141 Mile House

Denis Murphy BC Archives H-06259

Denis Murphy
Born in County Cork, Ireland, moved to California with brother William in 1850s, arrived at end of gold rush, traveled north to B.C. Denis pre-empted land at China Bar in late 1861. Followed gold discoveries north, but only saw gold as a means to an end - wanted to earn enough to get a homestead and marry a woman he had met in California. In April 1862, pre-empted land with three partners totaling 640 acres below Williams Lake. Soon after establishing a ranch on his land, Murphy did marry Ellen White, the woman he had met in California, and by 1865 they were raising two sons. Even though neither he nor his wife had received much formal education, they were determined that their sons would. Murphy was instrumental in the acquisition of a parcel of land upon which some Roman Catholic priests constructed a school. Four of his children would later attend university or college in the east, going on to become an ordained minister, a judge, and a barrister. A fifth, John, did not, working on the ranch and delaying his marriage to Margaret Cameron so that he could help his father support the children in their studies.