Robert Maynard Murray (November 28, 1841 – August 2, 1913) was an attorney, banker, businessman and member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

for one term from 1883 to 1885.

Life and career

Robert M. Murray was born in

Concord, Ohio Concord is an unincorporated community in Williamsburg township in Clermont County, in the U.S. state of Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie ...

, the son of Robert and Sophrenia Murray II. The family moved to

Mentor, Ohio Mentor ( ) is the largest city in Lake County, Ohio, United States. The population was 47,450 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Cleveland metropolitan area. Mentor was first settled in 1797. In 1876, James A. Garfield purchased a home in ...

when Robert was five years old, where he attended local public schools until age 15 then the Western Reserve Teachers' Seminary at

Kirtland, Ohio Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,937 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Kirtland is known for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement from 1831 to 1837 and the site of ...

and the Willoughby Academy at

Willoughby, Ohio Willoughby is a city in Lake County, Ohio, United States, along the Chagrin River. The population was 23,959 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. A suburb of Cleveland, it is part of the Greater Cleveland, Cleveland metropol ...

. He attended

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1833, it is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational lib ...

but decided on a career in law. He was admitted to the United States and Ohio bar after graduating from the Cleveland Law School. He joined the firm of Ranney, Backus & Noble until 1864 when he answered the call during the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

for

Hundred Days Men The Hundred Days Men was the nickname applied to a series of regiments of United States Volunteers raised in 1864 for 100-day service in the Union Army during the height of the American Civil War. These short-term, lightly trained troops freed vet ...

and served in Company D,

150th Ohio Infantry Fifteen or 15 may refer to: *15 (number) *one of the years 15 BC, AD 15, 1915, 2015 Music *Fifteen (band), a punk rock band Albums * ''15'' (Buckcherry album), 2005 * ''15'' (Ani Lorak album), 2007 * ''15'' (Phatfish album), 2008 * ' ...

. He returned to the practice of law until 1867. In 1867 he joined the family banking business in

Painesville, Ohio Painesville is a city in Lake County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Located along the Grand River (Ohio), Grand River, it is a northeast suburb of Cleveland. Its population was 20,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Pa ...

for nine years and was collector, bookkeeper and then

cashier A retail cashier or simply a cashier is a person who handles the cash register at various locations such as the point of sale in a retail store. The most common use of the title is in the retail industry, but this job title is also used in the c ...

of the First National Bank of Painesville. In 1874 he became a member of the school board in Painesville for three years and subsequently was elected

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

of Painesville, serving from 1877 to 1879. In 1879 Robert M. Murray removed to

Piqua, Ohio Piqua ( ) is a city in Miami County, Ohio, United States, along the Great Miami River. The population was 20,354 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located north of Dayton, Ohio, Dayton, it is part of the Greater Dayton, Dayton metro ...

, engaging in the manufacture of handles for agricultural implements.

Congress

In 1882 he was narrowly elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

from Ohio's third district to the Forty-eighth Congress from Ohio's third district. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1884.

Later career and death

After his congressional service, he resumed his former business pursuits in Piqua. He moved to

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...

in 1892 and engaged in the storage business. He died Cleveland and was interred in Evergreen Cemetery, Painesville, Ohio.

References

Retrieved on 2008-11-01 * Taylor, William A. Ohio in Congress from 1803 to 1901. Columbus, Ohio: The XX Century Publishing Company, 1900. * History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio. Philadelphia: Williams Brothers (Press of J. B. Lippencott & Co.), 1878. {{DEFAULTSORT:Murray, Robert Maynard 1841 births 1913 deaths Oberlin College alumni People from Painesville, Ohio Union army soldiers Cleveland State University College of Law alumni Ohio lawyers People of Ohio in the American Civil War Mayors of places in Ohio School board members in Ohio Businesspeople from Ohio 19th-century American businesspeople 19th-century American lawyers Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives