Life of Ed Murphy Part 1

William E. Murphy’s (Ed) Life History


I was born in Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah on March 12, 1923. I was the youngest of five children, the other four all being girls. My parents were Ernest and Bertha Murphy. They were married in the Manti Temple. This was the second marriage for my father, his first wife having died from peritonitis. There has been some question as to whether I was born in March or April. Early in my childhood I celebrated my birthday in April. Aunt Pearl (who mothered me from the age of 5) was quite certain I was born in March. She contacted a lady who was at my Mother’s bedside when I was born. This lady sent a letter testifying that I was born on March 12. Since then I have honored that date.
I have vague memories of the first five years of my life and recall very little of my childhood experiences up to that age. My parents moved to Hollywood, California, shortly after I was born because my Dad believed the opportunity for work was better there than in the Sanpete Valley. He was in the home construction business. When I was only 10 months old, in January of 1924, my mother died. Her death was very sudden, but she apparently had an infection through her body.