Husband John H. Murdoch 1 2 3 4
Born: 5 Nov 1848 - Washington, Washington Co, PA 5
Christened:
Died: 5 Jul 1925 - Washington, Washington Co, PA 4
Buried: - Washington Cemetery, Washington, Washington Co, PA
Father: Alexander Murdoch, Jr. (1814-1903) 1 3 5 6
Mother: Eliza Jane Huey (1811-1891) 2 3 5
Marriage: 8 Jan 1874 2 7
Wife Martie Boyle 2 8
Born: 8 Jan 1850 - Uniontown, Fayette Co, PA 9
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Father: Robert Boyle ( - ) 10
Mother: Ann Miller (1823-1914) 10
Children
1 M Edgar B. Murdoch 2 7
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2 F May H. Murdoch 2 7
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Spouse: Rev. William M. French ( - ) 7 11
3 F Anna V. Murdoch 7 11
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4 M John H. Murdoch, Jr. 11 12
Born: 15 Nov 1886 12
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Spouse: Maude Taylor (1886- ) 9
Marr: 31 Jul 1913 - Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, PA 9
General Notes: Husband - John H. Murdoch
He was graduated from Washington and Jefferson College in 1869 and was admitted to the bar in 1874. Under the firm style of John H. Murdoch & Son, Mr. Murdoch was associated in the practice of law with his son, Edgar B. Mr. Murdoch also had many other interests, owning a large amount of valuable realty and serving as president of the Thorneycroft Land Company and treasurer of the Murdoch-Baldwin Oil Company. He was president of the Union Trust Company beginning from its inception, and was president of the Washington County Fire Insurance Company, having succeeded his father in that capacity at the time of the latter's death. He was a member of the board of trustees of Washington Seminary for many years, taking an active part in its work. He was one of the directors of the Pittsburg Life & Trust Company of Pittsburgh and a member of the finance committee of the company. He was also president of the Waynesburg Water Company of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, and vice president of the Citizens' Water Company of Washington.
He was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church of Washington, in which he held the office of an elder for over 25 years.
Reared in Washington, Pennsylvania, he grew up amid a very favorable social environment, and in 1869, then being in his twenty-first year, he was graduated (A. B.) from Washington and Jefferson College. During his last year in college and also while he was pursuing the study of law, Mr. Murdoch, who meanwhile also had become a competent telegraph operator, was in charge of the office of the Western Union Telegraph Company at Washington, the first operator in that office. While thus employed he had the honor of sending the now famous telegram from President Grant, who at that time was visiting kinsfolk in Washington, to George S. Boutwell, then secretary of the treasury, which prevented Jay Gould and Jim Fisk from carrying out their obvious intent to "corner" the gold market. This was on that fateful Friday, September 24, 1869, known in financial history as "Black Friday," and the telegram directed Secretary Boutwell to throw four millions of dollars of gold on the market, a movement which averted a panic and halted the plans of Gould and Fisk to corner the country's open gold supply. Under the stimulus of his father's direction John H. Murdoch had from boyhood evinced an interest in the study of law and upon leaving college continued his law studies under the preceptorship of the late Boyd Crumrine, and in August, 1873, was admitted to the bar and began the practice of law in Washington, a profession he ever after followed, and was thus at the time of his death the oldest member of the local bar in active practice. For many years he had been one of the leading members of the bar and in later years had associated with him in his practice his two sons, Edgar B. Murdoch and the junior John H. Murdoch, carrying on under the firm name of John H. Murdoch & Sons. In addition to his activities at the bar Mr. Murdoch also took an interested part in the general social and civic life of the community. For a time during the years of his young manhood he served as a deputy United States marshal in the district, serving by appointment of his father. An ardent republican, he took part in the deliberations of that party's counsellors in Pennsylvania, and in 1900 was a delegate from the district to the historic convention of the party that in Philadelphia nominated McKinley and Roosevelt, and he was appointed a member of the convention committee that notified Colonel Roosevelt of his nomination to the vice presidency. Mr. Murdoch was the first president of the Union Trust Company of Washington and after resigning that position on account of advancing years retained his place on the board of directors. He also for years served as president of the Citizens Water Company of Washington, was for many years a member of the board of trustees of the Washington Seminary and had served as president of that body. In succession to his father he also was the president of the Washington County Fire Insurance Company and at one time and another had been connected with numerous local business activities. He had long rendered efficient service as a member of the board of examiners of the local bar association and had been president also of that body. As a young man he became connected with the congregation of the First United Presbyterian church of Washington, in 1879 was elected an elder of that congregation and continued to render service in that behalf until his death, for many years clerk of session, and during that long period of service had on numerous occasions represented the local presbytery as lay commissioner in the general assembly of the church. For more than thirty years he also served as superintendent of the Sunday school of the congregation and was in other ways one of the most influential workers in that body.
General Notes: Wife - Martie Boyle
from Allegheny City, Allegheny Co, PA