Date of Graduation
12-2018
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in History (MA)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
History
Advisor/Mentor
Patrick G. Williams
Committee Member
Daniel E. Sutherland
Second Committee Member
Michael C. Pierce
Keywords
19th Century, Arkansas, Biography, Unionism, Unionist
Abstract
The gubernatorial administration of Isaac Murphy from 1864-1868, as Arkansas began emerging from the Civil War into Reconstruction, has had a thorough, if dated, examination in Arkansas historiography. However, Murphy’s life and pre-gubernatorial career, including his early political activities—being the first treasurer of Washington County, Arkansas (1836-1838), serving three terms in the Arkansas General Assembly (two in the House, 1846-1849, and one in the Senate, 1856-1857), and the totality of his action during both sessions of Arkansas’s Secession Convention (1861)—have been largely neglected. This thesis will additionally provide a biographical interpretation of Murphy necessary to fully understand his political actions—his life, personality, his much-vaunted sense of morality, and how his experiences informed his politics and decisions.
Citation
Todd, K. J. (2018). Forging with Embers: The Life and Pre-gubernatorial Career of Isaac Murphy, 1799-1864. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/3065