Charles Murphy

Charles Alfred Murphy, Sr.

Full Name: Charles Alfred Murphy, Sr.
Date of birth: February 14, 1884
Date of death: January 24, 1946

Terms of Service top

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
S 16 Jan 13, 1925 - Jan 11, 1927 39th (1) (2)   Democrat Houston / Harris   Harris
S 16 Jan 11, 1921 - Jan 13, 1925 38th (3) (4) (5)   37th (6)   38th (3) (4) (5)   Democrat Houston / Harris Senate President Pro Tempore (38th)   Fort Bend, Harris, Waller
H 15-3 Jan 14, 1919 - Jan 19, 1920 36th (7) (8) (9) (10)   Democrat Houston / Harris   Harris
H 15 Feb 27, 1918 - Jan 14, 1919 35th (11) (12) (13)   Democrat Houston / Harris   Harris

(1) 39th Legislature - All 31 Senators were elected on November 4, 1924, per Secretary of State, oath of office administered, 1/13/1925, p. 1. Senate Journal.
(2) 39th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/15/1925, pp. 34-35. Drew 2-year term. Senate Journal.
(3) 38th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, elected 4/16/1923, 2nd C.S. Senate Journal.
(4) Democrat - "Kluxers Leave Democratic Meet: Organization Opposed at Action in Democratic Convention in Houston," 8/3/1924, p. 12. State Senator Charles Murphy nominated as chairman of County Democratic Executive Committee. San Antonio Express.
(5) 38th Legislature - Roll Call of Holdover Senators, 1/9/1923, p. 1. Senate Journal.
(6) 37th Legislature - List of State Senators Elected at the General Election Held November 2nd, 1920, oath of office administered, 1/11/1921, pp. 2-3. Senate Journal.
(7) "Governor Calls Special Harris County Elections," 2/6/1920, p. 5. "Lynch Davidson and Charles Murphy resigned to make the race for Senate. . ."; "Davidson Winner in Senatorial Race," 3/12/1920, p. 2. Brookshire Times (Brookshire, Waller County, Texas).
(8) Senate District 16 election 3/4/1920 - Lynch Davidson, "democrat," defeated Charles Murphy, "endorsed by the Non-Partisan League and organized labor of Houston", 3/8/1920, p. 2; "Non-Partisan League Makes its Bow in Texas Politics," 3/4/1920, p. 5. Denton Record-Chronicle.
(9) 36th Legislature, 3rd C.S. - Oath of Office Administered (to E.W. Neal, District 15, Place 2), 5/20/1920, pp. 1-2. No committee appointments listed for Neal in 3rd-4th C.S. Predecessor C. Murphy's district was 15-3 in House Journal, 36th Regular. House Journal.
(10) E.W. Neal, in special election 3/4/1920, sworn 5/20/1920, succeeded Charles Murphy, resigned 1/19/1920. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(11) Special election results, 2/23/1918, Franklin P. Davis elected to Position No. 1 and Charles Murphy elected to Position No. 3. "County's Anti Seats in Legislature Captured by Davis and Murphy, Pros," including incomplete returns from Harris County by ward, 2/24/1918, pp. 1, 4. "Harris County's two vacant anti seats in the state legislature very probably will be filled by two out-and-out prohibitionists . . . Indications late Saturday night were that Franklin P. Davis and Charles Murphy had been elected to fill the seats vacated by Stanley Beard and Harry V. Fisher."
Final special election returns, "Davis-Murphy Victory Sure by Later Returns," 2/25/1918, p. 7; "Davis and Murphy Given Certificates of Election by Commissioners Court," 2/27/1918, p. 7. Houston Chronicle.
(12) Charles Murphy, in special election 2/23/1918, sworn 2/27/1918, succeeded Harry V. Fisher, resigned after 3rd Called Session. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(13) Assumed Democrat based on listing as Democrat in 36th Legislature. Texas Legislative Manual.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 16
Jan 13, 1925 - Jan 11, 1927
Legislatures: 39th (1) (2)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Houston / Harris
Counties in district: Harris
Senate District 16
Jan 11, 1921 - Jan 13, 1925
Legislatures: 38th (3) (4) (5)   37th (6)   38th (3) (4) (5)  
Senate President Pro Tempore (38th)
(38th)
(38th)
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Houston / Harris
Counties in district: Fort Bend, Harris, Waller
House District 15-3
Jan 14, 1919 - Jan 19, 1920
Legislatures: 36th (7) (8) (9) (10)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Houston / Harris
Counties in district: Harris
House District 15
Feb 27, 1918 - Jan 14, 1919
Legislatures: 35th (11) (12) (13)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Houston / Harris
Counties in district: Harris

