Donn Piatt MURRAY, M. D.
- Details
- Category: Biographies
- Published on Friday, 20 January 2012 03:08
- Written by Eloine Chesnut
Donn Piatt MURRAY, M. D., for many years one of the best known physicians in this section of Indiana, a practitioner at Dunkirk for more than a quarter of a century, a member of the board of directors of the First State Bank of Dunkirk, president of the local school board and in other ways long associated with the general movements having to do with the development of that city, is a native Hoosier, a fact of which he never has ceased to be proud, and has lived in Indiana all his life, a resident of Jay county since his graduation from medical college in 1894. Doctor MURRAY was born in the village of Selma, in the neighboring county of Delaware, September 13, 1870, and is a son of William H. and Margaret J. ( ORR ) MURRAY, the latter of whom was born in that same county. The late William H. MURRAY, an honored veteran of the Civil war and former auditor of Delaware county, was born in Henry county, this state, a son of C. B. MURRAY and wife, the former of whom was a Pennsylvanian who became one of the pioneers of Henry county, but whose last days were spent at Hagerstown, in Wayne county, where he died at the age of eighty-two years. William H. MURRAY was reared in Henry county and was living there when the Civil war broke out. He enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of the Union and went to the front as a member of the 19th regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, which was attached to the celebrated Iron Brigade and with which gallant command he won a commission as first lieutenant. During this service he was twice wounded, once in the battle of the Wilderness and at the battle of Stone Mountain was severely wounded. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. MURRAY returned home and after his marriage established his home at Selma, where he became engaged in the mercantile business. He ever took an active part in local political affairs, long one of the leaders of the Republican party in Delaware county, and for one term served the people of that county as county auditor. He and his wife were the parents of seven children, all of whom are living, Doctor MURRAY having three sisters, Lulu M., Margaret M. and Edna K., and three brothers, James O., Arthur L. and Robert F. MURRAY. Doctor MURRAY's name was given him in honor of Donn PIATT, the noted newspaper correspondent, who was a much admired friend of his father and in acknowledgment of the compliment Mr. PIATT presented the youngster with a silver loving cup and as the boy grew older maintained for some years a personal correspondence with him. The Doctor was graduated from the Muncie high school with the class of 1890 and during the following winter taught school at Smithfield. He then entered the Indiana Medical College at Indianapolis and in 1894 was graduated from that institution. Upon receiving his diploma Doctor MURRAY became associated with Doctor FERTICH in the practice of his profession at Dunkirk and has ever since been a resident of that city. For three years this association with Doctor FERTICH continued and then Doctor MURRAY opened an office of his own and has since been engaged in practice alone, one of the best known physicians in all this territory roundabout. The Doctor is a member of the Jay County Medical Society, and has repeatedly been an office bearer in that society, and is also a member of the Indiana State Medical Society and the American Medical Association, ever taking an active interest in the deliberations of these bodies. He is a Republican, a Freemason, affiliated with the local Masonic lodge at Dunkirk, and is a member of the Congregational church at Dunkirk. The Doctor has long taken an interested part in the general commercial and industrial development of his home town and is a member of the board of directors of the First State Bank of Dunkirk. On November 22, 1898, at Dunkirk, Dr. Donn Piatt MURRAY was united in marriage to Lulu BEST, of that city, and to this union three children have been born, one of whom died in infancy, the others being Sarah Margaret, born on July 20, 1907, and John William MURRAY, March 1, 1914. Mrs. MURRAY was born at Fayette City, Pa., but has been a resident of Dunkirk since the days of her girlhood, her parents, John and Sarah BEST, having moved to that city years ago. Doctor and Mrs. MURRAY have a very pleasant home at Dunkirk and have ever taken an interested part in the general social and cultural activities of the city as well as of the community at large. Mrs. MURRAY is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. SOURCE: Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II, pp.241-242. Transcribed by Eloine Chesnut