Johnston and Murphy provides high quality, leather shoes for men, women and children. Johnston and Murphy bags are also available and range from business bags to leather duffle bags. The company has roots back to the mid-nineteenth century and the William J. Dudley Shoe Company. This company was founded in 1850 in Newark, New Jersey by William J. Dudley who had been schooled in the classic tradition of English shoemaking.

The William J. Dudley Shoe Company specialized in quality, highly durable work shoes for men, women and children. In 1880, Newark businessman James Johnston joined the company as Dudley's partner. The company took the durability of its work shoes and crafted a new line of quality fashionable footwear, which quickly became popular. In 1881, William Dudley passed away, and Johnston assumed control. In 1884, William A. Murphy, another prominent Jersey businessman became interested in the company's success and a partnership was formed, and thus Johnston & Murphy was born.