Biography of William H. Murdock, Tippecanoe Co., Indiana

WILLIAM H. MURDOCK, of Wayne Township, was born March 11, 1845, and resides on a farm adjoining that upon which he was born and grew up to manhood. He is the youngest son of WILLIAM T. MURDOCK, one of the pioneers and a prominent citizen of the county, of whom more extended notice is given elsewhere. In addition to a good common school education he attended Farmer's Institute and is a graduate of Commercial college. He was married September 5, 1865, to SARAH E. ANDERSON, a native of Wayne Township, daughter of HIRAM M. and MARY (JAMES) ANDERSON, her father born in Monmouth County, New Jersey, and her mother in Wyandotte County, Ohio.   They came to Tippecanoe County, in 1840. Both died in 1847, when MRS. MURDOCK was but two years old.

After his marriage MR. MURDOCK devoted himself to mercantile and insurance business at Lafayette, removing to Chicago in 1873, where he was engaged in the insurance business, returning and locating in 1877 on the farm where he now resides, and has since given his attention to agriculture and stock-raising. He has for several years been prominent in political circles and is an uncompromising Democrat; has served his party as a delegate to every State convention it has held for the last eight years. In 1886 MR. MURDOCK was the Democratic candidate for State Senator against COLONEL JASPER M. DRESSER, and although defeated made an able and active canvass, reducing the Republican majority, and running ahead of the State and Legislative tickets about 200 votes. In 1887 he was honored by Governor Gray conferring upon him the appointment to represent the State of Indiana at the Farmers' National Congress which convened at Chicago in November of that year. He is a member of the Odd Fellows.

MRS. MURDOCK is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. They have had a family of five children, four of whom are living--MARY F., a graduate of Purdue University, class of 886; BELLE, a member of "class of '91," same institution; BERTHA and WALTER T. EMMA, the second child, died at the age of fourteen months.