(NOTE: The research on this MURPHY line is an on-going venture. The following chronological narrative is the work of cousins, Vickie ERWIN, Linda WARREN, Deborah DAIL, and Pam DeWITT . - Updated Jan 13, 2002)

HENDERSON MURPHY, was born abt.1822 in Virginia. Henderson married Ruth PHILLIPS 12 Oct 1843 in Pope Co, Arkansas. Ruth was born 1826 in Ohio, the daughter of William PHILLIPS. The parents of Ruth and Henderson have yet to be discovered. The first finding of Henderson MURPHY is in the 1843 tax list of Pope Co, Arkansas. William PHILLIPS can also be found in the 1843 tax list. William can be found in the Pope Co tax list as late as 1847.

HENDERSON and Ruth MURPHY emigrated to Texas about 1845 as members of the Peters Colony. The story of Peters Colony was written about by Seymore V. Connors in his book, Kentucky Colonization in Texas, first published in 1953. An expanded version was published in 1959 and titled The Peters Colony of Texas. Henderson may have lived in Kentucky when he learned of Peters Colony or learned of it in Arkansas. The Peters Colony venture started about 1841 by a number of small businessmen from Louisville, Kentucky. Henderson had been in Pope Co, Arkansas several years before emigrating to The Republic of Texas. In the appendix of Kentucky Colonization in Texas, listed under colonist, Henderson is listed as age 39, occupation farmer, married with 2 children, born in Kentucky, illiterate, arrived in 1845 and land in Denton Co, TX. The age is obviously wrong and probably his place of birth. Henderson is listed in the 1846 tax list of Denton Co. Henderson MURPHY and his father-in-law, William PHILLIPS, were original landowners in Denton Co, TX.

More on Henderson, his life in Denton, and his son, James W. MURPHY, can be found in the narratives, "MURPHY FAMILY in Denton County, Texas" and "James William MURPHY and his Descendants", both by Deborah Boone DAIL.

          1 Henderson MURPHY
             + Ruth PHILLIPS 
                2 Minerva Jane
                   + John Henry HUGHS
                      3 John H.
                      3 George S
                      3 Belle
                2 Robert
                   + Susan Elizabeth PITTMAN
                      3 Minerva Jane
                      3 Jesse 
                      3 Martha
                      3 Sarah
                         + Narcissa INGRAM
                2 R. E. (daughter) b. 1849; d. before 1860 census
                2 James W.
                   + Mary A. PAINE
                      3 Zula
                      3 Nannie
                2 Joseph
                   + Mary FORTENBERRY
                2 Henderson Jr .
                2 John C.
                   + S. F. HICKS
                2 Lee
                   + Foda V. MILLER
                2 Richard Dennis Sr .
                   + Ida N. SIGLER
                      3 Infant
                      3 Richard Dennis Jr .

          1850 - Census of Denton Co, TX
          MURPHY, Henderson         m 29           KY
                     Ruth                            f  24           OH
                     Minerva J.                   f   4           TX
                     Robert                         m  2           TX
                     R. E.                            f    1           TX
          PHILLIPS, Josiah                 m 19           OH (brother of Ruth)
                     Joel                             m 16           OH (brother of Ruth)

Minerva Jane MURPHY was born about 1846 oldest child of Henderson and Ruth MURPHY. Minerva married John Henry HUGHS about 1859.

          1860 Census of Denton Co, TX
          MURPHY, Henderson         m 40          VA
                    Ruth                             f  35          OH
                    Robert                         m 12           TX
                    James                           m  7           TX
                    Joseph                          m  5           TX
                    Henderson                   m  4            TX  
                    John                             m  1            TX
          MURPHY, John                   m 28            VA (Henderson's brother)

          HUGHS, John H.                 m 25           KY (Druggist)
                    Manerva                      f  16           TX
          HUGHS, G.W.                     m 39           KY (Physician)
          PRITTEN, James                 m 24           MO
          CLINE, Ann                         f  20             "
                    Lizzie                         f  18              "

          1860 Census of Brazos Co, TX
          PAYNE, F. G.                    m 53            TN (physician)
                    Nancy A.                  f  39             KY (2nd wife of Fleming)
                    Sarah                         f  26              IL (step-daughter to Nancy A.)
                    Mahlon H.                m 21              IL (step-son to Nancy A.)
                    Wm C.                      m 19              IL
                    Emily C.                    f  16              IL
                    Margaret A.               f  13              IL
                    Melissa                      f  12              IL
                    Sylvia                         f   9               IA
                    Mary                         f   7              MS (future wife of James W. MURPHY)
                    Laura                         f   5              MS
                    Virginia                      f  22             TX
                    Elizabeth                   f  48             TN (Fleming's sister)

