As a child, Nathan W. Murphy began rummaging through his father’s genealogical research notes. He’s part of a new wave of “whippersnappers” – young people who start their professional careers, right out of college, as genealogists.[1] He holds a BA in Family History/Genealogy from Brigham Young University and an MA in English Local History from the University of Leicester. His graduate studies focused on the English Atlantic World. He has worked as a genealogist in Salt Lake City since 2006 for professional research firms, the Family History Library, and is now a Senior Genealogist Researcher for AncestryProGenealogists, the official research division of Ancestry.
Nathan is passionate about tracing the English origins of American colonists of all social strata, ranging from indentured servants to gateways of royal descent. He was elected 165th Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists in 2016. He holds the title Accredited Genealogist for both England and the Mid-South United States and is Genealogist for the Great Migration Study Project.
Nathan lives in Saratoga Springs, Utah with his wife and three daughters. He accepts clients through AncestryProGenealogists. Website: https://www.progenealogists.com/. Email: nmurphy@ancestry.com.
[1] Sharon Tate Moody, “Rise of the Whippersnapper – Youth Trend a Positive for APG,” Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly 21 (2006):137.
Selected Articles:
“Gibbs and Robertson Ancestry of Merrable Gibbs, Wife of John1 Folger of Martha’s Vineyard, and Anne Gibbs, Wife of Rev. John1 Fiske of Chelmsford, Massachusetts,” The American Genealogist 88 (2016):277–92.
With co-author Leslie Mahler, FASG, “The King, Vanson, and de Colonia Ancestors of William1 Fitzhugh of Virginia,” The American Genealogist 88 (2016):58–72, 145–57.
With co-authors Douglas Richardson and Matthew Tompkins, “Gleanings from the Common Pleas: Margaret Grey [died c.1504], Wife of Edward Stafford, KB, Earl of Wiltshire, and of Henry Stafford, KG, Earl of Wiltshire,” Foundations 8 (2016):98–100.
“The English Origin and Royal Descent of Margaret1 Domville, the Wife of Robert Hatton of Lymm, Cheshire and John1 Banks of Maryland,” The American Genealogist 87 (2015):226–235, 285–298.
With co-author Leslie Mahler, FASG, “The George Ancestry of Early Modern Author and Educator Bathsua (Reynolds) Makin of London,” The American Genealogist 87 (2014):109–16.
“The English Origin of Anne1 Redman, Wife of Captain Anthony Smith and Mr. John Webster, of Virginia,” The American Genealogist 86 (2013):241–48.
With co-author Robert Lewis Giannini III, “An Italian Indentured Servant Contract: Thomas Jefferson’s Gardener, Anthony1 Giannini (1773–1778),” National Genealogical Society Quarterly 100 (2012):221–28.
With co-author Leslie Mahler, FASG, “The English Ancestry of Alice Reynolds, Wife of John1 Roper of Dedham, Massachusetts,” The American Genealogist 85 (2011):222–34.
“The English Origin of John1 Josua, Gentleman, 1609 Adventurer to Virginia: An Analysis of the First English Will to Mention American Kin,” The American Genealogist 85 (2011):29–36.
“The Devon Seafaring Origins of William1 Byrd’s Mother’s Family: Grace (Stegge) Byrd of London, Thomas1 Stegge of Charles City County, Virginia, and Captain Abraham1 Read of Charles City County, Virginia; Including Additional Details about William Byrd’s Father John Byrd’s Career as a London Goldsmith,” The American Genealogist 84 (2010):241–56.
“London Foundlings in Colonial America: Overseas Leads to Dead Ends; John1 Abchurch, William1 Abchurch, Isaac1 Jewry, and Henry1 Woolchurch of Virginia and Maryland,” The American Genealogist 83 (2008):100–10.
” ‘To be sent to America’: Indentured Servants Registered at Lyme Regis, Dorset, England, 1683–1689,” Genealogists’ Magazine 29 (2007):101–2.
“Cornelius1 McDermott Roe: Indentured Servant to George Washington,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly 95 (2007):135–46.
“Devon’s Supply of North American and Caribbean Indentured Servants, 1655–1660,” Genealogists’ Magazine 29 (2007):3–12.
“Origins of Colonial Chesapeake Indentured Servants: American and English Sources,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly 93 (2005):5–24.