JAMES "OSAGE" JIM F. MURPHY

MARCH 22, 7891 - MAY 10, 7967

"ARCHERY ENTHUSIAST"

Born near Clarksville, Texas, moved to Bakersfield area in 1892. Jim developed an early interest in archery through his father who learned to shoot a bow hunting with the Choctow-Cherokee Indians in Texas. He started making his own archery equipment at approximately 12 years of age. Jim acquired the nickname of "Osage" later in his life, from the type of bow he shot. (Osage orange wood.)

Although not an Indian, early in his life, besides archery. Jim acquired an interest in Indian artifacts and adopted a chief's headdress and garb with which he became a familiar figure in archery in central California.

It was "Osage" Jim and his friend Chief Sky Eagle who "discovered" the National Field Archery Association's emblem stump, the "rabbit patch", in an area south of Bakersfield where they and their friends had hunted for many years.

In 1935, Jim co-founded the Bakersfield Archery Club, later to become known as the Kern County Archers, whose annual shoot, the Pow-Wow, became synonymous with Osage Jim and archery in California.

Jim Murphy was responsible for introducing untold numbers into archery in the Kern County area. He not only taught the correct methods of shooting
, he would teach any who were interested in how to make archery equipment. Jim was particularly active in teaching archery to young people.

"Osage" Jim Murphy-Dedicated to the promotion of archery.

Inducted 1979