Marker Text |
San Patricio Chief Justice, Patrick Frances Murphy and wife, Elizabeth Mary Catherine, daughter of Empresario, James McGloin, puchased The Point at Echo in 1875. They built this Modest Greek Revival Story and a half frame house on their Nueces River's east bank ranch with imported cypress carted from Indianola by oxen. Patrick sold the Echo property to Margaret Mary Healy-Murphy, widow of his brother, Attorney John Bernard Murphy, who died in 1884 while mayor of Corpus Christi. Margaret Mary built Saint Peter Claver's Church campus in San Antonio with private funds, including convent and free school for black children. She then founded the first order of nuns in Texas using the Murphy Ranch House for retreats and training. To sustain the Mission, she sold the Ranch before her death in 1907. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2015 |