Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-21
COLONEL JOHN MURPHY
DIES At HOTEL HE BUILT
Widely Known Business Man Passes
Away at Ripe
Age.
SERVED IN CONFEDERATE ARMY
Closely Allied With the Rebuilding
Of Richmond Through More Than
Half a Ccntury-F'uneral to Take
Place To.Morrow

Colonel Jol. Murphy. one OF Rich
monds best known citizens and prom
inent business men, died yesterday af-
ternoon at $3.50 o'clock in his private
apartment in the hotel bearing his
name. following a severe attack of
pneumonia. He was sevcnty-six years
OF age on the 18th day OF this month.
Colonel Murphys death came as
great surprise TO his friends. as It was
generally believed that his condition
was rapidly improving. About two
weeks prior 10 his death he ventured
TO walk from St. Lukc's Hospital TO
his apartment, when he caught the
deep cold. which later developed into
pneumonia.
For the past ten months. at vary
ing intervals. Colonel Murphy had been
q hospital inmate, due to circumstances
accompanying his advanced age. hut
his rapid Improvement toward the end
of eight weeks stay at st. Lui;.'s
was so marked as to persuade him TO
take his departure. After rallying
from time 10 time during the past few
days he slowly succumbed and passed
away yesterday afternoon.
FUNERAL EXPECTED TO
TAKE PLACE TO-MORROw
widow. Mrs. Mary O'Connor Murphy,
one son. Robert r. Murphy, and two
daughters Mrs. James T. Disney, Of
this city. and Mrs. Alice Wood. of
Cleveland. o.. also a large number Of
grandchildren. All of tho relatives
were Immediately notified and those
from Il distance arc expected 70 arrive
in the city in a few hours.
Funeral services will be conducted
from st. Peters Catholic Church prob
ably tomorrow morning.
Palibearcrs have been chosen as fol-
lows:
Ac,ivc--John J. Blake. David J. Cole.
y. ]. Cavanaush. John c. Hagan, Aus
tin Peterborough John o. Riordan,
John +. Powers and 7. l.. Tragic.
lionorary-Colcnc John G.. McCabe.
Captain John Tyler. J. iIoge Tyler.
James r. Gray. Fred V. Valentine. w
III. Howison. w. S. Rhoads. Justice John
J. Crutchfeld. Allen Lyon. w. p. Wood,
H. w. Wood. Judge u. G. Richa rdson,
Charles T., Boiling. Colonel NJ l..
Spottswood. Henry :. Hutzlcr. Captain
D. 4. Brown and Judge Sydney j.
Dudley.
Colonel Murphy. a survivor of the
Confederate cause. was widely known
in Virginia and in many parts of the
South. chiefly because of founding and
maintaining Murphy's Hotel. of this
city. one OF the best known hotels in
the country.
WAS BORN IN IRELAND
SEVENri-SIN YEARS AGO
Born in lS+2 in ireland of sturdy.
progressive Irish parcntage, young
John at an early age migrated to this
country to seek his fortune. Hardly
twenty years old when the War Be
tween the States was on. he was not
long in deciding where TO cast his lot,
and consistent with his love for home
rule in the land of his nativity. he
fought on behalf OF the South for that
right. Enlisting for the period of one
year. he was placed in the Fifteenth
Regiment of Virginia volunteers and
marched TO the front, seeing active
service. Tho following year he re-
enlisted this timo in the artillery
branch and was a member of Lctcher's
famous battery. While serving as ar
tilleryman he was slightly wounded at
the battle Of Malvern Hill. July 1, 1862.
and at Warrenton Springs the same
year received wounds OF which scars
remained for the rest of his life.
SERVED IN CAVALRY
UNDER GENERAL MORGAN
The third year Of the war saw young
Murphy in the cavalry branch under
Morgan. where he served with great
diligence until his capture at Dublin
by the Yankees, who sent him a pris-
oncr to Ohio. When the war was over
he was discharged but to his keen sor-
row learned that his home in Virginia
had been destroyed at the evacuation
OF Richmond.
Since wur-dcsolatcd Virginia offered
little encouragement. he, along with
number OF youngsters, went West
and found employment with a stage
| coach company, at that time running
q line from Missouri to the Pacific
Coast. He soon gave this up and ac-
cepted the management of the supply