Thomas Murphy was born in Villerstown, Waterford Co., Ireland, on April 27, 1840. He was the son of William and Ellen (White) Murphy. His family immigrated to the United States in 1841 or 1842 and settled in the vicinity of Moretown, Vermont. Thomas' mother died November 9, 1853, and some time afterward, Thomas was sent to live with the family of Judge Jacob Kimball Parish in Randolph, Vermont. In honor of the family that befriended him he took the middle name of Parish.
Thomas enlisted from Roxbury, Vermont in Co. H, 6th Vermont Volunteer Infantry Regiment on August 14, 1861, and was selected as a corporal. He was wounded in the arm at the battle Dam No. 1 (also known as the battle of Lee's Mill), in Newport News, Virginia, on April 16, 1862 and the bullet was never removed. He was promoted to 1st Sergeant July 10, 1863. He was wounded again June 6, 1864 at Cold Harbor, Virginia. He was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in Co. B, 6th Vermont, on May 15, 1864, and was mustered out of service on October 28, 1864. He moved west in 1866 and eventually settled in Kansas. He died December 4, 1915.
From the description of The civil war papers of Thomas Parish Murphy, 1861-1874; bulk: 1861-1865. (Vermont Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 401305038
