Captain Marcus Wellington Murdock: Civil War Veteran, Farmer, and Railroad Promoter of Venice Center - Part 5

Marcus Wellington Murdock (Continued)

Farming In Venice Center After The Civil War

Partnership With His Father, Lyman Murdock

Marcus was discharged from the 111th Infantry Regiment, New York Volunteers near the end of January 1865 for medical disability. He returned to the Murdock Homestead at Venice Center, Venice, Cayuga Co., New York where he engaged in farming with his father, Lyman Murdock. In the state and federal censuses of 1865, 1870, and 1875, Marcus is listed as a Farmer living in his father's household. Lyman Murdock was at this time a produce buyer as well as a farmer suggesting that Marcus contributed to that business as well (1). The following news item from 1875 illustrates Marcus's success in his farming endeavors.

Local and Miscellany. . . . Something like a dozen car loads of grain have been shipped from Venice Center, during the past week, by Mr. M. W. Murdock. . . .

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Local and Miscellany 3 (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Daily Bulletin, Friday, 11 June 1875), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

Marriage To Mary E. Lyman

The year 1876 marked a major change in the lives of Marcus W. Murdock and of his father, Lyman, when each married. Lyman, a widower, married the widow Charity Dean Adams of Candor, Tioga Co., New York in June, and Marcus married Mary E. Lyman on 21 September 1876 at Kingston, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. Mary was the daughter of Gustavus Lyman and Alfleda Blashfield, spending most of her youth at Little York in the Town of Homer, Cortland Co., New York. Mary and her parents had removed to Venice before 1870 so would have been known to Marcus for some years before he and Mary married.

Sources differ on how much time Lyman Murdock spent in Venice Center after his marriage to Charity; however, because Charity was Postmaster at North Candor for the next four years (2), we must presume that Lyman spent most of his time there and not at Venice Center. Marcus W. Murdock and Mary E. Lyman presumably took up the mantle of leading the Murdock enterprises at Venice Center following their marriage.

Marcus and Mary's first child was J. Madge Murdock, born 4 May 1878 at Venice Center. Madge married (1st) Clarence R. Cannon of Venice Center in 1895. Clarence went west, seemingly without Madge, ca. 1901. He died in 1903 after having remarried at Omaha, Nebraska in 1902. Madge later married a William Crouch before 1912, at which time she was residing at Richmond, Virginia. William died before 1920. Madge thereafter resided in Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York and subsequently at several locations in New Jersey where she worked as an Investigator employed by one or more corporations and later worked at Raritan Arsenal. Madge died 23 February 1959.

Marcus Eugene Murdock, second child of Marcus Wellington Murdock and Mary E. Lyman, was born 14 May 1880 at Venice Center. He was known as Eugene to distinguish him from his father. Eugene died as a child on 23 June 1885.

A second son, Stanley Howard Murdock, Sr., was born to Marcus W. and Mary E. Murdock on 17 August 1882 at Venice Center. Stanley attended Auburn Academic High School at Auburn, Cayuga Co., New York from which he graduated in 1902. Stanley subsequently attended Hamilton College at Clinton, Oneida Co., New York where he soon broke his leg and three ribs in a football game. Stanley was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity at Hamilton and graduated in 1906. He married Elizabeth Katherine Carter at Rye, Westchester Co., New York on 12 October 1907. The couple removed to Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio shortly after their marriage. Stanley was employed as a Civil Engineer in both the private and public sectors, including as Deputy Commissioner of Engineering by the City of Cleveland, during his career. He and Elizabeth resided at Lakewood, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio after 1918. Elizabeth died in 1964, and Stanley died in 1959.

Clara Louise Murdock was the second daughter of Marcus W. and Mary E. Murdock. She was born 6 May 1885 at Venice Center. Her mother would die only 4 years later, leaving her to be raised by her father. Clara Louise attended school at Sherwood, Scipio, Cayuga Co., New York and later at Auburn. She subsequently removed to Cleveland where she worked in the real estate business. By 1924, Clara had removed to California where she worked in retail clothing sales for many years, dying in 1956 in Santa Clara County.

Farming After 1876

Marcus would continue to identify as a farmer for nearly 30 years after his marriage. Mary E. Lyman Murdock died at the Murdock Homestead on 17 March 1889 at the age of about 38 years. Marcus continued living at Venice Center, but by 1900 he had rented his house and farm to Frank Hunter. The 1900 federal census shows Marcus boarding in Frank's household with his children, Stanley and Clara. A Mr. Hicks rented the Murdock farm in 1901. Marcus boarded at several locations in Auburn in 1902 through 1905, possibly through 1906, before returning to the Murdock Homestead at Venice Center between 1906 and 1907. During his time in Auburn, Marcus determined to divest himself of his personal possessions at Venice Center, perhaps further removing himself from management responsibilities for his livestock and harvests, with the exception of finding suitable land tenants. This divestiture may also have been driven by financial exigency resulting from Marcus's involvement in railroad promotion and legal problems, to be discussed later. Marcus sold his livestock, grain, hay, and farming equipment in the fall of 1904.

Auctions. L. B. Norman, having purchased the entire personal property of Capt. M. W. Murdock, will sell at public auction at the farm of said Murdock, at Venice Center, on Friday, Sept. 30, at 10 o'clock, property including five good work horses, 12 head of high grade Durham cattle, 90 choice sheep, 14 hogs, farm wagons, buggies, harnesses, quantity of farming utensil, quantity of oats, barley, wheat, buckwheat, hay, apples, etc., etc. . . .

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Auctions 2 (Genoa, Cayuga Co., NY, The Genoa Tribune, Friday, 30 September 1904), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

Having returned to the Murdock Homestead by 1907, Marcus lived in Venice Center for the remainder of his life although censused as a Boarder in an unknown Venice household in 1910. He was listed as having his own income at this time, probably from his farm rent and political- or railroad-associated activities.

Other Farm-Related Activities

Lyman T. Murdock, Marcus's brother, joined him in a partnership as dealers in phosphate. Phosphate is a fertilizer applied to agricultural land to improve crop productivity. This activity was noted in 1880 but may have continued for a number of years, at least until the Ithaca, Auburn & Western Railroad (operated by the Utica, Ithaca & Elmira Railroad) was acquired by the Lehigh Valley Railroad and shut down in 1889.

Marcus Wellington Murdock's Political Activities Following The Civil War

Cayuga County Republican Committee

We first see Marcus involved in politics when he is listed as representing the Town of Venice at the Cayuga County Republican Convention held at the Court House in Auburn on 27 September 1873. His older brother, Lyman T. Murdock, was also in attendence and was appointed to the Cayuga County Republican Committee (3).

Venice Center Postmaster

Marcus Wellington Murdock served as Postmaster at Venice Center from 3 May 1880 until 17 September 1885 when he was replaced by Charles F. Crawfoot (4) (5). Postmasters were political appointees during this era. Marcus was Postmaster was during the Republican presidential administrations of Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield (assassinated), and Chester A. Arthur. Democrat Grover Cleveland took office as President on 4 March 1885, which likely accounted for Marcus being replaced as Postmaster several months later.

Marcus received a variable income in his role as Venice Center Postmaster. Postmaster income derived from a percentage of postage sales. Marcus's annual compensation was listed as  $72.63 on 1 July 1881, $175.80 on 1 July 1883, and $231.16 on 1 July 1885. It may be that completion of the Ithaca, Auburn & Western Railroad (as then constituted) into Auburn in 1881 (6) brought increasing use of the Venice Center Post Office and greater sales of postage by Marcus in subsequent years.

Venice Town Supervisor (February 1892-February 1903)

In February 1892, Marcus became the Republican candidate for Supervisor of the Town of Venice. His opponent was Democrat Delos Kimball with the election scheduled for 16 February (7). Marcus was elected as Supervisor. Thus began his long-term political role overseeing governance of Venice and contributing to governance of Cayuga County through his participation on the County Board of Supervisors, the form of county government used at that time.

Marcus also represented the Town of Venice on the Republican County Committee for terms beginning in 1893, 1895, and 1897 during his time as Venice Town Superviser. Locally, he served on the Venice Board of Town Auditors in 1898. Marcus nominated Town of Genoa Supervisor Dr. Frank A. Dudley for Chair of the Cayuga County Board of Supervisors in November 1898, declining to take the position himself. In November 1902, Marcus served on three Board of Supervisors Committees:  Equalization, Law and Legislation, and Military.

Marcus failed to receive the Republican nomination for Venice Town Supervisor in February 1903, losing out to Charles Wood (8) after 12 years of service. The reasons for Venice Republicans' loss of confidence in Marcus are not clear. It may be that his residence at that time, largely in the City of Auburn, made him somewhat of an absentee Supervisor. Marcus was also heavily involved in railroad promotion, which may have occupied an inordinate amount of his efforts and taken away from his role in Venice.

