ROBERT PILFORD MURPHY Sr.

Father: Hugh P MURPHY b: 1785 in Virginia
Mother: Anna (Annie) b: 1790 in South Carolina

Marriage 1 Mary Ann CLARK b: 31 JAN 1821 in Christian Co, Kentucky
Married: 20 FEB 1840 in Jersey Co, Illinois

Children:

Eliza Jane MURPHY b: 3 SEP 1841 in Madison Co, Illinois

John Harvey MURPHY b: 11 DEC 1842 in Madison Co, Illinois

Robert A MURPHY b: 15 FEB 1844 in Madison Co, Illinois

Julia Ann MURPHY b: MAR 1846 in Madison Co, Illinois

James Hugh MURPHY b: 15 OCT 1847 in Madison Co, Illinois

Note: Mary Ann Clark had married 20 Feb 1840 in Jersey Co., IL, Robert Pilford Murphy, the Rev. Amos Dodge officiating.

He was of Scotch descent, the name having once been spelled "Murfee," and was born ca 1810/2 near Bowling Green, KY. The Murphys farmed near Alton, Madison Co., IL, in the Ridge Prairie Precinct and are listed in the 1840 U.S. Census of Madison Co.

They had five children: Eliza (who died young), John Harvey, Robert Jr. (who m Mary"Ann Barber of Lyman-5), Julia Ann and James Murphy. Robert P. Murphy died of pneumonia 22 Feb 1847 at the age of 37, leaving his young wife with four small children.

[From the book: Moses Barber of South Kingston, Rhode Island and many
descendants, 1652-1984 By Lois Schroeder]

Note: Mary Ann Clark Murphy was pregnant with her 5th child when her husband, Robert Pilford Murphy, died, Feb. 22, 1847. The child was not born until Oct. 15, 1847.

Note: In his will, Robert P. Murphy left a blank space when listing his children by name, to account for his unborn child. By the time the widow Mary Ann Clark Murphy made a will relinquishing her share of the estate back to her children, the child had been born and given the name of James Hugh Murphy as noted in her legal document. Within 2 year after Robert P.'s death, the widow Mary Ann had married her bachelor neighbor, Stillman Barber. They wed on April 8, 1849.

In the 1850 Madison Co., Il..census we find the 4 Murphy children: John Harvey age 7 yrs, Robert age 6yrs, Julia age 4 yrs & James Hugh age 3 yrs. Mary Ann & Stillman were both the same age, 29 yrs. Mary Ann's sister, Susan Clark, was also living with them; Susan was born in Il. as were all the little Murphy children, Mary Ann in Ky. and Stillman in Rhode Island. In 1846 A was noted in land records in the Madison Co., Il courthouse, the Robert P. Murphy's owned farm land not only in Alton, Madison Co., Ill. but also in Macoupin Co., Il. (the latter having been deeded to Robert by his father-in-law, John Clark.

Note: Robert P. Murphy served as a Cpl. in the BLACK HAWK WAR of 1831-1832 as an Illinois Volunteer, enlisting on Apr. 18th, 1832, Edwardsville, Il.


[Murphy Family Data]