing.

From the Alton Democrat, May 4, 1934, Rock Valley news: Charles Ortman who is a member of the 6th regiment at Ft. Snelling arrived here Wednesday morning, called here by the death of his uncle, W. I. Murphy, who called for him before he passed away, and on Sunday Mr. Murphy intimated that he would like to see Charlie. It was the late mayor’s desire to adopt this boy, but the latter’s mother would not give him up.

His death certificate adds his parents, James T. Murphy, born in Ireland, and Magdelene Whorley, born in Ohio; died at 6:30 a.m. April 24, 1934; cause, hiccup, onset April 20, 1934; contributory cause, cerebral hemorrhage, onset March 1, 1934.