Research conducted by Dewey Murdock has been used to update the history of the Murdock family beyond their time in Michigan.

In 1968, an old farmhouse on Kephart Lane was slated for demolition to make way for a new subdivision.  As the crews worked to tear down the house, they were surprised to discover that a log cabin existed under its modern exterior.  The discovery of the cabin was an exciting moment for area historians, who believed the original home of Berrien Springs co-founder Francis Murdock (sometimes spelled Murdoch) had been found.  Further investigations, including recent review of land deeds by researchers, haven proven this theory to be fact.

The Family

Francis arrived from Pennsylvania with his wife, Eliza, and their year-old son, George, in 1830.  While Francis was a practicing lawyer, the land was a gift from his father-in-law.  Eliza’s father, George Kimmel, would eventually own upwards to 10,000 acres in Michigan, most of it located in Southwest Michigan.  Several hundred acres would be given to his children over the years, providing several Kimmel branches the homestead they needed to get started.

Francis would become one of the few practicing lawyers in Berrien County and assisted with early government.  He also joined with two other landowners to plat and establish Berrien (later Berrien Springs).  Despite his role in the creation of what would become the County seat, the Murdocks (now a family of four) left the area in early 1835 as Eliza’s battle with tuberculosis worsened. 

The local paper reported that the family were aiming south towards New Orleans, but they never made it any further than Ohio, where Eliza died later that same year and was buried in a local cemetery.  The small family briefly spent time in Alton, IL, where he served as the city attorney.  His largest case, the 1837 death via mob violence of abolitionist Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy, produced no convictions and he left the city for Missouri.  Evidence of Murdock’s abolitionist stance seems to date back to his time in Berrien Springs, but truly came in their own during his years in Alton.

Afterwards, Francis would settle his smally family in St. Louis, where he continued to practice law. During this time, he remarried twice.  The first was in 1838 to Missouri-born Mary Johnson, who passed, and the second in 1844 was to Eliza Kimmel’s cousin, Mary Graham.  No children were born of the Johnson marriage, but Mary and Francis would have seven children, bringing the family size to eleven.

While he likely practiced a variety of cases, Murdock was most known for his freedom suits on behalf of enslaved plaintiffs.  It’s estimated between 1840 and 1847, that at least one-third of all freedom suits were filed by Murdock.  His biggest case in Missouri was filing briefs for Dred and Harriet Scott, although he was unable take the case to court due to political machinations that cost Murdock his home.  Alexander Field and David Hall would take on the case.

After the events in Missouri, Francis and Mary briefly returned to Michigan before heading to California.  It seems that minus a daughter that stayed in Missouri, the rest of the children were left in the care of family in Michigan.  While in California, the Murdocks would turn to journalism as a career when Francis purchased the Santa Clara Register in 1853.  Renamed the San Jose Telegraph, he would continue to serve as editor until its sale in 1860.  Three years later he would buy and expand the San Jose Tribune (renamed the San Jose Weekly Patriot) until 1875.

Mary would precede Francis in death, dying in 1870.  He would pass away due to complications from stroke in 1882.  Both were interred in San Jose’s Oak Hill Memorial Park.  While Francis never returned to Michigan, sons George (Eliza) and Francis (Mary) returned to Berrien Springs.  They established long careers, and George followed his father’s footsteps by serving as the long-time editor of The Berrien Springs Era.

The House

Most log cabins in the Northwest Territory (which included Michigan) were simple structures that took advantage of the heavily forested region.  As families were often clearing land to farm, using the existing logs to build homes, barns, and outbuildings made the most sense.  Due to time and resources, most log cabin homes were single story and small.  These were either expanded upon or replaced completely as the family’s financials improved.

The Murdock’s cabin was built in what is now the northwest section of Berrien Springs in 1830.  In the 1970s, a state historian used dendrochronology to determine the build year and the house’s second story was part of the original design.   There is some debate about its status as the oldest two-story log cabin Michigan as it is believed the Davenport House on Mackinac Island may be an original two-story cabin. However, between the inability to determine when the second story was added and its modifications over the years, it can be said that the Murdock Cabin is the oldest in its original state.

After the Murdocks left Berrien County, the house remained standing and over the next thirty years, an extension was added, and a modern exterior/interior renovation occurred.  Additional modernization of the home took place through the early part of the 20th century, although subsequent owners were unaware the cabin was underneath the plaster and clapboard siding.  The house would remain frozen in time and the last residents to live in the home reported having no indoor plumbing minus a single pipe for the kitchen sink, no heating or cooling system, and that plaster had crumbled away from the walls.  While they were aware there was a log structure under the walls, they had little knowledge of its history.

Upon its discovery, the Historical Commission had hoped to leave the house in its location and build a park around it.  However, that plan did not come to fruition and for five years the house stood on Kephart Lane, the victim of time, weather, and vandals.  Researchers from Western Michigan and later from the state studied the home and their information – mentioned above – gave the push needed to make preservation possible.

As a Historic Site

Thanks to funding from area municipalities, the building was moved intact to the Courthouse Square in 1973.  For reasons unknown to us today, the extension was removed and skilled artisans recreated the timber design to fill in the wall gaps left by the removal.  The seamless transition is more obvious today but has stood up to weather and time for over 50 years.  At first glance, it’s hard to tell that anything was cut out from the wall, proving that great skill can make anything seamless. 

In the early years, the house was outfitted in period artifacts and was often used for historic demonstrations and re-enactments.  By the early 2000s this use ceased, and the building remain stationary.  By the beginning of the 2020s, the cabin was once again a place for programs and exhibits, with the most recent featuring the artwork of Berrien County artist Nancy Swan Drew.

To the east of the cabin is the garden, which was installed in the 1990s by the Michigan State University extension master gardener group as part of their course completion project.  The garden, currently under the care of the Berrien Springs Garden Club, will become the property’s fifth interpretive location with the advent of the Burnham Heritage Garden.  We are currently raising funds for phase two of the Garden, which you can support by donating here.