Andrew Lopp Murphy (A.L. Murphy) was born in St. Francois County, Missouri, in 1826. He was the son of William M. Murphy and wife Rachel (George) Murphy. He grew to manhood on his father's farm which was located along the Big River, a few miles northeast of Bonne Terre, Missouri. In his youth, he worked on his father's farm and for a short time as a miner for the St. Joseph Lead Company's mines located at Bonne Terre. In 1849, at the age of 23 years, he decided to try his luck in search of gold in the gold fields of California. He and his older brother, Franklin Murphy, along with a group of others were a part of a company of about 50 people who left Independence, Missouri on May 4, 1849, in ox drawn covered wagons for California. The company was six months going to California. Andrew Murphy kept a daily record of all their experiences while on this trip. His diary tells of all their experiences and hardships. He was one of the few who remained in California more than three years. He remained there for 45 years and it is believed that he spent more of his time as a lonely prospector out in the gold fields. He returned to Missouri in 1897 and lived in the home of his brother, Franklin, and his wife, at Delassus, Missouri. It was at their home that he died in 1900. He is buried in the Masonic Cemetery on the Franklin Murphy burial plot located at Farmington, Missouri.