Frank Murphy
Frank Murphy was Associate Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court from 1940 until his death in 1949. His earlier career included service as a Judge in the Detroit Recorder’s Court and instructor in law at the University of Detroit in the twenties.
In the following decade, he was Mayor of Detroit, U. S. Governor-General in the Philippines, Governor of Michigan, and Attorney General of the United States. Governor Murphy’s stand during the 1937 sit-down strike received national attention when he refused to send troops to remove workers from the factories. As an Associate Justice, Murphy wrote many of the Court’s opinions concerning civil liberties. In Thornhill v. Alabama (1940), Murphy clarified labor’s right to strike, holding that peaceful picketing was a manifestation of freedom of speech.
1890 - Born, Harbor Beach, on April 13
1914 - Graduated from the University of Michigan Law School
1917-19 - Army Officer
World War I, service in Germany.
1919 Law studies, London and Dublin.
1920-23 - First Assistant U.S. District Attorney, Eastern Michigan District
1922-27 - Law instructor, University of Detroit. 1923-30
Recorder’s Court Judge, Detroit
930-33 - Mayor of Detroit
1933-36 - Governor-General, Philippine Islands. After the islands achieved commonwealth status, he became U. S. High Commissioner.
1937-38 - Governor of Michigan
1939-40 - Attorney General of the U. S.
1940-49 - U.S. Supreme Court Justice
1949 - Died at Detroit, on July 19 - Buried in Rock Falls Cemetery, Harbor Beach
site number: S285
era: Industry & Invention (1875-1915)
year listed: 1967
year erected: 1967
address: 142 S. Huron, Harbor Beach, MI
