Tama County IA Archives Biographies.....Guernsey, Alexander W. 1834 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 14, 2007, 8:05 pm

Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1896)

ALEXANDER W. GUERNSEY, special examiner of the United States Pension Bureau, has
been an honored citizen of Tama for more than a quarter of a century. In early
Colonial days the Guernsey family was founded in America, and the grandfather of
our subject was one of the heroes of the Revolution.

   Joseph Guernsey, the father, was a native of New York, born October 5, 1799.
During his early boyhood the family removed to Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and
in 1813, when in his fourteenth year, he entered the service of the United
States as a drummer boy and continued with the army until the close of the
second war with England. In after years his widow received a land warrant and
pension in recognition of his services. In his youth he learned the trade of
shoemaker, but after he had reached man's estate and married he engaged in
hotel-keeping and mercantile pursuits. He also took quite an active part in
political life, and was a recognized leader in the ranks of the Democracy in his
county. His fellow townsmen, appreciating his worth and ability, frequently
called him to public office, and he served as Sheriff of Tioga county,
Pennsylvania. In 1849 he was strongly talked of as candidate for Congress, but
death ended his career on the 18th of July, of that year. He was a self-educated
and self-made man, and obtained a comfortable competence through his earnest and
industrious efforts and his ever honorable dealing. The last years of his life
were passed on his large farm in Tioga county. Wherever he went he made friends,
and hardly a man living ever incurred less enmity than he. His religious faith
was that of the Universalist Church.

   The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Ann Brewster, and was born
in Pennsylvania, in 1803. She too shared in the high esteem of all who knew her
and passed away in 1881. Ten children called her by the name of mother, and of
this number eight reached years of maturity. Henry A., the eldest, was a soldier
in the Mexican war, served as Sheriff of Tioga county, Pennsylvania, was
Collector of Internal Revenue under President Johnson, and died in Wellsboro,
Pennsylvania. Jonah B., for fifteen years a farmer of Mitchell county, Iowa, now
resides in Jacksonville, Florida. Alonzo T. is a druggist of St. Paul,
Minnesota. Joseph W., a commercial traveler, died in Steuben county, New York.
Alexander W. is the next younger. Catherine A. became the wife of Henry
Brubecker, and died at Middletown, Pennsylvania. Charles B., a conductor on the
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, died at Council Bluffs, Iowa. Ann B.
became the wife of Frank Wiswell and died in Warren, Pennsylvania.

   Mr. Guernsey, whose name begins this sketch, was born in Tioga county,
Pennsylvania, May 14, 1834. His boyhood days were passed in his native county,
where he attended school and assisted his father in carrying on the farm. At the
age of sixteen he left the parental roof, and went with a whaling expedition on
a two-years cruise. On leaving the ocean he engaged in railroading, serving in
the capacity of conductor until 1862, when he laid aside business cares, feeling
that his duty was to his country, and that his services were needed in the
preservation of the Union. Donning the blue, he became a member of Company D,
Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and on the nth of August, 1863, was commissioned
Second Lieutenant. For meritorious conduct on the field of battle he was
promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant September 6, 1863, and thus served till
January, 1865, when he resigned on account of ill health, and on a surgeon's
certificate of disability was honorably discharged and returned home. As a
soldier he participated in thirty engagements, including some of the most
important battles of the war. Among the number were Gettysburg, Mine Run, the
hard-fought battle of the Wilderness, Shepherdstown, Yellow Tavern and
Petersburg. A fearless and brave soldier, he inspired and encouraged his men and
led them in many a gallant charge. He was once wounded by a sabre on the
forehead, the skull being fractured, and he received two other slight wounds.

   After the war Mr. Guernsey resumed railroading and continued this until 1867,
when on account of failing health he was obliged to abandon manual labor. He
therefore took up the study of law, and in 1869 he went to Tama, Iowa, where he
worked in a lumber-yard during the day, while at night he prosecuted his
studies. His application and thorough research soon fitted him for admission to
the bar, and on the 21st of September, 1870, at Toledo, he was admitted to
practice in the district and circuit courts. He at once entered upon the
prosecution of his chosen profession, and on the 7th of June, 1876, was admitted
to the United States courts, while two days later he was admitted to the Supreme
Court of Iowa. Although he was retained as counsel on various cases, he was
offered and accepted the position of paymaster in the employ of Lewis
Carmichael, an extensive railroad contractor. He handled more than $2,000,000
for Mr. Carmichael, and was never asked to give bond or any security whatever,
for his honesty is above question and upon his name there falls no shadow of
wrong or suspicion of evil.

   The lady who has for many years been his faithful companion and helpmeet on
life's journey was in her maidenhood Miss Harriet J. Crandall, a native of Tioga
county, Pennsylvania. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Guernsey was celebrated in
1856, and of their union three children have been born. The daughter, Clara M.,
is now the wife of Frank Gedbury, of Tama, and they have two children,-M. W. and
Bertha C. Wallace C. married Fannie Wilson, and resides in Clinton, Iowa. They
have one son, Harold W.

   In politics Mr. Guernsey has also been a Democrat and has done effective
service in the interest of his party, which has also honored him with several
offices. He has served as Mayor of Tama, for many years was Justice of the
Peace, and has also been a member of the School Board, doing effective work in
the cause of education. His public duties have ever been discharged with
promptness and fidelity, and in 1884 he was appointed to his present responsible
position, that of special examiner of the United States Pension Bureau, and was
among the first to receive an appointment under civil-service rules. At one time
he resigned on account of ill health, but at the expiration of a year, his
health having improved, he was re-instated. His duties have called him to New
York and Pennsylvania, and have been discharged with a most commendable
faithfulness.

   When Mr. Guensey located in Tama there was but one brick building in the town
and not a rod of sidewalk. He was without a dollar when he reached Iowa, and was
often hardly able to supply the necessaries of life. Although he has never
attempted to accumulate wealth, believing that there is far more to life than
money-getting, he has secured a comfortable property, and by his straightforward
dealing has secured the unqualified confidence of all with whom he has been
brought in contact. His public and private life are alike above reproach, and
his example is indeed exemplary, yet he is free from ostentation, and unassuming
in manner. Socially, Mr. Guernsey is a prominent Mason, having served as Past
Master of the blue lodge and Past High Priest of the chapter. He is both a
Knight Templar Mason and a thirty-second degree member of the consistory. For
thirty years he has been a member of the Odd Fellows society. He belongs to the
Grand Army of the Republic, and served as a member of the staff of Department
Commander J. J. Stedman. He has also for many years been connected with the
Ancient Order of United Workmen, and is a member of the finance committee of
that society in Iowa.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

A MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF IOWA

ILLUSTRATED

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."'—MACAULAY.

"Biography is by nature the must universally profitable, universally pleasant,
of all things."—CARLYLE

"History is only biography on a large scale"—LAMARTINE.

CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1896


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