BRUCE L. MURPHY, merchant, was born June 15, 1846, in Dixon County, Tenn., and is a son of Thomas and Sarah (Bartee) Murphy. The father was a native of Pennsylvania, and mother of Tennessee. The father came to Tennessee when a child, with a friend of his family, was reared in Tennessee, and by occupation was forgeman in a refining furnace; he is now engaged at farming in Lyon County, Ky. The mother died in 1864. She was a member in high standing of the Methodist Church South. They were parents of eight children, three of whom are still living— Bruce L., Florence, now Mrs. J. W. Evans, of Kuttawa, and Jesse J., in Henry County, Tenn. Bruce L. was reared in Tennessee until seven years of age, when he came to Lyon County, Ky., with his parents, locating at the Tennessee Rolling Mills, in Lyon County. There, by the improvement of the facilities the locality afforded, he gained a good literary and thorough business education. At twenty years of age he began life for himself by farming on a rented farm, following that for three years. Then he learned the blacksmith and wagon trade, and after learning the trade, in December, 1872, came to Kuttawa and opened a shop and built a residence—the first business place and first residence built in the town; carried on this business about ten years, when he sold out and engaged in his present business of grocer, under the firm name of Murphy & Mays. In 1866 Mr. Murphy married Maggie Brown, of Missouri, a native of Tennessee. They are both members of the Methodist Church in good standing. They have three children living—James, Jesse and Bruce L., Jr., all at home. Mr. Murphy has held the offices of town marshal and town trustee. He is a strong advocate of prohibition, and in politics affiliates with the Democratic party.
Source: J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin, & G. C. Kniffin. Kentucky. A History of the State. Louisville, KY, Chicago, IL: Battey, 1885. Pages 861-862.