James A. McMurrin (1889-1976) was a Mormon Church leader, author, and Utah politician.

James Albert McMurrin, son of James L. McMurrin and Edith Mary Turpin, was born April 10, 1889, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Shortly after his birth, his parents moved to Oxford, Idaho, but after the death of his father, his mother took James and her three younger children to live at Logan, Utah.

On March 7, 1917, James married Phoebe Mavil Allen in the Salt Lake Temple. She was born July 11, 1890, at Cove, Cache County, Utah, daughter of Joseph Smith Allen and Phoebe Anderson. To them were born one son, James Allen and Phoebe Anderson. To them were born one son, James Allen, (December 28, 1917) and two daughters, Janet Lucile (December 23, 1921) and Alice Mae (July 24, 1927), all three at Logan, Utah.

James A. McMurrin was active in Utah politics. He served as a State Senator from Cache County, and for a time he was Secretary of the Senate. He served the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a missionary in Scotland, from 1909 to 1911. He and his wife also served a brief mission in California. From December 1950 to September 1955, he served a brief mission in California. From December 1950 to September 1955, he served as President of the Northwestern States Mission at a time when the influence of that mission and its program was felt to a significant degree in other mission and its program was felt to a significant degree in other missions of the Church. After his release, he continued his interest in community affairs. Part of the collection was generated as a result of these activities, which were related to the Freedom Bond Drive of 1963, the Utah Council of the Aging, and the White House Conference on Aging, in 1971, which McMurrin attended.