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Obituaries Abound for Anthony Murphy

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On the morning of 29 December 1909, much of the east coast of the United States woke up to find this on the front page of their newspaper:

ANTHONY MURPHY DEAD.

From the Tampa Tribune (Florida), all over the state of Georgia, to the Charleston News and Courier (South Carolina), and even up to the Washington Post (District of Columbia) -- Most ran the same general obituary, but some had a nuance or two. Each and every one described Mr. Murphy's participation in the Great Locomotive Chase to some degree.

The Macon Telegraph (Georgia) added that Murphy was a builder of Atlanta and that he left a fortune estimated at between two and three hundred thousand dollars.

Died Wealthy was part of the headline in the Augusta Chronicle (Georgia). It stated, "The war left Murphy penniless, but he set out to work again cheerfully and when he died, had amassed a fortune of half a million dollars in the saw mill and lumber business."

The Charleston News and Courier (South Carolina) lauded him a southern pioneer.

Anthony Murphy
Born Nov. 29, 1829
In County Wicklow, Ireland
Died Dec. 29, 1909
-----------------------------
Adelia R. Murphy
Born Hall County, GA
Sept. 11, 1840
Died Atlanta, GA
Dec. 13, 1916

Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia
Photo © 2013 S. Lincecum

LAST SAD RITES HELD OVER ANTHONY MURPHY

Funeral Services of Pioneer Atlantan Held Wednesday Afternoon.

The funeral services of Anthony Murphy took place from the residence of his daughter, Mrs. C. E. Sciple, 916 Peachtree street, yesterday afternoon at 3 o'clock, and the interment was in Oakland Cemetery.

A large gathering of friends were present to mourn for their departed fellow, and the floral offerings were many and beautiful.

The city has never seen a more public-spirited citizen than Anthony Murphy. He grew up with the town, and his every public action was directed toward the progress and welfare of Atlanta. His private life was above reproach. Considerate of everyone and having a deep understanding of and sympathy for his fellows, he made thousands of friends.

The following friends of the deceased acted as pallbearers: Frank Rice, John L. Tye, Archie Forsyth, J. R. Gray, Frank Hawkins, Preston Arkwright and A. J. Orme. [The Atlanta Constitution (Georgia), 30 December 1909 -- viewed online at Ancestry.]

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Unknown said…
Well, now, that's a right nice write-up on my great-great-grandpappy! I'm proud to say my pappy also loved Atlanta and was civic-minded, as am, and do, I. Inheriting some wealth would've been nice, but I heard the Great Depression did us in there that time. Altogether, very comforting. Thank you.
March 31, 2019 at 11:31 PM
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