John Guthrie

GUTHRIE, YOUNG

Posted By: Judy Kelley, volunteer (email)
Date: 9/23/2011 at 18:10:40

This community was greatly shocked last Friday morning when it was noised abroad that John Guthrie, a highly respected citizen and a veteran of the civil war, had been found dead in his bed. He was a widower, his wife having died something over a year ago, and an only child some years before, leaving him in loneliness to struggle along as best he could. His health had not been good for many years, having been permanently shatted by service and exposure in the war for the preservation of the union. Still he was about as usual and was looking as well or better than common. He had not been seen about town or around the place since Wednesday; but as he was in the habit of going back and forth to Grandview, where his aged father and brothers reside, nothing was thought of his absence until the pawing of his horse in the stable attracted the attention of neighbors. Finally Mrs. Leonard Shipman became anxious and called in H. W. Baker, county auditor, who secured J.M. Guthrie, a nephew of the deceased, and when the door was forced open the dead body of Mr. Guthrie was found lying on the bed. Indications were he had died Wednesday night without a struggle. We understand a doctor was called but no inquest was held owing to the state of the corpse, and the absence of evidence that he had died other than from natural causes.

Short services were held at the house by Rev. M.E. Reusch, and the G.A.R's. took charge of their dead comrade and tenderly laid him by the side of his wife and child in the Wapello cemetery.

The deceased was 63 years old. He is survived by his father, now 87 years of age, and by two brothers, William and Moses Jr., and one sister, Mrs. A.H. Young, all of Grandview. So in the silence another old soldier has answered the "long roll."

Source: an old undated newspaper clipping