About Magnus Miller Murray
Lived 1787 – 1838 (aged 51). Magnus Miller Murray was an American politician and lawyer.
Magnus Miller Murray (February 22, 1787 – March 4, 1838), served as the mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1828 to 1830 and again from 1831 to 1832. Mayor Murray now rests in Section 19, Lot 29 of Allegheny Cemetery.
Early life Murray was born in Philadelphia, to Commodore Alexander Murray and Mary Miller Murray. He was named after his maternal grandfather, Magnus Miller, a local merchant. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, earning both bachelor's and master's degrees. On January 6, 1806 he was admitted to the Philadelphia Bar. He married Mary Wilkens, daughter of John Wilkins, Jr. and Catherine Reagan Murray, on February 23, 1810.
Pittsburgh politics
Murray began politics as an understudy to his uncle, area judge and political insider William Wilkins.
Under Murray's mayoral administration, the Western Terminus of the Pennsylvania Canal was completed along the Grant Street corridor of the city. Murray was the first of a handful of Pittsburgh mayors to serve two non-consecutive terms in office, having to cede control of the mayor's office to Matthew B. Lowrie from 1830 to 1831, before regaining his mayoral powers.
Honors Murray's son, James Butler Murray, President of the First Exchange Bank of Pittsburgh is remembered in the naming of Murray Avenue in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood.
Membership Member of The Society of the Cincinnati as the oldest male heir of Commodore Alexander Murray.
Other His daughter, Julia N. Murray, married politician John V. Le Moyne. Murray is an ancestor of actress Julie Bowen.
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Important facts
People in Magnus Miller Murray's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Magnus Miller Murray's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Magnus Miller Murray?
American mayor (1787-1838)
When was Magnus Miller Murray born?
Magnus Miller Murray was born on 22 February 1787 in Philadelphia.
When did Magnus Miller Murray die?
Magnus Miller Murray died on 4 March 1838.
What was Magnus Miller Murray's occupation?
Magnus Miller Murray was a politician and lawyer.
What nationality was Magnus Miller Murray?
Magnus Miller Murray was American.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Magnus Miller Murray
· DBpedia: Magnus Miller Murray
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Magnus Miller Murray. https://biography.guide/magnus-miller-murray/
MLA: "Magnus Miller Murray." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/magnus-miller-murray/.
Chicago: "Magnus Miller Murray." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/magnus-miller-murray/.
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