This is a cousin line for me but I just discovered it's a direct line for my son on his paternal side, so I've been researching it all day and adding the connections in our Ancestry tree. I found some really good documentation, and nothing I've seen shows Simon's name as anything other than Simon. Where does the Simon Jephta come from? Is there anything to validate that he had a middle name of Jephta?
Here are some of the links to the sources I found today:
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Murphy-2694
https://www.ancestry.com/boards/surnames.murphy/3280
https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~freshnup/genealogy/markmurph/text/2...
"SIMON MURPHY I (Richard1)
Simon Murphy I (son of Richard and Mary Elisabeth Byrd) married about 1723 to his first cousin, Elisabeth Byrd. They had 17 children (16 sons and 1 daughter). The only sons of whom we have a record are (7) Simon Murphy II (born about 1725); (8) Sion Murphy; and (9) Byrd Murphy. It is said that one daughter married a Mr. McGantz."
http://ecctechservice.com/Byrds/Bird-Byrd%20Genealogy%20Book.pdf
I usually work in Ancestry.com or Family Search (LDS) website. I don't know where the name came from. It is fine with me however you want to change it. Right now I am struggling with the Henry Percy line, the Plantaganet line, and I think the DeBruce line is coming up, where everybody has the same name. I didn't expect to find more than my grandparents when I started this, so I am a bit overwhelmed. The LDS site has lines all the way back to BC. I hope I live enough years to finish this for my granddaughter. The americans have been the hardest. Anything you want to do is fine with me. I hope your search goes well. There may be some people I can help with. Contact me any time.
I don't see Jephta anymore in ancestry except in one of the children. I have tried to copy what the 3 other family members put down. I hope this helps.
Moffitt Family Tree
Owner: Denise Ofsthun
Simon Richard Murphy Jr
BIRTH1703 Eastern, Giles, Virginia, United States DIFFERENT
DEATH5 Jul 1753 Albemarle Parish, Surry, Virginia DIFFERENT
sources (8)records (7)photos (1)stories (2)
Family Info
Father
Richard Murphy (1677–1759)
Mother
Mary Elizabeth Filmer (stepfather Byrd) (1683–1737)
Spouse
Elizabeth Bettie Byrd (1705–1753)
Married 1727
Children
Ann Blair (1722–1795)
Miles (1723–1821)
Richard Tillman (1727–1759)
Arthur (1730–1803)
Hannah (1732–)
Simon Jeptha (Duke) (1732–1795)
Byrd (1734–)
Catherine "Katy" (1736–1753)
Lucy (1736–1753)
Mary Margaritty (1739–1803)
Elizabeth (1740–1803)
Savannah Hess Family Tree
Owner: Savannah Hess
Simon Richard Murphy Jr
BIRTH1703 Eastern, Giles, Virginia, United States DIFFERENT
DEATH5 Jul 1753 Albemarle Parish, Surry, Virginia DIFFERENT
sources (9)records (8)photos (1)
Family Info
Father
Richard Murphy (1677–1759)
Mother
Mary Elizabeth Filmer (1683–1737)
Spouse
Elizabeth Bird (1705–1753)
Married 1727
Children
Ann Blair (1722–1795)
Miles (1723–1821)
Richard Tillman (1727–1759)
Arthur (1730–1803)
Col. Simon Jeptha "Duke" (1732–1795)
Hannah (1732–)
Byrd (1734–)
Catherine "Katy" (1736–1753)
Mary (1739–1803)
Elizabeth Barnes (1740–1803)
Page Family Tree
Owner: Derekp29
Simon Richard Murphy Jr
Simon Richard Murphy Jr
BIRTH1703 Eastern, Giles, Virginia, United States DIFFERENT
DEATH5 Jul 1753 Albemarle Parish, Surry, Virginia DIFFERENT
sources (1)
Family Info
Father
Richard James Murphy II (1677–1759)
Mother
Mary Elizabeth Filmer (1683–1737)
Spouse
Elizabeth Byrd (1705–1753)
Married 1727
Children
Ann Blair (1722–1795)
Miles (1723–1821)
Richard Tillman (1727–1759)
Arthur (1730–1803)
Col. Simon Jeptha "Duke" (1732–1795)
Hannah (1732–)
Byrd (1734–)
Catherine "Katy" (1736–1753)
Mary (1739–1803)
Elizabeth Barnes (1740–1803)
Well, I fixed it on Simon I but can't change it on his son's profile because the fields are locked. :(
https://www.geni.com/profile/edit_basics/6000000004985932093