John R. Murphy

John Robert Murphy (August 25, 1856 – December 28, 1932) was a Massachusetts politician and attorney who served as the Commissioner of the Boston Fire Department, Chairman of the Boston Finance Commission and in both branches of the Massachusetts legislature.

Early life Murphy was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, on August 25, 1856, to John Murphy and Jane Smiley; he was born into a family of five (two of his siblings died before he was born). On August 9, 1890, Murphy took a night walk with O'Reilly (who was at the time suffering from insomnia) to the Hotel Pemberton in Hull; they returned home at around 12am. As Murphy was leaving O'Reilly said to him "Be sure and be over early in the morning, Jack, so that you can go with me and the children to Mass at Nantasket".

Political career Murphy was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1883, re-elected twice, and then elected to the Massachusetts Senate in 1886, where he served for one term. Murphy subsequently announced his intent to cross party lines and vote for the Republican candidate, Thomas N. Hart. The votes of Murphy and his followers in support of Hart contributed to Collins' defeat, and was referred to as a "knifing" in contemporary news reports.

On February 25, 1914, Murphy was named as chairman of the Boston Finance Commission, and under suspension of the rules, he was immediately confirmed by the Massachusetts Executive Council.

In 1919, Murphy resigned from the Finance Commission to accept the office of the Fire Commissioner of Boston.

Personal life Murphy married 21-year-old Mary Daly on October 24, 1893; they had 4 daughters. Murphy died on December 28, 1932, at the age of 76. He was interred in Old Calvary Cemetery (now known as Mount Calvary Cemetery, in the Roslindale neighborhood of Boston).