MURPHY FAMILY OF POLK COUNTY, WISCONSIN
This page belongs to greg krenzelok.
MURPHY FAMILY OF POLK COUNTY, WISCONSIN
Probably the most important factor in the lives of our Murphy family, these first settlers in Polk County, Wisconsin was their religion, so available in Ireland and so unavailable in this new land. - Byron Doyle author of the Murphy Book.
NOTE: DECEMBER,10, 2023 - THIS WEBSITE AND ALL OF MY WEBSITES ARE BEING UPDATED,
I am in the process of updating all characters on all of my websites like commas, hyphens, quotation marks, and other characters that have become corrupted. I am not sure why they have become corrupted and after so many years that these websites have had no problems. These characters now need to be replaced and it is a long process to go through each of the websites and webpages replacing each character. I also have a deadline that the websites need to be updated by the end of 2023 or the beginning of 2024. At this time the website servers Rootsweb and Ancestry will no longer support updating and creating new websites or webpages. All the websites will continue to be online and at this time I will no longer be able to correct outdated links and content on the websites and webpages. I started my websites both family and military over 20 years ago and I was a pioneer in the beginning of using the internet for personal, family, geology research and military preservation of history. We have preserved a lot of history that would have gotten lost. As I go through correcting these websites and webpages, I am amazed on how much information we have posted and how many people have shared their family pictures and documentation with us. I thank you!Thank you for your years of support.
- Greg Krenzelok - Director - Historian
U.S. Army Veterinary Corps Historical Preservation Group
The Murphy Family and friends in a group picture at Dan and Rose Murphy Doyle wedding reception on June 28, 1916. Picture was taken in front of Patrick and Margaret (Maggie) Rogers Murphy's home on their farm in Milltown, Wisconsin. Those known in this picture are: Pat, Maggie, William Murphy sitting, front and center. Above Pat and Maggie are daughter Rose and Dan Doyle, Also known in this picture are: Michael Doyle, Helen Doyle Dyke, John Doyle, Margaret Murphy Sullivan, Fr. Buruski, Nonie Doyle Muckerheidl, Mayme Doyle Mosher, Neal Doyle, Arthur and wife Mary Murphy McDermott holding twins, William Murphy Sr. next to grandson Leonard Murphy, Margaret Clancy Murphy, and the rest of the Murphy clan. Note: This is from Byron's picture CollectionWELCOME TO THE MURPHY FAMILY WEBSITE
These are the Murphys who settled in Polk County Wisconsin. First to settle in Polk County was William and his wife Mary and William's sisters: Sarah Murphy Williams, Bridget Murphy Kelly and Margaret Murphy Williams who all came from Cork County IrelandNOTE:I WILL BE WORKING ON CONTINUEING SOME OF BYRON DOYLE'S MURPHY FAMILY RESEARCH. I WILL BE WORKING FROM HIS LARGE COLLECTION OF RESEARCH THAT HE HAS COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS. BYRON HAS COLLECTED SOME WONDERFUL THINGS AND I WILL BE SHARING THEM WITH YOU. I WILL FIRST START WITH HIS COLLECTION OF PICTURES THAT HIS DAUGTHER, MARYLEE AND THEIR FAMILY IS LETTING ME USE. A LOT OF THESE PICTURES WERE PUBLISHED IN THE "MURPHY BOOK". PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ANYTHING WITH THE WEBSITE. - Greg Krenzelok
THE INTENTION OF THIS WEBSITE
Will be to touch on the early Murphy's who came to this country from Ireland and settled in Polk County, Wisconsin and at this time cover mainly William and Mary Murphy and their son Patrick, his wife Margaret (Maggie)Rogers Murphy and their children: Mary, Rose, Margaret, Leonard, Sylvester and Veronica.I will be also covering William's three sisters; Sarah Murphy Williams, Bridget Murphy Kelly and Margaret Murphy Williams who lived in Polk County but I will just cover their immediate family. They all lived very close by to each other and were very connected to one another. From these four people quite a large family of Murphy descendants arose which Byron covers in his books on the families. I have try to keep it as simple as I can covering just a small part of the family line so that any of the above descendants can understand from where they came.
