Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Murphy akaberekerwa muWestchester County, New York, uye akagadzwa kuva mutevedzeri womukuru mukuru wehondo musi waAugust 10, 1841. Akashanda muHondo neMexico pa
Vera Cruz naTabasco vari mungarava. Akasiya basa rake semutungamiri wezvikepe musi waMay 10, 1852, mushure mebasa rake rokupedzisira semubatsiri paongororo yaJohn G. Barnard yeIsthmus yeTehuantepec. Akaenda kunzvimbo dzevanhu voga voga, achishanda somukuru mukuru wekutanga paCollins'mutsetse wemidziyo yemvura, muongorori weguta reNew York, Chief Engineer weBrooklyn Navy Yard, uye pakupedzisira senhengo yeNew York State Senate (4th D.) muna 1860 na1861.