Murphy, William J. (William John), 1839-1923
Murphy, Laura Fulwiler, 1845-1943
Title:
William J. and Laura (Fulwiler) Murphy Papers
Inclusive Dates:
1781-1983
Inclusive Dates:
1872-1924
Quantity:
4 Boxes
(2.6 Linear Feet)
Abstract:
The William J. and Laura (Fulwiler) Murphy Papers consist of correspondence, financial records, certificates, printed matter, and unpublished manuscripts extending from 1781 to 1983. The bulk of the collection houses letters from William J. Murphy to his wife Laura regarding family matters and his efforts to secure funding for the construction of the Arizona Canal and for agricultural and commercial land development in Phoenix, Arizona from 1872 to 1924.
Identification:
MSS-63
Language:
Material in English
Repository:
Arizona State University Library
Greater Arizona Collection
P.O. Box 871006
Tempe, AZ 85287-1006
Phone: (480) 965-4932
E-Mail: archives@asu.edu Questions? Ask An Archivist!
Biographical Note
William John Murphy, contractor and land developer, was born in New Hartford, New York on August 23, 1839. He was the second son of George Alexander and Nancy (Allen) Murphy of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. He attended the public schools in Ohio and then moved with his parents first to Chicago and then to Pontiac, Illinois. He served in the Union army under General Sherman at the Battle of Atlanta and was honorably discharged on July 24, 1865. Murphy married Mary C. Bigelow of Nashville, Tennessee and settled there after the war. The couple had two children, Lucy (Murphy) Graves (1866-) and George Allen (1869-), before Mary Murphy's death in April of 1871.
In 1874 William Murphy married Laura Jane Fulwiler (1845-1943), daughter of John and Mary (Mahon) Fulwiler, and the couple had four children: Ralph (1876-1961), Laila (1878-1896), Loise (Murphy) Kretzinger (1880-1948), and Ray (1883-1896). In 1880 the family moved to Flagstaff, Aubrey Valley, and Prescott, Arizona in succession. During this time Murphy contracted with railroad companies including the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad for grading and road work services. In 1883 Murphy won the contract for construction of the Arizona Canal and agreed to receive his compensation in canal stock and land. As a result, it was necessary for Murphy to raise capital from out of state sources in order to meet payroll and construction expenses.
With the completion of the Arizona and Cross-Cut canals a large quantity of land in Phoenix could now be cultivated and developed. Investment capital was secured to enable the Murphys to develop the Orangewood section of North Central Avenue and the private club Ingleside, which eventually became a major Phoenix resort. These development efforts included importation and cultivation of citrus and date palms. In 1896 the Arizona Canal Company went into receivership and in 1902 it was incorporated into the Salt River Project as a result of the Newlands/Hansborough Reclamation Act. William J. Murphy died in Phoenix of heart disease on April 17, 1923.
Scope and Content Note
The William J. and Laura (Fulwiler) Murphy Papers consist of correspondence, financial records, certificates, printed matter, and unpublished manuscripts extending from 1781 to 1983. The bulk of the collection houses letters from William J. Murphy to his wife Laura regarding family matters and his efforts to secure funding for the construction of the Arizona Canal and for agricultural and commercial land development in Phoenix, Arizona from 1872 to 1924.
To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.
Copyright
Arizona State University does not own copyright to this collection. Distinctive Collections recognizes that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of the copyright.
[Identification of item], William J. and Laura (Fulwiler) Murphy Papers, MSS-63 Arizona State University Library.
Provenance
The William J. and Laura (Fulwiler) Murphy Papers were received in a number of accessions from 1976 to 1987 (ACC# 1976-00062, 1982-00062, and 1987-00112).
Container List
Box
Folder
1
1
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1872-1881
1
2
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1881-1882
1
3
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1883
1
4
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1884 February-August
1
5
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1884 September-December
1
6
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1885 January-May
1
7
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1885 June-December
1
8
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1886
1
9
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1887
1
10
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1888 January-July
Box
Folder
2
1
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1888 July-December
2
2
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1889-1890
2
3
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1891
2
4
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1892
2
5
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1893 January-June
2
6
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1893 July-December
2
7
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1894-1985
2
8
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1896
2
9
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1897
2
10
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1898-1899
Box
Folder
3
1
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1900-1905
3
2
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1906-1914
3
3
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1918 January-September
3
4
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1918 October-December
3
5
Personal and Business Correspondence, 1919-1924
3
6
Aero Club of Phoenix: Capital Stock Certificate, 1910
3
7
Arizona Canal Company: Water Rights Deeds and Certificate and Letters to Stockholders, 1887-1897
3
8
Arizona Cotton Processing Company: Capital Stock Certificate, 1926
3
9
Arizona Deaconess Hospital Life Membership Certificate, 1919
3
10
Arizona Fair Association: Capital Stock Certificate, 1909
3
11
Arizona Improvement Company: General Statement and Bond Issue Prospectus and Subscription List, 1891, Undated
3
12
Arizona Preserving Company: Capital Stock Certificate, 1928
3
13
Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company: Contracts and Specifications for Road Work, 1881-1882
[Oversized Materials Removed to Box 4/OV1, Folder 2]
3
14
First National Bank: Stock Certificates, 1883-1884
3
15
Fulwiler Family Papers, 1781-1802
3
16
Gila Water Company: Capital Stock Certificate, 1929
3
17
Promissory Notes and Invoices, 1867-1874, 1884
Bin
Folder
4/OV1
1
Salt River Valley Water Users Association: Capital Stock Certificate, 1923
Box
Folder
3
18
U. S. Secretary of the Interior Correspondence Regarding Forest Districting and Irrigation, 1900
3
19
William J. Murphy Military Certificates, 1864-1865, 1900
[Oversized Materials Removed to Box 4/OV1, Folder 3]
3
20
"The W. J. Murphy Family of Phoenix" by Merwin L. Murphy, 1873 January 21
3
21
"Laura in Arizona, 1881" by Merwin L. Murphy, Undated
3
22
James Addison Peralta Reavis and Dona Sofia Loreto, Micaela de Peralta Reavis nee Maso, y Sylvia de Peralta de la Cordoba vs. the United States, 1895 (Copies)