NOTE: Notice that in the above that Sarah and Margaret have the same last name. Remember this, Sarah married Lawrence Williams and Margaret married Lawrence's half brother Mike in New York in around 1850. It can get a little confusing so watch out! Another important note is that Lawrence and Sarah donated the property that St. Patrick Church and Cemetery was built on and where a large amount of our relatives are buried. Their home is still there and is very close to St. Patrick cemetery today and it is a must to see if you visit the area. Look at Sarah's webpage for pictures of the house in 2005. Margaret amd Mike homesteaded at the West end of Long Lake. Also sister Bridget Murphy Kelly lived a cross the field from St. Patrick's. I have not pinned down the homestead yet but it has to be one of the ones that is close by. So you can see that William and his sisters Sarah, Margaret and Bridget lived close by to each other and St. Patrick's was the heart of our family. If you are ever in the area you need to go to St. Patrick's Cemetery and visit with our family that is there, it is a wonderful place to go. The church building was moved to Balsam Lake and became the "Our Lady of the Pines" parish.
I would be interested in posting any other Murphy history on our line of Murphy's if you care to do the write-ups, please contact me for further information.
THIS WEBSITE IS DEDICATED TO MY COUSIN BYRON DOYLE AND HIS FAMILY
Who for love of our family and his research of the families has inspired me to continue his work. Byron and his dear wife Mary spent countless hours and traveling to write books on the Murphy, Rogers and Doyle families. Most of the information on this website will come from the MURPHY BOOK. When I look through the Murphy Book I am always amazed at how much information Byron and Mary collected. We would not have a history of our Murphy family if it wasn't for Byron and all the hard work he did in collecting the information at a time when there were still enough relatives alive that could tell us about the families. If we tried today to write a Murphy Book there would not be much in it and it would be very thin. But because of Byron and Mary's work we have a book packed with our Murphy History. Byron and Mary should always be in our thought's as we look into our Murphy, Rogers and Doyle history.
Left image: Byron Doyle and his grandchildren. Byron loved family. Right image: Byron playing in Rice Creek behind his grandparent's Pat and Maggie Murphy's farmhouse. I'm sure young Byron would never imagine that he would promise his mother, Rose Murphy Doyle to write the family histories of the Murphy's, Roger's, and Doyle's.
BYRON DOYLE BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Click on below link:
Byron Doyle Biographical Sketch
FROM IRELAND TO WISCONSIN THE MURPHY STORY
Many members of our Murphy Family left Ireland during the Potato Famine, period 1845 to 1850. Generally, they sailed to New York City where they remained briefly before heading for Tioga County, Pennsylvania where they found jobs working in the coal mines.Then, after varying lengths of stay in Pennsylvania, they gravitated to Polk County, Wisconsin. There, homestead lands were available either by declaration of intent to naturalize or by purchase of a land patent from a military veteran who has been awarded it for service during a war prior to the U.S Civil War.
These ancestors of most of we American Murphy's were among the first settlers of Polk County and they, too, were pretty heroic people. They went into vast forest lands and over the years transformed the area into very productive farms lands, breaking the virgin soil and planting crops of corn, wheat, and other grains.
Up until 1837 these vast areas, of what is now Minnesota and Wisconsin, were Indian lands. In 1837 the United States purchased this area from the Indians. Eastern lumbermen, primarily from the Bangor area of Maine, began to take interest in the virgin pine, particular along the St. Croix River. By 1848 a Land Office was established at St. Croix Falls and land acquisition by the white man began to speed up.
Then in 1840 a Land Office was established at Hudson to handle all Wisconsin sales of land in what was known as the Chippewa land district.
Polk County was established in 1853 to honor President James K. Polk. The area was originally part of Crawford County, Michigan. The population of the county grew rapidly after the land was opened up to the farmer. For example:
1855 - 547 people in Polk County.
1865 - 1677 people in Polk County.
1888 - 10018 people in Polk County.
1900 - 17801 people in Polk County.The first of our Murphys homesteaded in Wisconsin, when William (M.8 in the Murphy Book) homestead in 1958. His sisters and their families followed, coming out from Pennsylvania in later years.
For those having additional interest in Polk County, please see pages 412 thru 415 for early maps in the Murphy Book. The townships of Milltown and Balsam Lake, withing Polk County, are shown and, in some cases, Murphy line farm sites are identified.
Terry Coleman's, Going to America (Pantheon Books), is recommended reading for this experience in the lives of our ancestors.
A reading of old county newspapers has been very rewarding. It gives an insight into the experiences faced by our relatives who settled the county. See page 416 thru 420 in the Murphy Book for a chronological listing of items.
James Williams (M.5.5. Murphy Book), was a local school teacher in his young adult days. In 1876, when he would have been 21 years old, Jim wrote a history of Milltown. It was run in the November 11, 1876 Polk County Press. Excerpts can be seen on the M.5.5 family record sheet, page 106 in the Murphy Book.
Probably the most important factor in the lives of these first settlers was their religion, so available in Ireland and so unavailable in this new land. Father Phillip Gordon, the Chippewa Indian priest, who served as parish priest to these people from May 1924 to June 1948 wrote a History of the Long Lake Parish which was serialized in the Polk County Ledger in 1939. See pages 421 thru 425 for excerpts from that history in the Murphy Book.
In 1975 a Centennial Celebration was held at Long Lake and a booklet called St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 1875 to 1975 was published. It includes many pictures and a brief but excellent history of the parish. (Note: St. Patrick's is synonymous with the Long Lake Church.
Similarly, there was a 75th anniversary celebration of the South Milltown Rural School District. A souvenir booklet of 13 pages was written by Adele Fleming. This booklet is filled with items of interest as well as pictures. A sample from page 3 of the booklet reads: then in 1873 north of the Ed Murphy farm a small frame building was erected, which served students from a wide area. It should be noted that in 1873, Ed Murphy was 4 years old and the farm was known as the William Murphy, Ed's father farm. William is our M.8 Murphy in the Murphy Book. For those interested, we also recommend this booklet.
Two human interest items must be mentioned at this point. First, is the close relationship between the Lillis family and the various Murphy line families in the Long Lake area. According to family tradition there is a blood relationship but no one seems to have identified it as yet. Part of this tradition says that the Lillis line were ancestors of the recently deceased Harry Lillis (Bing Crosby). For years family members have tried to tie down this relationship but, to date, the editor has not seen the proof.
Secondly, there was a close friendship between our Murphy clan and another Murphy family at Milltown, although they were not related. This other line descended from the marriage of Dennis Murphy and Elizabeth (Amy) Conly with descendants Daniel, Leland, Vernon, Mary Frances and Eliza. Future researcher should be aware of this situation as the two Murphy lines were good friends but not related and joint pictures, news articles, etc. should not imply a relationship. - Byron Doyle. Note: Byron's mother was Rose Murphy Doyle (M.8.4.2. 1891to 1976) (daughter of Pat and Maggie Murphy (8.4 in the Murphy Book.
Note: From Ireland to Wisconsin is on page 410 in Byron Doyle's Murphy Book. - Greg Krenzelok
THE FIRST MURPHYS THAT CAME TO POLK COUNTY FROM IRELAND, WISCONSIN IN THE 1860'S
Were William Murphy, Sarah Murphy Williams, Bridget Murphy Kelly and Margaret Murphy WilliamsNote: So this was William and his Three sisters, Sarah Murphy, Bridget Murphy and Margaret Murphy who came over from Ireland and ended up in Polk County Wisconsin. William and his sisters all married and had families
Click on the below links:
William and Mary Murphy - Sarah Murphy Williams - Bridget Murphy Kelly - Margaret Murphy Williams
JOHN AND HIS WIFE ELIZABETH DENNEEN MURPHY
John Murphy (M. 8. 5. in the Murphy Book) is the son of William Murphy Sr, see link above: I visited the Long Lake, Balsam Lake area in 2005 and 2008. This is where our Murphy relatives settled. I discovered where John and Elizabeth's farm and house was located. Thanks to our local Murphy relative, Bob Murphy who still operated his family's farm. I had a chance to document John Murphy's property. Below is a link to my research:
Click on below link:
John and Elizabeth Murphy
The above is a postcard dated October 16, 1910 and it shows Pat and Maggie Murphy's home and farm located at the lower southend of Rice Lake just out of Milltown, Polk County, Wisconsin. The people from left to right are Mrs Charles (Louise) Rogers holding the baby, Mary Murphy McDermott holding Evelyn, Leonard Murphy, Sylvester Murphy, sitting down William Murphy SR, standing above maybe, Pat Carney, Ed Murphy. Pat Murphy, Not sure about the next two children or the women, then Maggie Murphy, Willie Murphy and wife and unknown women. We will try to get a better ID of the people in the picture. If you can help please let us know.
