Golden Clan: The Murrays, the McDonnells, and the Irish American Aristocracy

John Corry’s chronicle of the Murrays and the McDonnells is the quintessential story of a successful Irish American clan—perhaps the most successful in sheer numbers and influence. Thomas E. Murray, the patriarch, was born in 1860 in Albany, New York. At his death in 1929, he left $9 million, eight children, forty-eight grandchildren, and a record of industrial accomplishment ranging from 1,110 patented inventions to the consolidation of Con Edison. His faith never left him.

Murray’s childr...