George W. Murray

Infobox Congressman
honorific-prefix =
name = George Washington Murray
honorific-suffix =
small

state =South Carolina
district = 7th
term_start = March 4 1893
term_end = March 3 1895
preceded = William Elliot
succeeded = J. William Stokes
state2 =South Carolina
district2 = 1st
term_start2 = June 4 1896
term_end2 = March 3 1897
preceded2 = William Elliot
succeeded2 = J. William Stokes
birth_date = September 22 1853
birth_place = Sumter County, South Carolina
death_date = April 21 1926
death_place = Chicago, Illinois
nationality = African American
party = Republican
otherparty =
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George Washington Murray (September 22 1853 - April 21 1926) was born a slave and served as a Congressman from South Carolina.

He was born a slave near Rembert, Sumter County, South Carolina on September 22, 1853. Murray attended the public schools and the University of South Carolina at Columbia for two years. He taught school for fifteen years in Sumter County.

He played an important role in the Republican Party. He was chairman of the the Sumter County Republican Party. He was known as the "Republican Black Eagle." Murray was a delegate at several Republican National Conventions. He lectured for the Colored Farmers Alliance.

Murray was an inspector of customs at the port of Charleston, South Carolina from 1890 to 1892. He was elected as a Republican representing South Carolina's 7th congressional district in the Fifty-third Congress (March 4 1893 - March 3 1895). Due to redistricting, he ran in South Carolina's 1st congressional district in 1894. Although he lost the popular vote to William Elliott, he successfully contested the election and served in the Fifty-fourth Congress from June 4 1896 to March 3 1897.

Murray engaged in the real estate business in Sumter County. In 1903, he was charged with forging names on lease agreements. He was convicted in 1905.

Instead of serving his sentence, he moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1905 where he sold life insurance and real estate. He was active in the Illinois Republican Party and an ally of Chicago Mayor "Big Bill" Thompson.

He was pardoned by South Carolina Governor Coleman Blease in 1915. He died in Chicago, Illinois, April 21 1926. interment in Lincoln Cemetery. [Edgar, Walter. "South Carolina Encyclopedia" (2006) p. 654, ISBN 1-57003-598-2]

Current Democratic South Carolina congressman and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn is one of his relatives.

References

Bibliography

Murray, George Washington. "Race Ideals: Effects, Cause, and Remedy for the Afro-American Race Troubles". Princeton, Indiana: Smith & Sons Publishing Company, 1914.