BYRON DOYLE TELLS OF GOING TO THE MURPHY FARM c1925
Note: The above picture is Pat and Maggie's farmhouse that was located 3-4 miles out of Milltown, Wisconsin that Byron's talks about in the audio tape. Byron and I sat down to make this tape in around 2002. Tape is 31:53 minutes
GERALDINE MURPHY KRENZELOK TELLS WHAT SHE REMEMBERS ABOUT GOING TO THE MURPHY FARM AT AGE 7, c1935
My mom Gerry Murphy Krenzelok tells of her fond memories of going to her grandparent's, Pat and Maggie Murphy farm out of Milltown, Wisconsin, located in the Balsam Lake area. At the time mom was living with her parents Leonard and Esther Murphy at Ladysmith, Wisconsin. It should be noted that some of the names were mixed up in telling the story. Pat and Maggie's children were Mary Murphy McDermott, Rose Murphy Doyle, Margaret Murphy Sullivan, Leonard Murphy, Sylvester Murphy, and Veronica Murphy. The Gerry Murphy Krenzelok tape is 32:03 minutes
WILLIAM MUPRHY'S SON PATRICK AND HIS FAMILY
Note: Here I am focusing on William Murphy (above) who came over from Ireland and one of his son Patrick and his wife Margaret Rogers Murphy because this is where my line of the family comes from - Greg KrenzelokClick on the below links for Pat and Margaret(Maggie) Rogers Murphy and their children:
Patrick and Margaret - Mary - Rose - Margaret - Leonard - Sylvester - Veronica
If you do not have copies of Byron and Mary Doyle's wonderful books they are available to view at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at their library in Salt Lake City and also available on Microfilm copies of the MURPHY AND ROGERS books are available by contacting the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) at their research centers in your area or at their library in Salt Lake City
Byron and Mary Doyle's the MURPHY BOOK and the ROGERS BOOK. I have given a copy of the Murphy Book to Rosalie Kittleson at the Polk County Museum at Balsam Lake, Wisconsin. If you do not have a copy of the Murphy book you can now get your hands on a copy of the book at the Polk County Museum to do research. Note: copies are not available for the Rogers book. Copies of the Murphy Book are still available as of 2022. Email: [email protected]
COPIES OF BYRON'S MURPHY BOOK ARE NOW AVAILABLE AS OF MAY, 2022
Contact me for more information. Email: [email protected]
Click on the below link to go to the LDS website:
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
To confirm that they do have the books: Go to the FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY SYSTEM and click on SEARCH THE FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY CATALOG FOR RECORD AND RESOURCES. Now click on AUTHOR SEARCH put in DOYLE in the surname box and BYRON in the first name box. Click on search and click on DOYLE, BYRON, DANIEL, 1917 and you will find the listing for the Murphy Book and the Rogers book. Byron's mother Rose Murphy Doyle was my grandfather Leonard Murphy's sister. Byron and his wife Mary worked very hard and did a wonderful job on tracing our Murphy family history in the Murphy Book. Many of the families did buy this book at the time of publishing in 1981 but now copies are very rare. It is good to know that if the family did want to research this book it is available at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City. I will be donating a copy of the Murphy Book to the Polk County Historical Museum at Balsam Lake Wisconsin in January of 2006. Ask for Rosalie Kittleson at the museum for information.
ST. PATRICK CHURCH AND CEMETERY, LONG LAKE, POLK COUNTY, WISCONSIN
Sometimes referred to as the "Long Lake Cemetery""THE HEART OF THE OUR FAMILY"
Above picture: St Patrick and the rectory on the right side of the picture taken around 1915 with some of our relatives in the picture. Posted by Byron's daughter Marylee and family. Taken when St Patrick was located on it's original location at the cemetery and before the church itself was physically moved to Balsam Lake.
Below are some links to things that I feel are very important to future family researchers. In the summer of 2005 I traveled with my mom Geraldine Murphy Krenzelok and my sister Suzanne to Wisconsin for family research. When looking into finding the locations of where our relatives farms where located I was surprised that this was a much more difficult task than I had expected. Once we were in the area we were already lost. Even finding something as easy as St Patrick's Cemetery was not so simple. It is important to know that St Pat's is under the care of OUR LADY OF THE LAKES Catholic Church in Balsam Lake. We were very fortunate to have made contact with our cousin Bob Murphy who still lives in the area with his family and kindly showed us the locations of the old farms. I will attempt to give you the locations on this website. It is very important if you plan on going to the area that you do your homework. There are many vacation resorts on Balsam Lake and we found this to be a very good place to stay when doing our research. Staying here puts you close by to your research. You need to get reservations early because this is a summer vacation area.
