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Maurice J. Murphy Jr.

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American politician

Maurice J. Murphy Jr.
Member of the New Hampshire Boundary Commission
In office
July 17, 1973 – March 1, 1975
Appointed byMeldrim Thomson Jr.
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
United States Senator
from New Hampshire
In office
December 7, 1961 – November 6, 1962
Appointed byWesley Powell
Preceded byStyles Bridges
Succeeded byThomas J. McIntyre
17th Attorney General of New Hampshire
In office
November 4, 1961 – December 7, 1961
GovernorWesley Powell
Preceded byWilliam Maynard
Succeeded byGeorge S. Pappagianis
Personal details
BornMaurice James Murphy Jr.
(1927-10-03)October 3, 1927
Dover, New Hampshire, U.S.
DiedOctober 27, 2002(2002-10-27) (aged 75)
Stratham, New Hampshire, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseMary E. Doody
Children3
EducationCollege of the Holy Cross (BS)
Boston College (JD)
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1946–1947
1953–1954
RankPrivate First Class

Maurice James Murphy Jr. (October 3, 1927 – October 27, 2002) was an American politician and lawyer from New Hampshire. He was (for one month) the Attorney General of New Hampshire and (for eleven months) an appointed United States Senator.

Early life and education

Murphy was born in Dover, New Hampshire and graduated from Dover High School and St. Mary's Academy. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1950 and from Boston College Law School in 1953. Murphy was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in Portsmouth in 1955. He served as an enlisted man in the United States Army in 1946 and 1947 and again in 1953 and 1954.

Legal & political career

Murphy was legal counsel to the New Hampshire Senate in 1957–1958, and administrative assistant to Governor Wesley Powell from 1959 to 1961. After serving as deputy attorney general for several months, Murphy was appointed by Governor Powell as New Hampshire Attorney General, and took office on November 4, 1961. Three weeks later, the longest-serving U.S. Senator, conservative Republican H. Styles Bridges, died in office. On December 7, 1961, Governor Powell appointed Murphy as U.S. Senator, to fill the vacancy until a November 1962 special election. Powell's choice of Murphy was controversial; powerful publisher William Loeb published a front-page editorial in the Manchester Union Leader attacking Powell for passing over the late Senator's widow Doloris. Many political observers expected that Mrs. Bridges would be appointed to her husband's seat. Murphy voted in favor of the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Murphy ran in the 1962 election in an effort to keep his seat. However, Murphy was challenged in the primary by Doloris Bridges, Congressman Perkins Bass, and Congressman Chester Merrow. Murphy finished third behind Bass and Mrs. Bridges. Governor Powell, too, was defeated in that primary, and in his election night speech, he referenced Loeb's opposition and added that "I'm paying the penalty for appointing a Catholic to the U.S. Senate."

Murphy later served on the Portsmouth Economic Commission, Portsmouth Housing Authority and was elected chairman of the board of the Portsmouth-Kittery Armed Services Committee (now called the Seacoast Shipyard Association). He served on the New Hampshire Boundary Commission from 1973 to 1975.

Later life and death

Murphy then resumed the practice of law. He was chairman of the board and general counsel of the Portsmouth (N.H.) Savings Bank from 1968 to 1988. At the time of his death in 2002, he resided in Stratham, New Hampshire. He was interred in Prospect Hill Cemetery in Greenland, New Hampshire.

Personal life

Murphy was married to Mary E. Doody. They had three children. His wife died in 2016.

References

Citations
  1. Quarterly, Inc, Congressional (1962). Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report, Volume 20 (1962). Congressional Quarterly. p. 51.
  2. Boston College Bulletin, Law, 1954
  3. Obituaries Tuesday, October 29, 2002
  4. 1945 Dover High School Yearbook
  5. "Attorney General: Names Murphy to Bridges Post," Nashua Telegraph, December 7, 1961 at 1-2.
  6. ^ "Charm of Murphy and Avid Workers Help Cause," Nashua Telegraph, August 21, 1962 at 1-3.
  7. "Best Wishes Sent By Mrs. Bridges". Portsmouth Herald. December 7, 1961. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
  8. "S.J. RES. 29. APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION BANNING THE POLL TAX AS PREREQUISITE FOR VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS". GovTrack.us.
  9. ^ "Bass Defeats Mrs. Bridges for Senate Seat," Nashua Telegraph September 12, 1962 at 1.
  10. Maurice J. Murphy Jr. - Oct. 27, 2002
  11. SSA History
  12. Manual for the General Court (1975)
  13. ^ Mary Elizabeth Murphy obituary
Sources

External links

Legal offices
Preceded byWilliam Maynard Attorney General of New Hampshire
November 4, 1961 – December 7, 1961 		Succeeded byGeorge S. Pappagianis
U.S. Senate
Preceded byStyles Bridges U.S. senator (Class 2) from New Hampshire
December 7, 1961 – November 6, 1962
Served alongside: Norris Cotton 		Succeeded byThomas J. McIntyre
Honorary titles
Preceded byJohn Tower Baby of the Senate
December 7, 1961 – November 6, 1962 		Succeeded byTed Kennedy
United States senators from New Hampshire
Class 2 United States Senate
Class 3
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