Annals of Iowa: A historical quarterly. v. 1-12, 1863-74; New Series, v. 1-3, 1882-84; 3d series, v. 1- Apr. 1893-

SMITH HENDERSON MALLORY was born in Yates county, N. Y., Dec. 2, 1835; he died at Chariton, Iowa, March 26, 1903. Mr. Mallory came west in 1850, settling at Batavia, Ill. He was connected as engineer with the building and management of several western railroads, and also engaged in other important business enterprises. He removed to Chariton in 1867, where he founded the First National Bank. He was elected to the Iowa house of representatives in 1877, serving in the session of the following winter. He was also repeatedly elected director of the State agricultural society. He held many important positions in the course of his useful life, and was for a long time prominent in the councils of the Episcopal church.

Alfred Henry McVey was born near Washington Court House, Fayette County, Ohio, April 28, 1843, and died at his home in Des Moines, Iowa, May 25, 1918.  In 1861 he enlisted in the Seventy-ninth Ohio Infantry and served three years, when he was discharged for physical disability.  He then resumed his studies and was graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, in 1868.  He was also graduated the same year from the Cincinnati Law School.  In 1869 he opened a law office at Wilmington, Ohio, and also edited the Wilmington Journal.  In 1873 he went to Toledo and became attorney for railroads and other interests.  He compiled "McVey's Digest of the Ohio Law Reports."  In January, 1881, he went to Des Moines and formed a partnership with C. C. Cole and James Clark.  The firm attained prominence especially in fire insurance practice.  Mr. Clark retired and his place was taken by Thomas A. Cheshire and the firm became Cole, McVey & Cheshire.  This partnership was dissolved in 1896 when Judge McVey formed a partnership with his son, Edmund H. McVey.  In 1901 Governor Shaw appointed him to a vacancy on the district bench.  He continued in this position until 1906.  After leaving the bench he resumed practice and had great success until failing health overtook him.  He had a fine home just west of Des Moines and interested himself in fine stock.  This home with his valuable library was entirely destroyed by fire  few years before his death.  He stood high as a lawyer and Christian gentleman.

Eliza Miller was born in Akron, O., Jan. 2, 1834; she died in Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 8, 1905. She removed with her husband, John Stover, to Lena, Ill., in 1854. The family came to Tipton, Iowa, in 1875, removing to Des Moines in 1883. She united with the Lutheran Church during her residence in Illinois, and was soon recognized as one of its most active and useful members, especially in the field of missionary effort. She was for many years president of the Ladies' Aid Society.

Bernard Murphy was born at Brookline, Massachusetts, September 24, 1847, and died at Vinton, Iowa, February 28, 1918. He came with his parents to Poweshiek County, Iowa, in 1859, where they located on a farm about four miles south-west of Belle Plaine. He worked on farms in this neighborhood and in the south part of Benton County until 1867 when he went to Vinton and commenced to learn the printer's trade. Remaining there until 1870 he went to Des Moines and was employed by the Clarksons, the proprietors of the State Register, for three years, except for a short time he spent in Denver working on the Rocky Mountain News. In 1874 he assisted in establishing the Traer Clipper, but in 1876 became a partner in the ownership of the Vinton Eagle. In 1886 he became the sole owner of the Eagle, and continued as such until 1913 when his son became part owner with him. For some years he was a member of the city council of Vinton. He was postmaster at Vinton from 1897 to 1901, and state printer from 1901 to 1906. He was an alternate delegate to the Republican national convention at Minneapolis in 1892 and was a presidential elector on the Republican ticket in 1916. He was grand chancellor of the grand Lodge of Iowa, Knights of Pythias, in 1901 and was representative to the supreme lodge of that order from 1912 until the time of his death. He was untiring in his work for the Iowa College for the Blind at Vinton, and his work for Linnie Hagewood, the blind and deaf girl, the Helen Kellar of Iowa, will long be remembered. His interest in education was such that he was appointed as a member of the Better School Commission. His greatest work, however, was on the editorial page of his paper. In originality and in creative and constructive power he was not excelled by any writer in the state. He took an active part in district and state editorial association meetings, and for years attended them and always gave interest and inspiration by his presence. He was also a well known figure at Republican district and state conventions, where he had a large influence. He had good judgment, good ability, rugged honesty, a sense of humor and a love of his fellow men that made of him a real leader in Iowa.

