Richard G. Murphy

Richard G. Murphy (January 1, 1801 - January 10, 1875) was an American politician, soldier, settler, Indian agent, and prominent business owner who settled various portions of the modern-day city of Shakopee, Minnesota.

Early life Richard G. Murphy was born on January 1, 1801 in Smith County, Tennessee. Murphy's father, John Murphy, was of Northern Irish heritage and was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War at the Battle of Kings Mountain. Murphy's family moved to Illinois Territory around 1818 and settled in Perry County, Illinois. Richard Murphy was a public servant while in Perry County and served in a variety of civil roles in the local county government including both justice of the peace (1827-1829) and county treasurer (1829-1830). According to the book Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois Murphy took part in the Battle of Bad Axe. Murphy first arrived at Fort Snelling in Minnesota Territory in 1848 as the appointed agent to the Dakota people living on the Minnesota River. The St. Peter Agency was headquartered along the Minnesota River just outside of Fort Snelling and was used as a way to negotiate between the warring Ojibwe and Dakota people in Minnesota. From 1848-1849 Murphy briefly served as an agent to the Dakota of the Mdewakanton, Sisseton, and Wahpeton tribes of the Minnesota River valley. Murphy was eventually replaced as the agent for the St. Peter Agency in 1849 by Nathaniel McLean on December 3, 1849 and would serve from 1850-1853.

In 1853 President Franklin Pierce appointed Murphy as McLean's replacement. This was reported directly to Fort Ridgely's commandant, Major Hannibal Day and commander Lieutenant Colonel Francis Lee, who chastised Murphy for allowing government rations to expire and for allowing the Dakota to starve.

Minnesota Politics Murphy was first elected to the Minnesota Legislature as a senator in the Minnesota Senate from December 2, 1857 until December 6, 1858. Murphy later served as the President pro tempore of the Minnesota senate from 1857-1858. While living in Shakopee Murphy established two major businesses. Murphy's first major business was running an Inn named "Murphy's Inn" near the Minnesota River in Shakopee. Murphy's second major business was operating a ferry on the nearby Minnesota River which was named "Murphy's Ferry" or "Murphy's Landing" dependent on the source, a license was granted for Murphy to operate the ferry on July 3, 1854. During the Battle of Shakopee in 1858 the Ojibwe paid Murphy to use his river ferry to ford the Minnesota River in order to fight the Dakota.

Personal life and death Murphy was married on September 2, 1834 to Sarah Lemen (1809-1846) in St. Clair County, Illinois. William Murphy later served in the Illinois Senate. and a gristmill. Portions of Murphy's old properties are now part of the Shakopee Historic District which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.