Simon Murphy, Donner Party

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Simon Peter Murphy (1838 - 1873)

Birthdate:
Birthplace: Weakley Co., Weakley County, Tennessee, United States
Death: 1873 (34-35)
Weakley Co., Weakley County, Tennessee, United States
Immediate Family:

Son of Jeremiah Burns Murphy and Levinah Murphy, Donner Party
Husband of Malinda Catherine Murphy
Father of Emanuel Byrd Murphy
Brother of Harriett Murphy, Donner Party; Sarah Foster, Donner Party; Landrum Murphy, Donner Party; Mary Murphy, Donner Party; Lemuel Murphy, Donner Party and 1 other

Managed by: Private User
Last Updated:

About Simon Murphy, Donner Party

Survived, but after reaching California decided to return to Tennessee via the Isthmus of Panama.

Simon was rescued with the three little Donner girls by the Third Relief. Georgia Donner Babcock referred to him as "Simon Murphy, whom I remember so kindly."

      Simon and William Murphy returned to Weakley County, Tennessee in 1849. Simon remained there, but William returned West after graduating from college.

When the Civil War broke out, Simon served as a private in Company L, Sixth Cavalry, USA, also called the West Tennessee Cavalry Regiment. His unit was described on May 6, 1864 as "a raw, undisciplined detachment" and for many months was reported as "dismounted and unassigned."
Simon stayed in contact with his family in California -- his death was reported in a Sacramento newspaper -- but little known about his children. At least some of them had children of their own: In January 1952, when the passenger train City of San Francisco was trapped by snow for three days in the Sierra, the analogy to the Donner Party did not escape the notice of the media. A Tennessee newspaper article reporting the incident published information given by a descendant of Simon P. Murphy.
Simon P. MURPHY served as a Private in the Civil War with his cousin, Pinkney LEE, son of Green T. LEE. They were in Company L 6th Calvary USA. Both survived the war, mustered out July 26, 1865. Note: Regiment lost during service - 2 Officers and 33 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 9 Officers and 352 Enlisted men by disease. Total 396. They were part of the notorious Skullbone group lead by William Carroll Holt.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tnweakle/Murphy_SimonP.htm

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Simon Murphy, Donner Party's Timeline

1838
1838
Weakley Co., Weakley County, Tennessee, United States
1867
1867
Weakley Co.,TN
1873
1873
Age 35
Weakley Co., Weakley County, Tennessee, United States