John Murphey served as the first mayor of Morristown after the War Between the States. He was elected in 1867 and again in 1868, (serving, then two one year terms in office.) He was born on November 23, 1839 in North Carolina, and came to Tennessee when young. He became a lawyer, entering the bar at Elizabethton, Tennessee in 1861.
At the outbreak of the war, Murphey travelled to Louisville, Kentucky, and enlisted in the Federal Army, as did many other East Tennesseans who were Unionist sympathisers. He joined the 4th Tennessee Infantry, USA, and served that regiment as Lieutenant, adjutant (which is to say that he acted as assistant to the commander of the regiment). I believe the 4th Tennessee was active in and around Morristown during the war, and Murphey probably spent some time in town during that period.
After the war, Murphey married Susan P. Clark of Kingston, Tennessee (12-4-1845 / 10-4-1926), and they then moved to Morristown. The house they built and lived in still stands at the corner of Main and Jackson Streets. It was called Ruby Mansion, and is now the site of Mayes Funeral Home. Another house, on 1st North Street, called Murphey House, is also associated with this family, I think his son, Charles Kemp Murphey, lived here. The Murpheys had eight children:
Murphey was a merchant for several years. He was commonly referred to as Major Murphey, and I believe this was the appropriate title due to an ex-Lieutenant, adjutant. He started the Lookout Bank, and served as cashier for fifteen years. He also served as President of the bank. For around twenty-five years he was clerk and master of the chancery court. He was a Mason, and also a charter member of the Morristown Lodge. He was active for a number of years in the temperance movement. He was a member of the Centenary M. E. Church. When, in the 1870's, the old mill burned down and several homes and buildings were threatened by the growing fire, Murphey was one of the men who acted heroically to stem the flames. This happened in the area between where the library is today and from there east along Main Street towards Mill Street. He died of heart failure on April 23, 1908 and was buried at Jarnigan Cemetery with Masonic honors. His grave is located just past and to the right of the archway. Many may remember a broken down iron bench which sat for years beside his large monument. I knew a descendant of his, Roy Murphey, also an attorney, and, if John was anything like Roy, he was a good man.