Unrecorded Will of T.T. Murphy

Less than a year before he died, Thomas T. Murphy wrote his will[1] and filed it with the Crittenden County Clerk.  For some unknown reason, the will was never probated or recorded. I came across this unrecorded will a number of years ago while working on Crittenden County, Kentucky  Wills Vol. 1  (1842 - 1924). Note that the will is in the handwriting of David Woods, County Clerk, but is signed in what is likely the handwriting of T.T. Murphy.

Unrecorded will of T.T. Murphy

The 1900 Crittenden County census shows Thomas T. Murphy and wife, Susan F. Murphy, along with Thomas W. Murphy living at 318 Poplar Street in Marion. Thomas T. and Susan F. had been married for 16 years.[2] His birthplace was listed as Virginia as were the birthplaces of both his parents.

T.T. Murphy had previously been married to Sarah A. Walsh (14 October 1844 in Todd County, Kentucky). He died 9 May 1901 and both he and his second wife, Susan F., are buried at Mapleview Cemetery in Marion.

Following his death, his obituary appeared in the local newspaper. [3]  "Mr. T.T. Murphy died at his home in Marion Thursday. He was buried with Masonic honors at the new cemetery Friday. He was born in Todd County 78 years ago, but has been a resident of Crittenden County for many years. He served in the Confederate army, making a good record as a soldier. He leaves three children  - two daughters who live in Todd County attended the funeral. The son lives in the west."

---

[1] Unrecorded will of T.T. Murphy is dated 12 November 1900.

[2] Brenda Joyce Jerome. Crittenden County, Kentucky Marriages, Vol. II  1866 - 1886, (Evansville, IN: Evansville Bindery, 1991), 148. Thos. T. Murphy and Mrs. S.F. Murphy married 2 June 1884.

[3] "Deaths," Crittenden Press, 16 May 1901.

Recorded 15 June 2016, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com

Tombstone Tuesday - Robert & Elizabeth Adamson

Adamson

Robert M. Adamson

Nov. 23, 1839

Mar. 9, 1922

____

Elizabeth G. His Wife

Apr. 1, 1844

Buried Bells Mines Cemetery, Crittenden County, Kentucky. Tombstone photographed 26 April 2013.

Robert M. Adamson and Bettie Murphy married 12 April 1860 Crittenden County.

According to her death certificate #5505 (1929), Mrs. Elizabeth Adamson was born 1 April 1843 and died 11 February 1929. She was widowed and the daughter of Robert Murphy and Rebecca Jane Shields.  Robert and Elizabeth Adamson last appeared together on the 1920 Crittenden County census.

Published 1 April 2014, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog,  http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Tombstone Tuesday - Joseph & Margaret Hina

Joseph A. Hina

Born in Germany

Feb. 16, 1831

Nov. 29, 1915

--

Margaret A.

His Wife

Mar. 3, 1832

Apr. 28, 1915

 

Buried Bells Mines Cemetery, Crittenden County, Kentucky. Tombstones photographed 23 March 2013.

 

According to death certificate #26637, Joseph A. Hina was born in Baden, Germany and was the son of Anslum Hina.  Joseph's wife, Margaret was born in McMin [sic] County, Tennessee and was the daughter of Robert Murphy and -- Shields, according to her death certificate.

 

Published 30 July 2013, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog,  http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

 



Short Life of Arabella Murphy 1826 - 1854

As a river town, Smithland, Kentucky was home to many river pilots and engineers - some living there only a short time before moving on to a new place. Unless there were unusual circumstances, records of these folks are few. After finding this lovely tombstone, although broken, I decided to see what could be found on the Murphy family.

From the tombstone, we know her name was Arabellar Murphy, wife of R. Murphy, and she was born 18 October 1826. The stone is broken so we can not see her death date. A tombstone beside that of Arabellar marks the grave of David Murphy, son of R. & A., who was born 14 November 1854. There is no death date.

The Murphy family is found only on the 1850 Livingston County census. Richard Murphy was age 25, born in Virginia and was a flatboat pilot. Arreller [sic] Murphy was 24, born Tennessee; William Murphy was age 1, born Tennessee and Joseph was age 4/12 born Kentucky.

Much more was found in Kentucky Vital Statistics (Deaths). It appears Arabella Murphy was born in Montgomery County, Tennessee and was the daughter of Sarah and Jackson Allbright. Arabella's death date was listed as 27 November 1854, age 30. Also listed was David P. Murphy, age 3 months when he died 28 February 1855. If David was 3 months old when he died in February, he was born right before his mother died so perhaps Arabella died from complications of childbirth.

A search on Ancestry.com showed two marriage records of interest. Richard Murphy and Arabella Albright are shown marrying 30 October 1849 in Dickson County, Tennessee and also 13 November 1849 Stewart County, Tennessee. It is possible the earlier date was for the  marriage bond and the latter date was the actual marriage date. Kentucky allowed marriage bonds and licenses to be used in any county within the state. To be sure, though, that these are the same people, copies of both records should be examined.

I have not found where Richard Murphy went when he left Smithland. As a flatboat pilot, the possibilities are many - perhaps Nashville; Cairo, Illinois; Evansville - but somewhere on a naviagable river most likely.