51. JERUSHA GUITTEAU
1850 Washington County, Ohio Census, Marietta page 437
Putnam, William R......78...m...farmer.......MA
..............William R......38...m...farmer.......OH
..............Phebe...........35...f.....................CT
???????,William..........19...m...farmer......OH
Cunz, George..............28...m...shepherd..Eng
Patton, John................21...m...farmer.......OH
Sala, Elizabeth.............18...f.....................Ger
.........Caroline...............12...f.....................GerOhio Marriages - Gen.com
1802 Feb 7
Jerusha Gitteau & William R. Putnam
by Daniel Story
Washington County, Ohio
page 127
1850 Washington County, Ohio Census, Marietta page 437
Putnam, William R......78...m...farmer.......MA
..............William R......38...m...farmer.......OH
..............Phebe...........35...f.....................CT
???????,William..........19...m...farmer......OH
Cunz, George..............28...m...shepherd..Eng
Patton, John................21...m...farmer.......OH
Sala, Elizabeth.............18...f.....................Ger
.........Caroline...............12...f.....................Ger
family moved to Toledo Area - educators
Mound Cemetery, Washington County, Ohio
Gitteau Jonathan
died 3 Nov 1822
aged 42yWashington County, Ohio, Marriages
Jonathan Guitteau of Washington County
to Polly Lord of Washington County
on May 18, 1809Washington County, Ohio, Marriages
Jonathan Guitteau of Washington County
to Sally Mills of Washington County
on September 12, 18131803 Washington County, Ohio Census, Marietta City
Washington County, Ohio, marriages - Marriage Register
Jonathan Guitteau of Washington County to Polly Lord of Washington County on May 18, 1809
Jonathan Guitteau of Washington County to Sally Mills of Washington County on September 12, 1813
Mound Cemetery, Washington County, Ohio
Guitteau Mary
w/o Jonathan Guitteau
died 10 March 1810
aged 19y 11mWashington County, Ohio, Marriages
Jonathan Guitteau of Washington County
to Polly Lord of Washington County
on May 18, 1809Ohio Source Records - Gleanings from the Supporter
page: 26
Died-At Marietta on the 20th ult. Mrs. Mary Gitteau,
the amiable consort of Mr. Jonathan Gitteau, and the
daughter of Col. Abner Lord of this place, aged 18 years
(Mar 31)
Mound Cemetery, Washington County, Ohio
Guitteau Sarah
w/o Jonathan Guitteau
died 3 Oct 1817
aged 37yWashington County, Ohio, Marriages
Jonathan Guitteau of Washington County
to Sally Mills of Washington County
on September 12, 1813Ohio Marriages Gen.com
1813 Sep 12
Sally Mills & Jonathan Guitteau
by Rev. S.P. Robbins
Washington County, Ohio
120. INFANT GUITTEAU
Mound Cemetery, Washington County, Ohio
Guitteau Infant
c/o Johnathan & Sarah Guitteau
died 3 Oct 1817
aged 10 hours
had nine children
1810 Washington County, Ohio Tax List
Benjamin Gitteau
page 411810 Washington County, Ohio Census
Enjamin Gitteau
page 411820 Washington County, Ohio Census, Fearing Twp
Benjamin Gitteau
males 0 - 10...........1
males 26 - 45.........1
females 0 - 10........1
females 16 - 26......1Mound Cemetery, Washington County, Ohio
Guitteau Benjamin
died 30 Jan 1831
aged 48yOhio Marriages Gen.com
1807 Apr 16
Maria Taylor & Benjamin Gitteau
by Samuel P. Robbins
Washington County
page: 312
Robert Taylor died September 30, 1801, age 64 years.
