James Murray, Sr.

James Marshall Murray Sr. (9 April 1889 – 16 January 1946) was an American entrepreneur and politician who served as the 11th lieutenant governor of New Mexico as a member of the Democratic party from 1 January 1939 to 1 January 1941.^[1]

Murray was born in St. Marys, Ohio to Richard H. Murray (1849-1935) and Carrie A. Guyer (1855-1893) as the second youngest of five children. Murray went on to marry Cora Edna Hornaday (1889-1966) on 23 August 1910 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He went on to have 7 children and moved to Hobbs, New Mexico in the 1930s.^[2] In 1933 he founded the Me-Tex Supply Company with his son James Jr. (1912-1991).^[3]

Murray ran as a candidate for the 1938 New Mexico lieutenant gubernatorial election, and secured the Democratic nomination. He went on to defeat Republican nominee Joseph F. Tondre in the general election on 8 November 1938 with 86,884 votes (56.33%) against Tondre's 67,078 votes (43.49%).^[4] Murray was sworn in as the 11th lieutenant governor of New Mexico on 1 January 1939, serving under Governor John E. Miles. In July 1940, Murray was a delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Mexico in Chicago, Illinois. Murray's term as Lieutenant Governor ended on 1 January 1941.^[5]

Murray died on 16 January 1946 in Hobbs, New Mexico.