Nevada Genealogy Trails Humboldt County J. W. Guthrie Biography

J. W. GUTHRIE, the efficient county assessor of Humboldt county. Nevada, was horn in Ohio on the 15th of March, 1858. His father. John Baker Guthrie, was a native of Pennsylvania, but was married in Ohio, the lady of his choice being Miss Harriet Watt, a native of that commonwealth. With his wife and four children, two sons and two daughters, John Baker Guthrie crossed the plains to California, being six months on the journey, and they were fortunate in escaping disease and from the Indians. On their arrival in the Golden state the family located at Texas Springs. Shasta county, where Mr. Guthrie engaged in teaming from Sacramento to Unionville, Nevada, and in 1862 the family located at the latter place, the father continuing his teaming operations, hauling goods from Sacramento to Unionville, wood to the mills and salt from the Humboldt salt marsh to Silver City, Idaho. He owned the old Humboldt salt marsh, and oxen were used in his hauling. In those early days many thus engaged were killed by the Indians, but Mr. Gnthrie fortunately escaped. He owned nine ox-teams (nine yoke to the team) and each teamster was furnished with a Henry rifle, and thus the redskins were afraid to attack the party. Later in life he purchased a ranch twelve miles southwest of Winnemucca, the tract consisting of four hundred acres, and there he planted one of the finest fruit orchards in the state. He was called to his final rest in 1890. when he had reached the age of sixty-four years, and his widow, who bravely shared with her husband in all the trials and hardships of a pioneer life, still resides on the old home ranch, being now in her seventy-second year, and her many noble characteristics have won for her many friends. Of the four children who crossed the plains with this worthy couple in 1859, the second daughter. Minerva Jane, is now deceased; Florence L., the oldest daughter, married C. S. Varian, a prominent attorney, and resides in Salt Lake City, Utah: S. R. Guthrie resides in Winnemucca. The following children were born to them in their western homes : Sarah Melissa. now Mrs. Charles McDeid. and a resident of Winnemucca; Carrie, the wife of G. M. Rose, a printer, also of that city; John Frank, a resident of Pleasant valley: Hattie A., the wife of W. A. Brown, a druggist in Winnemucca: James Albert and Charles, deceased; and Arthur W., who makes his home on the ranch with his mother.

J. W. Guthrie was but one year old when he was taken by his parents across the plains to California, and in Unionville, Nevada, he was reared to mature vears and received his education in the public schools. Since attaining his majority he has devoted his attention to ranching and the stock business, and is now interested in a sulphur mine near the Humboldt House, in which locality the first sulphur in the state was found and where large quantities are now being produced. In political matters Mr. Guthrie allied his interests with the Republican party, but has supported the movement in favor of silver when he believed it a benefit to the community to do so. In 1890 he was elected to the responsible office of assessor of the county of Humboldt, to which he has since been re-elected for three four-year terms, and is now serving in a two-year term. When he first became a candidate for the position on the Republican ticket in a strongly Democratic community, he received only a small majority, but at each succeeding election he has polled a handsome majority. He is thoroughly posted as to property valuation in the county, and is considered by his fellow citizens as the right man for the place.

In 1879 Mr. Guthrie was united in marriage to Miss May Viola George. a native of the state of Iowa, and they have six children: Vera Ethlyn, Malvina Grace, Edna Elizabeth, John Ira, Charles William and Florence May. The family reside in a pleasant residence in Winnemucca, and are among the highly esteemed residents of the city. Mr. Guthrie is a past master in the Ancient Order of United Workmen.