St Patrick's Cemetery Long Lake in June of 2005. Polk County, Wisconsin. The final resting place of so many of our relatives who farmed close by the church that they built. The Church has been moved many years ago to Balsam lake and is no longer. Many of our families became related from the marriages of their children so there are many different names in the cemetery that are our relatives. I have taken pictures of the graves of all the names in the MURPHY BOOK that Byron has listed.
Directions to St Patrick's Cemetery
If you are going to visit St Patrick's Cemetery please check out the links to the maps that I have provided and confirm the directions yourself. I made these direction from memory of my visit and they need to be confirmed. For years as I was doing my Murphy research I had heard from my cousin Byron all about St. Patricks cemetery, and I always wondered what it looked like and it was wonderful finally seeing St. Patricks cemetery. And if you can't make it out to Polk County you can now see St.Patrick's cemetery right here.
From St Croix Falls go east on Hwy #8 to the #46 turn off on your left side which takes you to Balsam Lake. Carefully watch for this turn off.
Take #46 (Balsam Lake) left hand side and go north
When you come into the town of Balsam Lake go to the end of town and the road curves to the left I believe it is: #160
Take #175
Take #173 (right turn)
At the Y take 180 to your right
St Patrick's will be on your right a little ways down 180 or 170
The School house in at the corner of 170 and 180 we believe Pat and Maggie's family went to school here.
It is a little north of Long Lake
One way to get to Long Lake is to take Patterson Lane to Patterson CourtClick on the below links:
St Patrick's Cemetery Pictures
THE MURPHY FAMILY TREE
The above Family Tree from the MURPHY BOOK show Three Generations of Murphys starting in Ireland with Sarah, Bridget and Margaret going to America and finally ended up in Polk County, Wisconsin. I will be dealing mainly on this website with the last 4 of James and Mary Ann O'Donnell Murphy's children, Sarah, Bridget, Margaret and William who went to Polk County, WI USA.
I will be using Byron's system of numbering each of the family members on this website. Those with a MURPHY BOOK will be able to easily find who they are looking for. James and Mary Ann O'Donnell Murphy have no number of M.0 because this is where our family tree starts; they had 8 children numbered M.1 to M.8. The next step would be the siblings of each of the 8 children and the numbering will be for example William M.8 who had 6 children their numbers would start with the first child M.8.1 to M.8.6 for the last child. William's son Patrick who would be my line would be M.8.4 being the 4th child of William and Mary Clancy Murphy. Now Patrick and Maggie had 6 children and would be numbered like this: M.8.4.1 for their first child Mary and ending up with M.8.4.6 for Veronica for their last child. M.8 because Patrick's father was the 8th child of his parents and M.8.4 because Patrick was the 4th child of his father and the last number would be for each of Pat and Maggie's children.
IRELAND GENEALOGY TRIP 2022 MURPHY, KELLY, HURLEY, LYNCH FAMILIES
Cousin Cathy Tinney on her Ireland genealogy adventure at Carriganass Castle, Ireland 2022.Click below link:
Cousin Cathy Tinney on her Ireland genealogy adventure.
This website has been updated October 10, 2022 - Greg Krenzelok
Click on the Krenzelok Family Website. Note: Just so you understand how the Krenzelok are connected, My mother Geraldine Murphy married my dad Robert Krenzelok. My mom Geraldine was the daughter of Leonard and Esther MurphyKrenzelok Family Website Homepage
MURPHY WEBSITE LINKS:MURPHY FAMILY OF POLK COUNTY, WISCONSIN WEBSITE
Click on below link:
Back to the Murphy Family of Polk County, Wisconsin WebsiteLEONARD PATRICK MURPHY
Click on below link:
Leonard Patrick MurphyESTHER HOPPE KULIBERT MURPHY
Click on below link:
Esther Hoppe Kulibert MurphyLEONARD AND ESTHER MURPHY: DAUGHTER GERALDINE MURPHY KRENZELOK
Click on below link:
Leonard and Esther Murphy: Daughter Geraldine Murphy KrenzelokOLD FAMILY TRADITION TURKEY DRESSING RECIPE
Click on below link:
Old Family Tradition Turkey Dressing RecipeOUR FAMILY TRADITION BEEF POT ROAST RECIPE
Click on below link:
Old Family Tradition Beef Pot Roast RecipeMAKING GOLABKI'S A FAMILY TRADITION
Click on below link:
Making Golabki's a Family TraditionBUCKINS FRIED DOUGH OUR FAMILY'S TRADITION
Click on below link:
Buckins Fried Dough Our Family's Tradition