Clayton co IAGenWeb

Notes: The above images are on heavy stock, almost cardboard and are not photos. Rather, they are part pencil sketch and part pen and ink.

Samuel Murdock & Ellen unknown were born and raised in County Armaugh, Ireland. On the 1860 census, Samuel is listed as age 90, indicating his birthdate as c1770 & Ellen is age 85, indicating a birthdate of c1775. Sometime after their marriage, they emigrated to Pittsburg, PA in 1812 and then to near Cleveland, OH in 1827. They were the parents of at least two children: Samuel & Eliza (born 1819).

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1. Samuel Murdock was born March 13, 1817 in Alleghany co. near Pittsburg, PA. He removed to near Cleveland, OH with his parents in 1827, studying law & teaching school. He removed to Iowa in 1841, settling in Clayton co. in 1843. In 1845 he was elected a member of the Territorial Legislature, in 1855 he became the first Judge of the 10th Judicial District and in 1869 was elected to the thirteenth Iowa General Assembly. He married Louisa (Sarra) Patch, daughter of Luther Patch, on April 11, 1845. Louisa was born c1821.

Samuel & Louisa were the parents of 6 children, 4 who are named in census documents & biographies:
Ellen E. Murdock, who died whle studying to be a doctor
Marion (Mary) Murdock, b. c1849 in Iowa, became a pastor, never married
Amelia Murdock, b. c1852 in Iowa, married Matthew Wing
Caroline Murdock, appears in the 1860 census

Amelia and Marion played a role in the early days of the women's movement. Both were influential ministers in the Universalist/Unitarian church and were part of "The Iowa Sisterhood".

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2. Eliza B. Murdock was born March 6, 1819 in Allegheny co., Pennsylvania. She removed to near Cleveland, OH with her parents in 1827. She married James Lovell Gilbert on September 2, 1843 in Rockport, OH. They removed to Wisconsin and then in 1846, to Clayton co. James was born April 14, 1818 in Vermont. James & Eliza were the parents of 9 children, the names of 7 known:

i. Eliza E. Gilbert (Lyde) b. 09/14/1849 (family record) or in 1850 (1860 census), m. Marvin G. Cook in 1869. Marvin was b. 01/16/1845. They lived in Clayton Co. but also spent some years in Huron, SD and Chicago, IL. Marvin died in 1913 in Elkader. Eliza E. died 3/30/1931. Family records sometimes refer to Eliza E. as 'Liza Ellen' & later as 'Grandma Sunshine'. They had 2 children:

-Herbert Cook
-Irving Cook, b. February 1872, m. Viola Loretta (maiden name may be Weary or McEathron) in 1893. She was b. October 1876 in Lena, IL. They had 2 children: Gilbert K. Cook, b. 1899 and Clara Vivian Cook, b. 03/15/1895 in Huron, SD.

ii. Samuel L. Gilbert, b. 1851
iii. Harriet R. Gilbert, b. 1853
iv. Julius M. Gilbert, b. 1854
v. Melville L. Gilbert (Melvin), b. 1856
vi. Martha M. Gilbert, b. 1859 in either Garnavillo or Elkader; m. Ellzy W. Adams, on 12/03/1883. They had one child: Blanche
vii. S.D. Gilbert

Martha Gilbert Adams, undated
Dunn Photography, Meadville, PA

Marvin G. Cook, undated

Marvin G. Cook, undated
Ed Sampson, photographer, Huron, S.D.

Great-grandmother Cook, undated
Ed Sampson, photographer, Huron, S.D.

Irving Cook, undated

Irving Cook, undated

-family notes & photos contributed by Dan McDougall. His wife, Wendy Ellen Mason McDougall, is Clara Vivian Cook's granddaughter.
(Dan's email address can be found in the surname registry under Murdock)