Harry W. Musselwhite
Encyclopedia
Harry Webster Musselwhite (May 23, 1868 - December 14, 1955) was a politician from the U.S. state
of Michigan
.
Musselwhite was born on a farm near Coldwater, Michigan
and attended the district school and the high school there. He apprenticed, and later employed, as a printer in Coldwater from 1886 to 1888. He then moved to Detroit
and was employed as a newspaper reporter from 1888 to 1905. He then served as city editor and sports writer of the Grand Rapids Herald in Grand Rapids
from 1905 to 1914,
Musselwhite moved to Manistee
and became owner, editor, and publisher of the Manistee Daily News-Advocate, 1915-1928. He was supervisor of census for Michigan's 9th congressional district
in 1920 and for the fourth district
in 1930. He was also a member and vice chairman of the Michigan Hospital Commission from 1927 to 1932.
In 1933, running as the as a Democratic Party
candidate, Musselwhite defeated incumbent Republican U.S. Representative James C. McLaughlin
to be elected from Michigan's 9th congressional district
to the 73rd Congress
, serving from March 4, 1933 to January 3, 1935. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1934 to the 74th Congress
, losing to Republican Albert J. Engel
.
After leaving Congress, Musselwhite engaged in the management of newspaper properties until his retirement. He was a Congregationalist and a member of Freemasons
, Shriners
, Eagles
, and Elks
. He died in San Lorenzo, California
and is interred on the other side of the state in Cypress Lawn Cemetery of Coloma
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Musselwhite was born on a farm near Coldwater, Michigan
Coldwater, Michigan
Coldwater is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,945. It is the county seat of Branch County....
and attended the district school and the high school there. He apprenticed, and later employed, as a printer in Coldwater from 1886 to 1888. He then moved to Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and was employed as a newspaper reporter from 1888 to 1905. He then served as city editor and sports writer of the Grand Rapids Herald in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
from 1905 to 1914,
Musselwhite moved to Manistee
Manistee, Michigan
Manistee is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,586. It is the county seat of Manistee County. The name "Manistee" is from an Ojibwe word first applied to the principal river of the county. The derivation is not certain, but it may be from...
and became owner, editor, and publisher of the Manistee Daily News-Advocate, 1915-1928. He was supervisor of census for Michigan's 9th congressional district
Michigan's 9th Congressional District
Michigan's 9th congressional district is contained within Oakland County in the southeast areas of the state of Michigan and encompasses most of the county. It is the only congressional district to lie entirely within Oakland County....
in 1920 and for the fourth district
Michigan's 4th congressional district
Michigan's 4th congressional district is a United States Congressional district that currently includes portions of Northern and Central Michigan, consisting of all of...
in 1930. He was also a member and vice chairman of the Michigan Hospital Commission from 1927 to 1932.
In 1933, running as the as a Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate, Musselwhite defeated incumbent Republican U.S. Representative James C. McLaughlin
James C. McLaughlin
James Campbell McLaughlin was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.McLaughlin was born in Beardstown, Illinois. His parents, David and Isabella McLaughlin, had come from Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1851 and settled in Beardstown. The family moved to Muskegon, Michigan, in 1864, and David...
to be elected from Michigan's 9th congressional district
Michigan's 9th Congressional District
Michigan's 9th congressional district is contained within Oakland County in the southeast areas of the state of Michigan and encompasses most of the county. It is the only congressional district to lie entirely within Oakland County....
to the 73rd Congress
73rd United States Congress
The Seventy-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1933 to January 3, 1935, during the first two years...
, serving from March 4, 1933 to January 3, 1935. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1934 to the 74th Congress
74th United States Congress
-House:Also 2 Delegates, 3 Resident Commissioners-Senate:*President of the Senate: John N. Garner *President pro tempore: Key Pittman -Majority leadership:*Majority leader: Joseph T. Robinson...
, losing to Republican Albert J. Engel
Albert J. Engel
Albert Joseph Engel was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.Engel was born in New Washington, Ohio. He attended the public schools in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, and the Central YMCA College in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from the law department of Northwestern University,...
.
After leaving Congress, Musselwhite engaged in the management of newspaper properties until his retirement. He was a Congregationalist and a member of Freemasons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, Shriners
Shriners
The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also commonly known as Shriners and abbreviated A.A.O.N.M.S., established in 1870, is an appendant body to Freemasonry, based in the United States...
, Eagles
Fraternal Order of Eagles
Fraternal Order of Eagles International is a fraternal organization that was founded on February 6, 1898, in Seattle, Washington by a group of six theater owners including John Cort , brothers John W. and Tim J. Considine, Harry Leavitt , Mose Goldsmith and Arthur Williams...
, and Elks
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
. He died in San Lorenzo, California
San Lorenzo, California
San Lorenzo , also known as San Lorenzo Village is a census-designated place in Alameda County, California, United States. The population was 23,452 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
and is interred on the other side of the state in Cypress Lawn Cemetery of Coloma
Coloma, California
Coloma is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California, USA. It is approximately northeast of Sacramento, California. Coloma is most noted for being the site where James W. Marshall first discovered gold in California, at Sutter's Mill on January 24, 1848, leading to the California...
.