Murray, James E. (James Edward), 1876-1961

James E. Murray was born May 3, 1876 in Toronto, Canada and graduated from New York University Law School in 1990. He came to Butte, Montana after receiving his law degree and was admitted to the bar in Montana in 1901. After serving as Silver Bow County Attorney from 1906-1908, he went into private practice where he gained wealth and prominence. He died in Butte, Montana on March 23, 1961 he was 84.

James Murray He entered the Senate in 1935 by winning election to the remainder of the unexpired term of the late Senator Thomas Walsh. Murray served for twenty-six years, until 1961. He survived a number of extremely close races during this time. Murray was the originator of the Small Business committee; and chairman of the Interior and Insular Affairs committee, where he became known as a champion of western mining interests and an advocate of reclamation, irrigation and other natural resources development projects. Major legislative measures supported by Murray during his Senate career included the proposed Missouri Valley Authority, the Small Business Administration Act, the Full Employment Act, and compulsory health insurance.

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