The John P. Murphy Foundation (f. 1960) was organized by John Patrick Murphy (1887-1969), a native of Westboro, Massachusetts, who came to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1920 to serve as the lawyer for the Van Sweringen brothers. Murphy was appointed executor of their estate and, after their deaths, took over their interest in the Higbee Company with his partner Charles Bradley. When Murphy died, this interest along with most of his $13 million estate went into the foundation. The primary interests of the foundation include Catholic education, both secondary and higher, medicine, music, and the Community fund. In 1985, Murphy's former attorney, Frank E. Joseph, was president of the foundation.
The John P. Murphy Foundation Records, 1970-1993 and undated, consist of grant proposals, audited financial statements, and investment reports from National City Bank.
This collection is of value to researchers who are studying foundation grants awarded in the areas of arts and culture, education, social sciences, the community, health, and religion. The primary interests of the Murphy Foundation include Catholic education (secondary and higher), medicine, music, and the community. This collection is also of interest for the study of the impact of philanthropy on Cleveland, Ohio, the evolution of foundation management, and the nature of giving patterns in the above noted categories.
The collection has been retained in original order and is arranged in two series. Series I: Grant Proposals is arranged by the grant number assigned by the foundation which correlates with the month, year, and sequence in which that grant was awarded. Each annual sequence is followed by the introduction letters for organizations whose proposals were declined in that year. Series II: Financial Records is arranged by document type and then chronologically.
The researcher should also consult MS 4207 John P. Murphy Foundation Records.
Processed by Paula Cohen in 1994.
None.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4681 John P. Murphy Foundation Records, Series II, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
John P. Murphy Foundation, 1993.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.