“He was identified almost from his youth with the work of the Xavier Alumni Sodality, of the Catholic Club and of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He rendered each of them great service, both as an officer and as a member. He was a trustee of the Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum, of the Catholic Benevolent Legion, of the Catholic Summer School and of many other philanthropic societies. He was a member of many of them in their struggling years and he gave his powers and his industry in full measure to their proper development.
“He was a member of the American Irish Historical Society from its establishment. He was always most interested in its work and devoted to the cause for which it stood. His pleasant face will be missed from its gatherings.
“He was married twice, the second time in 1881 to Marie Foran of New York. He had four sons and four daughters, who with his widow survive him.
“James J. Phelan was an example of the truth that in proper conditions the men of the Irish race surely rise to eminence in fields in which the current prejudice and error of the age deny that excellence is possible to them. From small beginnings and in conflict with adverse circumstances he rose to great fortune and conspicuous position in the metropolis by the exercise of thrift, temperance, honesty and intelligence. He met all sorts and conditions of men and asking no favor he conquered success, holding fast at the same time to the ideals of the race from which he sprung and the ancient faith to which he was ever loyal.”
The following memorial to the late Thomas Hamilton Murray, former Secretary-General of the Society, was presented and read by the present Secretary-General, Mr. Thomas Z. Lee, and it was unanimously voted that the same be adopted and that a copy thereof be sent to the widow of Mr. Murray:
Memorial of Thomas Hamilton Murray.
“On June 5, 1908, Thomas Hamilton Murray, editor, genealogist and historian, died at his home in Sea View in the town of Marshfield, Massachusetts, in the fifty-first year of his age.
“He was one of the founders of the American Irish Historical Society and its Secretary-General from the date of its organization until his death. During his administration the Society grew in numbers and influence, pursuing its good work and historical researches into most of the states of the Union, until he saw it occupying the foremost place in this country of any organization engaged in similar work. He was proud of the Society and gave it his best efforts. To him every individual member was personally known, and he took pride in stimulating each with a sense of the responsibility undertaken in making better known the Irish chapter in American history.
“Mr. Murray obtained his early education in the public schools of Newton, Cambridge and Boston, Mass., and, when he reached his majority, chose journalism as his profession. He was a close observer, a ready writer and possessed a style direct and attractive. The seven volumes of the Journal edited by him bear eloquent testimony to his literary ability. For a while he contributed educational, literary and historical articles to the Boston Pilot and enjoyed the coöperation and friendship of its then editor, John Boyle O’Reilly; later he became a member of the staff of the Boston Globe, where he remained several years. Ben Palmer was editor of the Globe at that time, and the Globe office was one of the best schools of journalism in the country. With a well-regulated mind and a strong constitution, Mr. Murray worked hard and the training there obtained well fitted him for the life work he had undertaken and the filling of important positions to which he was later called.
“After leaving the Globe, Mr. Murray became court reporter for the Boston Daily Star, then editor of the Roxbury Advocate, and afterwards editor of the Daily Advertiser, a morning paper at Shelton, Conn. He next became night editor of the Morning News, of Bridgeport, Conn., but soon returned to day work and became editor of the Daily Record at Meriden, Conn., where he remained until called to the editorial chair of the Evening and Sunday Telegram at Providence, R. I. After five years in this position, he became editor of the Lawrence Daily Sun, and four years later took charge of the Evening Call at Woonsocket.