Murphy

In the fall of 1857, John W. Murphy and Ann Eliza, his wife, with their two children, came into the area later known as the Murphy neighborhood. By 1866, four of John's brothers and sisters had settled within a mile of John's home. Others came, both before and after - the Russells, Hixons, Slagels, Davises, Adamsons, Fenners, Herrings, Nutts and Livingstons. Here they raised their families and built their lives and the community.

The railroad came up from the southeast through the Murphy land in 1880. A siding was installed, stockyards established, and over the years a great variety and quantity of livestock, grain, merchandise, mail, and people were transported to and from the Murphy station.

John Murphy put up a store building in late 1890, shortly after the siding went in; and in 1891 both the Murphy store and the Murphy post office began operations. John was postmaster until rural free delivery came on January 16, 1911, and owned and operated the store until his death in August 1911. The store was sold, but continued in profitable operation until 1931, when it was closed because of the lack of police protection.

With the convenience of the post office, the store, and the trains, Murphy became quite a center of activity. From its conception, the store was kept open several nights a week. Buena Vista Grange No. 544, organized August 24, 1872, in John's new barn, rented the store's second-story hall for its meetings before its acquired its own hall in 1909-1910. The Murphy Silver Cornet Band held practices in John's barn, later in the hall over the store; operated until the late 1940's. In the 1920's the Murphy ball team was organized and played in a Jasper County League; its home games were played on a diamond laid out at Murphy.

The store building was torn down in 1937. Long after the store was gone the trains went by carrying freight, but the mid thirties brought changing patterns in the sale and shipment of grain and livestock, and the stockyards were closed. By 1950 the route had been abandoned.

Now nothing remains of Murphy but the records and the land along with memories.

Principal source: Diaries of John W. Murphy and submitted by Velma Murphy Adamson.

Kellogg Historical Society - Vol.III - 1983