Republican Congressional Convention Delegate and Other Political Involvement

The Cayuga County Republican Convention for the Second District met at the Cayuga County Court House in November 1904. Marcus Wellington Murdock was chosen as a Congressional Delegate (9). During 1905 Marcus and another Republican from Auburn explored running for Cayuga County Superintendent of the Poor, but by the time of the Republican County Convention in September, both withdrew from contention in favor of County Superintendent Lee Hewitt (10).

The Republican District Convention of 1906 occurred in October. Captain Marcus W. Murdock and General MacDougal of Auburn escorted their fellow veteran of the Civil War, Dr. Frank A. Dudley of Genoa, to the podium where Dr. Dudley spoke as the Republican Nominee for the New York State Assembly (11). The Cayuga County Board of Supervisors met the following month. Although Captain Murdock was no longer a member of the Board, he was among military veterans named by the County Board of Supervisors Committee on Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines to act with the Supervisors of wards and towns regarding headstones and burials of veterans (12).

Venice Town Supervisor (February 1909-February 1911) and Chairman of the Cayuga County Board of Supervisors (1909)

Marcus Wellington Murdock was voted back into office as Venice Town Supervisor in February 1909, having defeated Fred W. Mosher with a majority of 38 votes (13). Each year the Town and Auburn Ward Supervisors of Cayuga County met during the month of November as the County Board of Supervisors and chose a Chairman before conducting the business of the County. Marcus's return to the Board in 1909 was met with its members unanimously choosing him to serve as Chairman. This honor was felt somewhat overdue in light of Marcus's previous long service as a Supervisor (14). 

The Board of Supervisors session of 1909 extended to 1 January 1910. Among topics reported from the meeting were the salaries of the Supervisors. Marcus earned $275.13, a bit less than several of the other Supervisors. At the conclusion of the Board of Supervisors session, Chairman Murdock thanked his fellow Supervisors for giving him the opportunity to serve and declared that he would not serve as Chairman in the fall of 1910 but would return to his seat with other Supervisors at the rear of the chamber (15).

Venice Supervisor Murdock continued in office in 1910. One of his concerns must have been highways and bridges because he visited the office of County Superintendent of Highways J. Charles Dayton several times during the year. When the County Board of Supervisors convened as the Board of County Canvassers in November 1910, Marcus was assigned to the Committee for Assembly Sheets (16). He was Chairman of the Board of Supervisors' Committee on Physicians and Surgeons and presented a report to the Board at their session on 24 December 1910 (17). The Supervisors' business extended through 5 January 1911, at which time Marcus presented a bill totaling $286 for his recent work on the Board as a Supervisor and County Canvasser (18).

Thus, the career of Captain Marcus Wellington Murdock as a holder of political office drew to a close when he apparently did not seek re-election as Venice Town Supervisor in the election of February 1911. He had had a long run but by this time was in declining health and heavily involved in railroad matters.

Sources

(1) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Captain M. W. Murdock (Genoa, Cayuga Co., NY, The Genoa Tribune, Friday, 1 August 1913), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "With the 111th, Captain Murdock participated in most of the battles in which that regiment engaged, and although wounded, he recovered and at the close of the war came home to enter into business with his father, then a produce buyer and farmer of Venice Center. . . ."

(2) United States of America, Post Office Department, U.S., Appointments of U. S. Postmasters, 1832-1971 (Washington, DC, National Archives and Records Administration, NARA Microfilm Publication M841, Record Group Number 28), Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com, "Name: Charity Murdock; Post Office Location: North Candor, Tioga, New York; Appointment Date: 19 Jul 1876; Volume #: 46; Volume Year Range: 1874-1889; Partial Transcription:  'North Candor  Charity Murdock  19 July 76  Dis. [Discontinued] 13 July 1880'"

(3) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Republican County Convention 2 (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Daily Bulletin, Saturday, 27 September 1873), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "The Convention assembled at noon to-day, in the Supervisors' chamber, at the Court House. . . . Afternoon Session. . . . On a call of the roll, the various wards and towns were found to be represented as follows. . . . Venice . . . M. W. Murdock. . . . The following gentlemen were appointed as County Committee. . . . Venice--L. T. Murdock. . . ."

(4) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Postal Matters. . . . Postmasters Appointed (Albany, Albany Co., NY, Albany Evening Journal, Monday, 10 May 1880), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "Marcus W. Murdock, Venice Centre, Cayuga Co."

(5) United States of America, Post Office Department, U.S., Appointments of U. S. Postmasters, 1832-1971 (Washington, DC, National Archives and Records Administration, NARA Microfilm Publication M841, Record Group Number 28), Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com, "Name: Marcus W Murdock; Post Office Location: Venice Centre, Cayuga, New York; Appointment Date: 3 May 1880 [NOTE:  Image shows Marcus was replaced by Charles F. Crawfoot on 17 September 1885 - R. A. Post]; Volume #: 46; Volume Year Range: 1874-1889"

(6) Richard Palmer, Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Rail Line Nicknamed For Early Venice Family (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, The Citizen-Advertiser, Wednesday, 30 April 1969), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "The IA&W was completed into Auburn in August, 1881 and was celebrated with much fanfare. . . ."

(7) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), County of Cayuga. News From The Several Towns. . . . [Venice] (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, The Auburn Argus, Friday, 12 February 1892), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "M. W. Murdock, Republican and Delos Kimball, Democrat will try titles for the office of Supervisor Feb. 16. . . ."

(8) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Murdock Beaten In Venice (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Democrat-Argus, Tuesday, 3 February 1903), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "In the Venice Republican caucus Charles Wood was nominated for supervisor over Captain M. W. Murdock, the present incumbent. . . ."

(9) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Choice Made At Auburn. . . . Special To The Post-Standard. Auburn, April 8 (Syracuse, Onondaga Co, NY, The Post-Standard, Saturday, 9 April 1904), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "The Republican conventions for both the First and Second districts of Cayuga county were held at the Court House in this city to-day. . . . Second district convention. . . . Congressional Delegates . . . M. W. Murdock of Venice. . . ."

(10) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Harmony With A Big H (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, The Auburn Bulletin, Saturday, 23 September 1905), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "A year ago everything indicated a big fight in the Republican county convention this Fall. . . . Likewise it was originally a three cornered contest for superintendent of the poor, but when the convention met to-day Captain M. Wellington Murdock, of Venice, and John T. Blakley, of the Sixth ward, had withdrawn from the race and it was all plain sailing for County Superintendent Lee Hewitt. . . ."

(11) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Dr. Dudley Nominated (Genoa, Cayuga Co., NY, The Genoa Tribune, Friday, 5 October 1906), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "The Republican district convention was called to order. . . . Judge Danforth R. Lewis . . . presented the name of Dr. F. A. Dudley of King Ferry, supervisor of the town of Genoa, as the Republican nominee for Member of Assembly for Cayuga county. . . . Escorted by General MacDougal and Captain M. W. Murdock, veterans of the rebellion, where they knew and saw him as surgeon on many a hard-fought field, Dr. Dudley walked down the aisle and standing before the convention, in most inspiring imp[r]omptu remarks, he thanked the representatives of the Republican party for this expression of their confidence and estee[m]."

(12) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), A Day of Business - Supervisors Found It in Plenty Without Discussion (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, The Auburn Citizen, Wednesday, 12 November 1906), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "Supervisor Griffin from the Committee on Soldiers, Sailors and Marines reported the following list of veterans to act with the supervisors of wards and towns in the matter of headstones and burials of veterans. . . . Venice, M. W. Murdock. . . ."

(13) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Democratic Gain of Two 2 (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Democrat-Argus, Friday, 19 February 1909), Old Fulton New York Post Cards http://www.fultonhistory.com, "The Democrats lost out in the towns of Mentz, Springport and Venice, where Calvin R. Aldrich, Fred A. Guile and Fred W. Mosher were defeated for re-election by George Newkirk, Oscar J. Spencer and Captain M. W. Murdock, respectively, all Republicans. . . . Venice. In this town Captain M. W. Murdock, Republican, trimmed Fred W. Mosher, Democrat. . . ."

(14) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Murdock Chairman. . . . (Wednesday) (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Democrat-Argus, Friday, 12 November 1909), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "The Board of Supervisors of Cayuga county convened in the annual session of 1909 at the county clerk's building this morning. . . . Captain M. W. Murdock of Venice, was the unanimous choice of the Board for chairman. . . . Supervisor J. Fitch Walker of Moravia placed in nomination the name of Supervisor Marcus Wellington Murdock of the town of Venice. Mr. Walker said in nomination: 'I wish to place in nomination for the position of chairman a gentleman so well known that extended remarks are unnecessary. A gentleman of unsullied reputation, a veteran of the Civil war with a title earned in strenuous service. A noted farmer, and a man who at the end of the present term will have served his town and county faithfully for 13 years. I take great pleasure in presenting the name of Captain Marcus W. Murdock of Venice.'. . ."

