The Murphy Connection

While I was at RootsTech, I bought a copy of Roots Magic. I had to have a learning plan. I decided against importing a gedcom of the McKee family tree because it is a huge file...and mostly complete. It's clean as a whistle but I didn't want to have to try to learn new software on such a large database (almost 2,000 people). Also, I needed to be able to build a file; that is, make entries to the database so that I learned how Roots Magic handles data.

What I decided to do was to begin with the Murphy family. Here's the connection.

• Margaret Susannah McKee married George Ardell Leemon and they had Mary Agnes Leemon.
• Prudence Murphy married Robert Luke and they had James Alexander Luke.
• Mary Agnes Leemon married James Alexander Luke and they had Marguerite Murphy Luke.
• Marguerite Murphy Luke married Peter Dumas Treme and they had James Brice Treme (my father).

The Murphy family moved to Illinois around the time that Illinois became a state in 1818. Later census entries note that many family members were born in Tennessee. I've yet to find a location in Tennessee; however, I haven't tried that hard either.

I decided that the Murphy family was small enough that I could start with them and learn Roots Magic along the way.

So you're going to see me take a break from posting about McKee descendants, while I explore the Murphy line.


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George Henry Thompson, 1864-1896, Illinois

I'm finally getting back to posting to this blog. I've been on an adventure...attended RootsTech in Salt Lake City. I've been trying to integrate an Asus Tranformer tablet into my everyday life...if I'm going to spend this much money on a toy, I need to use the toy. I've been working on the Florida State Genealogy Society newsletter...it's coming together but slowly. Today has been the first day I've had to get back to posting to this blog. So for today's post, I picked George...a random pick.

George Henry Thompson was the son of Joseph Thompson and Mary Jane McKee. He was born in Randolph County, Illinois and lived there for all of his short life. On 26 Oct 1887, George married Janette Gibson Aitken at the Prosperity UP Church, Sadowa, Randolph County, Illinois.

Janette (aka Janet) was the daughter of James B. Aitken and Mary Boyd. Janette's sister, Lydia Ann Aitken had already married into this family. Lydia married John William McKinley on 16 Jul 1885. One can guess that the family relationships played a part in the marriage of George and Janette.

George and Janette had three children: Mary Velma, Wilfred Gilmore, and Nellie Opal.

George died at a young age, 32. His obituary provides the details of his life.

Sparta Plaindealer, Sparta, Illinois, Friday, 15 May 1896, Volume 31, Number 38

Died. -- At his home in this city of consumption, Mr. G. H. Thompson on Wednesday, May 6th 1896.

Henry was one whose personal influence was felt in every phase of life in which he was placed, not words but works weighed his worth in the home, the church and social circles. As was beautifully attributed by his Pastor, the master has taken an Elder, a sweet singer from our choir, and earnest worker of which our mission church of Aurora, Illinois, will feel his loss.

We miss his kindly smile, his earnest voice, but are not robbed of sweetest memories and abiding affection.

Funeral services were held Friday morning, and were attended by a large circle of sympathizing friends. Rev. John A. Henderson and R. E. Wilkin, officiating. Interment in Caledonia cemetery.

With George's death, Janette became responsible for raising her three children on her own. She moves to Kansas and can be found with an uncle James A. Aitken. Presumably this never-married uncle needed someone to take care of his home or perhaps he simply wanted to help his widowed niece and her children. Whatever the case may be, Janette and her children lived with James in Kansas. A relative sent Janette's obituary.

Janetta Gibson Aitken was born in Randolph County, ILL., August 24th 1869, and died at her brothers, near Roxbury, August 26th, 1919, aged 50 years and 2 days, after an illness of four months during which she was a patient sufferer.

She married October 26th, 1887 to George H. Thompson of Sparta, Ill., who preceded her in death 23 years ago. To them was born three children, Velma, Wilfred and Nellie.

At an early age she united with the United Presbyterian church Prosperity, near Tilden, Ill. After her marriage she united with the U.P. chuch, Sparta, Ill, later to the U.P. church in Aurora, Ill., and then to the 1st U.P. church at St. Louis, Mo. On coming to Kansas two years ago last April she brought her letter and placed it in the Roxbury Presbyterian church, of which she was a member at the time of her death, always trusting in Jesus Christ as her savior.

She leaves to mourn her loss, three children, two grandchildren, two brothers, two sisters, one of which lives in Randolph, Ill., and a host of relatives and friends.

Death bears our loved one to the tomb,Our hears are rent with grief,
But Jeasus Christ Our Blessed Lord,
Alone can give relief.
Amens oft are hard to bare,
Life's burdens_______us hear,
They sorely pray ______ friend,
But God will be our truest,
And dry away our tears.
We'll miss our mother and loved one dear
Who from us past away,
But if we're faithful to our God,
We'll meet in endless day.
So let us live while here we stary,
Amidst life's toil and pain,
That shen by death we're called away,
'Twill be eternal gain.

George and Janette's children go on to live their lives in Kansas. Here are the details.

Child 1: Mary Velma Thompson
b. 31 May 1889 Sparta, Randolph County, Illinois
d. Apr 1949
m. 14 Oct 1914
John Karber
b. 1 Oct 1893 Gypsum, Saline County, Kansas
d. Mar 1973 Gypsum, Saline County, Kansas
One child: Paul Thompson Karber

Child 2: Wilfred Gilmore Thompson
b. 19 Apr 1891 Sparta, Randolph County, Illinois
d. 29 May 1923 McPherson, McPherson County, Kansas
m. 28 Feb 1917 McPherson, McPherson County, Kansas
Grace Belle Walker
b. 15 Mar 1897 Durham, marion County, Kansas
d. 15 May 1960 Newton, Harvey County, Kansas
Two children: George Henry Thompson and Janette May Thompson Patton.

Child 3: Nellie Opal Thompson
b. 20 Nov 1893 Aurora, Kane County, Illinois
d. 24 Jul 1979 Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas
m. 1916
William Locke (Divorced)
m. 23 Jun 1917 Salina, Saline County, Kansas
Wiliam Irving Boyd
b. 10 Mar 1889 Great Bend, Barton County, Kansas
d. 30 Sep 1949 Salina, Saline County, Kansas

You can find Find A Grave entries for all members of this family with many of them including obituary-based details.

As always, if you're reading this post and you have info you want to trade, I'm happy to trade info with other researchers.


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Louise E. (Cook) McKinley 1910-1964 Illinois

I've been at RootsTech 2012 all week and been in and out of the library as time permits. I was hoping that the library had acquired additional books since the last time I was here. They have...just not books that include references for my family. My one meager find was for Louise E. (Cook) McKinley. I found a burial location for her along with correct dates of birth and death. Here's her info:

Louise E. Cook d/o Harry and Lillian Cook
b. 7 Jun 1910 Illinois
d. 27 Aug 1964 (buried Caledonia Cemetery, Sparta, Illinois)
m. 4 May 1934 Tilden United Presbyterian Church, Tliden, Illinois
Gilbert Lester McKinley s/o Samuel Gilmore McKinley and Cora Margaret Edmiston
b. 30 Jan 1913 Illinois
d. 21 Dec 1995 Charleston, Coles County, Illinois

Louise and Gilbert had two children: Martha and Edward.

We have one day left for RootsTech. Everything will be over by about 3 p.m. tomorrow. I may go back to the library just to see what's up. I may just come back to the nice warm hotel room and huddle. My poor Florida climate acclimated bod isn't doing well in this cold arid mountain environment. No more winter conference!


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