08 LC 95
0525
House
Resolution 1555
By:
Representatives Smith of the
70th,
Horne of the
71st,
Wilkinson of the
52nd,
Stephens of the
164th,
Hudson of the
124th,
and others
A
RESOLUTION
Recognizing
and commending Murray Printing; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
Murray Printing first opened its doors in Griffin, Georgia, in 1845, and
according to a recent inquiry by its new owner, it could be the oldest existing
company in Georgia; and
WHEREAS,
a native of Scotland, Alexander G. Murray founded the company in 1845, and upon
his death in 1853, his son Samuel W. Murray took over the business;
and
WHEREAS,
according to accounts in old newspaper articles, during the Civil War, the
Yankees tore out the printing presses and scattered its type, generally ruining
the store, but the Murrays persevered and began again; and
WHEREAS,
a 1946 newspaper article concerning the sale of the company stated that the
original 1845 type pieces were still in use and some of the old wooden cuts are
around today; and
WHEREAS,
in 1881, the print shop moved from Griffin to Newnan, Georgia; and
WHEREAS,
the business occupied two buildings in Newnan before Samuel Murray built a new
building for his presses in 1895 at 7-9 West Washington Street, and the company
remained on the second floor of this building under the stewardship of Herndon
H. Murray, who took over the business in 1901; and
WHEREAS,
in 1903 and 1904, Murray Printing became a cotton tag manufacturer, the only one
in the South at that time according to early 20th century newspaper articles,
and shortly after it turned to the manufacture of hosiery and hat boxes and
other types of commercial printing; and
WHEREAS,
Raleigh Arnall, a relative of Governor Ellis Arnall, purchased the business in
1946, and the business passed out of the Murray family's hands after 101 years
of ownership; and
WHEREAS,
it was Mr. Arnall who moved Murray Printing to its current location at 7 Spring
Street, the site of a former hotel, in the middle 1940's, and it was at this
time that the company experienced its heyday, doing business with large local
industries; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Arnall also turned the storefront into an office supply place, and when
Arnall finally sold the business to Mr. Charlie Smith in 1979, office supplies
were still being sold; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Smith shifted the main focus of the store back to printing as "big box"
stores like Kmart came to town; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Smith purchased the company from Mr. Arnall nearly 30 years ago, and the
company was briefly owned by the Madean family, but Mr. Smith bought it back;
and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Smith has recently sold the company to a younger generation, Mr. Rob Brass
who will rename the store Murray's Minuteman Press; and
WHEREAS,
Murray Printing is one of the most significant business enterprises in the state
and is a tribute to the entrepreneurial spirit if its founders.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body recognize and commend Murray Printing for the valuable services it has
provided to the community and this state in its many years of
operation.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to Mr. Charlie
Smith and Mr. Rob Brass.