CHAPTER FOUR: THE MURPHY FAMILY STORY


Of the four direct descendent families to which we are directly related, the Murphy story is the most complete. Perhaps this is because there were so many of them and they left a long paper trail. The mother of Thomas E. O’Donnell, Annie Elizabeth Murphy (1869-1940) is our connection. To view photos of Murphy ancestors click linkhttp://picasaweb.google.com/padrepedro75/AnnieODonnellMurphyFotoAlbum#:

At least 6 Murphy brothers (baptized in Carlow, Ireland) came to New York as young men in the mid 19th century. Their parents Michael M Murphy (1782-1864) and Ann Keeley Murphy (1797-1861) later joined them in NYC and are buried in Calvary Cemetery in a plot purchased in 1855 by Myles Murphy. Their descendents:

Brother John Murphy SJ (1828-90) was a lay brother in various Jesuit communities in the USA. He has left some beautiful observations about his time at a Jesuit Mission school for Indians (native Americans!) in Kansas. He passed his final years in Milwaukee.

Patrick Murphy (1829-74) who lived near Albany, an axe maker by trade, was twice married leaving by wife #1 Mary ? three descendents: Anna (1851- ), Julia (1855- ) and John ( 1858- ). Julia marries John “Finnrikins” (probably a corruption of Finnukin) and has 7 children. Wife #2 Margaret Moore (1830-1908) bears two additional children: Margaret J. (Mc Clusky) (1869-1940) and Susan Murphy (1872-1949 (Sr. Susan Murphy RSCJ) who founded a scholarship at HCC and worked as a teacher for many years in PR.

Thomas K. Murphy (1832-1903), settled near Pleasantville, NY, worked as a blacksmith and married Catherine Clowry (1847?-1912). From this marriage there were at least 8 children: Mary Ann (1860-1940) who became a Sister of Charity (Sr. Rosinda SC); Michael John (1862-1909); Margaret Anna (1865-1946); Agnes Cecilia (1868- ); Teresa Olivia (1870-1906); Elizabeth (1872-1949); Teresa (Timmings) (1872-1949); Thomas Francis (1875-1907). Descendents of Teresa Timmings viz. Marion Dely-Guilfoyle) are active in No. Tarrytown area.

Joseph Michael Murphy(1839-1879) (baptized Michael Joseph!) was twice married leaving 2 children by his first wife (Mary Kate Breen (1830-70) and at least 4 by his second wife (Mary Jane O’Connell (1846-77). By his first wife: Maurice Murphy (1868- ) & Annie Elizabeth (O’Donnell) (1868-1943) the mother of our dad, Thomas Edw. O’Donnell. By his second wife Margaret (1872-95): Mary Josephine (1874- ); Angela (Holder) (1875-1932); Joseph (1876- ). Angela’s infant child is buried in the O’Donnell plot Calvary Cemetery. Her husband “Uncle” Jim Holder was a regular visitor to the Annie O’D household until his death in 1940.

Edward Murphy (1832-83), a successful Manhattan carriage maker, was thrice married with at least 9 children. By wife #1 (Ann Egan): Margaret Mary (1860-1943) (Sr. Mary Olivia SC); Edward P. (1867-1915). By wife #2 (Maria Egan): Ann Cecilia (1870-1952) (Sr. Joseph Loretto SC). By wife #3 (Mary Ann Lenihan): Joseph(c.1873 -1960); Maurice (1876-1946); Elizabeth Mary (Finan) (1878-1963); Helen “Nellie” (1878-1935); James A. (1882-1959); Thomas E. We have made contact with the daughter of Eliz.M Finan, Mary Eliz. Byrnes who lived in New Rochelle.

Myles Murphy (1825-1891), who lived in Manhattan, married Bridget Nolan (1827-79.) From this marriage there are at least 5 descendents: Rev.Thomas Edward SJ (1856-1933); Ann Margaret (1857-60); Mary Elizabeth (1861-62); Miles (1863-?); John (1865-78). Myles begins his working life as a blacksmith but soon become a member of NYPD. His son, Fr. Tom becomes President of HCC and has important impact on the life of his widowed cousin Annie O’Donnell. I suspect that when Annie’s parents died & she became “Orphan Annie” that she was raised in this household and Fr. Tom became a symbolic “older brother.” After the death of Bridget (1879), Myles married an Irish born woman, Catherine born 1843 and they had a daughter Mary C. Murphy (1881-1956). In 1901 Mary married Francis Stephens and had 4 descendents. Myles purchased 2 separate grave sites in Calvary Cemetery where many of his descendents are buried.

Margaret Murphy (1836- ) if she reached adulthood, nothing further is known. She is listed as baptized in Carlow along with her many brothers.

Much further research should be done on the many descendents of the Murphy clan.