(15) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Met On New Year's - Supervisors Finished Up Business With Two Sessions (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Weekly Bulletin, Tuesday, 4 January 1910), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "The members of the Board of Supervisors of Cayuga county wound up all affairs of the session of 1909 . . . on Saturday. . . . The Afternoon Session. . . . The report of salary of supervisors was as follows . . . M. W. Murdock, Venice, $275.13. . . . Chairman Murdock's Farewell. Before bringing down the final tap of the gavel Chairman Murdock said in part: 'I came to you last fall as a stranger and you took me in. Next fall, if I live, I will again come back among you, but as is often said, I will not be up here, but will go way back and sit down among you. I wish to thank each and every one of you for the many kindnesses shown.' (Applause.)"

(16) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), To Canvass Vote - Supervisors Convene With Coulling as Chairman. . . . Tuesday (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Democrat-Argus, Friday, 18 November 1910), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "The members of the Board of Supervisors convened as a Board of County Canvassers this morning at the office of County Clerk Warne. . . . Chairman Pooler then announced the appointment of the following committees . . . Assembly Sheet . . . M. W. Murdock. . . ."

(17) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), To Meet On Monday - Supervisors Won't Take Advantage of Holiday (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, The Auburn Citizen, Saturday, 24 December 1910), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "This morning's session of the Board of Supervisors was of brief duration. Most of the discussion was over a report of the Committee on Physicians and Surgeons and the special committee on physic[i]ans' fees in coroners' cases in which it was recommended that legislation be enacted for the appointment of three physicians on salary to look after coroners' cases and that the fee for viewing remains be $5 and for post mortems with dissection $20. . . . Chairman Murdock of the Committee on Physicians and Surgeons presented a report. . . ."

(18) Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Want New Court House. . . . Thursday, Jan. 5 (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Semi-Weekly Journal, Friday, 6 January 1911), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com, "The Board of Supervisors convened for the last meeting of the session this morning but were unable to finish the work during the forenoon and took a recess until 2:30 o'clock to close up the work of 1910. . . . The several Supervisors presented their bills for the work of the session as Supervisors and as County Canvassers, each one charging for eight days' service in the latter capacity. . . . The total charges follow . . . M. W. Murdock, Venice  [$]286.00. . . ."

Captain Marcus Wellington Murdock: Civil War Veteran, Farmer, and Railroad Promoter of Venice Center - Part 4

Marcus Wellington Murdock

Early Years in Venice Center

Marcus Wellington Murdock was the youngest child of Lyman Murdock and Clarinda Tracy, born 4 May 1837 at the Murdock Homestead. He attended local schools in his youth and subsequently attended the Canandaigua Academy in Ontario Co., New York (1). Marcus presumably completed his education by the age of 18 because the state and federal censuses of 1855 and 1860 respectively show him as a Farmer in his father's household. The ordered and peaceful life of young Marcus would be forever changed by the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, shortly before he turned 24 years old, although he continued to farm for the next year.

Captain Marcus Wellington Murdock, 111th Infantry Regiment, New York Volunteers

Raising Company I

Marcus was by some accounts instrumental in raising volunteers for Company I of the 111th Regiment during the summer of 1862 (1). John Porter White of Moravia joined him in this effort.

When the civil war called forth the young men of the country, Murdock was one of the first to respond in Cayuga county, and with John Porter White of Moravia, organized Co. I, of the 111th New York Volunteer Infantry, which went to the front with Murdock as first lieutenant. 

 -- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Captain M. W. Murdock (Genoa, Cayuga Co., NY, The Genoa Tribune, Friday, 1 August 1913), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

Marcus himself volunteered on 9 August 1862. On the 15th of August he was enlisted as a 1st Lieutenant in Company I of the 111th Infantry Regiment, New York Volunteers (N. Y. V.), which mustered into federal service on 20 August 1862 at Auburn, Cayuga Co., New York and left on a train late the following afternoon for the vicinity of Washington, D.C. There they would serve "in the Middle Department, 8th Corps, from Aug 24, 1862 (1)(2). . . ."

A stream of volunteers now set in from both counties. Four companies came down from Wayne, and Captains Husk and Northrop reported from Cayuga. Capt. Sidney Mead next brought to camp a band of sturdy farmers from Moravia, and finally, Capt. Tremaine's company from Springport, which, though the first begun, was the last organized, joined the regiment and the command was full. The bulk of this regiment was raised in twelve days, the whole of it in seventeen. Upon the 20th of August, 1862, it was mustered into the service for three years or during the war, as the 111th N. Y. V. Its organization was then as follows. . . . Co. I.--Capt. Sidney Mead; 1st Lieut. Merrill W. Murdock [NOTE:  Military records show that his name was Marcus W. Murdock - R. A. Post]; 2nd Lieut. Arthur W. Marshall. . . ."

 -- Henry Hall, The History of Auburn (Auburn, New York, USA, Dennis Bros. & Co., 1869), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, The Record of the War; pp. 434-435 https://archive.org/details/historyofauburn01hall/page/434/mode/2up

Marcus received his federal commission as 1st Lieutenant on 9 September 1862 with rank retroactive to 15 August.

Battle of Harper's Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia) and Surrender

The 111 Infantry Regiment, N. Y. V. had the great misfortune to be thrown into action at the Battle of  Harper's Ferry on 12-15 September 1862 (2), with minimal training, little more than three weeks after they had left Auburn for the battlefront. Colonel Dixon S. Miles, said to have been incompetent, was forced to surrender his 12,000 Union troops, the 111th Regiment among them, to the Confederates. Following their surrender, the Union troops were paroled to Camp Douglas at Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois where they were held by the Union as prisoners under difficult conditions for several months until exchanged for Confederate prisoners. It is hard to imagine that the Union would imprison its own men under such an agreement, but that was preferable to leaving them in a Confederate prison where conditions were even worse.

Once released from Camp Douglas, the 111th was first assigned to the "Defenses of Washington, in the 3d Brigade, Casey's Division, 22d Corps, from Dec., 1862" and then "in the 3d Brigade, 3d Division, 2d Corps, A. P. [Army of the Potomac], from June, 1863 (2). . . ." This must have been a time of humiliation for the men of the 111th, with the memory of their surrender and parole fresh in their minds. On the other hand, it also may have been a time to develop the firm resolve that the 111th would show in battles soon to come.

Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Redemption for the 111th Infantry Regiment, N. Y. V. came with the Battle of Gettysburg on 1-3 July 1863. 

The One Hundred and Eleventh has good cause to remember Gettysburg and to be proud to have a monument on the slopes of Cemetery Ridge. The regiment served under Hancock, in Hayes' division of the Second corps On July 2, 1863, when the Confederates had broken up Meade's left wing and Sickles' Third corps was engaged against enormous odds, General Hancock, whose line adjoined Sickles' on the right, hastily gathered some troops from his command and went to Sickles' aid. While doing so his own line was attacked by a Confederate line of battle that overlapped Sickles' front. The last brigade in his moving column was led by Colonel George L. Willard, and the One Hundred and Eleventh was the last regiment in the brigade. The danger to his own line caused Hancock to order this brigade to halt, face about and move back obliquely across the Confederate front. During this march and counter march the brigade was subjected to a heavy fire from the enemy's artillery. A charge was ordered upon the advancing Confederates, and was most gallantly executed. Colonel Willard was killed, and the brigade suffered terribly. The One Hundred and Eleventh bore the brunt of the fight on account of its closeness to the enemy. The Confederate charge at this point was repulsed. The next day, July 3, the regiment lay in Hancock's line near Ziegler's grove, and maintained a steady musketry fire upon Pickett's charging column. . . .

 -- Mark Hamilton, Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), To The Brave And Wise - Enduring Memorial Commemoriative Of Learning And Valor (Warrensburg, Warren Co., NY, The Warrensburgh News, Thursday, 11 June 1891), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

Detached Duty at Cayuga County and Elmira, Chemung County, New York

Lieutenant Murdock received a slight wound during the Battle of Gettysburg. His Muster Roll records show that after Gettysburg, Marcus was assigned to detached duty at Cayuga Co., New York on 26 July 1863 (1). Possibly some recuperation from his wound was required, and he may have been engaged in recruiting troops. Another document refers to Marcus having duty at Elmira, Chemung Co., New York, apparently prior to his return to the 111th on 7 December 1863 (1). It is likely that the Elmira duty was at Camp Rathbun, a Union training facility until 1864 when it became a prisoner of war camp. The exact nature of Marcus's assignments back in New York State doesn't appear in easily accessible records.

If, in fact, Marcus was on detached duty for the entire time between 26 July and 7 December 1863, he would not have participated in the Battles of Falls Church, Lewinsville, Auburn, Bristoe Station, Blackburn's Ford, and the Mine Run Campaign, all located in Virginia (2). There is some question about this, however, because a Resolution by the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States issued in honor of Marcus following his death states that he fought with his regiment at Bristoe Station on 14 October 1863 and during the Mine Run Campaign, among subsequent battles (1).

