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The Gossip Surrounding Murphy's Will

By
Anthony
Murphy
TWO SONS SLIGHTED IN MURPHY'S WILL

...was the headline that ran in the Macon Telegraph (Georgia) little more than a month after the death of 80 year old Confederate veteran and builder of Atlanta, Anthony Murphy.

The short article continues:
Widow and Other Son Divide an Estate of Half a Million in Value.
ATLANTA, Ga., Feb. 2. -- The will of the late Anthony J. Murphy, famous as one of the captors of the Andrews Raiders in 1862, was admitted to probate in Ordinary Wilkinson's court this afternoon. It disclosed the fact that two of the sons were cut off with only $2,000 each, which they lose if they contest the will. The estate, which is valued at $500,000, is divided equally between the widow, three daughters and a third son, Charles Murphy.
Wait! Wasn't there another son?

An article in the Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia) goes into a bit more detail.
The will of Anthony Murphy, Atlanta's pioneer citizen who recently died, was recorded yesterday in the office of the ordinary.

The will gives no estimate of the value of the property left by Mr. Murphy, but it is believed to be over a million dollars, consisting of real estate, bonds, and other securities.

The will was written with pen and ink and probably by a lady member of his family. It fills four and a half pages, and was signed on May 26, 1909, less than a year ago...
Details of Murphy's real estate holdings are given. He owned quite of bit of property in Atlanta, as well as Haralson, Polk, and Cherokee counties, Georgia. He also held "mineral interests where there is gold, in 40 acres in Cleburn county, Ala." All of this was to be sold, and taxes and legal liabilities were to be paid. Here's where it gets interesting:
To John K. Murphy, $2,000; to Anthony Murphy, Jr., $2,000; the balance of the proceeds to be equally divided between Annie E. Tanner, Kate M. Sciple, Adelia M. Robinson and Charles C. Murphy.

The next paragraph states that all money, bonds, notes, stocks, etc., shall be equally divided between his wife, Mrs. Adelia R. Murphy, Annie E. Tanner, Kate M. Sciple, Adelia M. Robinson and Charles C. Murphy, or their heirs.
I still think someone's missing.
It is stated that all the debts due the estate by R. E. Murphy, John K. Murphy and Anthony Murphy, Jr., shall be cancelled, provided they do not try to contest the will.

A further provision is made that if either John K. or Anthony, Jr., contest the will they shall not receive the $2,000, and what they owe the estate shall be collected.
Well, there you have it. Sounds like three of the boys got their inheritance while Daddy was still alive and well. Of course, that's pure speculation on my part.

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