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Secretary Patrick Murfin

Patrick Murfin was born in Twin Bridges, Montana on March 17, 1949 and grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming.   It was there he adopted his trademark broad brimmed western hats.   The family left Cheyenne and relocated to Skokie, Illinois in 1966 where he finished high school at Niles Township West.   He began writing as a columnist in the school paper and a contributor of poetry and short stories to the literary magazine.

Patrick was a co-founder of the Liberal Youth of Niles Township (LYNT), which took on issues ranging from student academic freedom, to open housing, to the draft.   He edited the organization’s mimeographed “underground newspaper,” The Promethean.  

Patrick attended Shimer College, then in Mt. Carroll, Illinois.   At Shimer he was involved in the anti-war movement.   On December 4, 1967, he returned his draft card in protest to the War in Vietnam, the beginning of a long struggle with the Selective Service System.  

In the summer of 1968 Patrick was a participant in most of the major actions around the Democratic National Convention in Chicago including the “Whole World is Watching” police riot in front of the Conrad Hilton Hotel.  

Patrick left Shimer after the next semester and transferred to Columbia College in Chicago, where he was a creative writing major.  

During the summer of 1969, Patrick joined the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)—the storied radical labor union. He would go on over the next few years to serve the IWW as a regular contributor and later as editor of the monthly Industrial Worker; as Chicago Branch secretary, member of the General Executive Board, credentialed organizer, and, at the age of 23, General Secretary-Treasurer of the union.   He co-authored with Fred W. Thompson THE IWW: ITS FIRST FIFTY YEARS 1905-1975.  

Patrick was invited to join the staff collective of the Chicago Seed, the city’s underground paper.  He wrote under the nom de plum of “Wobbly Murf” and covered labor issues and community organizations.

Patrick was tried, convicted, and sentenced to three years in prison 1973 for refusing induction into the Armed Forces.   He was sent to the medium security Federal Prison at Sandstone, Minnesota.   His sentence was reduced to six months in prison and two and a half years on probation.

On release he helped found the first city labor support committee for the United Farm Workers, marched with Cesar Chavez, and helped organize the city’s first grape boycotts.   He got a job as a drill press operator at Dietzgen Corporation, a manufacture of printing, drafting, and surveying tools.   He was elected secretary of the Employees Association and served on the bargaining committee.  

He also became involved in community organizations.   He drafted the constitution and by-laws of the West Lake View Community Organization, which later became the Ravenswood East Association and later was active in the Logan Square Neighborhood Association. He coordinated gang awareness, graffiti removal projects and neighborhood watch programs.    

He also first became involved in electoral politics, twice volunteering in Helen Schiller’s Aldermanic campaigns.   Later he worked on Harlod Washington’s mayoral campaigns and was a Washington precinct captain in Dick Mell’s ward.

In 1981 Patrick married Kathy Brady-Larsen, a young widow with two daughters, Carolynne and Heather.  

After the birth of daughter Maureen in 1983, the family moved to Crystal Lake in the summer of 1985.   Patrick  found work as a second shift custodian for Cary School District 26 and worked weekends in maintenance at the Crystal Point mall.  

In the fall of 1989, Patrick responded to a small want ad placed by McHenry County Democratic Party Chair Richard Short asking for people to run for precinct committeeman.   He circulated a petition and was first elected the next spring.   Patrick has served as a committeman, now called a Precinct Representative, ever since

After Vice Chair Charlie Adams died, he was appointed to fill out his term and was elected in his own right the next year.   Upon Bob McGarry’s death he served briefly as County Chair himself. He was elected Secretary at the 2008 County Convention

Patrick has  served a press and public relations person for the party and has been active in assisting the campaigns of many local candidates. He has been a candidate twice himself.   In 1997 he ran for Crystal Lake City Council and in 2002 ran for County Board District 3.

Patrick has been a long term lay leader at the Congregational Unitarian Church in Woodstock.   In the years since he has served the congregation in many roles, particularly the church’s social justice work and community service.

When the Ku Klux Klan came to McHenry County for a rally Patrick and others organized a successful counter event on Woodstock Square  which became the annual Diversity Day Festival.   Patrick has co-hosted the festival for many years and is now its Executive Director.

He served a term on the Crystal Lake Human Relations Commission.

Patrick was among the founders of the McHenry County Peace Group, which he has served as press and public relations spokesperson.  

In 2004 Skinner House Books of Boston published his poetry collection We Build Temples in the Heart.  

The same year Patrick was retired as head building Custodian at Briargate School in Cary.   He has since pieced a living together from part time jobs.   He has worked as a clerk at Crystal Lake gas station from 2001-08 and for the last two years has been Communication Manager for Oaktree Capital Corporation in Woodstock.

Patrick launched his blog, Heretic, Rebel, a Thing to Flout, in January of 2006.  

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it
is the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead

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Meetings

The Democratic Party of McHenry County meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. Our meetings are open to the public. We welcome new faces, and we hope you will join us at our next meeting. More…