Battle of Morton's Ford, Virginia and Subsequent Promotion to Captain

On 6 February 1864, the 111th participated in the Battle of Morton's Ford. One enlisted man was wounded and two went missing in this ill-advised probe and light action under winter conditions, which ended with retreat of the Union troops back to winter quarters. The 111th Regiment in March 1864 became part of the 3rd Brigade (also the Consolidated Brigade for a time), 1st Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac, where it remained for the duration of the Civil War (2).

Lieutenant Marcus Wellington Murdock apparently received a battlefield promotion to Captain on 2 April 1864, shortly after the 111th moved to the 1st Division (3). His actual Captain's commission would not be presented until 24 May, retroactive to 2 April (1), following several major battles (2). At the time of his formal commission, if not before, Captain Murdock took command of Company A until 9 July 1864 when he transferred to Company G (1).

The Overland Campaign

Captain Murdock, with the 111th Infantry Regiment, N. Y. V., participated in Lieutenant General Ullyses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during May and June 1864. During the month of May, the 111th fought in the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna, and Totopotomoy Creek, Virgina (2). The Battle of the Wilderness on 5-7 May 1864 was a particularly significant and bloody battle. The 111th suffered 178 casualties, killed, wounded, and missing in action, exceeded (after discounting the "missing" count at the surrender at Harper's Ferry) only by the 279 aggregate casualties the regiment had experienced at Gettysburg 10 months earlier (2). (Among those casualties was Private Isaac Darrow, Jr. of Scipio, Cayuga Co., New York, subject of a previous account.) Union and Confederate forces engaged again on 8 May 1864, initiating the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, which would continue in a series of conflicts until 18 May. The 111th took 62 casualies during this period (2).

Next, the Battle of North Anna took place on 22-26 May 1864 (2). This fighting occurred in the vicinity of the North Anna River. Major General Winfield Hancock's 2nd Corps, of which the 111th Regiment was a part, played an important role, but neither the Union nor the Confederate forces achieved a victory. Captain Marcus Wellington Murdock received his formal commission during the this time so he presumably was leading Company A of the 111th Regiment at North Anna. The fighting then moved to the Battle of Totopotomoy Creek on 27-31 May 1864 (2). Lee's Confederate forces were dug in near the Creek but were forced to fall back toward Richmond after several days of fighting. The 111th suffered only 20 casualties from the combined battles of North Anna and Totopotomoy (2).

After Totopotomoy Creek, Union and Confederate forces moved to the Cold Harbor crossroads where the Battle of Cold Harbor took place on 1-12 June 1864 (2). Several days of heavy fighting led to a stalemate that lasted until the Union forces withdrew toward Petersburg. The 111th casualties were light, numbering only seven (2).

Richmond-Petersburg Campaign

Captain Murdock's participation in Civil War combat would not last beyond the summer of 1864, but several battles remained. Grant's forces had begun the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign following the Battle of Cold Harbor. The 111th Infantry Regiment, N. Y. V. fought during the Assault on Petersburg on 15-19 June, followed by the Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road (also known as the First Battle of Weldon Railroad) on 21-23 June (2). Aggregate casualties for the 111th from these fights were 77 men.

Marcus transferred to command of Company G of the 111th Regiment on 9 July, as mentioned above. His first engagement in this position came with the First Battle of Deep Bottom on 27-29 July followed by the Battle of Second Deep Bottom (also known as Strawberry Plains (2)) on 14-18 August 1864. Neither of these actions resulted in casualties for the 111th Regiment (2). That would change with the Battle of Ream's Station on 25 August when the 111th suffered 36 casualties when Confederate forces broke through Union lines (2).

Captain Murdock's Sickness, Disability, and Discharge

Readily available records do not reveal exactly what beflicted Marcus in the fall of 1864. Muster Rolls show that Marcus was absent from his unit because of sickness from 24 October to 31 December 1864 (1). Captain Murdock was discharged due to disability in mid- to late January 1865. Several discharge dates are given ranging from 14-25 January (1)(4). A later pension record gives his disability as "injury to chest and heart" (4).

To be continued.

Sources

(1) State of New York, New York, Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts, 1861-1900 (Albany, New York, New York State Archives, Cultural Education Center), Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com, Archive Collection #: 13775-83; Box #: 473; Roll #: 126-127

(2) Frederick Phisterer, New York in the War of Rebellion 1862-1865 (Albany, New York, Weed, Parsons and Company, 1890), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, One Hundred and Eleventh Regiment of Infantry; pp. 463-464

https://archive.org/details/newyorkinwarofre00phis/page/462/mode/2up

(3) Historical Data Systems of Kingston, MA (compiler), U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865 (Duxbury, MA, Historical Data Systems, Inc., 1997-2009), Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com

(4) United States of America, Department of Veterans Affairs, 1890 Veterans Schedules (Washington, D.C., National Archives, Record Group 15, National Archives Microfilm Publication M123), Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com, Special Schedules of the Eleventh Census (1890) Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Captain Marcus Wellington Murdock: Civil War Veteran, Farmer, and Railroad Promoter of Venice Center - Part 3

The Murdock Family of Venice Center, Cayuga County, New York (continued)

Lyman Murdock's Career at Venice Center (continued)

The "Murdock Line," Lyman Murdock's First Railroad Promotion

Lyman Murdock had a great interest in railroad development that might benefit Venice Center and surrounding communities situated between Cayuga Lake on the west and the Owasco Lake valley on the east.

The elder Lyman Murdock was one of the leading promoters of one of the first north-south railroads in Central New York. Because of his active interests in its behalf, the road was nicknamed the "Murdock Line" in his honor. Efforts to raise money met with little success and it is remarkable anything was accomplished at all. The "first" Lake Ontario, Auburn & New York Railroad was incorporated Aug. 23, 1852 to build a line from "Lake Ontario to any point on the Erie road." The company organized with a capital of $1,500,000 and naturally Mr. Murdock was one of the directors. Levi Williams of Auburn, a reputable civil engineer, was employed to survey the line, the terminal being Fair Haven and Pugsley's station. A feasible route was selected and on Aug. 24, 1852 contracts were let. Construction was pushed energetically through in the winter of 1854, when money began to run dry.

-- Richard Palmer, Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Rail Line Nicknamed For Early Venice Family (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, The Citizen-Advertiser, Wednesday, 30 April 1969), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

Pugsley's station was located southeast of Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York (1), and Fair Haven is located on Lake Ontario in the Town of Sterling, Cayuga Co., New York. The southern portion of the route of the Lake Ontario, Auburn & New York Railroad more or less followed the valley of Big Salmon Creek northward from North Lansing, Tompkins Co., New York through the hamlets of Genoa, Venice Center, and Merrifield toward Auburn, Cayuga Co., New York. About half of the proposed route eventually was graded before an improper bonding process and consequent lack of funds brought construction to a halt (1).

Lyman Murdock worked to keep the Lake Ontario, Auburn & New York alive during 1855 and 1856.

Rail Road Meeting. At a meeting of the Directors of the Preliminary organization of the Lake Ontario, Auburn and New York Railroad, held at the office of Charles P. Wood, in the city of Auburn, Oct. 29th, 1855, Mr. Chas. P. Wood was called to the Chair, and D. E. Havens was appointed Secretary. . . . Resolved, That the members of this Board individually and collectively use their best and most strenuous efforts and endeavors to procure subscriptions to the Capital Stock of the Road, in order to obtain if possible, the amount necessary to re-commence and finish the Northern division of the Road, ready for laying the iron from Auburn to the Bay, and report the same at the next meeting of the Board. . . . Resolved, That Lyman Murdock, of Venice, be appointed a Director, in the place of Slocum Howland declined. . . .

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Rail Road Meeting 2 (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Weekly Journal, Wednesday, 31 October 1855), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

Rail Road Meeting. - At an adjourned meeting of the subscribers of the Lake Ontario and New York Rail Road, held at Standford Hall on Friday, May 9th inst., it was resolved to proceed to the election of a Board of Directors, to run for the term of one year; and the following named persons were duly elected:--To wit. . . . Lyman Murdock, Venice. . . . 

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Rail Road Meeting (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Daily American, Saturday, 10 May 1856), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

Lyman Murdock's election as a Director of the Lake Ontario, Auburn & New York Railroad in May 1856 immediately preceded reorganization of the company in a further attempt to raise funds and complete construction. This effort allowed further work on the railroad grade but ultimately failed (1).

Times were stringent and the money market tight. The contractors pressed for payment of arrears. Some $200,000 was imperatively needed to advance the work to completion. Efforts to raise money failed and the company succumbed in March, 1855. But, as the old saying goes, if at first you don't succeed, try again, And so they did. The second company by the same name was incorporated was incorporated May 23, 1856 ''for the object of finishing the urgently needed road." Again, Murdock is mentioned as a director. Work was re-commenced on the Rd. and the grading north of Seneca River was nearly completed when the Civil War broke out. By 1862, a total of $449,541 had been spent.

