The Murphy Family of Wilcox, Pennsylvania

This ancient family which from its original home in the Green Isle has sent many of its members to render valuable assistance in the development of our industries, is represented in Custer City, Pennsylvania, by Timothy B. Murphy, one of the most progressive and prosperous business men of that community. The history of Mr. Murphy’s family is traced through the following generations:

(I) Timothy Murphy

Timothy Murphy, born in county Cork, Ireland, where he passed his entire life as a farmer. He married Callahan, a native of Fermoy, county Cork, and two children were born to them:

Children

1. Patrick. Of whom further.
2. Margaret. Born in 1829, married Patrick Golden, like herself a native of county Cork, and emigrated to the United States, where her husband found employment at railroad work. Two of their six children, Daniel and Ellen, are now living in St. Paul, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Golden, both of whom are deceased, were members of the Roman Catholic church.

Timothy Murphy and his wife were of the same communion, and died at Fermoy, county Cork, Ireland.

(II) Patrick Murphy

Patrick, son of Timothy and (Callahan) Murphy, was born in 1827, in Ireland. He lived for a time in Wales, and in 1861 emigrated to the United States, settling in Wilcox, Elk county, Pennsylvania, where he was employed by different railroads, helping to build the Erie branch from Carlton to Mount Alton. In 1867 he recrossed the ocean (his wife having died the year before in Ireland) and returned with his two sons. He afterward went to Minnesota, still working as a railroad employee, and subsequently removed to Custer City, where he lived for twenty years. He was a Democrat, and a member of the Roman Catholic church. He married, in Ireland, Margaret Barry, born in 1828, in county Cork, where both her parents were born and died.

Children

1. Timothy B. Of whom further.
2. James. Born in 1864, in Wales, died on Ward’s Island, New York, having contracted a fever on shipboard while his father was bringing him to this country.

The mother of these two sons died in 1866 in Ireland. Like her husband she was a member of the Roman Catholic church. Mr. Murphy married (second) Mrs. Mary Wall, by whom he had no children. He died May 16, 1897, at Big Shanty, Pennsylvania, where he had at one time lived.

(III) Timothy B. Murphy

Timothy B., son of Patrick and Margaret (Barry) Murphy, was born April 8, 1862, in Wales, where his parents lived for several years, his father being employed as a coke manufacturer of Wilcox, Pennsylvania. Timothy B. Murphy obtained his education in the public schools, the father and son lived in various places until the former married a second time. Timothy B. Murphy was then thrown on his own resources and accordingly found employment at the oil business to which, with commendable pluck and perseverance, he steadily adhered, gaining as the years went by not pecuniary profit alone, but much valuable experience, and building up a reputation for ability and integrity which laid the foundation of his success. He came to Custer City when that place was in its infancy and was called Shep’s Crossing, and as the result of a long period of wisely directed enterprise is now, as an oil producer, at the head of a large and lucrative business. In addition to this he has interests of considerable magnitude in the Pennsylvania Mutual and the Metropolitan Insurance companies. In politics Mr. Murphy is an Independent, holding himself aloof from partisanship, but giving his vote and influence to the man whom he deems best fitted for the office. Like his ancestors he is a member of the Roman Catholic church.

Mr. Murphy married, January 19, 1898, Ellen C. Sullivan (see Sullivan III), and they are the parents of two children:

Children

1. Frederic. Born October 15, 1901.
2. Helen. Born August 7, 1902.

Both were born in Bradford and attended school in Custer City.

The Sullivan Line

(I) James Sullivan

James Sullivan, grandfather of Mrs. Ellen C. (Sullivan) Murphy was born in 1800 in county Kerry, Ireland, died in 1870 in Genesee, New York. He married Margaret Lake, born in 1791 in Ireland, and died in 1881 in Wellsville, New York.

