JAMES E. MURDOCK, farmer and stock-raiser, Union Township, is a native of Cass County, Indiana, born June 3, 1838, a son of WILLIAM T. MURDOCK, a prominent citizen and pioneer of the county.  He was two years old when his parents moved to Tippecanoe County, and here he was reared amid the scenes familiar to all who have helped to settle and improved a new country.  At that time schools were not the best in this county, and his educational advantages were necessarily limited, although he was given better privileges than the majority of boys at that time.  He remained at home until his marriage and then rented a farm of his father on the Wea Plains for two years, when he went to Iroquois County, Illinois, and bought a farm, but one year later sold it and moved to Richmond, Indiana, and for one year was engaged in the mercantile business.  He then returned to Wea Plains and lived two years, then went to Lafayette and engaged in the mercantile business seven years.  He then moved to Templeton, Benton County, and remained six years, and while there was appointed postmaster by President Grant.  From Templeton he went Logansport, where he continued the mercantile business a year, and in 1881 sold out and bought the farm on section 4, Union Township, where he now lives.  His farm contains 140 acres of valuable land, and his building improvements are among the best in the county.

MR. MURDOCK was married December 25, 1861, to MARIA J. BRYDEN, who was born in Fountain County, Indiana, a daughter of EDWARD and PRISCILLA (BOSWELL) BRYDEN.  MR. and MRS. MURDOCK have had two children--ADA and LIZZIE.  ADA died when eighteen years of age, and LIZZIE is the wife of CHARLES E. NORTHCUTT.  MR. and MRS. NORTHCUTT have a son named JAMES EDWARD MURDOCK NORTHCUTT, born July 9, 1887.  MRS. MURDOCK is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.  In politics MR. MURDOCK affiliates with the Democratic party.

Biographical Record and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, pp. 716, 719.
Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1888