Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 675
OLIVER PERRY MURPHY

OLIVER PERRY MURPHY, manager of Capt. George Bacon's farm and orchard at Magnolia, was born March 23, 1853 at Lagro, Wabash County, Ind. He is the son of J.K. and C.M. Murphy, both natives of the Hoosier State. his father died when he was about one year old and he knows but little about his father's ancestry. The mother's parents were Isaac and mary Bedsaul. The father of our subject departedthis life in Indiana in 1854, and the mother married George S. Bacon, who removed to Magnolia in 1855 and now resides at Des Moines, Iowa. (See sketch of Capt. George S. Bacon and Isaac Bedsaul.)

Our subject attended the common and High School at Magnolia and has lived in Harrison County nearly all his life, except from 1879 to 1884, during which time he was a janitor in Council Bluffs.

He was united in marriage Jan 9, 1876 to Dora E. Benson, born Oct 16, 1859, in Ohio. She is the daughter of Caleb and Mary Jane Benson, residents of Magnolia. By this union four sons and two daughters have been born- J. Kelly, December 13, 1876; Oliver Perry, October 2, 1878; Louis Francis, December 12, 1880; George Burton, July 11, 1883; Mary Jane, September 8, 1885; Dora Edna, May 19, 1891.

Mr. and Mrs. Murphy are both accepteable members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He belongs to Magnolia Lodge, No. 177, A.O.U.W.

Politically, he affiliates with the Republican party.

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