James Murphy

James Murphy, FAIA, (1834–1907) was an Irish-American architect active in late-nineteenth- and early twentieth-century New England, who designed numerous Roman Catholic churches and related structures.

Early life and career Murphy was born in 1834 in County Tipperary, Ireland. In 1852, he emigrated to the United States along with his brother Michael. Soon after his arrival, he entered the Brooklyn, New York, firm of Patrick C. Keely as an apprentice. Keely was already an established architect specializing in ecclesiastical design. Eventually, Murphy became a partner in the firm, operating as Keely & Murphy. Murphy would later marry Keely's sister-in-law.

Architectural practice By the mid-1860s, the duo opened a branch office in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1875, the partnership was dissolved and Murphy established his own practice. Murphy continued to specialize in church design for the ever-growing number of Roman Catholic parishes during the late nineteenth century, particularly in the southern New England area of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

In the 1880s and 1890s, Murphy employed his nephew, Ambrose J. Murphy, who would later partner with Frank R. Hindle. Some time around 1900, Murphy established a new office in Boston, Massachusetts.

In 1870, Murphy joined the American Institute of Architects, and was elevated to Fellowship in 1885.

Personal life James Murphy married Patrick Charles Keely's sister-in-law. Murphy had a brother, Michael Murphy, with whom he emigrated to America. The architect, Ambrose J. Murphy, was his nephew. Murphy died April 18, 1907, at the Holy Ghost Hospital (Cambridge, Massachusetts) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Legacy Ambrose J. Murphy continued James Murphy's firm after 1907. He entered into partnership with Frank R. Hindle to form the firm of Murphy & Hindle, which practiced architecture in Rhode Island until the 1940s. That firm also specialized in church design.

Architectural works

Churches

1862 - St. Bridget, 455 Plymouth St, Abington, Massachusetts 1864 - St. Gregory, 2223 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester, Massachusetts Demolished 1864 - St. Mary, 540 Broadway, Providence, Rhode Island 1866 - St. Mary, 134 Norfolk St, Cambridge, Massachusetts A Keely & Murphy project 1867 - St. John, 72 S Main St, Concord, New Hampshire A Keely & Murphy project 1867 - St. Mary, 669 West Ave, Norwalk, Connecticut 1868 - Immaculate Conception, 11 Prospect St, Marlborough, Massachusetts 1868 - St. Michael, Prairie & Oxford, Providence, Rhode Island Replaced in 1915, burned 1970s 1869 - Our Lady of Mercy, 500 Main St, East Greenwich, Rhode Island Demolished 1869 - St. Bernard, 240 Water St, Fitchburg, Massachusetts 1870 - St. Joseph, 264 Washington St, Somerville, Massachusetts 1870 - St. Mary, 5 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, Connecticut 1870 - St. Patrick, 7 East St, Whitinsville, Massachusetts Demolished 1871 - Holy Trinity, 133 Main St, Greenfield, Massachusetts 1871 - St. John, 17 Chestnut St, Peabody, Massachusetts 1871 - St. John, 352 Atwells Ave, Providence, Rhode Island Demolished in 1992 1872 - St. John, 63 Church St, Slatersville, Rhode Island 1873 - Our Lady Help of Christians, 573 Washington St, Newton, Massachusetts 1873 - St. John, 279 Atlantic St, Stamford, Connecticut 1873 - St. Patrick, 213 Broadway, Norwich, Connecticut Cathedral status in 1952 1874 - Sacred Heart of Jesus, 166 Cross St, Gardner, Massachusetts Burned in 1889 1875 - Notre Dame du Sacre Coeur, 222 E Main St, North Adams, Massachusetts 1875 - St. Joseph, 115 Union St, Lynn, Massachusetts 1878 - St. Mary, 90 7th St, Turners Falls, Massachusetts 1880 - St. Patrick, Main & Park, Williamstown, Massachusetts Demolished 1881 - St. Francis, 318 Church St, Naugatuck, Connecticut 1881 - St. Mary, 30 Bartlett St, Westfield, Massachusetts 1881 - St. Thomas, 2 E Main St, Huntington, Massachusetts 1882 - St. Mary, 239 Greenwood Ave, Bethel, Connecticut 1885 - St. Louis, 440 Bradford Ave, Fall River, Massachusetts Demolished in 2010 1885 - St. Mary, 103 Pine St, Pawtucket, Rhode Island 1888 - Holy Rosary, Mosher & West, Holyoke, Massachusetts Demolished 1888 - Sacred Heart, 387 Chestnut St, Springfield, Massachusetts 1889 - Holy Trinity, 134 Fuller Ave, Central Falls, Rhode Island Demolished 1889 - St. Edward, 997 Branch Ave, Wanskuck, Rhode Island 1889 - St. Margaret, 1098 Pawtucket Ave, Rumford, Rhode Island Burned in 1988 1889 - St. Patrick, 170 Thompson St, Bridgeport, Connecticut Completed by Dwyer & McMahon in 1910 1890 - St. Joseph's, 1303 Mendon Rd, Ashton, Rhode Island 1890 - St. Patrick, 220 Bates St, Lewiston, Maine 1892 - St. Edward, 458 Main St, Medfield, Massachusetts Demolished 1892 - St. Patrick, 46 E Central St, Natick, Massachusetts 1896 - Holy Name, 99 Camp St, Providence, Rhode Island 1896 - St. Mary, 17 Waterville St, North Grafton, Massachusetts Burned in 1948 1896 - St. Thomas, Columbia St, Adams, Massachusetts 1902 - St. Peter, 16 Russell St, Great Barrington, Massachusetts

Other buildings

1872 - St. John Rectory, 63 Church St, Slatersville, Rhode Island 1881 - St. Michael Hall and School, 260 State St, Springfield, Massachusetts Demolished 1883 - St. Bernard Rectory, 240 Water St., Fitchburg, Massachusetts 1898 - Tyler School, Plain & Maple, Providence, Rhode Island The cathedral school, demolished