Date Span:            1938 - 1988

Perm Acc Size:     2.34 cu. ft.

Biographical Note:  Robert Clarence Murphy was born on February 11, 1916 in Chickasha, Oklahoma.  He and Nancy Myrtle Beets married on November 29, 1939.  Serving with United States Naval Reserve 90th Seabees during World War II, Robert achieved the rank of machinists mate third class.  In 1954, Robert became employed as an aircraft mechanic at Fort Rucker, so he and Nancy moved to Newton, Alabama.  Robert served as Deacon of the Newton Baptist Church, Chairman of the Newton Housing Authority and as a member of Newton Town Planning Committee.  Robert died 1988 and is buried in Newton City Cemetery.

Nancy Myrtle (Beets) Murphy was born May 2, 1916, in Chickasha Oklahoma. After working at a defense plant and brokerage firm in Los Angeles, California, during World War II, Nancy returned to Chickasha, Oklahoma, earning her teaching certificate in 1956.  Moving to Newton, Alabama,  in 1956, she taught social studies at Ozark Carroll High School, ran for public office during the Newton’s City Council election in 1972 and was the owner of M & M Ceramics. Nancy died in 1993 and is buried in Newton City Cemetery.

Scope/Content:  Collection documents the lives of Robert Clarence Murphy and Nancy Myrtle (Beets) Murphy from 1938 - 1988. Born, raised and marrying in Chickasha, Oklahoma, the couple later moved to Newton, Alabama in 1954. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence: letters, cards and postcards between Robert and Nancy Murphy.  Of particular note are letters written between Robert and Nancy during World War II [1943 - 1945.]  Also in the collection are family documents, family financial records, newspaper clippings and photographs. Documents involving Robert Murphy's WWII military career as well as Nancy Murphy's teaching material, original poems, and drawings are included. Contained within the collection are documents on Nancy's bid for Newton's City Council in 1972, ownership of M & M Ceramics and research on the history of the Beets and Marlow families of Chickasha, Oklahoma. This family history research includes books, documents and photographs on the Marlows of Oklahoma.

Organization:  Organized into four series: 

1.  Correspondence - Includes correspondence with Robert and Nancy Murphy as recipients from 1938 - 1980. Arranged by recipient.

2.  Personal Papers - Includes family documents, Robert Murphy’s WW II military documents, Nancy Murphy’s teaching material and artwork.  Arranged alphabetically by topic.

3.  Marlow Family History -Includes photocopy from family Bible, reproduced family pictures and book, Life of the Marlows: A True Story of Frontier Life of Early Days.

4.  Artifacts

Provenance:  Ms. King purchased the Murphy house in Newton ca. 1996 at a government auction.  The Murphy materials were stored both in a crawlspace and the attic of the house.  After moving to Dothan, Ms. King donated these materials to the AWHC.

Processing:  No original order, so AWHC staff organized the collection into four series to facilitate access.  Correspondence is arranged by recipient. Personal papers are arranged alphabetically by topic.

Preferred Citation:  Robert and Nancy Murphy Papers, RG 083.  Archives of Wiregrass History and Culture, Troy University--Dothan Campus, Dothan, AL.

INVENTORY

Series 1:  Correspondence – Letters addressed to Robert and Nancy Murphy

File I.D.				File Label
083	08-0613	001	001	Correspondence to Robert Murphy October 25, 1934 - December 20, 1943
083	08-0613	001	002	Correspondence to Robert Murphy January 2, 1944 - December 31, 1944
083	08-0613	001	003	Correspondence to Robert Murphy January 1, 1945 - March 31, 1945
083	08-0613	001	004	Correspondence to Robert Murphy April 1, 1945 - October 28, 1945
083	08-0613	001	005	Correspondence to Robert Murphy January 31, 1950 - May 20, 1955
083	08-0613	001	006	Correspondence to Robert Murphy June 2, 1955 - December 17, 1955
083	08-0613	001	007	Correspondence to Robert Murphy January 2 1956 - December 10, 1956
083	08-0613	001	008	Correspondence to Robert Murphy n.d.
083	08-0613	001	009	Correspondence to Robert Murphy Incomplete Letters
083	08-0613	001	010	Correspondence to Nancy Murphy November 18, 1936 - December 24, 1943
083	08-0613	001	011	Correspondence to Nancy Murphy January 1, 1944 - October 26, 1944
083	08-0613	001	012	Correspondence to Nancy Murphy October 27, 1944 - December 31, 1944
083	08-0613	001	013	Correspondence to Nancy Murphy January 21, 1945 - June 27, 1945
083	08-0613	001	014	Correspondence to Nancy Murphy June 28, 1945 - December 20, 1948
083	08-0613	001	015	Correspondence to Nancy Murphy May 17, 1949 - July 11, 1949
083	08-0613	001	016	Correspondence to Nancy Murphy July 5, 1949 - December 30, 1949
083	08-0613	002	001	Correspondence to Nancy Murphy January 11, 1950 - December 22, 1955
083	08-0613	002	002	Correspondence to Nancy Murphy January 16, 1956 - September 2, 1980
083	08-0613	002	003	Correspondence to Nancy Murphy n.d.
083	08-0613	002	004	Correspondence to Nancy Murphy Incomplete Letters
083	08-0613	002	005	Correspondence to Murphy Family 1974
083	08-0613	002	006	Correspondence to Beets Family 1944, 1949, 1967

Series 2:  Robert and Nancy Murphy Personal Papers

File I.D.				File Label
083	08-0613	002	007	Robert Murphy and Nancy Murphy  Birth Certificate, High School Diploma, Marriage License, Death Certificate
083	08-0613	002	008	Robert Murphy and Nancy Murphy Financial Records
083	08-0613	002	009	Robert Murphy and Nancy Murphy Miscellaneous
083	08-0613	002	010	Robert Murphy Military Service 1943 - 1945
083	08-0613	002	011	Robert Murphy Miscellaneous
083	08-0613	002	012	Nancy Murphy Address Book
083	08-0613	002	013	Nancy Murphy City Council Election 1972
083	08-0613	002	014	Nancy Murphy Drawing
083	08-0613	002	015	Nancy Murphy Short Stores and Poetry
083	08-0613	002	016	Nancy Murphy Teaching Material
083	08-0613	002	017	Nancy Murphy Miscellaneous
083	08-0613	002	018	Beets Family Documents 1916 - 1968
083	08-0613	002	019	Betts Family Newspaper Clippings
083	08-0613	002	020	M and M Custom Ceramics
083	08-0613	002	021	Church Programs and Directories 1949 - 1972 [bulk 1949 - 1952]
083	08-0613	MD6	001	Newspapers, Teaching Material, Drawing Material , Diploma (Nancy) and Artwork

Series 3:  Marlow Family History – Genealogical Research on Marlows of Oklahoma

File I.D.				File Label
083	08-0613	002	023	Marlow Photographs and Artifacts
083	08-0613	002	024	Life of the Marlows: A True Story of Frontier Life of Early Days As Related by Themselves  Revised by William Rathmell
083	08-0613	002	025	"Story of the Marlow Boys" - True West [Magazine], January - Feb 1962
083	08-0613	002	026	Marlow [Photocopy Page of Bible] Births and Marriages, 1800's

Series 4:  Artifacts

File I.D.				File Label
083	08-0613	003	001	Various Postcards and Greeting Cards
083	08-0613	004	001	Miscellaneous Envelopes, paper clips, pen tips, ephemera