Murphy, Daniel J.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Daniel J. Murphy, former member of the Louisiana Legislature, is a New Orleans attorney whose career has brought him distinction as a civil lawyer. He has his offices in the Canal Commercial Bank Building.

He is a native of New Orleans, son of Daniel Joseph and Margaret J. (Curley) Murphy, his father a native of Boston, Massachusetts, and his mother of Ireland. They were married in New Orleans, where Daniel J. Murphy for many years was a well known merchant. He died in 1904. His widow survives him. Both were devout Catholics.

Fourth in a family of seven children, Daniel J. Murphy attended public schools in his native city, and graduated front the Law Department of Tulane University in 1899. He has been a member of the New Orleans bar, engaged in general active practice, for a quarter of a century. He married, in 1911, Miss Marie A. Larroque, who was born in New Orleans and educated in the schools of that city. Thee have four sons, Robert E., Daniel J., Joseph A. and Charles P. The family are members of St. John's Catholic Church, and he is president of its Holy Name Society.

Mr. Murphy was elected to time State Legislature in 1916 and 1918. He was father of the first zoning law for the City of New Orleans, passed in 1918, and was instrumental in securing a large amount of legislation of particular interest and value to property owners relating to bonds and mortgages.

During the World war he was appointed as United States government appeal agent, to which office he gave his time and rendered valuable services to the government.

He was elected a member of time Orleans Parish School Board, and served as its president from December, 1920, to December, 1922. and during his administration the financial affairs were put on a sound basis, time principle of a square of ground for a school building was established and many of the best buildings were designed and constructed. The first elementary fire-proof public school in the South was constructed during his term of office.

He was elected and served as a member of the Board of Directors of time Delgado Trade School of New Orleans, and lent his earnest cooperation to make the principles of time founder, Mr. Delgado, a certainty.

He was elected a member of the Board of Trustee of the Teachers' Retirement Fund of the City of New Orleans, a fund which was created and established for the purpose of providing pensions for retired and aged teachers. He served as president of said board for a period of four years, and during his administration this fund was increased from $125,000 to more than $558,000, which was invested in gilt-edged securities to guarantee the safety of said fund.

Mr. Murphy has been active in the homestead associations of this city, being the organizer of the Dixie Homestead and the Orleans Homestead, and also president of the Panama Realty Company.

He has been successful in his business as lawyer and notary, notwithstanding the valuable time which he contributed to the various public enterprises and civic work with which he was connected. His law practice has not been confined to the State of Louisiana, but he has had extensive legal correspondence with France, Germany, England and Spain in his probate practice. Mr. Murphy is a member of the Louisiana Bar Association.

NOTE: The referenced source contains a black and white photograph of the subject with his/her autograph.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 25-26, by Henry E. Chambers. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.