per Jerry Hartnett, 2001 [1]
My GGgrandfather Thomas MURPHY and his family were here in the 1850s. The
lived on north Michigan Avenue (Pine Street then) along the lake at Pearson
Street. Tom was born in 1846 in Liverpool, England, and died in 1907 in
Winnetka, Illinois. He was an instructor at Powers Business College around
1899. He also resided around 318 Oak Street then. He had 14 children with
two wives. The first, Julia SUPPLE, born in Michigan died in 1883 in
Chicago, Illinois. They had 7 children: Anne Elizabeth, Phillip J., James,
Julia Genevieve, Mary Aloysia (Minnie, my great-grandmother) 1869, Thomas F.
1879, and Charles 1881.
James became a famous crime reporter in Chicago later depicted in Ben Hecht's
movie and play, "Front Page." Genevieve worked for the City Streets and
Sanitation, one of the first, if not the first, woman to head the department.
Minnie, who spoke fluent German (peculiar for an Irish girl but growing up
in a German area), married my great grandfather Inspector John J. HARTNETT of
the Chicago Police Department in 1899. Thomas and Charles, at ages 4 and 2,
both died in May 1883, six months before their mother.
Tom's second wife, Catherine HARTNETT (SULLIVAN), the daughter of Morris and
Mary Hartnett, was a widow of Andrew J. SULLIVAN. She and Sullivan were
married in 1882 and had a daughter Molly. Tom and Catherine were married in
1887 and had 7 more children: Callista, Catherine E. (Cata), Joseph A., Morns
1890, Adelaide 1893, Rose 1896, and Thomas 1899.
Molly Sullivan and Callista Murphy married the DILWORTH boys (Daniel and
John) and probably returned to the Detroit, Michigan area. Catherine Murphy
was a notable art instructor at New Trier High School and had one of the
longest teaching careers in Illinois at that time (1913-1957). Joseph Murphy
worked for Commerce Clearing House before retiring in the southwest.
Adelaide married Adam KOCH. Rose married Francis J. GAGEN. Morns and Thomas
both died a few months after birth.