(1) 39th Legislature - All 31 Senators were elected on November 4, 1924, per Secretary of State, oath of office administered, 1/13/1925, p. 1. Senate Journal.
(2) 39th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/15/1925, pp. 34-35. Drew 2-year term. Senate Journal.
(3) 38th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, elected 4/16/1923, 2nd C.S. Senate Journal.
(4) Democrat - "Kluxers Leave Democratic Meet: Organization Opposed at Action in Democratic Convention in Houston," 8/3/1924, p. 12. State Senator Charles Murphy nominated as chairman of County Democratic Executive Committee. San Antonio Express.
(5) 38th Legislature - Roll Call of Holdover Senators, 1/9/1923, p. 1. Senate Journal.
(6) 37th Legislature - List of State Senators Elected at the General Election Held November 2nd, 1920, oath of office administered, 1/11/1921, pp. 2-3. Senate Journal.
(7) "Governor Calls Special Harris County Elections," 2/6/1920, p. 5. "Lynch Davidson and Charles Murphy resigned to make the race for Senate. . ."; "Davidson Winner in Senatorial Race," 3/12/1920, p. 2. Brookshire Times (Brookshire, Waller County, Texas).
(8) Senate District 16 election 3/4/1920 - Lynch Davidson, "democrat," defeated Charles Murphy, "endorsed by the Non-Partisan League and organized labor of Houston", 3/8/1920, p. 2; "Non-Partisan League Makes its Bow in Texas Politics," 3/4/1920, p. 5. Denton Record-Chronicle.
(9) 36th Legislature, 3rd C.S. - Oath of Office Administered (to E.W. Neal, District 15, Place 2), 5/20/1920, pp. 1-2. No committee appointments listed for Neal in 3rd-4th C.S. Predecessor C. Murphy's district was 15-3 in House Journal, 36th Regular. House Journal.
(10) E.W. Neal, in special election 3/4/1920, sworn 5/20/1920, succeeded Charles Murphy, resigned 1/19/1920. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(11) Special election results, 2/23/1918, Franklin P. Davis elected to Position No. 1 and Charles Murphy elected to Position No. 3. "County's Anti Seats in Legislature Captured by Davis and Murphy, Pros," including incomplete returns from Harris County by ward, 2/24/1918, pp. 1, 4. "Harris County's two vacant anti seats in the state legislature very probably will be filled by two out-and-out prohibitionists . . . Indications late Saturday night were that Franklin P. Davis and Charles Murphy had been elected to fill the seats vacated by Stanley Beard and Harry V. Fisher."
Final special election returns, "Davis-Murphy Victory Sure by Later Returns," 2/25/1918, p. 7; "Davis and Murphy Given Certificates of Election by Commissioners Court," 2/27/1918, p. 7. Houston Chronicle.
(12) Charles Murphy, in special election 2/23/1918, sworn 2/27/1918, succeeded Harry V. Fisher, resigned after 3rd Called Session. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(13) Assumed Democrat based on listing as Democrat in 36th Legislature. Texas Legislative Manual.

Biographical Information top

Biographical Sketches

  • Memorial, March 1946, p. 126. Texas Bar Journal.

Other Resources

  • Obituary, "Former State Senator Charles Murphy Dies," 1/24/1946, p. 12. Sponsored "full crew bill" (complete train crews on railroads) and led Texas Supreme Court case for the "train shed law" (railroads to erect sheds to protect employees from the weather). Paris News.
  • Murphy, Jr., Charles Alfred. Relatives: Charles A. Murphy, Sr. - father, Charles Alfred Murphy, Jr. - son. Texas State Cemetery.

Photographs

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

Committee Information top

39th R.S. - 1925
Civil Jurisprudence  
Congressional Districts  
Constitutional Amendments  
Criminal Jurisprudence  
Internal Improvements  
Judicial Districts  
Labor (Chair) 
Mining, Irrigation and Drainage (Vice Chair) 
Public Printing (Vice Chair) 
Town and City Corporations  
38th R.S. - 1923
Civil Jurisprudence  
Constitutional Amendments  
Labor (Chair) 
Public Printing (Vice Chair) 
Senatorial Districts  
Town and City Corporations  
37th R.S. - 1921
Agricultural Affairs  
Commerce and Manufactures (Chair) 
Congressional Districts  
Constitutional Amendments  
Internal Improvements  
Labor  
Mining, Irrigation and Drainage  
Privileges and Elections  
Public Buildings and Grounds (Vice Chair) 
Stock and Stock Raising  
36th R.S. - 1919
Common Carriers  
Criminal Jurisprudence  
Judicial Districts  
Labor (Chair) 
Sanitary Conditions in Austin, Investigate  

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