The Springdale news., 1917-01-19
His Biography


 His Biography
 Some time ago The News published biography of Marion Murphy, one written by himself, and it is here. with reproduced. In the reading of this biography none can help but feel the spirit that coursed through this splendid man. In it he combines pa thos, love, trust and facts in a way that reveals that deep feeling which he held for all mankind:
 Marion Murphy, Don't Worry" was born the 8th day of October, 1843, in the state of Indiana, Daviess Coun- ty, Harrison township on farm, in primitive log cabin about i2x14 feet, two doors, one small window puneheon floor, stick and dirt chimney and fire place, clapboards laid overhead for ceiling, cracks between the logs, chink ed and daubed with clay. Twas very pretty place fruit trees and grow ing shrubs in the yard, and eVerlast= ing spring of water not lar from the house surrounded by oak and wild cherry trees, a milk house with the water running day and night through the trough keeping the milk and but ter fresh and cold. My father was a school teacher and farmer, too taught school in the winter and farm ed in the summer, but when the gold fever broke out in California he took the fever, and bade= us go0d-by and went to that country to make his for tune and we never saw him again. The writer was the oldest child of four children, three boys and one girl .J.,x. I My fathers name was John. L., my mothers Polina Jane. We remained on the farm after father left till l was twenty years of age when we rented our farm, and moved to town, Wash ington, the county seat, where we live ed two years when we sold our farm. and moved to southern Illinois, Un- ion County, where we bought "a forty In the timber We built log house on it went to work clearing off the timber, and setting it out in fruit After five years residence here and about the time we were getting our place in good shape We all took the Texas fever, from reading some let ters in the Gincinnatti Enquirer, and in the fall of 1870, the Dist of Sep tember We started on an overland trip to Texas. My mother, sister and bro thers all went with us and after six weeks over rough roads we landed in the town of Dallas, Texas. We rented land for three years at six dollars cash rent per acre, and raised corn, cotton, wheat and oats and got good prices for what we had to sell. Seventy five cents to one dollar a bushel for corn, ten to twelve cents for cotton After renting for three years We bought us a prairie farm on the black lands. We all lived together as enc family, "hav- ing all things in common" till the fall oi iS75 the 3rd of October the writer got married. He was then thirty-one years old, his bride, Miss Joel X. Ket- chem was tWenty-three. The writer then bought a farm and went to work for himself, leaving the home nest. He and his ne8lE lE-made p,ife lived happily together and seven children were born to them On the 23rl of July 1s85 the wife and mother closed her eyes in death. In q weeks time t2eo sweet little babies followed their mother te the grave, where already two little brothers and one sister had proceeded them. making, with tGa mother, six by by side in the church yard laid Out of seven only two Were left aad our home was torn to pieces, the light had gone out We owned d good farm and had a nice home, but 1t dd not seem like home now We disposed of our home and went to Mineral Wells, for our mothers health. where We bought Us nice little home and went into the drug business which we followed for a number of years. Our mother lived for two years and died leaving us with our two children alone a%ain among strangers We boarded aad patched and got along as best Ue could til the third of April 1895, we got married again. This time We were fiftY-one and our bride, Miss Martha J. Par ker was twenty-nine We once more felt like We had home, and so, we lived FoHr children were born to us in course Of time In the spring of 1901 we closed out in Mineral Wells, Tex, and came to Springdale where We have lived ever since. and think 1t one of the pleasautest homes to be found anywhere in the United States. The subject of this sketch uses no tobacco. in any form, uses no coffee or tea, hasn't tasted whiskev in years and years, never drunk, never swore a profane oath, never sued anyone and never was sued, never was a witness in court never set on a jury-eXcept ing few minutes in justice court, never held any public office, is indep- endent m politics-votes for the man, not the party takes the Bible for his rule of faith and practice, believes there is good christian believers in all churches, and would that all people were contented and happy. So ends our little sketch of our humble life.
 Sixteen years the deceased moved with his family. to Springdale, and they have made their home here ever since He had been a contributor and ] (