Margaret (Palmer) Murphey (1826-1904)

PALMER, MURPHEY, MORAN, BAIRD, BORDWELL, ARMSTRONG, BRIGGS

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 7/6/2017 at 21:23:13

From Nevada Representative December 28, 1904

OBITUARY

Mrs. Margaret Murphey

Mrs. Margaret Murphey died at her home in this city Thursday afternoon, December 22, 1904, aged 78 years, 3 months and 12 days.

Mrs. Murphey's death came at a ripe old age and after an illness of more than a year. For this time she had not been able to go out, and for most of the fall her condition had been serious. She had, however, been confined to her bed for only about two weeks, and only from Tuesday to Thursday was her condition critical. Notwithstanding her long illness, there fore, her death came as a surprise to those of her friends who had not heard from her within a very few days.

Margaret Palmer was born at Strawtown, Indiana, September 10, 1826, of Revolutionary ancestors; was there reared to womanhood, and was married there October 10, 1847 to Henry F. Murphey, a native of Kentucky and a man of exceptional worth. They continued to live at Strawtown for a few years. Mr. Murphey being in the tanning business, but in the fall of 1855 they followed to Iowa his older brother, Walter C., and occupied land which the brothers had entered together near Johnson's Grove. There they lived until the fall of 1859, when they moved into Nevada, which was ever after their home. Mr. Murphey here conducted a harness business, for three terms sheriff of the county, filled many positions of local trust and confidence, and died quite suddenly November 29, 1885. Mrs. Murphey survived him for more than nineteen years, living quietly in Nevada, and her family at home consisting, in the later years of her daughters Rose, Fannie and Mrs. Maggie Moran and her grandson, Frank Moran Mrs. Murphey was the mother of seven children, five of whom survive. The latter in order are Fannie, Mrs. Wilda Baird of Hartington, Nebraska, Rose M. and Mrs. Maggie Moran, and Mrs. Sophie Bordwell of Elk, Washington. The two deceased children were Evaline, wife of W. E. Armstrong, and the one son of the family, Chas. P., who died in Wyoming on November 29, 1903, the eighteenth anniversary of his father's death. Besides her children and grandchildren Mrs. Murphey's only near relatives living are her sister, Mrs. Cornelia A. Briggs, and the latter's family.

Mrs. Murphey was an example for American womanhood. She was a woman of strong character, most kindly disposition and predominating good sense. She made her field of activity in the home, and she found employment there for the qualities that shine there or any where else above all others. She was also faithful and active in church work, being through many years a member of the Presbyterian church, and in the home or the church or wherever she chose to mingle with others, she commanded admiration and respect. Her life was long and useful; and its ending came only when all who knew her might say that its work had been well and nobly done.

The funeral was conducted from the house at half past ten Monday forenoon by Rev. W. B. Sandford, pastor of the Presbyterian church, and was attended by a large number of her friends, particularly of the elder generation. Among the many beautiful floral offerings and decorations were carnations from Mrs. Briggs in California and violets from Fletcher Briggs from Cambridge, tributes from shores of two oceans, that had been sent as Christmas greetings but that came as funeral tokens. The services were simple but appropriate. The music by the quartette was fine, and the remarks of Mr. Sandford were beautiful, like the flowers, and true and optimistic, like the life of the departed.

Mrs. Wilda Baird from Hartington, Nebraska, with her son Bruce was here to the funeral; as well as the children and grandchildren who live here, but the remaining non-resident daughter, Mrs. Bordwell was too far away in Washington and could not come.