1st Generation
Gabriel Murphey Sr. married to Mary? Born (unknown prior to 1740) possibly in Overwharton Parish VA area. Migrated to Caswell Co. NC 1777 through early 1800's. Died in 1808 in Claiborne Co. TN.
Probable Children:
John
Elizabeth, married Samuel Hopper
*Gabriel Jr. married Clarey Herndon
James, married Patsey Terrell
Sarah, married unknown Whitmore
Marion, married unknown Browning
Nancy, married James Warren
William, married Lucy Terrell
Mary Ann, married Richard (Crabtree?) Ward
2nd Generation
Gabriel Murphey Jr.
Born between 1754-1766 in Caroline Co. area; died in 1818 in Russell Co. VA area.
Married Clarey Herndon in 1788, daughter of David Herndon and Frances Pierce.
Children:
Elizabeth Frances 1790, 93; married Thomas Cartwright
John 1794; married Jane Ferrell
Nancy Jane 1799; married Henry Cline
Rachel 1800; married John Smith
*Edmond 1803; married Susannah Clevenger and Polly Shortridge
James 1807
Clarey 1814; married Moses Cartwright (stepson of Frances, son of Thomas Cartwright)
Possible other children may be Herndon Murphey 1797 who married Mary (Polly) ? and a Quinton Murphy 1815. Both are associated with the family. However, a death record for Herndon indicated his father to be a John Murphy of Logan Co. (perhaps brother to Gabriel Jr.?) Quinton is the first sheriff of McDowell Co.
Note: It is possible that John may have been the father of several of these children.
3rd Generation
Edmond Murphy
Edmond was most probably born in Caswell, NC. He married Susannah Clevenger, daughter of Levi Clevenger and Nancy Elswick, in Pike Co. in 1823.
Children:
Gabriel 1825; married Hannah Frances Phillips
Alexander 1827; married Keziah "Biddy" McCoy
Mary 1830; married Hugh Tiffany Gillespie
Lucinda 1835 ?
*William 1838; married Clara White and Lovis Reed.
Edmond married Polly Shortridge b.1813 or 1818, daughter of Robert Shortridge and Rebecca Brown, in 1840 in Tazewell Co.
Children:
Sarah 1841; married Mathias Looney
Eliza (Elara?) 1844
James L. 1846; married Rendy Hips 1869 and Ruth Yates 1876.
*Robert 1847 married Sarah Elswick Chambers and Amanda Murphy
Richard 1848 married Rebecca Prater
Clarissa Clarinda 1848; married John Chambers
Harvey 1850
John W. 1853; married Lydia ? Looney 1876
Benjamin 1857; married Betty ? was murdered
Melissa 1859; Joe Looney
Edmond, who was a bare knuckles boxer, was murdered by Joe Staton during a boxing match on election day in Pike Co. on the fair grounds of Pond Creek, est. 1859, 1860. Known for his short temper, Joe Staton was arrested and indicted for Edmond's murder. Unfortunately, he escaped from jail and became a fugitive. At this time, Polly began using her maiden name for herself and the children, Shortridge, from 1860 on. From available records, it appears that as adults, most of the boys used both surnames--Murphy and Shortridge--ultimately returning to Murphy for their descendants. The surname Murphy has been lost with most of the descendants of the girls in the family.
Fourth Generation
Robert Murphy/Shortridge (1847-1905)
married Sarah Chambers in 1866. Children:
Vicy
James H. 1867
*Alexander 1870; married *Charlottie Murphy (daughter of Edmond's son William and Lovis Reed)
Meldora 1870; married Robert S. Shortridge
Boyd 1878; married Victoria McGlothlin
Also Fourth Generation
William Murphy 1838; married Clara White
Children:
Ellender 1863
William 1869
and Lovis Reed (2nd wife)
Children:
*Charlottie 1873; (married *Alexander Murphy/Shortridge)
Amanda 1876
John 1877
Fifth Generation
Alexander Murphy/Shortridge (1870-1932) married Charlottie Murphy (1872-1944)
Children:
Stella 1890: married Andrew Hart
Lula Catherine; married Dillard Ratliff
Sarah Meldory 1894; married ? Harris
Bertha Ann 1896
Robert Verna 1898
William Whiton 1900
Joseph Harvey 1902
Glen 1904; married Willie Winfrey
*George Patrick 1906; married Margaret Marie Painter
Newton 1906
Woodrow 1911
Bascom 1914
Rosay Edany 1916
Alexander left his first family, married Lou Katherine Shortridge and raised a second family in Florida.