Robert MURPHY, oldest male child of Henderson and Ruth, was born about 1848 in Denton Co, TX. Robert married 1st Susan Elizabeth PITTMAN 6 Jul 1865 in Denton Co, TX. Robert married 2nd Narcissa INGRAM 27 Feb 1879. Robert died in 1882.
     Robert's and Susan's children are as follows:
          Jesse, b.18 Apr 1866; married F.A. NANCE 6 Dec 1885

          Martha, b.11 Apr 1869; d.18 Oct 1879

          Minerva Jane, b.26 Feb 1872; married Milburn Frederick DeWITT 2 May 1889 in Bolivar, Denton Co, TX. Milburn was born 22 Oct 1870,
                               son of George Washington DeWITT and Sarah Ann WOOD.
                               Minerva's and Milburn's children are as follows:
                                   Mattie Edith
                                   Sallie Ruth
                                   George Duncan
                                   Jack Henderson

          Sarah

          1870 Census of Denton Co, TX
          MURPHY, Robert             m 22               TX (Son of Henderson & Ruth)
                     Elizabeth                   f 20                AR
                     Jesse                         m  4                TX
                     Menerva                    f   1                TX

          MURPHY, Henderson       m 50                VA
                     Ruth                          f  45                OH
                     James W                   m 18                TX
                     Joseph                      m 17                TX
                     Henderson Jr            m 13                TX
                     John                          m 12                TX
                     Lee                             m  6                 TX
                     Richard                      m  4                 TX
          CARRUTH, Roberts           m 35                 GA (dry good merchant)
          SULLIVAN, Benjamin         m 30                 Eng (printer)
          WITHERS, William              m 19                 MO (printer's apprentice)
          HUGHS, Menerva                f 24                 TX (widow)
                     John H                      m 10                 TX
                     George                       m  4                  TX
                     Belle                           f   3                  TX
          LAWLER, Milliem                 25 (b)            KY (housekeeper)
                     Dicie                            13 (m)           TX
                     Felix                               8 (b)             TX
                     Jane                                5 (m)            TX
                     George                            3 (b)             TX

          BOONE, Daniel                   m 28                  IN
                     Margaret                    f  24                  IL
                     Victoria                      f    3                  TX
                     Daniel                         m  1                  TX
          PAYNE, Fleming                 m 69                  TN
                     Nancy A                     f 45                  KY
                     Mary                          f 16                   MS
                     Eddie                           f 14                   MS
                     Virginia                        f 12                   MS
                     Albert                         m  5                   TX
                     Alice                            f   5                   TX
                     Ida                               f   2                   TX
          LAY, Lewis                          m 19 (B)            TX
          McKEE , James                    m 30                  IRE
          HAMMUT, Gillis                m 31                  AL
                     Ellen                             f 18                  IA

James W. MURPHY, son of Henderson and Ruth MURPHY was born about 1853 in Denton Co. James married Mary A. PAINE about 1874. Mary was born about 1855, daughter of Fleming Gordon PAINE, MD, and Nancy Ann MILLS. James died 7 Jun 1879. For more on James and his association with outlaw, Sam BASS see "Murphys in Denton County Texas."
James' and Mary's children are as follows:
          Zula , b.12 Oct 1875; married Charles Franklin BOONE on her birthday 12 Oct 1892 in Sunset, Wise Co, TX.
                   Zula 's and Charles' children are as follows:
                       Glenn
                       Gladys
          Nannie , b.12 Oct 1875; married C. P. JONES

          1880 Census of Denton Co, TX
          MURPHY, Henderson       m 58                   VA
                   Ruth                             f  54                   OH
                   Henderson                  m 24                   TX
                   Richard                        m 14                    "

          MURPHY, Robert              m 32                    TX
                   Susan P.                      f  36                    TN
                   Jesse                           m 14                    TX
                   Minerva J.                   f   7                     TX

          1880 Census of Callahan Co, TX
          SIGLER, David                   m 58                     TN
                   Elizabeth                     f  42                     MO
                   Sam'l                           m 24                     MO
                   Ida N                           f  19                     TX
                   (Deaf and Dumb at school within this census year [Ida])
                   George Arthurm 9moTX
          McNARRY , Jas G             m 34                     MO (son-in-law)
                   Clara                            f  22                     MO (dau )
                   Ida E                            f   1                     TX

          SIGLER, John J.                 m 26                     MO (son of David)
                   Mary I.                       f  23                     TX (Mary Isabel Tanner)
                   Irma S.                        f  7/12                  TX

          1880 Census of Travis Co, TX (Austin)
        (Texas Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb)
         ….
         MURPHY, Richard D.         m 14
         ….
         SIGLER, Ida N.                      f 18

          1880 Census of Wise Co, TX
          PAYNE, F.G.                      m 78                   TN (Physician)
                   Nancy                         f   55                   KY (wife)
                   Albert                         m 14                   TX (son)
          MURPHY, Mary                f  25                   MS (daughter; widow of James W. Murphy)
                   Nannie                         f   5                   TX (grand daughter)
                   Zular                            f   5                    TX (granddaughter; Zula )

Joseph MURPHY, son of Henderson and Ruth MURPHY, was born about 1855 in Denton Co, TX. Joseph married Mary FORTENBERRY 21 Dec 1880

Henderson MURPHY, Jr ., son of Henderson and Ruth MURPHY, was born about 1856 in Denton Co, TX.

