Lewis Scott Murphy (1886-1947) and his wife Ellen Shaw Murphy (1886-1979) were enthusiastic patrons of the arts in Brown County, Indiana for several decades beginning around the 1930's. They acquired many large collections of paintings and pottery by local artists, as well as pen knives, glass pitchers, quilts and coverlets. Their collection included dozens of ceramic works by Karl Martz.

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See more pottery photos below.

Scott was a Foreman or General Manager at Marion Mallable Ironworks in Marion, Indiana, that manufactured components for railroads. Starting around 1932, the Murphys became close friends of Brown County artist Will Vawter (obituary continued; 1871-1941) and his wife Ola Lackey Genolin Vawter. As reported in the local newspapers, the Murphys often spent weekends with the Vawters in Brown County, and sometimes the Vawters visited the Murphys in Marion. Scott & Ellen Murphy often hosted, at the Vawter residence, outdoor Sunday breakfasts attended by around 40-50 friends, such as this one in 1937. This tradition continued at the Vawter home in 1938 even after the Murphys had moved into their own new home West of Nashville (see below). A photo titled Scott Murphy at the griddle was taken by Frank Hohenberger during this era. By 1940 (or perhaps sooner) these breakfasts were held at the cook-house on the estate of the Murphy's home West of Nashville (see below).

Scott "discovered" Karl Martz in 1937 at Karl's first studio, in the remote Batchfield Cabin. Scott persuaded Karl and Becky to move their studio to a location more accessible to tourists, and he generously helped to fund the move and to set up and furnish the new studio and showroom, in the Pink House. Becky Brown Martz remembers Scott's generosity as one of his foremost traits. It is quite possible that Karl would not have been so successful early in his career (1938-1942) without Scott Murphy's encouragement, guidance, and support.

Karl made two sets of ceramic dinnerware for the Murphys. In 2004, Becky Brown Martz (Karl's wife) says this was a miracle, because Karl hated to make any two pots the same, and "nearly went crazy" making the Murphy dinnerware. Dates on the dinnerware pieces span several years, suggesting that it may have taken Karl several years to complete the set. The dinnerware is monogrammed "LE", for LewEllen Estates.

Becky also recalls that on a number of occasions, Scott invited Karl to accompany him on business trips by car to large cities in the MidWest. Scott and Karl used these opportunities to visit art galleries and collections. These trips early in Karl's career (1937-1942) considerably broadened Karl's horizons, according to Becky.

All pottery in the photos on this page are by Karl Martz, most made 1938-1941. Individually pictured works, and some of the works in the group pictures, were originally in the Murphy Collection. Click on any image below for a larger image and more information.

In 1937, the Murphys began building a home West of Nashville, Indiana which they named "LewEllen Estates". They moved into their new LewEllen home in 1938. Eventually, LewEllen became their year-round residence. Ellen gardened and wrote poetry. Scott was over six feet tall, sociable and entertaining, and he enjoyed cooking outdoors for some of their frequent parties. In addition to the home at LewEllen, Scott built a separate cook-house -- something that today we might call an entertainment pavilion. Scott and Ellen's Sunday Breakfasts at LewEllen were renowned as lively gatherings for the local artists and art collectors. Two such events were at LewEllen in 1940 and again in 1941.

Frank Hohenberger took a number of photographs at LewEllen Estates, including:

• Scott Murphy at the griddle (undated).
• 1938: Group at Bear Wallow lookout:
  • Scott Murphy: bottom row, leftmost.
  • Ellen Murphy: top row, third from the right.
  • Mary Jane Murphy (daughter of Scott and Ellen): bottom row, fourth from the right.
• 1942-44: Scott Murphy home from northeast.
• 1951: Interior of Mrs. Ellen Murphy's home.
• 1955: Ellen Murphy's Cookhouse.

In 2001, the 20-acre property containing the former Murphy home and cook-house was purchased to build a new St. Agnes Catholic Church, which was completed in 2002 (see History of St. Agnes Parish). In April 2004, Barbara Judd showed Eric Martz and Becky Brown Martz the location of the former LewEllen Estates. The three of us visited and a kind nun who was living in the house showed us around. The daffodils were in bloom.

The former Scott & Ellen Murphy LewEllen home (left) and cookhouse (right) in 2003. Compare with the Hohenberger photos taken half a century earlier, linked above. Photograph by Eric Martz.

Interior of the living room of the former Scott & Ellen Murphy LewEllen home in 2004, showing the bay window on the South side. Compare with the Hohenberger photo taken half a century earlier, linked above. Photograph by Eric Martz.

In 2013, the Google Earth aerial photos were taken when the leaves were off of the trees, making a clearer view of the buildings.

St. Agnes Parish Estate, West of Nashville, Indiana. Google Earth photo from 2013.

Former LewEllen home and cookhouse now on the St. Agnes Parish Estate. Google Earth photo from 2013.

Scott and Ellen had two children, Jimmy (??-??) and Mary Jane (??-1979). Mary Jane married Ernest Cory Murray, a physician. They had two sons, Ernest Scott Murray (born 1945) and Thomas Allen Murray (born 1947, an archeologist who has lived in Honduras). Ernest Scott Murray married Joanne [maiden name?]. They had two daughters, Tracy Ellen Murray, a history teacher, and Carrie Murray who is studying art history.

Other documents on this website that mention Scott Murphy:

• Karl Martz and Becky Brown in the 1930's
• Our Lives in Brown County (1935-61) (by Becky Brown Martz).
• Karl Martz Timeline