William Francis Murray Explained

William Francis Murray
Office1:Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Massachusetts
Term Start1:March 4, 1911
Term End1:September 28, 1914
Predecessor1:John A. Keliher
Successor1:Peter Francis Tague
Constituency1:9th district (1911–13)
10th district (1913–14)
Office2:Massachusetts Executive Council
Term Start2:1910
Term End2:1911
Office3:Massachusetts House of Representatives
Term Start3:1907
Term End3:1908
Office4:City of Boston Common Council
Term Start4:1904
Term End4:1904
Birth Date:7 September 1881
Birth Place:Boston, Massachusetts
Death Place:Boston, Massachusetts
Party:Democratic
Profession:Attorney
Alma Mater:Harvard College
Harvard Law School
Serviceyears:1898
Rank:Corporal
Unit:United States Volunteer Signal Corps
Battles:Spanish–American War

William Francis Murray (September 7, 1881 – September 21, 1918) was a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts and the Postmaster of Boston.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Murray attended the public schools and the Boston Latin School. He graduated from Harvard University in 1904 and Harvard Law School in 1906. He practiced law in Boston. He served as a United States Volunteer Signal Corps corporal during the Spanish-American War. He served as a member of the Boston Common Council in 1904 and 1905. He served as a member of the State House of Representatives in 1907 and 1908. He served as a member of the Governor's council in 1910

Election to Congress

Murray was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-second and Sixty-third Congresses. He served as a Member of Congress from March 4, 1911, until September 28, 1914, when he resigned, having been appointed postmaster of Boston.

Postmaster of Boston

On June 19, 1914, President Wilson nominated Murray for the position of Postmaster of Boston. The Senate Confirmed the nomination on July 16, 1914. Murray served as postmaster from October 1, 1914, until his death on September 21, 1918.

Death

In the Autumn of 1918, Murray contracted the Spanish flu and died from pneumonia at Boston City Hospital at 11:40 on the night of September 21, 1918.

Burial

Murray was interred in Holyhood Cemetery, the Chestnut Hill section of Brookline, Massachusetts.

Bibliography