Guthrie Reunion

AILLAUD, BRIDGES, EVANS, GUTHRIE, MASON, SPENCER, TOEDT, WILLIAM, WOODROW

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 4/2/2015 at 15:08:54

Guthrie Home Scene of Reunion
The home of Mr. and Mrs. A. T. Guthrie was the scene of a very happy time Friday when the Guthrie families met together for their third annual reunion. An unusually large number were present and many who had not seen each other for years met again. After the picnic dinner on the lawn a splendid program of music and reading was given. The officers were elected: President, Mrs. A. G. Veith; Vice-President, Mrs. Violet Aillaud; Treasurer, Mrs. Charlotte Spencer. Letters were read from the absent members who could not attend – one especially interesting was sent by Frank Guthrie of Waterloo giving some of the family history of the pioneer days of Iowa. Here is part of its contents:
“It is an accepted fact that the Iowa branch of the Guthrie family as represented at Newton, Iowa, are the lineal descendants of Jacob and Elizabeth Guthrie, who, up to the year 1856 were residents of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Their family consisted of seven stalwart sons ranging in age from John, who was twenty-one, to Amos, a mere baby. In 1854, John acquired the “wanderlust” and journeyed to Newton which was a small settlement of a few hundred. The favorable reports he sent back of Iowa soil and chances for investment caused Elizabeth and Jacob to sell their property and move west. At Pittsburg they were loaded on a steam boat sailing down the Ohio river, to the Mississippi and up to Keokuk, which was then “Port of Entry” to Iowa. By prior agreement John was expected to meet them with a team and wagon and transport them to Jasper county. Some land was purchased in the timber northwest of town and they stayed with a family of eight in a one roomed cabin.”
Those present were, Mr. A. T. Guthrie and son Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Guthrie and son Ora, Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Spencer and children, Charlotte and Charles, Mr. and Mrs. F. C. Woodrow and children, Arthur, Irene and Myron, Mrs. Lizzie Bridges, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Guthrie, Juanita, and son, Harold, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Guthrie, Mr. and Mrs. Aillaud and children, Frank Evans and Donald and Dorothy Evans, Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Guthrie and Wilfred, Mr. and Mrs. E. N. Guthrie and Hubert, Mr. and Mrs. Mason and Margery, Earl and Betty, Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Guthrie, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Toedt. Those from a distance were: Mr. and Mrs. Dick William of California; Mrs. Louie Guthrie, Mr. and Mrs. George Guthrie, Mr. and Mrs. Amos Guthrie, Mr. and Mrs. R. G. Guthrie and children, Mr. Arthur Guthrie and daughters, all from Des Moines. The visiting guests were Rev. and Mrs. R. W Moore, Miss Malley Taylor, Helen Duer, Blanche Holmes and Colter.
Source: Newton Daily News; June 12, 1922, pg. 3