James Edgar Murphy (August 8, 1875-October 29, 1940)

Person

Staff Only

Dates

Existence: August 8, 1875 - October 29, 1940

Biography

James Edgar Murphy was born five miles south of Mommouth, Illinois. His parents were Harriet Wallace Murphy (b.1832, d. 1924) and Richard Murphy (b.1812, d.1888). Richard Murphy was born in Liberia and freed himself from bondage in 1840. Richard's enslaver, a minister named Joseph Murphy, gave him 1000 dollars upon his liberation in Kentucky during the 1840s.

After Richard Murphy's death in 1888, Harriet Wallace Murphy moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. Harriet Wallace Murphy's parents were Reuben Wallace(b. 1790), an African from Guinea, and Nancy Wallace(b.1799), a Native American woman. Reuben and Nancy met in the state of Virginia and had Harriet Wallace in 1832.

He was the youngest of 13 children. He moved to St. Paul in 1901 with his mother and siblings.

He married Ida Mae in 1917 and they had three children together; Janabelle, John and Richard. He had two nephews by the way of his sister, Mrs. Reed, by the name of Lawrence Tarver and Isaac Dennie and a niece, Mayme Geraldine Williams.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Murphy-Taylor Family Papers

Collection

Identifier: HQBCA-003

Abstract This collection includes the professional and personal photographic works of H. Janabelle Murphy Taylor, commonly known as Janabelle or Jane, and her family members. Janabelle was a progam director at Hallie Q. Brown Community Center for 20 years, as well as being a community activist throughout the Twin Cities. Her ancestors were one of the first Black families to willingly move to Minnesota in the late 1800s. In addtition to photographs, this collection includes letters, mixed-material...

Dates: Majority of material found within 1880 - 1980; 1860 - 2018

Found in: Hallie Q. Brown Community Archives / Murphy-Taylor Family Papers

Filtered By

Subject: Historic Rondo Neighborhood X