J. M. Murphy

As printed in 1906

DR. J. M. MURPHY, a veterinary surgeon and one of the prominent early pioneers of Berrien county, was born in Licking county, Ohio, September 29, 1828. His father, WilHam Murphy, was a native of Maryland, born near the Virgina border line, and was about fourteen years of age when he removed with his parents to Xenia, Ohio, and thence to Licking county, that state, where he was married to Nancy Rogers, a native of Virginia, her parents coming from Scotland. After their marriage the young couple took up their above in Henry county, Indiana, near Muncie, returning thence to Licking county, Ohio, and in 1850 came to Berrien township, Berrien county, Michigan, where they spent the remainder of their lives, the father dying at the age of eighty years, while the mother passed away when seventy-seven years of age. In their family were seven children, but one daughter died at the age of about six years, while four grew to years of maturity and two are now living, the brother of our subject being Harvey Murphy, who is now in his eighty-fourth year and a resident of Berrien county. He was married in Licking county, Ohio, and accompanied his parents on their removal to this county.

Dr. Murphy, their fourth child in order of birth, remained in his native place until about nineteen years of age, and was the first of the family to come to Berrien county, dating his arrival here in 1847, when he was a boy of nineteen years. He immediately took up his above in Berrien township and immediately began the task of clearing from its virgin wildness a farm one mile east of where he now lives, there directing his labors until 1886. In that year he located on his present homestead in Berrien Center. When but a boy Mr. Murphy began practicing veterinary surgery, which he afterward continued in connection with his agricultural pursuits, but during the last seventeen years he has given almost his entire attention to the profession and is will known in this and surrounding counties as a skillful veterinary surgeon.

The marriage of Dr. Murphy was celebrated in Ohio, in 1851, when Julia Kibler became his wife, she being a native of the same county as her husband, and they have three children, James Edward, Frank Eugene and Rosa. The sons are farmers of Berrien township, and the daughter is the wife of John H. Crall, of Indianapolis, Indiana. For fifty-eight years Dr. Murphy has made his home within the borders of ' Berrien county, in that time witnessing much of its growth and development, and he has long been recognized as one of its most valued citizens. He has given his political support to the Democratic party, and as its representative has served as constable and as school inspector. The Doctor has a remarkable record in that he has never used tobacco in any form, nor has ever taken a drink at the bar, this being a record scarcely equaled by any other man in the county. His homestead farm consists of about seventy-six acres, three of which are located within the corporate limits of Berrien Center, and he has also given one of his sons a farm of fifty-one acres.

As printed in A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan (1906). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.