Their children

1. James. Deceased; was a farmer; married Bridget Cavanagh, from Coudersport, Pennsylvania, and their children, the eldest now of Olean, New York, and the others of Roulette, Pennsylvania, were:
   1. Mary.
   2. James.
   3. Timothy.
   4. Ellen.
   5. Margaret.
   6. Michael.
2. Michael. Of whom further.
3. Ellen. Married Morris Conover, a grocer of Wellsville, New York, and died there, leaving:
   1. Thomas. Of that place.
   2. Patrick. Of that place.
   3. Nellie. Of that place.
   4. Mary. Of Bradford, Pennsylvania.
4. Ann. Married Patrick Shannon, a farmer of Roulette, Pennsylvania, where they both died, leaving:
   1. John. Of East Hebron, Potter county, Pennsylvania.
   2. Ellen. Of Roulette.
5. Thomas. Deceased, was a railroad employee of Wellsville, New York; married Kate Furlong from Coudersport, Pennsylvania, and left:
   1. John. Of that place.
   2. Thomas. Of that place.
   3. Mary. Of that place.
   4. Margaret. Of Buffalo, New York.
   5. Michael. Of Hornellsville, New York.
6. John. A farmer of Genesee, New York; married Mary Durkin, a native of Ireland, and their children are:
   1. Annie. Of Buffalo, New York.
   2. Nellie. Of Buffalo, New York.
   3. Mary. Of Texas.
   4. James. Of Genesee.
   5. Michael. Of Genesee.

(II) Michael Sullivan

Michael, son of James and Margaret (Lake) Sullivan, was born May 13, 1827, in county Kerry, Ireland. In 1851 he emigrated to the United States and is now a farmer of Roulette, Pennsylvania. He married Ellen Callahan, born December 25, 1832, in county Kerry, died April 29, 1911. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan were the parents of the following children:

Children

1. Margaret. Born January 15, 1853, in Coudersport, near Roulette; married Henry Bannister, from Wellsville, New York, now a contractor and oil producer of Washington, Pennsylvania, and has two children:
   1. Irene. Born October 18, 1887.
   2. Helen. Born July 28, 1889.
2. John. Born April 7, 1854, in Coudersport, now a stone mason of Roulette; married Kate Young, from North Hortons, Pennsylvania, and has four children, all living in Costello, Potter county, Pennsylvania:
   1. Robert.
   2. William.
   3. Thomas.
   4. Mabel.
3. Joanna. Born May 28, 1856, in Coudersport; married the late Benjamin Ongerham, an oil gauger from Lima, Ohio, and has had two children:
   1. Florence. Deceased.
   2. Benjamin. Born February 22, 1895, now living with his mother in Roulette.
4. Mary. Born November 16, 1858, in Roulette; married Frank Frantz from Bradford, Pennsylvania, now a contractor of Roulette, and their children are:
   1. Lee.
   2. Florence.
   3. Edith.
   4. Raymond.
   5. Eleanor.
5. James. Born October 11, 1859, in Roulette, now a stone mason of that place; married Bessie Mahon, from Costello, Pennsylvania, and their children are:
   1. Mary. Wife of P. Myers, of Roulette.
   2. Elizabeth. Wife of Edward Cock, of Kansas.
   3. Grace. Wife of Thomas Cullen, of Roulette.
   4. Florence. Of the same place.
   5. Maude. Of the same place.
6. Michael. Born September 26, 1860, in Roulette, now a stone mason of Olean, New York, unmarried.
7. Thomas. Born October 26, 1861, in Roulette, a stone mason of Bogalusa, Louisiana, unmarried.
8. Ellen C. Of whom further.
9. Catherine. Born August 30, 1864, in Roulette; married Michael Fitzsimmons from Sartwell, McKean county, Pennsylvania, now a contractor and lumberman of Roulette, and their children are:
   1. Harold.
   2. Howard.
   3. Homer.
   4. Albert.
   5. Marie.
   6. John.
   7. Edna.
   8. Roderick.
10. Edith. Born July 12, 1865, at Roulette; married Elmer White, a civil engineer of that place, who died at Newport News, leaving the following children, who live with their mother in Roulette:
    1. Louise. Born October 27, 1892.
    2. Marjorie. September 19, 1893.
    3. Ronald. September 18, 1895.
    4. Ruth. June 12, 1897.
    5. Elmer. Born May 6, 1898.
11. Florence. Born November 26, 1867; married William Williams from Franklinville, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, now a real estate agent of Buffalo, New York.
12. Edward. Born August 3, 1869, in Roulette, where he is now a stone mason; married Katie Eymer, of that place, and they have one child:
    1. Raymond.

(III) Ellen C. Sullivan

Ellen C., eighth child of Michael and Ellen (Callahan) Sullivan, was born November 20, 1862, in Roulette, Potter county, Pennsylvania. She received her education in the public schools of Port Allegany, McKean county, of the same state, and became the wife of Timothy B. Murphy (see Murphy III).

Source

Jordan, J. W. 1840-1921. (1913). Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co.

This genealogy is based upon the source cited above. Only the structure and formatting have been changed for clearer presentation; the genealogical and biographical content has been preserved.