This information is contributed by Sue Skay Abruscaato Richard Murphy became the guardian of Willis, Willie and Mary Jane Murphrey in 1810 in Amite Co., MS. These orphans were the children of Richard Murphrey of Sampson Co., MS. In 1808 they originally were put under the guardianship of Willis Magee in Sampson Co. These children traveled to MS with the Magees. My husband descends from Willis & Priscilla Dixon Murphrey. According to some older research done by Murphrey researcher Ima Mewborn, the Michael & William Murphy/Murphrey of Duplin/Sampson was the son of Capt. Jack Murphrey and Elizabeth Harrison. Capt Jack was out of the Isle of Wight VA Murphreys. A males descendant of our Willis Murphrey has entered the Murphy DNA project and has been tested against two known male descendants of Capt. Jack with a match of 35 of 37 markers. The first 12 were identical matches. This does indicate that they do not desend from Michael or William Murphy/Murphrey, but do descend from a common Isle of Wight ancestor. We suspect they are the children of a John Murphrey with wife Ann. Many of the male childrens names also show up in early Duplin land records. Also a child from this family, Sarah Murphrey, was married to Alexander Chestnutt, another early Duplin/Sampson resident. We believe the Richard Murphy (Rev. War soldier) was the son of Michael Murphy/ Murphrey, and that the Richard Murphrey who's orphaned children were put under the guardianship of Richard Murphy in Amite Co, MS were cousins. Would love to hear from anyone researching these families |