MURPHEY, Archibald Debow, jurist, born in Caswell county, North Carolina, in 1777; died in Hillsborough, North Carolina, 3 February, 1832. He was graduated at the University of North Carolina in 1799, filled the chair of ancient languages in that institution for three years, and then studied law, was admitted to the bar, and obtained a large practice. He was a judge of the superior court in 1818-'20, and a member of the state senate in 1812-'18. As chairman of the committee on public education he recommended in 1817 a system that embraced common schools, academies, and a university. He also advocated extensive internal improvements, and published "A Memoir of Improvements Contemplated, and the Resources and Finances of the State" (Raleigh, 1819). He compiled "Reports of Cases in the Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1804-'13 and 1818-'9" (3 vols., 1821-'6), and labored for many years on a history of the state, for which he was authorized by the legislature to raise money by a lottery, but he published only one or two chapters treating of the Indians.