John Munsell Chase (November 9, 1859 - January 1, 1941) was an American writer and publisher. Born near Hokab, Minnesota, Chase moved to Oakland, California in 1880. By 1894 he was living in San Francisco, where he was working as an editor. Chase wrote several books over the course of his career, including The Riddle of the Sphinx and was working on a history of San Francisco when he died. Earlier in his career, Chase had been active as a newspaper publisher. He published at least one guide to San Francisco, which appeared in 1913, 1915, and 1917. He died on January 1, 1941, after a tree fell on him and his dog during a storm causing a severe spinal injury. He married Catherine E. Maloney (1862 - 1924) in 1884, with whom he had nine children.