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    Murphy, Richard G.

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    Senate 1857-58 (District 7)

    Party when first elected:  Not Available

    Counties Served:  Scott

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: ??/??/1800 (uncertain)
    Birth Place:
    Birth County:
    Birth Country:
    Date of Death: 1/14/1875 (uncertain)
    Gender: Male
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Shakopee
    Occupation (when first elected): None Listed

    EDUCATION

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse:
    Children:
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    Toensing lists his birth year as 1846 but that cannot be correct because he would have only been eleven when he was elected to the Senate. A death date cited from a Shakopee Argus obituary (http://www.edenprairiehistory.org/EPHistory/SA61-26.TXT) lists a death date for a Richard G. Murphy as being January 14, 1875 and lists his age as 74. His revised birth date seems more likely and is derived from that death date.

    Murphy's Landing in Shakopee is named for him.

    Most recent term photo
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    Total Days Served: 735

    SESSIONS SERVED

    1st Legislative Session (1857-1858)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 07
    Elected: 10/13/1857
    Residence: Shakopee
    Term of Office: 12/2/1857 to 12/6/1859
    Counties Represented: Scott
    Occupation: None Listed
    Party: Not Available
    Committees:
    Leadership Position: President of the Senate
    Leadership Notes: He was President of the Senate until June 3, 1858; when Lieutenant Governor William Holcombe took office and assumed the position.
    Leadership Position: President Pro Tempore
    Leadership Notes: The General Laws of Minnesota, 1858 list him as President Pro Tempore.
    Session Notes: He was sworn in on December 7, 1857 and subscribed to the oath of office on December 8, 1857. An 1858-59 session was not held due to the protracted session of 1857-58. (Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1872, p. 66) Thus, even though the first session was adjourned on August 12, 1858; the term end date for it is listed as the day before the second legislative session's start date.
    term photo
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    OTHER INFORMATION

    Photographs
    Richard G. Murphy of Shakopee, member of the First State Legislature (ca. 1858) From the Minnesota Historical Society's Visual Resources Database

    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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