William Murray was a United States Representative from New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

. He was born near Middletown

Middletown, Orange County, New York

Middletown is a city in Orange County, New York, United States. It lies in New York's Hudson Valley region, near the Wallkill River and the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains. Middletown is situated between Port Jervis and Newburgh, New York. The city's population was 25,388 at the 2000 census...

. He attended the common schools, and was employed as a clerk in mercantile establishments in Middletown, and later in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

. He subsequently engaged in mercantile pursuits. He was the brother of Ambrose S. Murray

Ambrose S. Murray

Ambrose Spencer Murray was a U.S. Representative from New York, brother of William Murray.Born in Wallkill, New York, Murray attended the common schools. He was employed as a clerk in a mercantile establishment in Middletown, New York from 1824 to 1831. He moved to Goshen, New York, and engaged...

.

Murray moved to Goshen

Goshen (village), New York

Goshen is a village in and the county seat of Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 5,676 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...

, and was elected as a Democrat

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 to the Thirty-second and Thirty-third Congresses (March 4, 1851-March 3, 1855). He engaged in agricultural pursuits, and was instrumental in the organization of the Republican Party

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

in 1856 and was afterward affiliated therewith. He served as president of the Goshen Bank from 1857 until his death in Goshen. His interment was in St. James’ Cemetery.