Background
Cowles, John was born on December 14, 1898 in Algona, Iowa, United States. Son of Gardner and Florence (Call) Cowles.
Cowles, John was born on December 14, 1898 in Algona, Iowa, United States. Son of Gardner and Florence (Call) Cowles.
Graduate Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire (U.S.), 1917. Bachelor of Arts, Harvard, 1920 as of 1921. Honorary Doctor of Laws, Boston University, 1941, Grinnell College, 1955, Harvard, 1956.
Little Doctorate., Jamestown (North Dakota) College, 1946.
Doctor of Humane Letters, Coe College, 1956. Simpson College, 1957, Drake University, 1958.
Doctor of Laws, Macalester College, 1958, University Rochester, 1959, Carleton College, 1961, Allegheny College, 1963.
In newspaper work since 1920. 2nd vice president Associate Press, 1929, 1st vice president, 1930, board directors, 1934-1943. Director of the Audit Bureau of Circulation, 1929-1933.
President The Minneapolis Star & Tribune Company (and predecessor corporations) since 1935.
Chairman of the Board The Des Moines Register and Tribune Company. Director First National Bank of Minneapolis.
Special assistant to lend-lease administrator, East. R. Stettinius, Junior, Washington, District of Columbia, 1943 (received Presidential Certificate of Merit for service. Member general advising committee United States Arms and Disarmament Agency.
Member of the Business Council.
Member general advising committee United States Arms and Disarmament Agency. Member of the Business Council. Served as private, United States Army, 1918.
Member board of Trustees American Assembly.
Columbia University. Member Hoover Commission Committee on National Defense, 1948.
Member committee for White House Conference on Education, 1954-1955. Member American Legion, Sons of the American Revolution, Sigma Delta Chi (past honorary president), Alpha Kappa Psi (honorary). Mason.; Clubs: Minneapolis, Woodhill (Minneapolis).
Married Elizabeth Morley Bates, July 1923. Children: Elizabeth Morley (Mistress Arthur A. Ballantine, Junior.