As briefly announced in last week's Reformer, Mr. John Murphy, one
of the best-known residents for Norfolk, passed away at his home in
North Walsingham on Saturday, 23rd May ult.
Deceased was born in the County of Kerry, Ireland, 13th Nov., 1842.
His father, Patrick Murphy, came to Canada in March of that year, Mrs.
Murphy following with her two oldest sons, Timothy and John, in
1843. The family settled in North Walsingham on the farm occupied by
Mr. John Murphy at the time of his decease. It was here he grew from
infancy to manhood.
In early life he engaged in lumbering. From 1861 to 1872 he was
foreman-manager for Evans-Killmaster & Co. In 1867 he married
Elizabeth Elsie Forbes, a native of Inverness, Hamfshire, Scotland. In
the latter part of her life Mrs. Murphy was an invalid, but bore her
suffering with Christian piety and submission to the will of God. She
passed away in January, 1911.
Mr. Murphy was throughout his whole life a man of many activities,
interested in every movement for the advancement of the community and
county in which he lived. He was connected with the Norfolk Farmers'
Insurance Company from its inception, was eight years its president,
and for twenty years on the board of directors. He served for a great
many years on the board of the County Fair and was president of the
society for a period. He was also prominent in Farmers' Institute
work. He was justice of the peace for thirty years, an issuer of
marriage licenses for twenty years, and secretary-treasurer and school
trustee for thirty-seven years.
In politics he was a Liberal. He was a delegate from the county to
the great Liberal convention at Ottawa in 1896. He was vice-president
of the Liberal Association of South Norfolk for a lengthy term, always
a delegate to conventions, and often spoken of as a candidate. He was
several times a councillor in North Walsingham.
In religion Mr. Murphy was a Roman Catholic, but, while loyal to
his own views, he was ever tolerant of the views of others, and was
always ready to lend a helping hand to members of all other
communions.
The illness which finally terminated fatally was most prolonged
attacking him ten years ago and incapacitating him from work. His
slowly-ebbing strength was watched and his some-time sufferings borne
with a calm fortitude and a beautiful trust in the surety of the
Eternal.
During his long illness he was cared for by his daughter, Annie, a
graduate of St. Joseph's Hospital, London. Besides Miss Annie, there
are left to mourn his loss five sons and another daughter. They are:
Margaret, wife of Mr. John J. Tighe, of Barons, Alberta; John H. J.,
with the Royal-Crown Co., Winnipeg; William, with the Knights of
Columbus, Winnipeg; Leslie, with the Pauline Co., Winnipeg; Edwin E.
and Francis, at home.
There are also two brothers, Jerry, of Ingersoll, and James, of
Simcoe, and Mrs. McCarty, a sister, residing in London. The five sons
were at his bedside when he closed his eyes in their last sleep. All
seven children respected and appreciated their father, for it had been
his one aim to bring them up useful, God-fearing citizens, and every
necessary sacrifice had been made to fit them for positions of trust
and responsibility.
It is upon the lives and work of such men as John Murphy that
Canada's future is to be built. He has gone to his grave with the
respect of all who knew him. May mother earth lie lightly on him.