Dr. William Gordon “Bill” Murray
Position
- Land Value Survey (1941-1973)
Dr. William Gordon “Bill” Murray was born on July 15, 1903 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Dr. Frederick G. and Jeanett (Stevenson) Murray. He received a B.A. (1924) from Coe College in economics, an M.A. (1925) from Harvard University in economics, and a Ph.D. (1932) from the University of Minnesota in agricultural economics.
Dr. Murray served as a graduate assistant (1925-1926) in the agricultural economics department at Iowa State College (University). After briefly serving as an Assistant Agricultural Economist with the United States Department of Agriculture, he returned to Iowa State as an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics (1927-1931). He was promoted to Associate Professor (1931-1937), Professor (1937-1974), and Professor Emeritus in 1974. Dr. Murray also served as the Head of the Department of Economics and Sociology at Iowa State (1944-1955). He started the Iowa State University Land Value Survey in 1941 and was a lead researcher until he retired in 1974.
His research interests included farm credit, farm appraisal, and tax assessment of farm real estate. Among his major publications are Farm Appraisal: classification and valuation of farm land and buildings (ISU Press 1st edition 1940, 6th edition, 1980), and Agricultural Finance; principles and practice of farm credit (ISU Press 1st edition 1941, 7th edition 1980). He was also engaged in Indian land appraisal in sixteen states for the United States Department of Justice.
Dr. Murray received an international award for distinguished service to agriculture (1957) from Gamma Sigma Delta, honor society of agriculture. He also served as president (1948) of the American Agricultural Economics Association. In addition, the Iowa State University Alumni Association awarded him with a Faculty Citation (1965) and he was named Professor of the Year by the Government of the Student Body (1974).
Dr. Murray died of cancer in 1991 at the age of 88.
Fun Fact: Dr. Murray ran as the Republican candidate for Governor of Iowa in 1958 and again in 1966. In 1967, he helped organize the Living History Farms Foundation; he served as the groups research director (1967-1974), president (1974-1981), and chairman (1981-1988).
Dr. Murray served as a graduate assistant (1925-1926) in the agricultural economics department at Iowa State College (University). After briefly serving as an Assistant Agricultural Economist with the United States Department of Agriculture, he returned to Iowa State as an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics (1927-1931). He was promoted to Associate Professor (1931-1937), Professor (1937-1974), and Professor Emeritus in 1974. Dr. Murray also served as the Head of the Department of Economics and Sociology at Iowa State (1944-1955). He started the Iowa State University Land Value Survey in 1941 and was a lead researcher until he retired in 1974.
His research interests included farm credit, farm appraisal, and tax assessment of farm real estate. Among his major publications are Farm Appraisal: classification and valuation of farm land and buildings (ISU Press 1st edition 1940, 6th edition, 1980), and Agricultural Finance; principles and practice of farm credit (ISU Press 1st edition 1941, 7th edition 1980). He was also engaged in Indian land appraisal in sixteen states for the United States Department of Justice.
Dr. Murray received an international award for distinguished service to agriculture (1957) from Gamma Sigma Delta, honor society of agriculture. He also served as president (1948) of the American Agricultural Economics Association. In addition, the Iowa State University Alumni Association awarded him with a Faculty Citation (1965) and he was named Professor of the Year by the Government of the Student Body (1974).
Dr. Murray died of cancer in 1991 at the age of 88.
Fun Fact: Dr. Murray ran as the Republican candidate for Governor of Iowa in 1958 and again in 1966. In 1967, he helped organize the Living History Farms Foundation; he served as the groups research director (1967-1974), president (1974-1981), and chairman (1981-1988).