Children:
Hazel, Don, Grace, Ernest
Sixth Generation
George Patrick Murphy (1906-1977) married Margaret Marie Painter, daughter of Thomas Sidney Painter and Lettie Virginia Cowan.
Children:
*Harold Lee 1929-1993; married Peggy Marie Stacey
Harry Donnel 1931-1998; married Evelyn Cooper
Molly; married Clifford Davidson
Douglas; married Ann
Teresa Antoinette 1950; married Larry Reed
Seventh Generation
Harold Lee Murphy married Peggy Marie Stacey.
Children:
Stacey Lee Murphy 1960; married Kevin Charles Wilner
Margaret Robinson Murphy (Robie) 1963; married Mathew Higgins (children; Kelly & Colin)
Notes:
October 5, 1819--Russell Co. Court Law Book #6 pg. 145
"Edmund Murphy and Rachel Murphy orphans of Gabriel Murphey deceased with the approbation of the court made choice of Clarey Murphey for their guardian who together with Richard Jackson, he security entered into and acknowledged their bond in the penalty of one hundred dollars with condition according to law. The court doth assight Clarey Murphy guardian to James Murphey and Clarey Murphey the younger, who are children of Gabriel Murphey deceased and thereupon the said Clarey Murphey with Richard Jackson her security entered into and acknowledged their bond in the penalty of one hundred dollars with condition according to law."
--the term "orphan" applied to older children, usually teenagers, whose parents or father had died. Teen-aged children had the choice to live with their mother or with someone else.
Note:
The Murder of Edmond Murphy (from Michael Murphy of Columbus, Ohio; ggrandson of Richard Murphy, father Lon, grandfather Lon Sr. and ggrandfather Richard)
"Some details on the death of Edmond. I confirmed with my father Lon Jr. that the story is that the guy Edmond was boxing died in the ring. There was a huge scuffle involving many people. Edmond was running to get away and as he was climbing a fence, Joe Staton caught him and stabbed him in the throat. The blood squirted on the side of the house there. Years later, Richard took my grandfather Lon Sr. and showed him where it happened and the bloodstain was still on the house.
He also said the Edmond got in a fight one time, the guy ducked his punch and Edmond accidentally knocked out a mule."
Another story from Michael:
The Murder of Robert Murphy
"Three of Richard's sons; Lon Sr., John, and one whose name we do not know; were having a good time at a bar known as the Blue Goose near Devon, WV. This was an unlicensed, illegal bar run by Bill (Babe) Ellis. An altercation insued and Bill Ellis hit John on the chin. Lon Sr. grabbed Bill Ellis and pulled him across the bar. John hit Bill with a Bottle. The bottle didn't beak. John said "I guess I didn't hit him hard enough." and hit him again. The Murphy boys continued to give Ellis one heck of a beating. Ellis carried a Winchester rifle and vowed to take his revenge out on any Murphy who crossed his path. Lon Sr. reported walking down a dirt road one time and noticing Bill Ellis following him about 50 yards back. He continued at a normal pace and when he went around a curve in the road that cause him to drop out of sight from Bill Ellis, he ran as fast as he could and ran up a draw into the woods. Ellis didn't see where he went and never found him.
A deputy sheriff in Grundy, Robert was killed escorting a prisoner on a train to the state penn. Dad remembers that also. Babe Ellis either stalked Robert or happened to be on the same train at the same time.
Robert also presided over the hanging of Johnny Harden, the last man ever to be hung in the state of Virginia. Lon Sr. was there to witness it. He was only a child then."
Note to all who view this page: While most of this information is based upon census, birth, marriage and death records; some is based on "circumstantial" evidence and family legends. This site is for family informational purposes only, not to be sold or presented as fact.
