Mercer Maid Links

Mercer Maids:

The Voyage West:

Asa Shinn Mercer:

Josephine & Georgianna Pearson:

Sarah Cheney:

Sarah Jane Gallagher:

Mary Elizabeth Ordway:

Antoinette Josephine Baker:

Ann M. Murphy

Until recently the only thing I knew about Ann Murphy was that she was one of the ladies that left Lowell in March of 1864 for Seattle.

Seattle historians reported that she did arrive with the others on May 16, 1864, but that she did not stay.

A year later when the second group of Mercer Girls made the trip one of them, Flora Pearson, wrote in her diary, that Anna Murphy had visited her and her mother at the hotel in San Francisco.

Recently I was in Lowell, Massachusetts looking for clues into the lives of these girls and I found a little more information on Ann.

As I searched through the city directories for Lowell I found that Anna is listed as a school teacher at Primiary school # 11 on Cross street, in a neighborhood known as the "Acre". She taught there from 1857 until 1861. This neighborhood's residences were primiarly Irish at the time.

Since I now know for sure that she was in Lowell in 1860 I can search the 1860 census for her. Unfortunatly she is not listed in the index for the census so I must search it page by page. Any of you that have ever looked at the early census microfilms know that this is not an easy task and may take me several attempts.

But atleast I now feel that there is hope for finding out more about this elusive Mercer Girl. WISH ME LUCK!

UPDATE September 1, 2000

After looking through 3/5ths of the roll of microfilm I located an entry that I believe is that of Ann Murphy and her mother and sister.

It reads...

J. B. Murphy, age 42, occupation house keeper

Mary A., age 20, occupation teacher

Catherine, age 18, occupation milliner

There are several clues that lead me to believe that this is Ann's family.

I'll keep you up to date as I investigate further.