United in Marriage
April 9, 1834
Elizabeth Jenkins Murphy
Born, April 12, 1815
Died, January 26, 1893
Isaac Murphy
Born September 21, 1811
Died, January 21, 1893
This book has been dedicated in remembrance of Eliza and Isaac Murphy by their descendants, this first day of October, in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred twenty-eight.
The Hayden's:
The first mention of the Hayden family is in a grant of land to Samuel Hayden by King James for distinguished service in the Crusades. This was the manor of High Downs, about six miles from the City of Norfolk, England. He had been knighted and so had the title of "Sir". The family ever after had the crest and shield of the Crusades for their coat of arms. Until after the reign of Elizabeth they were in high favor at Court and distinguished themselves in many ways, in the army and navy, as patrons of literature and as men of practical ability. They became rich and well known and their names are frequently mentioned in the ancient records of London and England. Many of them were knighted and intermarried with the noble families of England. They lie buried in Norfolk Cathedral of which they were especial helpers and patrons, as it was first a Catholic family.
After the reformation they became Protestant. In the War of the Roses, they chose the wrong color and suffered in prison and fortune, especially the older branch, which lost nearly all their fortified manors which they owned in Elizabeth's time.
We descend from the younger branch, who held estates in Devonshire and were not so conspicuous, and little at court. Their family seat was at Cadhouse, the coast of Devonshire, and is still owned by descendants. Our American ancestor was John Hayden, one of three brothers, John William and James Hayden, who came in the ship "William and Mary," to Boston from Cadhouse with a party of "Non-Conformists" for religious liberty in 1630.
Arms: Argent on a "bend azure, three eagles displayed" Crest, "A talbot argent, spotted sable." Colonial Families of the U.S. vol. 3, p. 204, Historical Society.
John Alden, born 1599, first to leap on Plymouth Rock. Assistant to all Governors except one. A man of importance in the Colony for 50 years. Held office for thirty-six years. Died September 12, 1687, probably in his ninetieth year.
Last survivors of Compact in Cape Cod Harbor. Married Priscilla Mullens; supposed to have had eleven children. Ruth, their third daughter, married John Bass in 1657.
John Alden was of South Hampton, England. He was hired as a cooper. He was twenty-one in 1620, as determined by his birth in 1599 (Alden Mem.) and became the most prominent and useful of any of the English Contingent of the Mayflower Company. Longfellow's delightful poem "The Courtship of Miles Standish" has given him and his bride Priscilla Mullens world-wide celebrity, though it is to be feared its historical accuracy would hardly stand criticism.
Elizabeth Hayden, born January 31, 1784, first married Charles (Manfoot) Murphy.
He was of Welsh descent and came from England to Maryland about 1794.
Albert Murphy, a grandson, remembered Elizabeth and had this to say: "She was a small woman, very active. Once one of her sons climbed a tree when she attempted to chastise him. She was not daunted. She shook him out and administered the punishment anyway".
She said of her brother, "They were active as cats." That they "were well set up" men.
She and her daughter Prudence shared a small house on "Huckleberry Road" on the Snow farm across the road from Adam Michael's farm during their last days. The grandson, Albert, would run away and go to the home, as a small lad. He was so fond of Aunt "Prudy."
A Mrs. Grace Bryan of Rockwell, Texas in 1949 writes: I am a granddaughter of Elizabeth's daughter Prudence. I can remember a number of things my mother told me of her. I have a Bible she gave to Prudence when her first child was born.
Elizabeth Hayden was a very shy, modest girl when Charles Murphy fell in love with her beautiful traits of character. He fell desperately in love with her, and they were soon married. She always spoke so affectionately of her first husband. She was a Methodist and true to her church and family.
When Elizabeth married a second time she told her husband that she could never think as much of him as she did her first husband, but that she could make him a good wife and care for his children.
Mrs. Bryan said she loved her grandmother Prudence very much, as did everyone. The outstanding traits of her mother's people were loyalty and devotion to each other and an unusual sense of fun. Also a love of music and the Arts.
After the death of Charles (Manfoot) Murphy about 1816 at Petersburg, West Virginia, Elizabeth took her family of seven over the mountains to Ross County, Ohio, the boys sometimes helping farmers along the way. Once they worked in a field heavily invested with rattle snakes. The youngest boy, Isaac, was but four years old at the time. He was the only one who rode on the one horse light wagon except when crossing streams.
Here in Ross County, Ohio, she met William Michael, a widower with ten children. They were married and her eldest daughter Mary married William's eldest son, Adam.
Elizabeth died June 20, 1857, and was buried in Union Cemetery near Berrien Center, Berrien Township, on Pokagon Road. She is buried with her husband William Michael. They were first buried in an old cemetery no longer existing, near the corner of Pokagon Road and Pucker Street (west of Pucker Street). Silas Ireland and sons exhumed the caskets, late in the day, and they were kept in the granary overnight. Silas Ireland was a son-in-law. This was told by Frank Ireland, a great grandson. This held true of Adam and Mary Michael as well. There is one gravestone for all.