 -- Richard Palmer, Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Rail Line Nicknamed For Early Venice Family (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, The Citizen-Advertiser, Wednesday, 30 April 1969), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

"The completed grading has been referred to ever since as the 'Murdock Line,' after a resident of Venice Center, Lyman Murdock, who was interested in this and subsequent railroad development in the area" (1).

The New York & Oswego Midland Railroad, Lyman Murdock's Second Railroad Promotion

Lyman Murdock doesn't seem to have been discouraged by the failure of the "Murdock Line." It seems he had been working without success to get a railroad to Venice Center through the years during and after the Civil War. However, by early 1870, Lyman saw a new opportunity to get rail service to the hamlets on or near the old "Murdock Line" route, including Venice Center. The New York & Oswego Midland Railroad was considering a branch route from Norwich, Chenango Co., New York to Auburn (2). Lyman lobbied for the proposed Auburn branch to go by way of the partially constructed roadbed remaining from the uncompleted Lake Ontario, Auburn & New York project begun some 15 years earlier.

Local and Miscellany. . . . The Union Springs Advertiser has the following:  "LYMAN MURDOCK, of Venice, is laboring zealously to change the proposed branch of the Oswego Midland to Auburn from Norwich, so as to have it run over the road-bed of the Murdock line from Ithaca, intersecting the New York Central half way between Auburn and Cayuga. This evidently will need a stronger force. . . ."

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Local and Miscellany 4 (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Daily Bulletin, Monday, 28 February 1870), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

The following year saw rapid progress by the New York & Oswego Midland Railroad and supporters of resurrecting the "Murdock Line" route.

On Jan. 1, 1871, the line was sold to the New York & Oswego Midland Railroad as its "Western Extension" of the Auburn branch from Norwich. It was the original intention of the Midland promoters to build into Auburn, thence westward to Buffalo or "a point on the Niagara River.". . .

-- Richard Palmer, Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Rail Line Nicknamed For Early Venice Family (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, The Citizen-Advertiser, Wednesday, 30 April 1969), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

Lyman Murdock appears to have been heavily involved in raising funds for construction of the Auburn Branch of the New York & Oswego Midland during the summer of 1871.

Editorial Correspondence. THE MIDLAND RAILROAD. . . . SCIPIO CENTRE, June 22. There is no diminution in the interest shown in the Midland Railroad.--The progress of Mr. Littlejohn and party has been almost triumphal, inspiring those who have labored so long, with new courage, and convincing the doubtful or opposing. . . . At Sherwoods Corners a goodly audience assembled on the grounds of Slocum Howland, Esq., who, like many of his neighbors, is an ardent friend of a railroad from Auburn, South, through the county. The next gathering was at Venice Centre, and appropriately held on the grounds of Lyman Murdock, Esq., the man who, with indomitable perseverance, has labored through sunshine and storm, for the past nine years, to obtain a railroad connection with Auburn. A fitting monument to his untiring zeal will be the New York Midland, occupying the road bed which has cost him so much time, labor and money. . . . So many new names were added to the consents, that at night, signatures representing two thirds of the property, have been obtained. This evening the church at Scipio Centre was completely filled. Mr. Littlejohn's request for a subscription of $100,000 by the town of Scipio, was cordially entertained by a large number of those present, and all are sanguine that the assents for that amount can be readily obtained. The consultation at Scipioville will probably decide the question in this town. 

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Editorial Correspondence. The Midland Railroad. . . . Scipio Centre, June 22 (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Daily Bulletin, Friday, 23 June 1871), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

The New York & Oswego Midland obtained rights to use the tracks of the Utica, Ithaca & Elmira Railroad from Cortland, Cortland Co., New York to Freeville, Tompkins Co. in March 1872. From that point, the Midland constructed new line to the vicinity of South Lansing, Lansing, Tompkins Co., New York where they merged onto the old "Murdock Line" roadbed at Ozmun's, which they followed north to Scipio (3). Several hamlets along the route held celebrations as the line was completed through their location. Lyman Murdock was a willing but modest participant in the celebrations.

A FETE DAY IN GENOA! - The Midland Railroad in Cayuga County! . . . For some months past the Midland Railroad has been quietly, but steadily pushing its way on from Cortland and the east toward Cayuga County; and a few days since it was announced that on Tuesday, October 1st, a railroad celebration would be held in Genoa, to rejoice over the completion of the Midland road to that village. . . . A HAPPY MAN. Our report would be incomplete without some reference to one of the chief projectors of the old road Mr. Lyman Murdock, of Venice whose untiring efforts to secure the building of a road over that route has given it its name, and who, through all the reverses and discouragements it has met, has never lost faith in the "Murdock route." Yesterday he was present and saw the consummation of his hopes. He appeared the happiest man on the ground. . . .

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), A Fete Day In Genoa! - The Midland Railroad in Cayuga County! (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Weekly News, Monday, 7 October 1872), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

ANOTHER MIDLAND CELEBRATION! - The Iron Horse Reaches Lyman Murdock's Residence. . . . Yesterday was the day appointed for the celebration of the completion of the Midland Railroad to Venice Center, or Murdock's Corners, in the town of Venice. . . . AT FREEVILLE the excursion train for Venice was in waiting. . . . Five passenger coaches . . . came from Cortland, and must have contained four or five hundred people. Besides these there was one other passenger coach and seven box and flat cars arranged with seats. . . . At 12 o'clock the train left Freeville for Venice. At every station large numbers were "taken in," until the coaches were jammed and the platforms flat cars, engine and tender swarmed with human beings. At Beardsley's a crowd of about 200 were told they must wait until a train could be sent back for them; and accordingly a gravel train was dispatched from Genoa for them. The thirteen cars could not have contained less than 1,000 people. . . . a train of half-a-dozen cars left for Venice with the Genoese almost en masse. . . . At about two o'clock we approached Venice. . . . In a large field just east of the railroad and south of the hotel, was a mammoth three-pole tent, 125 feet long and proportionately wide. . . . The number of people present was, for a rural town like Venice, really immense. Not less than two thousand came by rail, and the hillside black with teams and vehicles gave evidence that the country for miles about had turned out grandly. A safe estimate would be that SIX THOUSAND PEOPLE were present. . . . Hon. Horatio N. Ballard of Cortland, was called out. He made an apt speech, congratulating the Venetians and picturing the benefits of railroads in general, and this one in particular. After he sat down, Lyman Murdock, Esq., the veteran railroad man of Southern Cayuga, was loudly called for, and upon his rising, three rousing cheers were given him. Mr. Murdock merely said that it would take till January for him to give the whole history of 'the old line;' he would not attempt it, but would delegate Frank Wright, Esq., of Auburn, to speak for him. Mr. Wright made a brief but stirring speech, in the course of which he said he believed that ere long the people of Venice would be connected with Auburn at one end of the road, as with New York soon at the other. . . . 

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Another Midland Celebration! - The Iron Horse Reaches Lyman Murdock's Residence (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Daily Bulletin, Thursday, 31 October 1872), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

The Western Extension of the Auburn Branch of the New York & Oswego Midland Railroad was completed to Scipio Summit in the Town of Scipio, Cayuga Co., New York on 16 December 1872 (4). Lyman Murdock must have been deeply satisfied with having a railroad through Venice Center, but he had always wanted the connection to Auburn that remained unconstructed north of Scipio Summit near Merrifield. He would need more patience because the Midland was overextended when a financial crash occurred in September 1873 and went into receivership several months later. Later, operation of the Auburn Branch was leased to the Utica, Ithaca & Elmira Railroad in return for use and maintenance of the Midland's assets (4)(5).

Mr. O. F. Peet purchased the Western Extension of the Midland on 31 May 1876 (4). It is said that the Ithaca, Auburn & Western Railroad Company was formed to hold this property, which remained leased to Utica, Ithaca & Elmira (U. I. & E.) for operation (4)(5).

 The Sale of the Auburn Branch Midland. . . . The "Western Extension" of the Midland railroad was sold at Ithaca, Wednesday, by the referee, D. Ira Baker, of New York. The property was disposed of for $25,000 to O. F. Peet, of New York. It is probable that this purchase is in behalf of the bondholders, although Mr. Peet did not appear directly in that interest. . . . It is now hoped that there will be no further difficulty regarding the reorganization, which contemplates the immediate completion of the Western Extension to Auburn. . . . 

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), The Sale of the Auburn Branch Midland (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, News and Democrat, Thursday, 8 June 1876), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

Lyman Murdock's involvement in the Ithaca, Auburn & Western Railroad Company (I. A. & W.) at the time of its formation, if any, has not been found. By the summer of 1879, however, Lyman was promoting the I. A. & W. by speaking at one or more fund-raising events in support of extending the line from its terminus in Scipio to the City of Auburn.

Local and Miscellany. . . . Ithaca, Auburn & Western. - DOLLARS JINGLE AT VENICE CENTER. A large and enthusiastic meeting was held at Venice Centre on Saturday evening, at which Sidney Mosher presided, and L. V. Smith acted as Secretary. Present from Auburn were Secretary Peet and L. E. Lyon. Otis E. Wood, of Freeville, and Lyman Murdock, the father of the "old line," were among the speakers. One thousand dollars in subscriptions resulted, up to 10 o'clock P. M. A committee was appointed to solicit further aid, and the locality is expected to give a good record. 

