Shawnee County KS Archives Biographies.....Guthrie, John 1829 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com September 26, 2006, 7:50 pm Author: James L. King (1905) HON. JOHN GUTHRIE. HON. JOHN GUTHRIE, postmaster of Topeka, whose portrait is shown on the foregoing page, has been a distinguished resident of this city since 1865. He attained prominence as a lawyer and judge and forced his way to the foremost ranks of his profession. Judge Guthrie was born in Switzerland County, Indiana, in 1829, and was one of 14 children born to William and Margaret (Japp) Guthrie, who were natives of Scotland. The parents of John Guthrie removed from Scotland to New York State and thence to Indiana, where he was reared and educated. He grew to manhood on the farm and assisted in the work on the home place when not attending school. He subsequently engaged in teaching school during the winter months for several seasons. He read law under Hon. Lewis Chamberlin, of Logansport, Indiana, and was admitted to the bar of that State in 1857. He immediately embarked in practice and the following year was elected district attorney for Cass and Miami counties, continuing as such for one and a half years. He resigned this office on account of the meager salary and engaged extensively in private practice until September, 1861, when he raised Company D, 46th Reg. Indiana Vol. Inf., for service in the Union Army during the Civil War. He was made its first captain by Governor Morton, and served as such until June, 1862, when he was discharged because of ill health. He returned to Logansport and resumed practice, continuing there with much success until 1865. He then moved West to Topeka, Kansas, where he has resided continuously since. He engaged in private practice, soon acquiring a prestige throughout this section of the State. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1867, 1868 and 1869, serving in the same able, patriotic and statesman-like manner that has characterized his entire career. In 1872 he was presidential elector on the Republican ticket, in 1872 and 1874 was a delegate to the State conventions, and twice served as chairman of the Republican State Central Committee, in which capacity he rendered his party invaluable service. He was Republican candidate for Governor of Kansas in 1876 and was defeated by George T. Anthony by the small majority of four votes. He was elected judge of the Third Judicial District of Kansas in 1884, and from that date until 1892 served in such manner as to gain the hearty commendation of the bar and of his fellow-citizens in general. During the years 1890, 1891 and 1892, he filled the chair of medical jurisprudence in the Kansas Medical College. In recognition of his services to the party in past years, Judge Guthrie was in 1898 appointed postmaster of Topeka by President McKinley, and in 1902 was reappointed by President Roosevelt, the present being the seventh year of his service in that capacity. He is a member and has served as president of the Bar Association of the State of Kansas. On October 24, 1854, Judge Guthrie was married to Mary C. H. Updegraff, and they reside at No. 921 Clay street. They move in the best social circles of the city, and have a host of friends of long years standing. Fraternally, our subject is a prominent Mason, having joined that order at Logansport, Indiana, as early as 1862. He was first master of Orient Lodge, No. 51, A. F. & A. M. in 1867, and in 1875 was elected grand master of the Grand Lodge of Kansas. He is also past department commander of the Grand Army of the Republic in Kansas. Religiously, he and his wife are devout members of the Presbyterian Church. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY, KANSAS AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS EDITED AND COMPILED BY JAMES L. KING TOPEKA, KANSAS "History is Philosophy Teaching by Examples" PUBLISHED BY RICHMOND & ARNOLD, GEORGE RICHMOND; C. R. ARNOLD. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 1905. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/shawnee/bios/guthrie56nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ksfiles/ File size: 4.4 Kb