MUSE, William Foster (ca. 1931)

MUSE, MILIKIN, LOOMIS, HALL, DUNCAN, NORRIS

Posted By: Jennifer Gunderson (email)
Date: 3/23/2021 at 18:32:36

WILLIAM FOSTER MUSE has been a newspaper man since 1883, and for thirty years has been chiefly responsible for the destiny of the Mason City Globe-Gazette, of which he is vice president and editor. Mr. Muse is one of the two Mason City residents who have the distinction of representation in the Who's Who in America.

He was born at Milan, Illinois, July 14, 1860, son of John Watters and Elizabeth (Milikin) Muse. He attended school at Milan, but came to Iowa to attend Cornell College at Mount Vernon, where he was graduated Bachelor of Science in 1883. He subsequently did work in Illinois Wesleyan University at Bloomington, from which he received the A. B. degree in 1883. He was a reporter on the Rock Island Union as early as 1883, and had a varied experience with other newspapers. As a young man he was also interested in music, and from 1896 to 1899 was manager and basso in the Ottumwa Male Quartette, a very noted organization.

He became editor of the Globe-Gazette at Mason City in 1899, and since that time has devoted his efforts to the building up of this newspaper, and the Globe-Gazette today, as one of the leading newspapers of Iowa, represents his life work.

The Globe-Gazette is now published from as modern a plant as can be found in the state. It has a large editorial staff, and Lee P. Loomis is business manager and W. Earl Hall, managing editor. The Mason City Globe-Gazette is a Lee Syndicate newspaper. It was originally the Cerro Gordo County Republican, established in 1861. Since then other newspapers have been absorbed into its history, including the Mason City Times, established in 1870, the Weekly Globe, established in 1882, and the Daily Globe, established in 1890. The Globe-Gazette is the standard daily paper read all over this part of Iowa. Mr. Muse has been steadily incorporating into it the best lessons of his own experience and the features of outstanding newspapers of the country. In March, 1929, the Globe-Gazette came out with a new typeface, known as the Ideal News Face type, now used by many of the foremost newspapers of the country as the best and clearest type for news print work.

Mr. Muse individually and through his newspaper has constantly been an advocate of a better city and is an ardent Republican. From 1910 to 1915 he was postmaster of Mason City. He is a trustee of his alma mater, Cornell College, is a member of the Sons of Veterans, the Phi Delta Theta college fraternity, is a Knight Templar Mason, member of the Knights of Pythias, B. P. O. Elks, the Rotary Club, Mason City Country Club, Clear Lake Country Club, and is a Methodist.

Mr. Muse married, July 16, 1890, Lillian Duncan, of Cedar Rapids. She is survived by one daughter, Elizabeth, who married Ralph H. Norris, December 15, 1927, and resides in Orange, New Jersey.

In the summer of 1930 Mr. Muse was adopted by the Winnebago Indian tribe and made a chief, his Indian name being “In-Spawa Dumba," meaning the “Observing Eye." He has traveled extensively. In 1926 he made a trip around the world, and in 1928 traveled through South America. He has written two books on his travels, entitled The Travelog of a Muse and these two volumes he had privately published and distributed among his friends.

Source: Harlan, Edgar Rubey, LL.B., A.M. A Narrative History of The People of Iowa: With Special Treatment of Their Chief Enterprises in Education, Religion, Valor, Industry, Business. . . Vol. III. p. 68. American Historical Society. 1931.