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Local and Miscellany. . . . Ithaca, Auburn & Western. - Dollars Jingle At Venice Center (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn News and Bulletin, Monday, 28 July 1879), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

We hear no more of Lyman Murdock's promotion of railroads after the preceding event. He was just under 75 years old at the time and presumably entering retirement, but two of his sons and a grandson would carry on his work in subsequent years. In the meantime, trains continued to roll over the old "Murdock Route," eventually reaching Auburn while he yet lived, as Lyman had long envisioned.

While operated by the U. I. & E. the twelve miles to Auburn were completed and the line thereby acquired some nuisance value to the Southern Central owners, who accordingly leased it in 1883. In 1889 it was acquired outright by the Lehigh Valley (then controllers of the Southern Central), who abandoned it and removed the rails. . . .

-- Hardy C. Lee, revised and expanded by Winton G. Rossiter and John Marcham, A History of Railroads in Tompkins County, 3rd Edition (Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York, DeWitt Historical Society, The History Center in Tompkins County, 2008), https://hdl.handle.net/1813/11518, Bankruptcy of the Midland; pp. 32-33

Lyman Murdock's Second Marriage and Final Years

Death of Clarinda Tracy Murdock

Clarinda Tracy Murdock, Lyman's first wife died on 9 June 1871 at Venice Center and was laid to rest in Venice Center Cemetery. Lyman's son, Marcus Wellington Murdock, and family lived with him at the Murdock Homestead, so Lyman was not alone following Clarinda's death. In addition, Lyman's daughter, Mary Ann Howard, had been widowed about December 1869 in Albany Co., New York and had returned to Venice Center with her two young daughters to also reside at the Homestead. We can presume that Lyman was thoroughly surrounded by family for the next 5 years.

Marriage to Charity Dean Adams

In June of 1876, Lyman married Charity Adams of Candor, Tioga Co., New York, widow of George Q. Adams. I have not found an account of how Lyman and Charity came to meet. Charity was the daughter of John B. and Sarah Dean of Candor, born ca. 1824, and had not married the widower, Mr. Adams, until sometime between 1860 and 1865. George Q. Adams died 2 August 1872.

The marriage of Lyman Murdock and Mrs. Charity Adams may well have occurred at Candor because in the following month Charity was appointed Postmaster of North Candor, a location no longer extant except for the name of a small cemetery on the West Candor Road several miles west of Candor Village. Charity's appointment lasted until July 1880 when the North Candor Post Office was discontinued. From this evidence, it is probably that Lyman and Charity lived in the Town of Candor at least from July 1876 through July 1880 although one source (6) says they only lived there several years. Lyman and Charity were censused at Candor in 1880.

The couple spent several years in Florida before returning to Venice Center near the end of their lives (6). Little record of their Florida residence has been found, but several clues emerge. First, Evander Murdock, the oldest son of Lyman Murdock and Clarinda Tracy, resided at Holly Hill, Volusia Co., Florida before his death in 1884. Lyman and Charity may have stayed with Evander, or at least near his residence in Volusia Co. Second, a County Judge of Volusia Co. received an official copy of Lyman Murdock's probate documents from the  Cayuga Co. Surrogate on 24 November 1890 in response to a request for same by one Champion H. Spencer, reason unknown (7). Together, these clues suggest that Lyman and Charity's time in Florida likely was in Volusia Co.

Deaths of Lyman and Charity Murdock

Charity Dean Adams Murdock died in April 1887 at Venice Center. No record of her burial has been found either at Venice Center or at Candor. Lyman Murdock died at Venice Center the following year on the 18th or 19th of June (sources differ).

Lyman Murdock. an aged and respected citizen of Venice Centre, died at his home in that place, June 18, in his 84th year. He had lived on the homestead farm nearly his whole lifetime, with the exception of two winters in Florida, where he overtaxed his strength making improvements on his Florida home. He returned with his health greatly impaired and gradually failed up to the time of his death. He was a man of marked ability, an exemplary citizen, a good neighbor, genial, kind and obliging. He added much to the growth and prosperity of the place. When he undertook an enterprise he never faltered until it became a success. It was largely through his efforts that the Ithaca, Auburn & Western railway was constructed. . . .

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), MURDOCK, Lyman: News Item on Death at Venice Center (Union Springs, Springport, Cayuga Co., NY, The Advertiser, Thursday, 12 July 1888), Old Fulton New York Post Cards http://www.fultonhistory.com

LOCAL NEWS COLUMNS. - Brevities. . . . Mr. Lyman Murdock, whose recent death occurred at his home at Venice Center, in the town of Venice, was in his 84th year, and at one time probably as well known throughout the county as was any one man, which grew out of his energetic efforts in the interest of the old "Lake Ontario, Auburn and New york Railroad" project of more than thirty years ago. It was through his connection therewith, that Venice Centre came to be very generally known as "Murdock's," or "Murdock's Corners," and that part of the projected railroad running through this county, as "The Murdock Line," and out of which grew a long series of contentions, and litigated cases, some of which are not even yet ended. Subsequently he aided greatly in the establishment of the present Ithaca, Auburn and Western branch of the Southern Central, a portion of which occupies the old original L. O., A. and N. Y. roadbed. 

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Local News Columns. - Brevities (Dryden, Tompkins Co., NY, The Dryden Herald, Wednesday, 25 July 1888), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

References

(1). Hardy C. Lee, revised and expanded by Winton G. Rossiter and John Marcham, A History of Railroads in Tompkins County, 3rd Edition (Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York, DeWitt Historical Society, The History Center in Tompkins County, 2008), https://hdl.handle.net/1813/11518, The Murdock Line; pp. 15-16

(2). Hardy C. Lee, revised and expanded by Winton G. Rossiter and John Marcham, A History of Railroads in Tompkins County, 3rd Edition (Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York, DeWitt Historical Society, The History Center in Tompkins County, 2008), https://hdl.handle.net/1813/11518, The Controversies of 1870; p. 18

(3). Hardy C. Lee, revised and expanded by Winton G. Rossiter and John Marcham, A History of Railroads in Tompkins County, 3rd Edition (Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York, DeWitt Historical Society, The History Center in Tompkins County, 2008), https://hdl.handle.net/1813/11518, 1872 and the Auburn Branch of the Midland; pp. 25-26

(4). Richard Palmer, Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Rail Line Nicknamed For Early Venice Family (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, The Citizen-Advertiser, Wednesday, 30 April 1969), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

(5). Hardy C. Lee, revised and expanded by Winton G. Rossiter and John Marcham, A History of Railroads in Tompkins County, 3rd Edition (Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York, DeWitt Historical Society, The History Center in Tompkins County, 2008), https://hdl.handle.net/1813/11518, Bankruptcy of the Midland; pp. 31-33

(6). Joseph Ballard Murdock, Murdock Genealogy:  Robert Murdock of Roxbury, Massachusetts and Some of His Descendants (Boston, Massachusetts, USA, C. E. Goodspeed & Co., 1925), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, pp. 89-90
https://archive.org/details/murdockgenealogy00murd/page/88/mode/2up

(7). State of Florida, Florida, Wills and Probate Records, 1810-1974 (Florida County, District and Probate Courts), Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com, Probate Records, 1855-1872, 1874-1922; County Judge's Court (Volusia County). "Name: Lyman Murdock; Probate Date: 24 Nov 1890; Probate Place: Volusia, Florida, USA; Inferred Death Year: Abt 1890; Inferred Death Place: Florida, USA; Item Description: Wills, Vol D, Vol 1 1874-1901 [NOTE:  This doesn't appear to be an actual probate, rather it is a copy of Lyman Murdock's Cayuga Co., New York probate sent to a County Judge of Volusia Co., Florida in response to a request by one Champion H. Spencer - R. A. Post]"
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8993&h=499406&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=TJa32528&_phstart=successSource

Captain Marcus Wellington Murdock: Civil War Veteran, Farmer, and Railroad Promoter of Venice Center - Part 2

The Murdock Family of Venice Center, Cayuga County, New York (continued)

Lyman and Clarinda Tracy Murdock

Lyman Murdock's Youth

Lyman Murdock, the youngest son of Joshua Murdock and Eunice Moore, was born at present-day Venice Center on 8 August 1804 (1) (2), and there he was raised. These were very much pioneer times in the history of Southern Cayuga County when fields were wrested from forests, and business enterprises were in their infancy. Lyman must have shown early maturity, industry, and judgment for he is said to have assumed management of his father's large farm at the age of 16.

