The O. E. Murdock Family

The Murdocks originally came from Scotland where the clan name was spelled with the "h" as Murdoch. But after coming to America they changed the "h" to a "k" and now it is Murdock.

We are starting our story with Cyrus Daniel Murdock (1829-1884) who was O. E. Murdock's grandfather. Cyrus was a bachelor living in Flatrock Township. His minister thought it high time for Cyrus to be getting married. He said he knew just the girl for him. This minister also served a group which held services in the Mohler School. One weekend he brought Cyrus along and introduced him to Catherine Moore. The minister often spent the night in the Isaac Moore home and did so this weekend. Isaac was Catherine's father. Both Cyrus and Catherine were very interested and soon were married. They made their home in Flatrock Township for several years. It was here Isaac (1855-1941) was born. The country was wild and even bears roamed the woods. Catherine was frightened much of the time. Cyrus bought a small farm on the southeast corner of County Road V and 6 across from the Mohler School. He cleared the land, built a house, and moved his family to Washington Township. Here were born Cyrus Daniel, known as Dan Murdock who married Clara Weirich, Samuel Murdock who married Susan Price, and a daughter Lynn who married Henry Hiser. Dan's children are Hazel (Mrs. Clarence Rockwell), Ruby (Mrs. Wilbur Kessler), Jessie (Mrs. John Hill), who is deceased, and John. Sam's children are Della (Mrs. Arch Stevens), Maude (Mrs. Olen Fairchild), and Owen. Lynn's children are Carrie, Nellie, Will, Hattie, Goldie, and Harold.

Isaac lived on the home place. He married Ida Temple and to them were born Clara (Mrs. John Hulburt) and O. E. commonly known as Earl. Ida passed away a few weeks after Earl's birth. Isaac later married Mary Scott. Earl had step-sisters Phoebe (Mrs. Ira Dunmire), Barbara (Mrs. Homer Kessler), Esther (Mrs. Leo Connolly) and one step-brother William.

Earl was very interested in school and after attending Mohler School for eight years he walked nearly eight miles every day to Liberty Center High School. Then began a period of teaching, during which time he met and married Ida Pearl Swartzlander in 1904. Pearl had also attended Liberty Center High School but because of the long walk she had roomed in town. She was not interested in teaching. Earl found teaching hardly furnished a living so after twenty-two yeras he quit. His last school was The Reed, one half mile east of Road 109 on County Road V. Here he had fifty-one pupils in eight grades and earned forty dollars a month. He never lost his interest in education and was strong in the belief that the teacher was always right. He served on The Liberty Center Board of Education both as a member and clerk several terms in the nineteen twenties. He served as County Recorder, Deputy Treasurer, manager of the The Liberty Center Elevator, and manager of the Shell Gas Station in Liberty Center, from which he retired at the age of seventy-five. He also assisted people in drawing up legal papers and made out income tax returns.

Earl and Pearl had seven children. Charles married Gertrude Whiteman. After seven years working as a baker for Flaggs Bakery in Liberty he took over his father-in-law's farming. His oldest son Richard and wife the former Marge Hart and their three children, Carole, Douglas, and Linda, live near Grand Rapids. Herbert's children are Kay, Allen, and Jennifer. Herbert and wife Linda Eisaman) and Jennifer live near Charles. Herbert has taken over the farming since Charles retired in January of 1975. Thomas passed away in 1964.

The O. E. Murdock Family - Liberty Township. John Hulburt, Clara Hulbert, Emma Hulbert, Barbara Murdock, William Murdock, Esther Murdock, Phoebe Dunmire, Ira Dunmire, Pearl Murdock, Earl Murdock; seated: Sherman Dunmire, Lawrence Dunmire, Isaac Murdock, Helen Murdock, Charles Murdock.

Helen married Morse McOscar who passed away in 1950. Her daughter Mary (Mrs. John Hill, Jr.) and sons Mark, Randy, and Brad live in Liberty Center. Joseph and wife Linda (Rauch) and sons Joseph and Spencer live in Napoleon. Helen partially retired from her bookkeeping position at McCulleys in January of 1975.

Gertrude (Mrs. Charles Crawford) taught school thirty-six years retiring in 1973. The first two years were in a one room country school, the rest in the grades in the town, but all in the Liberty Center School District. Their son Gary married Shirley Hayhurst. They have two girls, Melissa Ann and Christina Lynn. They live in Toledo.

Olive, a graduate of St. Vincent's School of Nursing married Lawrence Keeler. They live in Bay City, Michigan. Olive retired in July of 1975. Her daughter Carolyn taught school and married a school teacher. She with two sons, Brian and Jeremey and husband Lavern Boge live in Drayton Plains, Michigan. Olive's son Larry lives at home.

Dale is the manager of McCulley Egg Company in Liberty. His wife is the former Helen Leonard. Their three children are: Gayle (Mrs. Jon Miller) and children D'Ann and Hal; Jamesand wife Jeri (Starkey) and children Timothy, Todd, and Tracy; Kathleen (Mrs. William Bostelman) and children Jeff and Kim all live near Liberty Center.

Lucille (Mrs. Roy McGary) is office clerk at The Liberty Center Elevator. Son Roy McGary Jr. married Nancy Duggan and they live in Madison Heights, Michigan. Cohen (Mrs. Clifton Martines Jr.) and children Miles, Chad, and Mischa live in Napoleon. Claudia (Mrs. James Funhouser) and children Christopher, Phillip and Leah live in Edwardsburg, Michigan. Catherine (Mrs. Loren Gentry) and son Lucas live in South Bend, Indiana. Roscoe passed away in 1964.

All of Earl and Pearl's children as well as all but three of the grandchildren graduated from Liberty Center High School. Now the great grandchildren are beginning their school days at Liberty.

Pearl who will be ninety-four in October makes her home with her daughter Mrs. Helen McOscar. If all could be present at a family gathering, there would be seventy-five present with forty-two living in Henry County.

Thus we can trace six generations of Murdocks in Henry County.

Submitted by Charles Crawford