{{short description|Colonial American politician (c.1710-1769)}} {{For|men with a similar name|William Murdoch (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox person | name = William Murdock | birth_date = {{circa}} 1710 | death_date = 17 October 1769 | death_place = Maryland, United States | occupation = merchant, planter, gentleman | known_for = Maryland delegate to the Stamp Act Congress | children = 8 }}
'''William Murdock''' ({{circa}} 1710 {{ndash}} October 17, 1769) was an American statesman in colonial Maryland. During the tensions leading up to the American Revolution, he was an important spokesman for the rights of the colonists. He was a delegate representing Maryland in the Stamp Act Congress of 1765.
== Background == Murdock was born around 1710 as the son of Capt. John Murdock, a merchant and his wife Katherine Barton. Murdock was likely a first, or second generation Marylander, his father was enormously wealthy.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Archives of Maryland, Volume 0426, Page 0606 - A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al. |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000426/html/am426--606.html |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=msa.maryland.gov}}</ref> Around 1729, Murdock married Anne Addison.<ref name=":0" /> When his father died in 1733, Murdock acquired all of his landholdings.
In 1737 he first served in public office as sheriff of Prince George's County.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Past Sheriffs |url=https://dev.princegeorgescountymd.gov/departments-offices/sheriff/about-sheriff/history/past-sheriffs |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=Prince George's County Sheriff's Office}}</ref> At the time of his first election he was recorded to have owned 3,291 acres of land in Prince George's County.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Archives of Maryland, Volume 0426, Page 0607 - A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al. |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000426/html/am426--607.html |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=msa.maryland.gov}}</ref> Murdock served as sheriff until 1740.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Archives of Maryland, Volume 0426, Page 0607 - A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al. |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000426/html/am426--607.html |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=msa.maryland.gov}}</ref>
In 1748 Murdock enlisted in Capt. George Beall's Troop of Horse, representing Prince George's County.<ref name=":2" /> He would go on to serve in Maryland's lower house, representing Prince George's County from 1749 to1751.<ref name=":2" /> From 1749 to 1769 he served as burgess for Prince George's County.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Klepeis |first=Alicia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JD-uDwAAQBAJ&dq=william%20murdock%20prince%20george's%20county%201769&pg=PT49 |title=Stamp Act Congress |date=2019-09-04 |publisher=Mitchell Lane |isbn=978-1-5457-4612-7 |language=en}}</ref>
In 1755, Murdock's first wife Anne died.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NINTH GENERATION |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/002100/002185/notes/steele.dir/parsonstech/genealogy/trees/jgordon/d160.htm |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=msa.maryland.gov}}</ref> On January 1, 1757, Murdock married Anne's first cousin, Margaret Dulany, the widow of Alexander Hamilton and daughter of Daniel Dulany the Elder, one of Maryland's most prominent families.<ref name=":0" />
=== Stamp Act Congress === In 1765 when protests over the Stamp Act resulted in calling a Congress of the several colonies in New York City, the Maryland Assembly sent Murdock as one of its delegates.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Tobacco County |url=https://www.pghistory.org/PG/PG300/tobacounty.html |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=www.pghistory.org |series=Prince George's County Tricentennial}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Assembly |first=Maryland General |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q5wMAAAAYAAJ&q=william+murdock+prince+george's+county+1769 |title=Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly of Maryland |date=1945 |publisher=Maryland Historical Society |language=en}}</ref> Delegates from the Stamp Act Congress later produced the Declaration of Rights and Grievances.
Murdock died on October 17, 1769, at his home, ''Padsworth Farm'', in Prince George's County, Maryland.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Barnes |first=Robert William |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hwsSAQAAIAAJ&q=william%20murdock%20prince%20george's%20county%201769 |title=Maryland Genealogies: A Consolidation of Articles from the Maryland Historical Magazine |date=1980 |publisher=Genealogical Publishing Company |isbn=978-0-8063-0886-9 |pages=246 |language=en}}</ref> At the time of his death, he was known to have at least 11 slaves and 2 indentured servants. His property holdings included at least 5,263 acres in Prince George's and Frederick counties, as well as lots in Annapolis.<ref name=":1" />
== See also ==
* Tobacco colonies * Colonial families of Maryland
== References == {{Reference list}}
== External links ==
* [https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-09-02-0168 Letter to Murdock] from Benjamin Franklin {{DEFAULTSORT:Murdock, William}} Category:1769 deaths Category:18th-century Maryland politicians Category:People of Maryland in the American Revolution {{Maryland-politician-stub}} {{Authority control}} Category:Slave owners from the Thirteen Colonies Category:Slave owners from Maryland Category:Sheriffs in Maryland Category:Members of the Maryland House of Delegates Category:18th-century American military personnel Category:18th-century American landowners