William John Murphy

William John Murphy
William John Murphy c. 1905
Born	August 23, 1839 New Hartford, New York
Died	April 17, 1923 (aged 83) Phoenix, Arizona
Occupation	businessman, contractor and land developer
Notes
Murphy, founder of the town of Glendale, Arizona, participated in the Battle of Atlanta under the command of General William T. Sherman during the American Civil War.

William John Murphy (August 23, 1839 –April 17, 1923), the "Founder of Glendale Arizona", was a businessman, contractor, land developer and founder of the Arizona Improvement Company.

Murphy was born in New Hartford, New York, to George Alexander Murphy and Nancy Allen, both immigrants from County Antrim, Northern Ireland. His family moved to the state of Ohio in the United States, where he received his primary education. During his youth his family moved to Chicago and later to the town of Pontiac in the state of Illinois, where he continued to receive his education. Murphy joined the Union Army upon the outbreak of the American Civil War and participated in the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864, as an officer under the command of General William T. Sherman. The Battle of Atlanta was a battle of the Atlanta Campaign fought just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. The Union forces overwhelmed and defeated Confederate forces defending the city under John B. Hood. Murphy was honorably discharged from the military on July 24, 1865. He was awarded the Army Civil War Campaign Medal for his participation in the American Civil War.

After the war, Murphy met and married Mary C. Bigelow, a native of Nashville, Tennessee. There he lived with his wife and two children until April 1871, when his wife died. That same year he met and married Laura Jane Fulwiler and they had four children.

In 1880, he moved with his family to what was then known as the Arizona territory. During this time Murphy was contracted with railroad companies including the Atlantic and Pacific (Santa Fe) Railroad for grading and road work services. The family first moved to Flagstaff and later to Prescott.