Lyman, his [Joshua Murdock's] son, has been largely interested in the growth and prosperity of Venice Center, where his father was the first settler, and prominently identified with its material interests and enterprises. In 1820, at the age of sixteen, he took the management of the farm. In 1821, he, in company with his neighbors, the Fishes, built a saw-mill on the site of the old one, on the southeast corner of the farm. September 5th, 1824, he married Clarinda, daughter of  Captain Alanson Tracy [NOTE:  Storke is incorrect on this point; Clarinda was the daughter of Squire Gilbert Tracy and Deborah Woodworth as shown by multiple sources - R. A. Post], of Scipio, and bought 150 acres of the old homestead farm, but continued to work the whole farm.

-- Elliot G. Storke, History of Cayuga County, New York 1789 - 1879 (Syracuse, Onondaga Co., NY, D. Mason & Co., 1879), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, p. 435 https://archive.org/stream/historyofcayugac00stor#page/434/mode/2up

Clarinda W. Tracy's Family and Youth

Clarinda W. Tracy was the daughter of Squire Gilbert Tracy and Deborah Woodworth (3). Gilbert was born 7 January 1761 at Preston, New London Co., Connecticut (3). He reportedly served from 1777 until early January 1784 as a soldier with Connecticut state troops and with the Continental troops in several regiments of the Connecticut Line. This service was interspersed with several cruises on the privateer, "Marquis de La Fayette," under Captain Elisha Hinman, presumably in the capacity of a gunner or marine (4). Following the Revolution, Gilbert Tracy made his way from Connecticut to the Cayuga Indian Reservation on the east side of Cayuga Lake ca. 1789 where he leased land from the Indians (5).

Gilbert married Deborah Woodworth, daughter of Jonathan Woodworth and Mercy Parker, on 9 April 1791 at Ulysses, then part of Herkimer Co., New York, in the portion of the town that would later become Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York. Gilbert and Deborah took up residence at Gilbert's cabin at or near present-day Levanna, Ledyard, Cayuga Co., New York until they were burned out with 12 other families in October 1791 by the High Sheriff of Herkimer County on orders of Governor Clinton in response to a complaint by a Cayuga chief (5) (6). Having become homeless with the approach of winter, the couple lived for several weeks in a crude shelter while Gilbert harvested his corn and then removed about 5 miles east to near present-day Scipioville, Scipio, Cayuga Co., New York. Deborah and Gilbert occupied a doorless, windowless, floorless, and chimneyless cabin that Henry Watkins had fortuitously completed before returning to Albany, Albany Co., New York to register his land. There they remained the winter, removing in March 1792 with their baby son, Durastus Tracy, several miles farther east to Salmon Creek in the vicinity of Bolt's Corners in Scipio where Gilbert obtained land with a log cabin, possibly of his own construction (5) 

Clarinda W. Tracy was born 29 September 1803 in Scipio (7), presumably in her parent's cabin on Salmon Creek. She was the eighth child of an eventual 13 and third daughter of Gilbert Tracy and Deborah Woodworth. Little, if any record exists of Clarinda's youth. We can speculate that it was occupied with the household tasks of a pioneer family with many mouths to feed, carving a farm out of the forest. Clarinda's residence on Salmon Creek near Bolt's Corners likely was not more than 2 miles from the residence of Lyman Murdock in present-day Venice Center, Cayuga Co., New York. That they would know of each other was inevitable.

Clarinda married Lyman Murdock on 5 September 1824 (1), a few weeks shy of her 21st birthday. The location of the wedding is not known, but the Town of Venice had been taken off from Scipio the previous year, and the wedding does not appear in records of some early Scipio marriages so Venice is the likely location.

Lyman and Clarinda W. Murdock's Children

Lyman and Clarinda took up residence on the Murdock Homestead in what would become Venice Center following their marriage as noted in the quotation from Storke (1879) above. Their first child, a son, Evander Murdock (1), was born at Venice Center on 27 July 1825. Evander married Margaret Wood on 6 March 1856. They later removed west and resided at Cedar Falls, Black Hawk Co., Iowa. Evander died at Holly Hill, Volusia Co., Florida on 4 June 1884 (8). 

Mary Ann Murdock (1) was the second child of Lyman and Clarinda Tracy Murdock, born at Venice Center on 28 February 1828 according to one source (9); however, the Cayuga Co. NYGenWeb Cemetery List for Venice Center Cemetery gives an incomplete name and birth as 1827. Mary Ann married Stephen Van Rensselaer Howard on 24 February 1858. They lived at Guilderland, Albany Co., New York where Stephen died ca. December 1869. Afterward, Mary Ann lived with her daughters in her father's household at Venice Center, in her own household, and finally with a daughter near Scipio Center, Scipio, Cayuga Co., New York where Mary Ann died 17 October 1898.

Lyman T. Murdock (1) was the third or fourth (see next paragraph) child of Lyman and Clarinda Tracy Murdock, born at Venice Center on 6 March 1833 (1) (8). Lyman T. Murdock married H. Eliza Hull on 18 January 1861. They resided at Venice Center where Lyman T. was involved in various businesses including farming, operating a grist mill, and dealing in phosphate (fertilizer). He also was a Justice of the Peace and served as Venice Town Supervisor. Lyman T. died 12 December 1893 (1).

Clarinda Racelia "Celia" Murdock (1) was either the third or fourth child of Lyman and Clarinda Tracy Murdock. She was born at Venice Center, but the date of her birth is not certain. Celia's inscription on a Murdock monument in the Venice Center Cemetery shows her birth as 2 November 1834. This date conflicts with the birth date of her brother Eugene, who seems to have been born in December 1834. A published Murdock genealogy (9) gives Celia's birth as 2 December 1830, which seems consistent with her early census records but less so with later records. There also is a lack of clarity about Celia's middle name, which appears in census data as Lucelia and Rucella. A relative bore the name Racelia, perhaps indicative of Celia's actual middle name. Celia Murdock became an accomplished artist specializing in pastoral scenes and livestock. Celia studied in France, exhibited in several prestigious art venues, and was among locally recognized artists (10). After her untimely death on 15 November 1882 at the residence of Dr. Amanda Sanford in Auburn, Cayuga Co., New York, Celia's artistic recognition slowly faded from memory into obscurity. Several of her paintings, however, yet grace walls of homes and institutions including Wells College and the Howland Stone Store Museum (scroll down to Paintings).

Eugene B. Murdock (1) was born at Venice Center on 13 December 1834 (9), the fifth child of Lyman and Clarinda Tracy Murdock. Eugene was unmarried, listed as a Farmer in several sources, and lived in his father's household. One source says that Eugene also was a Civil Engineer (9). His occupation was Surveyor in the 1865 census. He died 27 August 1865 as shown by his Death Notice in a local newspaper.

Marcus Wellington Murdock was the sixth and last child of Lyman and Clarinda Tracy Murdock. He was born at Venice Center 4 May 1837 on the Murdock Homestead (1) (8). The story of his life will be told in subsequent posts.

Lyman Murdock's Career at Venice Center

Mills, Taverns, and Store in Venice Center

As seen above, Lyman had already built a new sawmill with the Fish family before his marriage to Clarinda Tracy, purchased 150 acres of his father's holdings, and continued to operate the entirety of his father's holdings. Lyman's next enterprise was to open a public house at his residence.

In the fall of 1826, he built an addition to the homestead and commenced keeping a public house, in which also the town meetings and other elections were held and other town business transacted for many years. That building, which was the first tavern at Venice Center, forms the east end of the present tavern, and was moved to its present site, in 1835, when the addition was built. In 1834 he built a grist-mill on the site of the present one; and in 1835 he built a saw-mill adjacent to it. The same year (1835) he built the present tavern at Venice Center; and gave one acre of land to Philander Tracy, who built thereon that year, the first store in that village. From 1850, he has been connected pecuniarily and officially with railroad projects, which culminated in the establishment of the road which runs through the central part of the town.

-- Elliot G. Storke, History of Cayuga County, New York 1789 - 1879 (Syracuse, Onondaga Co., NY, D. Mason & Co., 1879), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, Town of Venice - Early Settlements; p. 435 https://archive.org/stream/historyofcayugac00stor#page/434/mode/2up

An 1859 map of Venice Center, then called Murdock's Corners, reveals the locations of Lyman Murdock's 1834 gristmill and 1835 sawmill. This map and others also show that the mills and mill pond were constructed some distance from Big Salmon Creek, with a millrace leading from a point upstream on Big Salmon Creek and discharging back to the Creek well downstream of present-day Poplar Ridge Road. The dirtwork required to create the pond and raceway alone would have required substantial investment and effort to say nothing of building two mills.

Storke's (1879) description is a bit unclear, but it appears that Lyman built the first tavern in Venice Center as an addition to the Murdock house in 1826. One of the meetings held in this addition occurred on 10 September 1831 in response to a notice by the Anti-Masonic republicans of the Town of Venice to chose Delegates to the County Convention. John A. Barber, David Avery, and Lansing Kendall comprised the Town Committee of the party. Then in 1835, Lyman built a standalone tavern, and the house addition was moved to be reused as part of the new tavern. The 1859 map of Murdock's Corners referenced above shows the 1835 tavern, by then called the Venice Center Hotel, located on the southwest corner of present-day State Route 34 and the Poplar Ridge Road, about where the Venice Town Office is now located.

