Julia Elizabeth Hutchinson Musser

MUSSER, CLAPP, TEETERS, HUTCHINSON, TITUS, CLAPP

Posted By: Char Hixon
Date: 11/16/2012 at 15:49:59

Death Claims Mrs. P. M. Musser,
Former Resident of City

Mrs. Julia Elizabeth Musser, wife of P. M. Musser, and one of Muscatine’s most prominent and best beloved residents, passed away suddenly, the victim of an attack of heart trouble, at Manhattan, Kansas yesterday morning.

Mrs. Musser arrived in Wichita last Friday to visit at the home of her sister, Mrs. L. W. Clapp. At Wichita she was joined by another sister, Mrs. John L. Teeters, accompanied by Mr. Teeters and the three planned to motor from Wichita to the Teeters home at Lincoln, Neb. The party arrived Wednesday evening at Manhattan, Kansas, where they stopped for the night. During the night Mrs. Musser suffered an attack of heart disease and passed away yesterday morning.

Mrs. Musser was the daughter of the late Robert and Julia M. Hutchinson of Iowa City. She was born at Iowa City in 1844. On December 19, 1865, she was united in marriage to P. M. Musser. Four children were born to the union, Clifford, Laura, Helen and John. The second named died in infancy while the latter two were stricken with diphtheria at the same time in the winter of 1888, and died the one day after the other.

Mrs. Musser is survived by her husband and one son Clifford, by one brother, Charles Hutchinson of Los Angeles, California, and by five sisters, who are Mrs. L. W. Clapp of Wichita, Mrs. John Teeters of Lincoln, Nebraska; Mrs. C. M. Titus of Muscatine and the Misses Delta and Ada Hutchinson of Iowa City; also by two grandchildren, John and Marian Musser, the children of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Musser. On December 20, 1915, Mr. and Mrs. Musser celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.

Mrs. Musser was associated with her husband in many philanthropic and public services. Notable among these were large contributions to institutions, hospitals and schools and the gift to Muscatine of the P. M. Musser Public Library.

Mrs. Musser was particularly interested in the Old Ladies home association of Muscatine, of which institution she was for many years the president and one of the most active supporters. Mr. Musser was the donor of the property of the institution.

Mr. and Mrs. Musser had resided in Muscatine since 1875, when they moved there from Iowa City.
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NOBLE IOWA WOMAN CALLED
Sudden Death of Mrs. P. M. Musser,
Iowa City Pioneer, Brings Great Sorrow

Mrs. P. M. Musser, whose death was recorded herein briefly, last evening, was enroute to Lincoln, Neb. to visit at a sister’s home, when she was suddenly stricken, a victim of heart trouble.

She was at Manhattan, Kansas, when the end came, and was planning to motor to Lincoln, Nebraska where Mrs. J. L. Teeters, formerly Miss Sophia W. Hutchinson of Iowa City, resided. Mrs. Teeters had joined her at Wichita, at the home of another sister, Carrie Hutchinson Clapp. The trio autoed to Manhattan, where, while passing the night, Mrs. Musser became suddenly ill, and, during the subsequent morning hours, yesterday, she passed away.

Mrs. Musser – formerly Julia Elizabeth Hutchinson – was the daughter of Robert and Julia M. Hutchinson, pioneers of Iowa City, where she was born in 1844. She was married in 1865 to P. M. Musser. To them four children were born –Clifford, Laura, Helen and John. Clifford, alone, survives. Laura died in infancy; and Helen and John, victims of diphtheria, died within 24 hours.

Surviving are her husband, one of the foremost men of Iowa and the West, in the realm of commercial activities; one son, Clifford, Muscatine, B.S. 1890, S. U. I.; and a brother, Charles Hutchinson, of Los Angeles, California; and five sisters – Mrs. Carrie Clapp (wife of Attorney L. W. Clapp) of Wichita, Kansas, M. A., 1885, and B. Ph., 1882, S. U. I.; Mrs. Sophia W. Teeters (wife of Attorney John I. Teeters) Lincoln, Nebraska, B. Ph., 1880, S. U. I.; Ada F. Hutchinson, Iowa City, B. Ph. 1891, S. U. I.; Delia Hutchinson, Iowa City; and Mrs. G. M. Titus, Muscatine.

The Mussers left Iowa City, in 1875, and removed to Muscatine, where they resided ever since.

The death of Mrs. Musser takes from Iowa philanthropic circles one of the most prominent women in the State.

Her remarkable gifts to eleemosynary institutions and causes, and to other good works are probably without a superior in frequency and amount, in Iowa. She and her husband donated the P. M. Musser library to Muscatine; and gave largely to hospitals, schools, and other public and semi-public institutions.

For years, she was the president of the Old Ladies’ Home association, and gave richly of her worldly goods to its endowment and support. There were but a few of her active beneficences , as the total roster would require columns for reviewing.

Throughout more than 40 years she has been a philanthropist, par excellence, and her name will never lost its luster; her memory, its loving cherishing, among admiring, loving friends in Iowa City and Muscatine.

Source: Iowa City (Iowa) Citizen, Friday, 25 May 1917. Courtesy State Historical Society, Iowa City.