Among his assignments, Elias Murray oversaw the relocation of the Menominee Indians from their home on Lake Poygan to their present reservation near Shawano.

[1] In 1876, McCord obtained a divorce from Utah Territory while traveling on business and informed his wife upon his return to Wisconsin.

[1] His other business interests included partial ownership of bank and a firm that manufactured wood products such as doors, blinds, and window sashes.

The unincorporated town of McCord was named by the Soo Line Railroad who developed a whistle stop to serve his camps in the Somo River pine region.

[8] As a delegate to 1884 Republican National Convention, McCord supported James G. Blaine[9] He was later appointed Register of the United States Land Office in Wausau, Wisconsin.

[10] McCord also became an advocate for bringing in good quality cattle breeds to improve the profitability of Arizona livestock activities.

The most significant was the board's approval of a contract with Eugene S. Ives' State of Arizona Improvement Company for construction of a 13-mile (21 km) irrigation canal near Yuma.

[11] The day that McKinley was inaugurated President of the United States, McCord wrote to his old friend requesting appointment as Governor of Arizona Territory.

[16] Supporters of McCord's appointment included Albert C. Baker, Lewis Wolfley, Webster Street, and Joseph Kibbey.

[15] On July 21, 1897, U.S. Supreme Court Assistance Justice John Marshall Harlan administered the oath of office to McCord in Washington D. C.[19] The next day, Governor Franklin received a telegram informing him that McCord had been qualified and directing him to turn over all records to Territorial Secretary Charles H Akers.

[20] The issue was resolved on July 29, 1897, when Arizona Territorial Supreme Court Chief Justice Hiram Truesdale administered the oath of office to the new governor in Phoenix.

[13] In the end the company was unable to raise the funds needed to meet its obligations, leaving the territory with $7,500 in noncollectable "water rights" against $13,741 in expenses while recapturing only 7 of the 11 prisoners who escaped while working on the canal.

[21] The economic section of report listed all the territory's mines and gave information on agricultural and cattle ranching industries.

In addition to the sugar beets being grown near Yuma, McCord suggested tobacco and peanuts as potential new crops.

In reference to Arizona's statehood effort, McCord wrote "While our population is not so numerous as some might think it should be to entitle us to be intrusted with self-government, yet we claim and insist that what we make up in quality what we lack in quantity".

[22] McCord also used the report to recommend construction of a permanent territorial capital building to provide a safe location for governmental record storage.

[23] Permission arrived on April 3, 1898, when McCord received a telegram authorizing raising two companies of volunteer cavalry.

[26] Wishing to participate personally in the war against Spain, McCord used his influence with President McKinley to be appointed colonel of the First Territorial Infantry.

Secretary of Interior Cornelius N. Bliss responded with, "Do not see how you can recede your voluntary request to be commissioned as Colonel of Arizona regiment.

[29] The First Territorial Infantry had only reached Chickamauga Park when the war ended and despite never seeing combat, McCord later claimed to have no regrets about his resignation.

[31] Shortly before being assassinated, President William McKinley appointed McCord United States Marshal for Arizona.