Joseph Murray (19)

Election date: 1744 (Elected to the original American Philosophical Society.)

Joseph Murray (c. 1694–28 April 1757) was a lawyer and politician and member of the American Philosophical Society, elected in 1744. Born in Leinster, Ireland, Murray immigrated to New York around 1716. He had a robust legal practice in both common and civil law with special expertise in real estate law. Highlights of his career include successfully overturning the disbarment of APS members James Alexander and William Smith, arbitrating land disputes in both New York and New Jersey, defending (unsuccessfully) the enfranchisement of Jewish residents before the New York Assembly, and serving with the prosecution in the New York slave conspiracy trials of 1741. When his long-term ally and fellow APS member James De Lancey became Governor of New York, Murray became his advisor and later acted as a delegate to the Albany Congress in 1754. Murray was a supporter of education, becoming a founding trustee of the New York Library Society and an advocate for King’s College. His support extended after his death when he donated the vast majority of his estate (valued at £10,000) to King’s College; his impressive library became the foundation for Columbia University’s library. (PI, ANB, DNB)



Member(s): Joseph Murray
19.001
Mr. Murray’s opinion relating to the courts of justice in the colony of New-York : delivered to the General Assembly of the said colony, at their request, the 12th of June, 1734.
Creator(s):
Murray, Joseph, approximately 1694-1757 (Author)
Publication:
[New York: Printed by William Bradford], [1734]
Subjects:
Equity pleading and procedure -- New York (State).
Record Source:
ESTC
References:
Sabin 51530 | Evans 3799
APS Subjects:
Law | Politics
Editions:
2x 1734
Editions Note:
Two editions, both in 1734: one published separately and one published with William Smith's work, Mr. Smith’s opinion humbly offered to the General Assembly of the colony of New-York, one [i.e., on] the seventh of June, 1734 : at their request : occasion’d by sundry petitions of the inhabitants of the city of New-York, Westchester County & Queens-County, to the said General Assembly, praying an establishment of courts of justice within the said colony by act of the legislature (New York: 1734; Sabin 84556; Evans 3834).
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