Hon. Jeremiah H. Murphy died at his Washington residence, on the 11th of December, 1893. He was born in Lowell, Mass., February 19, 1835. In 1849 his father moved his family to Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, and in 1852 settled in Iowa County, in this State, on a claim lying near Old Man's creek. Jeremiah Murphy was then seventeen years of age, a strong, energetic lad, and with a younger brother to drive the two yoke of oxen, they broke up 80 acres of prairie the first summer. In the winter following, the boys made enough rails and stakes to build an old-fashioned "worm fence" around a quarter section of the new farm. In 1854 Jeremiah entered the Law Department of the State university, at Iowa City, and completed a three years course. He then secured a position in the law office of William Smyth, of Marion, and a few months later was admitted to practice. He soon after formed a partnership with H. M. Martin, of Marengo, where the firm carried on a successful business for nine years, when Mr. Murphy removed to Davenport. He was always an ardent Democrat, and was a delegate from Iowa to the Democratic National Convention in 1864 and again in 1868. In 1873 he was elected to the State Senate, from Scott County, serving four years. In 1876 he was nominated for Congress against the veteran Republican leader, Hon. Hiram Price, but was defeated at the election. In 1881 Mr. Murphy was again the Democratic candidate. and this time was elected to Congress, serving four years. His principal work in that body was the promotion of the Hennepin canal scheme, for the success of which he worked with untiring zeal. He never ceased his labor until an appropriation was secured for that great project which is to connect Lake Michigan with the Mississippi river. He won a national reputation as the chief promoter of the Hennepin canal, and lived to see the great work inaugurated by act of Congress.

John S. Murphy was born in Schuylkill county, Pa., in 1847; he died in Dubuque, Iowa, February 10, 1902. His parents were natives of Ireland. On reaching America they resided for a time in Pennsylvania, but removed to Anamosa, Jones county, where they settled upon a farm. Their son received his education in the common schools and in learning the trade of a printer. He became an apprentice in the office of The Dubuque Herald in 1859. After serving his time he went to St. Louis and worked on The Globe- Democrat where he was soon allotted a place on the reportorial staff. After doing editorial work for some years he returned to Dubuque where he again became a type-setter, and was soon known as one of the fastest and best printers in that city. He was also again called to reportorial duties, and in 1879 became the editor of The Daily Telegraph. He first appeared conspicuously in politics in 1896, becoming next to W. J. Bryan the most prominent advocate of "free silver" doctrines in the Middle West. His paper was consolidated with The Herald in October, 1891. He had, therefore, conducted The Telegraph-Herald but a little over four months when his death came suddenly as he was working at his desk. This event called forth the highest tributes of respect from the press throughout the country, and none were more earnest and appreciative than those of his most pronounced political adversaries. From many columns of eulogy we select the following from the pen of Hon. Jacob Rich, a retired journalist of Dubuque: "A graduate of the public school and of the printing office, he was almost wholly self-taught, and therefore no one could fail to mark with ever-increasing admiration the growth of his mental power. His vocabulary was far in advance of many college-trained students or professors, and gave him great facility and felicity of expression. His mind was notably analytic, and in the field of polemics he was a master, rarely if ever forgetting the proper dignity and courtesy of debate. If his remedies might be wrong, he himself was never in doubt of their usefulness and efficiency. He would advocate nothing but from conscience, and never failed to at least convince you of his sincerity. In every cause he was found wonderfully fortified with fact and logic, showing the sources of his own faith, and marking him always as the trained and skilled antagonist. With it all he was broad-minded, kindly-spirited, pure-hearted. He was a veritable evangelist of labor, guaging every movement by what he believed, rightfully or mistakenly, to be labor's weal or detriment. His industry was marvelous and his editorial life a most strenuous one. Compensation cut no figure in the performance of his duty. His own pride and the sense of his own power were the only stimulants to his intense life. His daily contribution to the columns of The Telegraph-Herald numbered many columns, and he rarely sought a day of rest. Doubtless out of his intenseness of effort, his strenuosity of life, it has come that in the very zenith of his strength and power he has been stricken down as from a lightning's blow. Dubuque had pride in his growth; in the recognition in the state of his mental power and manly worth. It will be many a day before the sense of his loss will cease to sadden all our hearts."

John W. Murphy was born in Highland county, Ohio, May 12,1825; he died at Farrar, Iowa, while absent from his home in Jasper county, Iowa, Aug. 20, 1911. He was a school teacher in the county of his birth until he opened a small store, which he continued for three years. In 1856 he removed to Jasper county, Iowa, and in 1857 to the land he retained thereafter as his home and which he named "Elmwood." He was a warm advocate of better moral standards, and was for twenty-two years the secretary of the Iowa Conference of the Methodist Protestant church, being engaged in the discharge of his secretarial duties when death came. 

Timothy P. Murphy was born at Boston, Massachusetts, September 28, 1832, and died at Sioux City, Iowa, September 4, 1914. When four years old he came with his parents to Waupon, Wisconsin, and afterwards to Iowa City, Iowa. Here he attended the State University for a time and then read law with his brother, Jeremiah Murphy, then of Marengo, later of Davenport, and who was congressman from that district. He removed to Sioux City in 1880 and obtained an extensive law practice. He was appointed United States attorney for the Northern District of Iowa by President Cleveland in 1885 and served until 1890. He was a leader of the Democratic party in Woodbury County. At the time of his death he was the oldest practicing attorney in Sioux City.

Murphy, William L. (No. 3861). was appointed [to The Military Academy] from Council Bluffs, and graduated April 26, 1898, No. 53 in his class of 59. He served in the Spanish-American war in Cuba, where he participated in the campaign against Santiago, and in the battle of San Juan. He afterwards served as Captain, 39th united States Volunteer Infantry, in the Philippine Islands, where he was killed in action near Tanauan, August 13, 1900, at the age of 26.