Frederick E. Murphy

Born in Troy, St. Croix County, Wisconsin to Irish immigrant homestead farmers James and Mary Ellen (McGraw) Murphy, F.E. Murphy was the sixth of eight children and the younger brother of William J. Murphy. F.E. Murphy received his primary schooling in Hammond, Wisconsin and graduated from the University of Notre Dame, class of 1893.

Following his secondary schooling, F.E. Murphy took employment with his brother W.J. Murphy at the Minneapolis Tribune, who at the time was the owner and publisher of the newspaper. He spent several years learning the publishing business working principally in the circulation and advertising departments, eventually being promoted to assistant to the publisher. In 1910, he took the opportunity to become the Minnesota distributor for the Mitchell Motor Car Company.{{cite news |title=Advertisement |publisher=Star Tribune |date=September 25, 1910 |location=Full Page Ad |page=20}} Early success was followed by distinct problems as the manufacturer had difficulty maintaining quality control, and Murphy eventually terminated his interest in this venture.

It was during this motorcar business venture that F.E. Murphy began forming his FEMCO farming venture in Wilkin County, Minnesota, beginning around 1918. He eventually acquired six farms encompassing over 5,000 acres and implemented diversified farming techniques and raised a variety of purebred livestock. Atypical for the times, he was convinced crop rotation and purebred livestock were the keys to advancing the financial fortunes of the typical farmer, and he used FEMCO as a showcase operation to demonstrate his beliefs.

However, the death of his brother W.J, Murphy in 1918 necessitated F.E. Murphy's return to Minneapolis in 1921 to assume the publisher role of the Minneapolis Tribune.{{cite news |author1=Announcement |title=Murphy Named Publisher |issue=September 1, 1921 |publisher=Star Tribune |date=September 1, 1921 |location=Left Margin |page=12 |language=English}} F.E. Murphy would remain publisher and president until his death some nineteen years later. F.E. Murphy's tenure as publisher was noteworthy. He would become a recognized expert in the publishing business. The Tribune expanded greatly under his leadership and he used the Tribune as a platform to actively promote the benefits of diversified farming techniques and purebred livestock, particularly dairy cows. He served as a director for the Associated Press for eleven years{{cite news |title=Directors Re-Chosen by Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news-directors-re-chosen-by/154491133/ |access-date=2 September 2024 |work=The Buffalo News |date=23 April 1929 |pages=1}} {{Open access}} during his tenure at the Tribune.

In 1933, he was named by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as the United States' delegate to the wheat conference at the London Economic Conference.{{Cite news |date=February 14, 1940 |title=F. E. Murphy Made His Intimate Knowledge Of Newspaper and Farm Work Hand in Hand |work=The Minneapolis Times-Tribune |pages=2}}

Frederick E. Murphy married Catherine Margaret Connolly, a native of Minneapolis, on January 16, 1901 in Minneapolis.{{cite news |title=Marriage of Connolly / Murphy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/minneapolis-daily-times-marriage-of-conn/154491656/ |access-date=2 September 2024 |work=Minneapolis Daily Times |date=18 January 1901 |pages=10}} {{Open access}} They had no children.

Frederick E. Murphy passed away in the Waldorf Astoria New York while visiting there on business.{{cite news |title=F. E. Murphy, Publisher, 67 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/brooklyn-eagle-f-e-murphy-publisher/154491236/ |access-date=2 September 2024 |work=Brooklyn Eagle |date=14 February 1940 |pages=11}} {{Open access}} He was laid to rest in St. Mary's Cemetery in Minneapolis adjacent to his wife and several members of her family. Numerous newspaper accounts from around the United States and beyond made note of his death, commenting on his significant contributions to the publishing world and the agricultural field.{{cite news |title=Northwest Newspaper Comment on Death of Frederick E. Murphy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-northwest-newspaper-comment/154492566/ |access-date=2 September 2024 |work=Star Tribune |date=15 February 1940 |pages=4}} {{Open access}}{{cite news |title=Associated Press Directors Express Their Sorrow |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-associated-press-directors/154492636/ |work=Star Tribune |date=15 February 1940 |pages=4}} {{Open access}}

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Category:20th-century American businesspeople

Category:20th-century American newspaper publishers (people)

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Category:1872 births

Category:1940 deaths