James William Murphy

James William Murphy was a United States [House of Representatives|U.S. Representative] from Wisconsin.
Born in Platteville, Wisconsin in 1858, Murphy graduated from the State Normal School in 1873 and from the University of [Michigan Law School] in 1880. He practiced law in Platteville, and served as district attorney of Grant County, Wisconsin from 1887 to 1891. He was elected mayor of Platteville for a two-year term in 1904, and was then elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1906, defeating Joseph W. Babcock for the seat from Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district. Murphy served one term as part of the 60th [United States Congress], but was defeated for reelection in 1908 by Arthur W. Kopp. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress once more, in 1920. He died in Rochester, Minnesota in 1927.