Murphy

Miner’s First Name:   John
Miner’s Middle Name:   Felix
Miner’s Last Name:   Murphy
Miner’s Picture:   
Birth Place of Miner:   Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Miner’s Country:   Scotland
Arrived in USA:   In New York on February 18, 1874

Miner Information:
John F. Murphy was the son of Felix Murphy and Agnes McKinney. John was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Church, Plymouth, PA, and sang in the choir. He was a member, through his church, of Mens The Total Abstinence Union, which is a Roman Catholic Men's Temperance group. He rendered a solo at the fifth Annual Convention, held on June 16, 1887, at Smith's Opera House in Plymouth, PA. At age 20, in 1872, John was a coal miner in the District of Shettleston, Lanark, Scotland. He worked in the U.S. in the coal mines as a Miner, in Plymouth/Larkville, PA., from 1874 until 1890, when he lost his life while coal mining. John died from an explosion caused by a defective squib; that squib held fire until pushed into the powder by John, which caused the blast to explode prematurely. In his obituary it is said that the dynamite exploded before he could reach a place of safety. A moment later he was bleeding, and his mangled body lay in the midst of the loosened coal. Relatives told me his brother, William F. Murphy, witnessed this event and never entered the coal mines again.

Place & Manner of Miner’s Death:   Lance Colliery No.#11 - Plymouth, now known as Larksville, Luzerne, PA. - Died from a premature blast from dynamite, caused by a defective squib.
Died:   April 18, 1890
Birth Date:   October 9, 1851

Married:   July 11, 1872
Place Miner Was Married:   Old Monk Parish, in Shettleston, Lanarkshire, Glasgow City, Scotland.

Wife’s Name:   Mary
Wife’s Middle Name:   T.
Wife’s Last Name:   Kelly
Birth Place of Wife:   Scotland
Wife’s Country:   Scotland
Arrived in USA:   In New York on February 18, 1874
Place & Manner of Wife’s Death:   Mary was the daughter of John Kelly and Ester Blue. Mary died at 354 South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA, from Bladder Cancer.
Died:   August 24, 1907
Birth Date:   April 26, 1850

Number of Children:   8

Child Name 1:   John
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   Murphy
Birth Date:   1872

Child Name 2:   Ester
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   Murphy
Birth Date:   November 18, 1873

Child Name 3:   Felix
Child’s Middle Name:   Joseph
Child’s Last Name:   Murphy
Birth Date:   October 26,1874

Child Name 4:   Agnes
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   Murphy
Birth Date:   1877

Child Name 5:    Mary
Child’s Middle Name:   T.
Child’s Last Name:   Murphy
Birth Date:   October 26, 1878

Child Name 6:   Elizabeth
Child’s Middle Name:   C.
Child’s Last Name:   Murphy
Birth Date:   May 24, 1883

Child Name 7:   Susan
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   Murphy
Birth Date:   August 7, 1885

Child Name 8:   Rosa
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   Murphy
Birth Date:   August 1887

Child Name 9:   Veronica
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   Murphy
Birth Date:   August 1889

Child Name 10:   
Child’s Middle Name:   
Child’s Last Name:   
Birth Date:   

Author’s Name:   Mary
Author’s Middle Name:   A.
Author’s Last Name:   (Emmettt) Langdon
Relationship to Miner:   Great Maternal Niece