Morris E. Muhleman (June 1, 1915 – November 11, 1998) was a politician in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, for most of his life. He was an Illinois State Senator, sheriff of Rock Island County, and mayor of the city of Rock Island.'Morris E. Muhleman-obituary,' Quad Cities-Times, November 12, 1998 Born June 1, 1915, he was raised in the City of Rock Island where he attended school and graduated from Rock Island High School in 1933. He married Winifred McClean on October 7, 1936. Prior to his election to public office Muhleman served as a bookkeeper, salesman, was manager and co-owner of a farm implement store. Morrie Muhleman was an active member of the local

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

for years and in 1950 Muhleman was elected

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

of Rock Island County. He served in that office until November 1954 when he was elected to the Illinois State Senate. In the State Senate he was Vice-Chairman of the Senate Highways and Traffic Regulations Committee and also served on the Industrial Affairs Committee, Municipalities Committee, Pensions and Personnel Committee, and the Revenue Committee. Muhleman was defeated in a surprise upset in 1958 by political veteran and former Illinois State Treasurer,

Ora Smith Ora Smith (December 3, 1884 – July 31, 1965) was an American politician and farmer. Grain farmer and cattle raiser by trade Ora Smith was born December 3, 1884, in New Market, Iowa. He grew up in Alexis and Kirkwood, Illinois and lived in B ...

. In late 1960 Muhleman declared his candidacy for

Mayor of Rock Island, Illinois The office of Mayor of Rock Island, Illinois has existed since the Rock Island's incorporation in 1841 with Benjamin Barrett serving as the city's first mayor. Rock Island adopted a Mayor-Council form of government. It held that form of governm ...

. He won the February Primary and went on to victory in a tight Mayoral election the following April. Muhleman served as Mayor for one term before retiring in 1965. Muhleman's term as Mayor was marked by great cooperation between the city, business, and civic interests. He remained semi-active in the community as a member of the Masonic Order, the

Methodist Church Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related Christian denomination, denominations of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John W ...

, Kiwanis Club,

Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...

director, and a member of the local

Boy Scout A Scout (in some countries a Boy Scout, Girl Scout, or Pathfinder) is a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split ...

council. Past Fair Association President, and on the Executive Board of the Illinois Sheriff's Association as well as manager of the

Rock Island Centennial Bridge The Rock Island Centennial Bridge, officially the Master Sargeant Stanley W. Talbot Memorial Bridge, connects Rock Island, Illinois, and Davenport, Iowa. The bridge is long and stands above water level. Construction of the bridge began in 1938 ...

from 1965 to 1980. He was the owner of an insurance company in Rock Island known as the M. E. Muhleman Agency. Muhleman died November 11, 1998, at the age of 83.

Electoral history

November 1950 election - Sheriff *R. Morris E. Muhleman- 21,860 54% *D. Howard Gregg- 18,492 46% November 1954 election - State Senate *R. Morris E. Muhleman- 28,237 52% *D. Samuel Arndt- 26,292 48% November 1958 election - State Senate *D. Ora Smith- 23,174 50% *R. Morris E. Muhleman- 22,736 50% April 1965 election - Mayor of Rock Island *NP. Morris E. Muhleman- 6,146 53% *NP. Stanley Erikson- 5,446 47%

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Muhleman, Morris E. Mayors of places in Illinois Politicians from Rock Island, Illinois Businesspeople from Illinois 1915 births 1998 deaths Illinois sheriffs Republican Party Illinois state senators 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American legislators 20th-century Illinois politicians