James Alonzo Murphy was born on January 8, 1879 in Lake Ridge, Michigan. He was the son of Jenne (Anderson) and Thomas Murphy.

He graduated from Cleary Business College in Ypsilanti, Michigan and worked at Ohio Savings Bank and Trust in Toledo, Ohio.

On June 9 1903, he married Josephine Russell and they had at least one child:

  1. Russell Anderson Mruphy

His second wife was Grace Hoagland who he married on March 18, 1926.