The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1892-02-25
THE FATHER OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
An Account of The Career of Archibald
ID. Murphey.

study in suffering. "The snow that
never melts" has fallen on the well
shaped head. Crowfeet and wrinkles
form themselves into letters to spell
upon the clean shaver visage, the words
"cares" and "weariress'.
The picture is that of Archibald
DeBow Murphey, of Orange. whose
devotion to his native state has made
his name, uttered within the bounds
of North Carolina, synonym for pa
triotism. He was born in Caswell
county III 1777. His preparation for
college was received under Rev. Da-
vid Caldwell of Guilford. Books and
libraries were scarce articles in those
pioneer days of our history, and when
young Murphey entered the state
University in his twenty-Iirlt year,
and the second of the University's ex-
istence, his library consisted of three
works, Voltair's history of Charles
XII, of Sweden, solitary volume of
Roderick Random and Donquixota.
In spite of his inability to cultivate
his literary tastes in his earlier days,
he graduated at the head of his class
in three years, and Immediately there
after became Professor of Modern
Languages III the young University
which had just granted him his dirlo-
ma.
Mr.. Murphey, however, made the
law his profession, and only retained
his chair at Chapel Hill for three
years. AS a lawyer he was brilliant,
witty and shrewed in his management
of witnesses.
In 1918 Mr.. Murphey was elected
ajudge of the Superior Court by the
General Assembly, and held this posi-
ton for two years, when he returned
to the practice of his profession. The
then existing law regarding the judi>
ciary provided that if Supreme
Court Judge had any interest in a
cause coming before that body, (whe>
ther from having been employed in
the said cause in lower tribunals or
for any other reason) the governor
had power to appoint special COM
mission whose duty it should be to de.
tail a Superior Court Judge to sit in
the stead of such Supreme Court JUS
tice. Under this law judge Murphey
presided one term in place of Leonard
Henderson, the distinguished jurist,
afterward Chief Justice. The mention
of this fact is greater tribute to the
estimation in which his legal acquire
ments were held, than whole pyra-
mid of olimactic adjectives.
Judge Murphey prepared the report
of the proceedings Of the Supreme
Court of the state from 1904 to 1878
in elusive, and was the first reporter
of the same body under its present
organization, beginning 1919. He
was the first who held the Office of the
clerk of the Supreme Court, the posi-
ton which is now SO ably filled by
Hon. Thos. Kenan.
Judge Murphey's love for the old
commonwealth led him to undertake
the collection of material for a State
History. His statewide acquaintance,
especially among the revolutionary
veterans, and his love of literature and
historical research, rendered him the
most suitable man for this duty.
Judge Murphey's enthusiasm was
contagious. The General Assembly
granted him authority to raise ny lot
terry (then considered moraD the sum
OF SIS 1000 for the execution of his con
templated work, but the lottery was
unsuccessful. Albert Gallatin, then
minister at the court of St. James, had
the Office of the Board of Traid and
Plantations and the State Paper office
in London, search ed for colonial doc
uments bearing on our history; Thos.
Jefferson and James Madison recog-
nized the value of the work being
done, by furnishing useful information;
the papers of such men as Governors
Burk, and Samuel Johnston and Mr.,
Hooper were placed at Judge Muir
phey's disposal and Revolutionary
veterans, Col. W. Polk, Gen. Lenoir,
Maj. Donoho, Gen. Graham, and
others then living, added their contri-
buttons of personal "reminiscences.
The Judge never lived to complere
his work. but materials he collected
are invaluable. The thoroughness of
Gov. SWANS War ofthe Regulation
is largely due to the carefully collect
ed memoranda of Judge Murphey.
Before closing this sketch, the i'm
portant work of Judge Murphey in
obtaining handsome endowment for
the University from escheated lands
in Tennessee. must be mentioned.
The authority for the following is
DIR. Kemp Battle, of the Chair of
History in the University; The Gen
eral Ass emily had given to the Uni
versity the state claim to warrants for
lands located in Tennessee, granted to
Revolutionary soldiers, who left no
heirs. The title of the Chickasaw In
dams had not been extingnished, and
the state of Tennessee refused to ad-
NIT any title in North Carolina.
The probability of the University Cd
tanning any advantage from tie gift
seemed and was very shadowy. Judge
Murphey was sent to the Legislature
of Tennessee as attorney for the Uni
versity with plenary powers By a
droit management he succeeded in OBJ
tanning by way of compromise one
third Of the land, Tennessee retaining
the residue for the College of East
Tennessee and the College Of Cumber
land. The lands thus obtained were
afterwards sold for round sum,
which enabled Governor Swain to en-
ter on his duties as President of the
University with assurance of good
support How ard A. Banks.
THE WANDERING JEW.
A Rabbi sayr That The Prophet Elijah
Was The Original.