Murphy was born on August 1, 1893 in Newark, New Jersey the second eldest of 10 children of Thomas Francis Murphy and Sarah Gaskin. At the age of 15 he became a plumber's apprentice. He joined the Local 24 of the United Association in 1913, serving as the secretary-treasurer from 1920 to 1938. He was named secretary-treasurer of the state American Federation of Labor in 1933."Who's Who in Labor" (Dryden Press, 1946).
