Biography

12/16/1909 - 07/01/1990

Martin L. “Marty” Murray (D21) Luzerne (Part) County 1957-1964 (D14) Luzerne County 1969-1982

Early Life:  

Martin L. “Marty” Murray, born December 16, 1909, Ashley, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, son of Martin and Bridget Finnerman Murray; Saint Leo High School; Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania; shoe salesman; engaged, insurance agency; married, Catherine Doyle, 1938; elected, Ashley Board of Education, twenty-four years; chair, Democratic Party, second Legislative District; treasurer, Luzerne County Democratic Committee, twelve years; member, Luzerne County Executive Committee, twenty years; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1945-1946; unsuccessful campaign, reelection, 1946; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1957-1964; elected, delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1964; elected, director, Pennsylvania Legislative Reference Bureau, 1965-1966; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1967-1982; elected, Senate President pro tempore 1971-1980; elected, delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1968; died, July 1, 1990, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; interment, Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:

Elected, Ashley Board of Education twenty-four years; Chair, Democratic Party, second Legislative District; treasurer, Luzerne County Democratic Committee, twelve years; member, Luzerne County Executive Committee, twenty years. Owned and operated his own Insurance Agency.

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Member, Lions; Eagles; Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE); fourth degree, Knight of Columbus; Century Club of Kings College; advisory board, Misericordia (now Misericordia University) and Maywood Colleges.  

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1945-1946; unsuccessful campaign, reelection, 1946.  

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 21std district, Luzerne (Part) County, 1957-1964.

Elected, delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1964

Elected, director, Pennsylvania Legislative Reference Bureau, 1965-1966.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 14th district, Luzerne County, 1969-1982; elected, Senate President pro tempore, 1971-1980; chair, Insurance, vice-chair, Banking Committees, 1961-1962; member, Appropriations, Education, Highways, Labor and Industries, Mines and Mining, Public Health and Welfare, Reapportionment, Rules and State Government Committees. President pro tempore and member ex-officio all Standing Committees.   

Served, Executive Committee, Joint State Government Commission; Legislative Data Processing Committee; State Highway and Bridge Authority; General State Authority; chaired, Legislative Budget and Finance Committee; member, State Public School Building Authority, State Council of Civil Defense, Transportation Assistance Authority, Pennsylvania Higher Education Facilities Authority, and the Susquehanna River Basin Advisory Commission.

He backed the project 70 referendum, the County Records Act, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency Act of 1963, the establishment of the State Board of Education, and the 1963 Business Corporation Act.

Elected, delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1968; member of the 50-state National Legislative Rules Committee. 

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/BiosHistory/MemBio.cfm?ID=2130&body=H

Legacy: 

Served, president pro tempore, Pennsylvania Senate longer than any other Democrat, eclipsing Jeffersonian Presley Carr Lane’s previous record (eight years), established before the end of the War of 1812. At retirement, claimed the second longest stint as pro tem or Speaker.

Cited:  

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members M". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

The Pennsylvania Manual, (1974-1975). Volume 102. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, page 71.

Martin M. Murray (1909-1990) - Find a Grave Memorial