The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-10-02
Memoir

subject OF this sketch, was born at
Bluemont, Louden county, Virginia,
Nov 10, 1927, and passed to the life
eternal June IA, 1913 He was of Irish
and English parentage and was the
fifth OF ten children of James and
Nancy Alder Murphy. He grew to
young manhood in the home of his
birth and as these were pioneer days
they were days of extreme toll and
privation. There we're but few
churches and as the opportunities for
education were also very United he
only had three months schooling in
his whole life. but so keen was his
intellect, so intelligent his applica-
tion of every thing he read that he
easily kept abreast of the times and
was always well informed on all topics
of the day
He was converted and united with
the NJ E. church, Aug. 81, 1916, when
young man Of 19 years at camp
meeting held in his native state.
He came to Ohio two years later for
a three months visit with relatives.
At the expiration Of which time he
decided to make this state his home
and was employed by j. H. Davis, of
Rainsboro, with whom he lived until
July 26, lS49.
He was united in marriage with
Sarah Jane Roads, who faithfully and
lovingly shared shared with him the
tolls and privations of the pioneer
days in which they lived and with
whom he walked in loving ompanion-
ship for ST years when God called her
home. Since then he has been unut-
terably lonely and longed to be at rest.
Eleven children were born to this
union, five of whom have preceded
him to that better land.
He enlisted in the Civil War Sept.
1864 with the 175th Regiment Ohio
Volunteers and received his discharge
June 81, 1865. He loved his country
and was glad of any service he could
render to her, but above all things else
was his love for his Master and his
greatest Joy was in giving himself to
the work of the church. For "a con.
secutive years he was appointed class
leader, serving years at Rainsboro, II
at church called Mt. Tabernacle, now
extinct, "a at Marshall and 16 at
Pisgah. He loved the class room and
we have heard him say he never
willingly stayed away from class
meeting but once in his life
He was appointed local preacher
in the summer of 1874 and as was
Characteristic of him went into the
work joyfully and enthusiastically do
ing what he found to do and doing it
with all his might repeatedly saying,
he would rather wear out than rust
out. But he has uttered the last ad-
monition. The glad voice which we
used so frequently to hear in song and
prayer and tender pleading is stilled
! forever here. But whau an inheri-
tance he has left to us Such rich
memories so gloriously full of truth
and life and beauty And we are glad.
Glad for the life he has lived before
us glad for his answering loyalty to
his God and his church; for his faith
full performance of his duty as he saw
it. That he had strength of character
and Of manhood to stand like a rock
for what he believed to be right and
yet was so broad minded and whole
souled as to have the greatest charity
for the opinions of others. And we
are glad that we know that his lonely
spirit has found the rest and comfort
for which he so intensely longed.
We would not have you think we
thought him perfect man for he was
but human and came under tempta-
tions as we all do, but he trusted God
and was. He would never leave or
forsake him. May his faith and trust
and uprig ghtness be strong incentive
to us to follow his God and take for
the guidance of our lives that passage
Of scripture which he so fre Iuently
quoted" therefore, be ye also ready,
for in such an hour as ye think not
the Son Of Man cometh.