Michael C. Murphy was born in
Kilmallock on March 7, 1839. The family emigrated to the
United States in 1848. He attended the common schools in
Manhattan, New York City, and then became a
compositor. Murphy was commissioned as a
captain of the
11th New York Infantry (Fire Zouaves) in May 1861, and served with the regiment until transferring to the
170th New York Infantry in July 1862. He was promoted to
lieutenant colonel of the 170th New York Infantry in February 1863. For actions while commanding his regiment during the
Battle of North Anna, he was later awarded the
Medal of Honor. The following month, he was dismissed due to disability. In 1866, he was a general of the Fenian Army which prepared to take part in the
Fenian raids on
Canada. He was a member of the
New York State Senate (5th D.) from 1884 to 1889, sitting in the
107th,
108th,
109th,
110th,
111th and
112th New York State Legislatures. On March 3, 1898, Murphy was appointed by Mayor
Robert A. van Wyck as
Commissioner of Health of the City of New York, a post which he held for nearly three years, until van Wyck appointed him the first
New York City Police Commissioner on February 22, 1901. He remained in office until January 1, 1902, when he tendered his resignation to incoming mayor
Seth Low. Murphy was already in poor health, and could not eat any solid food. Instead, he was fed especially prepared liquid meals through a silver tube inserted into his stomach. Thus he was absent most of the time from his office, and appointed Ex-Chief of Police
William Stephen Devery as First Deputy Police Commissioner to take care of the department during his absence. Surviving him was his widow, Mary, with whom he had had no contact for more than 30 years. ==Medal of Honor citation==