John C. MURPHY, son of Henderson and Ruth MURPHY, was born in 1858, the first white child born in the city of Denton, Denton Co, TX. John married S.F. HICKS June 16, 1880 in Denton Co, TX. John died 18 Mar 1904 in Denton, Denton Co, TX.

Lee MURPHY, son of Henderson and Ruth MURPHY, was born about 1863 in Denton Co, TX. Lee married Foda V. MILLER

Richard Dennis MURPHY, Sr , last born of Henderson and Ruth MURPHY, was born about 1866 in Denton Co, TX. Richard married Ida N. SIGLER 3 Jan 1887. Ida, daughter of David Francis Marion SIGLER and Elizabeth Stolls BYRNS, was born about 1861. Richard died 31 Dec 1908 in Sanger, Denton Co, TX. Richard and Ida had the following children:
          Infant MURPHY, b.Feb 1888, d.18 Oct 1888 (Info from The Pilot Point Mirror, Saturday 20 Oct 1888; "Infant child of Richard D.Murphy of
                                Hickory Plains, aged 81/2 months, died at 10 o'clock on Thursday of diptheria ."
          Richard Dennis MURPHY, Jr ., b.3 Nov 1890; Richard married Laura ROBERTS 30 Dec 1905 in Cooke Co, TX. Laura was the oldest
                                daughter of Henry Clay ROBERTS and Della Texana WALLING.
                                Richard and Laura had the following children:
                                   Shelby
                                   Taft
                                   Richard Dennis, III
                                   Fred
                                   Edith
                                   Ennison
                                   Leola
                                   Vilola
                                   J. B.
                                   Ruth

          1900 Census of Denton Co, TX
          DeWITT , Milburn F.        m 29                TX
                    Minerva J.                 f  28                TX
                    Mattie E.                   f   9                 TX
                    Sallie R.                     f   7                 TX

          1910 Census of Potter Co, TX
          DeWITT , Milburn F.         m 39                TX
                    Minerva                     f  38                 TX
                    Edith                           f  19                TX
                    George                        m 11                 TX
                    Jack                            m   9                 TX

          1920 - Census of Hansford Co, TX
          MURPHY, Richard D         m 30                TX
                    Laura                          f  30                 TX
                    Shelby                        m 13                TX
                    Taft                            m 11                TX
                    Dick                            m  8                 TX
                    Fred                            m  4                 TX
                    Edith                           f   3                 TX
                    Ennison                      m  1.1/2           TX

Vickie ERWIN's link to Henderson MURPHY:
1 Henderson MURPHY
--+Ruth PHILLIPS
---2 Richard Dennis Murphy
-----+ Ida SIGLER
---------3 Richard Dennis MURPHY, Jr .
-----------+ Laura ROBERTS
--------------4 Edith MURPHY
---------------+Ewing LEVACY
-----------------5 Laura Vickie Levacy ERWIN

Linda WARREN's link to Henderson MURPHY:
1 Henderson MURPHY
--+Ruth PHILLIPS
---2 Richard Dennis Murphy
-----+ Ida SIGLER
---------3 Richard Dennis Murphy, Jr .
-----------+Laura ROBERTS
-------------4 Taft MURPHY
---------------+Mary Bell JONES
-----------------5 Linda Bell Murphy WARREN

Deborah DAIL's link to Henderson MURPHY:
1 Henderson MURPHY
--+Ruth PHILLIPS
---2 James W. MURPHY b.
-----+ Mary A. PAINE
---------3 Zula MURPHY
-----------+ Charles Franklin BOONE
-------------4 Glenn BOONE
---------------+ Edith Lillie STATTS
-----------------5 Deborah Sue Boone DAIL

Pam DeWITT 's link to Henderson MURPHY:
1 Henderson MURPHY
--+Ruth PHILLIPS
---2 Robert MURPHY
-----+ Susan PITTMAN
---------3 Minerva Jane MURPHY
-----------+ Milburn Frederick DeWITT
-------------4 Jack Henderson DeWITT , Sr .
---------------+ Ruth Rachel McGINNIS
-----------------5 Everett Eugene DeWITT
--------------------+Loretta Ann MINAFRI
----------------------6 Richard Barry DeWITT
------------------------+ Pamela Ann Wagner DeWITT