E.W. MURRAY PASSES AWAY
Was Pioneer Hotel Man
Veteran of Civil War
For 28 years Probate Judge of Price County Judge Edward William Murray passed away at St. Josephs Hospital, Chippewa Falls, Tuesday morning, May 29th, 1923 at about the hour of seven o’clock, following a stroke of paralysis. He had been very feeble for the past several months and for some time past has required the attention of a nurse, and two weeks ago was taken to the Chippewa falls hospital for treatment and care. He was eighty years old the eighth of last April.
In the death of Judge E.W. Murray, Phillips and Price county witness the passing away of another of its now few pioneers of the seventies. He came with the old Wisconsin Central railway as it was built into northern Wisconsin, spending the winter of 1874 – 75 at Worcester, then called “Station 101,” and when the following summer the line was started again, Judge Murray was among the first to pitch his tent on the banks of Elk lake. Then came the platting of the site for a city and Judge Murray was the purchaser of Lot 6, Block 4, in the new town, the present site of the Grand View Hotel. It was after the fire of 1877 that Judge Murray built the State Park hotel.
Judge E.W. Murray took an active part in the formation and organization of Price county and was a prominent force in all of the early activities of this city and county. In the spring of 1882 he was elected County Judge, by a vote of 220 to 70. He held that office for twenty eight years, a record of public service few county officials equal, and one that attests the high esteem in which Judge Murray was held by his fellow citizens. He was numbered among the leaders of that band of able men who shaped the events of the pioneer days of Price County and brought civilization into the vast wilderness.
Judge Murray was a native of New York State, born April 8th, 1843. When four years of age his parents took him to Ireland where he lived several years before returning to this country. He was a veteran of the Civil War, enlisting in the early days of the struggle. In 1862 he was assigned to duty under Admiral Porter. He was promoted to second Master and following the fall of the rebel fort at Island 10 was placed in command of the Tug Cleveland of the Mississippi Ram Fleet and Marine Brigade that cleared the river in 1863-4.
He was active in G.A.R. circles and was Adjutant of Phillips Post No. 181 for more than thirty years and took part in all our Memorial Day services.
Judge Murray was twice married, his first wife passing away before he came up into northern Wisconsin. On October 11th, 1880, he married Miss Julia Chambers, of Weyauwega, who, with his son Edward Murray, of Spokane, and their son Claude of this city, survive the husband and father.
Undertaker J. L. Fansher, of this city, went to Chippewa Falls Tuesday morning to prepare and bring the body to Phillips for burial in the family lot Lakeside cemetery, that silent city wherin is fast being “laid at rest” so many of our honored pioneers.
Funeral services were held Friday morning at St. Patrick’s church from which the body was escorted to the cemetery by the veterans of the World War, under whose auspices the ceremony at the grave was conducted.
The Phillips Times, June 2, 1923, Page 1