Storke (1879) documents Philander Tracy receiving 1 acre of land from Lyman Murdock upon which Philander built the first store in Venice Center. Philander Tracy was Lyman's brother-in-law.

The first merchant at Venice Center was Philander Tracy, who commenced business in 1835, and continued three years [NOTE:  Another source shows that Philander removed to Lowell, Kent Co., MI in 1836 - R. A. Post].

-- Elliot G. Storke, History of Cayuga County, New York 1789 - 1879 (Syracuse, Onondaga Co., NY, D. Mason & Co., 1879), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, p. 438 https://archive.org/stream/historyofcayugac00stor#page/438/mode/2up

The Venice Center store would have a succession of proprietors over the years following its founding. Perhaps Philander Tracy found the business less than lucrative because he settled at Lowell, Kent Co., Michigan on 5 May 1836 (11). Nevertheless, again referring to the 1859 map referenced above, we can see that the store was located on the northwest corner of the intersection of present-day Route 34 and Poplar Ridge Road, nearly opposite the Murdock house, and was operated by D. Cannon in 1859.

Politics

Lyman Murdock had some involvement of the politcs of the day. In 1831, Lyman may have been sympathetic to the cause of the Anti-Masonic party, if not an active member, as shown by the meeting at his tavern, referenced above. Since most members of the Anti-Masonic party eventually joined with the Whigs, it is not surprising that Lyman Murdock was named at the Whig Nominating County Convention, held at the Auburn House on 23 September 1843, as a Delegate representing the Town of Venice to convene with Delegates of other towns to select a Delegate to the National Convention.

We do not hear of Lyman's direct involvement in politics again until August 1880 when he was among the Republican candidates competing in party caucuses to be named the Republican Nominee for Sheriff of Cayuga County. Lyman did not receive the nomination but was chosen with another competitor, Philip Martin, to graciously escort the Nominee, John Choate, to the convention platform, presumably for Choate's acceptance speech.

Agriculture

Lyman Murdock, operating a farm of about 250 acres, was prominent in agriculture in Southern Cayuga County. Despite the number of enterprises in which he had engaged, he listed his occupation as Farmer in each census. He was a member of the second Cayuga County Agricultural Society by 1845, if not from its formation in 1841. A newspaper story printed in June 1845 listed Lyman as a member of the Committee for Farm Implements during planning for the Cattle Show and Fair of the Agricultural Society to be held at Auburn, Cayuga Co., New York on the 8th and 9th of October of that year. Several years later, Lyman served on the Committee for Devon Cattle, Class No. 1, at the Annual Cattle Show and Fair on the 6th and 7th of October 1852. Committee members presumably did the requisite judging in addition to setting the class and award structures.

The Moravia Agricultural Society was formed in 1858 and invited membership from all the towns of Southern Cayuga County. This caused the Society to be more generally known as the Southern Cayuga Agricultural Society, of which Lyman Murdock became a member and exhibitor at the Southern Cayuga Union Agricultural Fair in 1859.

SOUTHERN CAYUGA UNION AGRICULTURAL FAIR-1859. AWARD OF PREMIUMS. . . . CATTLE-CLASS NO. 1-DURHAMS. . . . 2d bull 2 years or over, L. Murdock  dip[loma]. Best 1 year old, L. Murdock, [$]2.00. . . . Best calf L. Murdock [$]1.00. Best cow L. Murdock [$]2.00. Best heifer calf L. Murdock [$]1.00. . . . CLASS NO. 5. [B]est pair fat oxen Lyman Murdock [$]5.00. . . .

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), Southern Cayuga Union Agricultural Fair - 1859. Award of Premiums (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Auburn Daily Union, Tuesday, 20 September 1859), Old Fulton New York Post Cards http://www.fultonhistory.com

As may be seen, Lyman raised Durham cattle of very good quality, and he garnered more prizes for his cattle at Sherwood the following year. His daughter, Clarinda Racelia "Celia" Murdock displayed one of her paintings of his oxen at this fair, the same painting now hanging at the Howland Stone Store Museum in Sherwood.

The Fair at Sherwoods. - A Fine Display of Stock--Good Attendance and a Fine Time. The second Annual Fair of the southern Cayuga Agricultural Society was held at Sherwoods the 11th and 12th inst. . . . Lyman Murdock exhibited a large and splendid 5 year old Durham steer, which would weigh about 2,300; also a noble calf. . . . The paintings were very fine, developing a taste and artistic competency seldom superceded by any of our Fairs. Among the most prominent was one executed by Miss. C. Murdock, of that yoke of splendid Durham cattle raised by her father, Lyman Murdock, and on exhibition at the Fair last fall. All pronounced the painting a perfect facsimile of the original, in every feature. . . . The following is the award of premiums:  CATTLE. CLASS 1--DURHAM THOROUGH BREED. . . . Best yearling, L. Murdock, [$]2; Best bull calf, L. Murdock, [$]2; 2d bull calf, L. Murdock, [$]1; Best 2 yr old heifer, L. Murdock, [$]2; 2nd 2 yr old heifer, L. Murdock, [$]1. . . . CLASS No. 5--FAT CATTLE. . . . Best fat ox, L. Murdock, [$]2[?]. . . .

-- Thomas Tryniski (scan), Roger Post (transcriber), The Fair at Sherwoods. - A Fine Display of Stock--Good Attendance and a Fine Time (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Daily Union, Wednesday, 12 September 1860), Old Fulton New York Post Cards https://www.fultonhistory.com

To be continued.

References

(1). Elliot G. Storke, History of Cayuga County, New York 1789 - 1879 (Syracuse, Onondaga Co., NY, D. Mason & Co., 1879), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, p. 435

https://archive.org/stream/historyofcayugac00stor#page/434/mode/2up

(2). Joseph Ballard Murdock, Murdock Genealogy:  Robert Murdock of Roxbury, Massachusetts and Some of His Descendants (Boston, Massachusetts, USA, C. E. Goodspeed & Co., 1925), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, pp. 89-90
https://archive.org/details/murdockgenealogy00murd/page/88/mode/2up

(3). Evert E. Tracy, Tracy Genealogy, Ancestors and Descendants, Lieutenant Thomas Tracy, of Norwich, Conn., 1660 (Albany, NY, Joel Munsell's Sons, Publishers, 1898), Google Books https://books.google.com/, pp. 81-82
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=yale.39002013721254&view=1up&seq=89

(4). United States of America, Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900 (Washington, D.C., National Archives, Record Group 15, NARA microfilm publication M804), Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com, Gilbert Tracy
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1995&h=81090&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=TJa32350&_phstart=successSource

(5). Deborah Woodworth Tracy, JoSherman99 (transcriber), Early History of Mrs. Deborah Woodworth Tracy (Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY, Cayuga County Historian's Office), Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com
https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/53345643/person/13562850455/media/f63ad1c1-4034-4b23-85cb-3e6677635c95?_phsrc=TJa31864&_phstart=successSource

(6). Elliot G. Storke, History of Cayuga County, New York 1789 - 1879 (Syracuse, Onondaga Co., NY, D. Mason & Co., 1879), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, Town of Ledyard - Early Settlements; p. 394
https://archive.org/details/historyofcayugac00stor/page/394/mode/2up

(7). Evert E. Tracy, Tracy Genealogy, Ancestors and Descendants, Lieutenant Thomas Tracy, of Norwich, Conn., 1660 (Albany, NY, Joel Munsell's Sons, Publishers, 1898), Google Books https://books.google.com/, p. 128
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=yale.39002013721254&view=1up&seq=136

(8). Joseph Ballard Murdock, Murdock Genealogy:  Robert Murdock of Roxbury, Massachusetts and Some of His Descendants (Boston, Massachusetts, USA, C. E. Goodspeed & Co., 1925), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, p. 128
https://archive.org/details/murdockgenealogy00murd/page/128/mode/2up

(9). Joseph Ballard Murdock, Murdock Genealogy:  Robert Murdock of Roxbury, Massachusetts and Some of His Descendants (Boston, Massachusetts, USA, C. E. Goodspeed & Co., 1925), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, pp. 89-90
https://archive.org/details/murdockgenealogy00murd/page/88/mode/2up

(10). Elliot G. Storke, History of Cayuga County, New York 1789 - 1879 (Syracuse, Onondaga Co., NY, D. Mason & Co., 1879), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, p. 70
https://archive.org/stream/historyofcayugac00stor#page/70/mode/2up/search/Celia+Murdock

(11). M. A. Leeson, History of Kent County, Michigan; Together with Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships . . . Biographies of representative citizens. History of Michigan. (Chicago, Illinois, Chas. C. Chapman & Co., 1881), Internet Archive http://archive.org/, p. 260
https://archive.org/details/bad0958.0001.001.umich.edu/page/259/mode/2up

NOTE:  Additional detailed genealogical sources, newspaper articles, etc. are not enumerated.