Butte County
Biographies
DENNY MURPHY
DENNY MURPHY--As proprietor of the Chico
Hotel, and also as a business man of Chico, Denny Murphy is a well
known to his many fiends in this section of California. Born in Margaree, Inverness County, Nova Scotia, he is a son of Michael and
Bridget (Flemming) Murphy, both natives of Inverness County, where they passed their
lives, as farmers, and where their deaths occurred. The youngest of five children born to his
parents, Denny Murphy grew up on the home farm and received his schooling in
the public schools of Nova Scotia. In 1884 he came to Minnesota and engaged in railroading
there until the following year, when he came to Eureka, Cal., and started work at
lumbering for Noah Falk, on Elk Creek; then worked for the Pacific Improvement
Company at Scotia, in the woods and at their mills.
On leaving their employ he spent two years in Eureka.
In 1895, Mr. Murphy came to Chico, and entered the employ of
the Sierra Lumber Company, working in the woods at West Branch for two
years. Some time after this he engaged
in the liquor business in Chico, opening the Deerhorn on
Second and Main Streets. He then spent a
year in business in San Francisco, until the big fire, when he sold out and returned
to Chico, continuing in the business, with Mr. Hamlin, in
the Mission Bar.
Mr. Murphy then engaged in the hotel
business leasing the Chico Hotel, in 1910, from A. M. Scott, and has been
proprietor of the hostelry since that date.
He has built up a successful business and made a place for himself in
the life of the community. Besides his
hotel business, he is interested in horticulture, and owns a ten-acre ranch at Arcadian Avenue and Seventh Streets, Chico
Vecino, set to prunes and peaches.
Another ranch owned by Mr. Murphy is the old Berdan place, twenty miles
out on the Humboldt road. It is a fine
old ranch, with excellent water, and is often sought out by people as a most
comfortable and pleasant resting-place.
Mr. Murphy also owns a fine corner in Chico Vecino, at Sixth and
Esplanade.
The marriage of Mr. Murphy, in San Rafael, united him with Miss
Georgia J. Schmidt, born in Nebraska City, Otoe County, Nebr., a daughter of William
Schmidt, who was born at that place.
Grandfather Henry K. Schmidt was a pioneer brick manufacturer and
builder in Nebraska City. Her mother, Elizabeth Ott, died in Missouri. William Schmidt, father of Mrs. Murphy now
resides at Huntington Beach, Cal., where he is chief engineer
for the Holly Sugar Company.
Fraternally, Mr. Murphy is a member of the
I. D. E. S., the U. P. E. C., the Eagles, Moose, and of the Red Men. He belongs to the Chico Business Men’s
Association and is a hearty coworker in the interest of his town and
county. He is known throughout the
district for his liberality and kindness of heart. Politically, he is a Democrat.
Transcribed by Louise E.
Shoemaker, April 2nd 2008.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 839-840,
Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Louise E. Shoemaker.
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