Background
Joseph B. Murdock was born on February 13, 1851, at Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Rev. John Nelson Murdock and Martha Ballard, and descendant of Robert Murdock, a Scotchman who came to Massachusetts sometime before 1692.
(This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)
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Joseph B. Murdock was born on February 13, 1851, at Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Rev. John Nelson Murdock and Martha Ballard, and descendant of Robert Murdock, a Scotchman who came to Massachusetts sometime before 1692.
After an education in public schools in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, Murdock was appointed to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, from the 4th Congressional District of Massachusetts on July 26, 1866. He graduated on June 7, 1870.
Murdock spent five years after graduation in the Atlantic and Caribbean, four years in the coast survey, and three as instructor in physics at the Naval Academy, 1880 - 1883. Here began the specialization in science, particularly in electricity, which gave added distinction to his professional career. Subsequently, during a year's leave, he was assistant in physics at the University of Pennsylvania, and thereafter engaged in tests of incandescent lights and dynamos under the Franklin Institute.
Following a year in the Dolphin, the first ship of the new steel navy, he spent two years developing electrical equipment at the Newport Torpedo Station; then served on Admiral Belknap's staff in the Orient, 1888 - 1891; and, after returning through Europe to inspect electrical equipment in foreign navies, carried on electrical work at the New York Navy Yard, 1891 - 1894.
From December 1894 to March 1897 Murdock was in the Mediterranean as navigator of the Minneapolis, which rendered effective service in checking Turkish massacres in the Near East. The Spanish-American War called him from the War College, Newport, where he was an instructor then and twice thereafter, to be executive of the transport Panther, which landed a marine battalion at Guantanamo, June 10 - 14, 1898, and assisted in its occupation and defense. Made lieutenant commander (1899), and commander (1901), he was executive of Sampson's flagship New York, 1899 - 1901, commander of the Alliance and later the Denver, and commander of the battleship Rhode Island, 1907 - 1909, during the world cruise of the American fleet.
Upon promotion to rear admiral (November 1909), Murdock commanded a division of the Atlantic Fleet, May 1910 - April 1911, and subsequently the Asiatic Fleet, May 1911 - July 1912, during the revolution which set up a Chinese republic. In this troubled period he stood firmly for protection of American interests, on one occasion insisting effectively - alone among foreign officers - on the right of foreign shipping to occupy the international anchorage near Shanghai.
Retired for age February 13, 1913, after brief duty on the General Board, he was again in active service during the World War, May 1918 - May 1919, as president of general courts martial, Portsmouth Navy Yard.
After retirement he spent the summers in Hill, New Hampshire, and the winters usually in travel. He took active interest in public affairs, was twice elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives (in 1921 and 1923), served on the state forestry commission and as trustee of the state historical society, and made a special study of genealogy and American history. Joseph B. Murdock died on March 20, 1931, in a hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire.
(This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)
Joseph B. Murdock was made honorary member of the Franklin Institute. In 1886 he was elected to membership in the American Philosophical Society.
On June 26, 1879, Joseph B. Murdock married Anne, daughter of Dr. Simeon Dillingham of Philadelphia, but had no children.
