Joseph Royal Murdock (August 11, 1858 – May 26, 1931) was a member of the Utah State Senate. Murdock was the son of Nymphas Coridon Murdock and his wife Sarah Melissa Barney. He was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, until he moved to Charleston, Utah at age 13. He attended Brigham Young Academy (the predecessor of Brigham Young University) in its inaugural year. In 1878 he married Margaret Ashbridge Wright (1860–1948). They became the parents of 10 children.