Jane Taylor died February 28, 1819, age 79 years.This bible was in the possesion of C. A. Miller of Marietta, OH when the record was published in 1939. Jean Taylor married John William Miller later she is referred to as Jane Miller in the Will of her brother William, also as Jane in a story I have of John William Miller. So there may be a typo somewhere. Also Fanny Taylor, Maria Guitteau, & Catherine Miner were named in the Will of William Taylor in 1823, John Miller was named Exr. William was named Exr. in the will of his father Robert in 1801. Maria was my gr-gr-gr-gr-grandmother. She married Benjamin Guitteau in Marietta, OH April 16, 1807. I have old letters dating back to 1823 on My Guitteau and Williams line. I know that Maria still had relatives in Providence in the mid to late 1800's. A letter to Maria from her son John Guitteau said he had been in contact with mothers nephew John? Taylor in Providence. I don't have the letter in front of me at the moment, I'll have to look up the name. I don't have much more on the Taylors at the moment but would be glad to hear from anyone connected to this Taylor line. Thanks, Mary Knight
127. DUDLEY GUITTEAU
Mound Cemetery, Washington County, Ohio
Guitteau Dudley
s/o Benjamin Guitteau
died 20 Sept 1825
aged 29y
128. ELIZA ANN GUITTEAU
Marriage Index: Selected Counties of Ohio, 1789-1850
Guitteau, Eliza Ann
Married: Feb 14, 1839
in: Washington Co., OH
Spouse: FULLER, ISAAC
Gender: FNOT ENTERED - COULD BE FIRST MARRIAGE OR SOMEONE ELSE
Marriage Index: Selected Counties of Ohio, 1789-1850
Eliza Gitteau
Married: Mar 01, 1838
in: Athens Co., OH
Spouse: Connet, John
Gender: F
Film # 0311592.Eliza Ann Guitteau Fuller
1850 Washington County, Ohio Census, Marietta Ward-2, page 371 Fuller, Isaac E........37...m...cooper.......NY ..........Elisa A..........36...f......................OH ..........Wallace........10...m....................OH ..........Jonas M..........6...m....................OH ..........Jonna..............4...m....................OH ..........Pauline............1...f......................OH~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gravestone shows she was born May 14, 1814.
129. JOHN M. GUITTEAU
1870 Suffolk County, New York Census, Huntington, page 551A
Guiteau, John........45...mw....lawyer............OH
Hayes, Emma L......20...fw.....kpg house......OH
............Dudley........19...mw...farm laborer.....OH1880 New York County, New York Census, New York City 119C
Guiteau, John M.....self...wm...s...51...OH CT RI....lawyer
Hays, Emma L......niece...wf....s...30...OH OH OH..at home
Neigbur, Alex.......other....wm...s...16...Ger Ger Ger..laborer
..........Catrina.......other....wf.....s...18...Ger Ger Ger..laborerunmarried
1820 Washington County, Ohio Census, Fearing
Adonirium J. Gitteau
males 0 - 10........1
males 16 - 26.....2
males 26 - 45......1
females 0 - 10.....2
females 10 - 16...1
females 16 - 18...2
females 45 >.......2Mound Cemetery, Washington County, Ohio
Guitteau Adoniram
died 12 Nov 1823
aged 35y
Marriage Index: Selected Counties of Ohio, 1789-1850
Mrs. Sarah Guitteau
Married: July 12, 1825 in: Washington Co., OH
Spouse: QUINBY, DR. EPHRAIM
Gender: F
More: Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, Film #s 0946205 & 0941958.Marriage Index: Selected Counties of Ohio, 1789-1850
Mrs. Sarah Guitteau
Married: July 12, 1825
in: Washington Co., OH
Spouse: QUINBY, DR. EPHRAIM
Gender: F
More: Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, Film #s 0946205 & 0941958.1870 Washington County, Ohio Census, Fearing Twp., page 137A
Quimby,Ephraim.......58...m...physician......PA
.............Sarah..........58...f.........................OH Sarah was md 1st to a Guitteau
.............Emiline.........21...f.........................OH
.............George........18...m...farmer...........OH
.............Sarah...........16...f.........................OH
130. MARIA R. GUITTEAU
Mound Cemetery, Washington County, Ohio
Guitteau Maria R
d/o A J Guitteau
died 23 July 1835
aged 23yNOT ENTERED - MAY BE SISTER OF MARIA
Washington County, Ohio Death Records, Mortality Data 1833-1839
From the records of Dr. Samuel Prescott Hildreth
Marcia Guitteau
age 20 y
died June 21, 1835
of Hydrocelhalus following a liver disease or consumption
132. PATIENCE PRICILLA GUITTEAU
Marriage Index: Selected Counties of Ohio, 1789-1850
Patience M. Guitteau
Married: Sep 04, 1844
in: Washington Co., OH
Spouse: Fay, William A.
Gender: F
More: Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, Film #s 0946205 & 0941958.
Fay Genealogy: John Fay of Marlborough and his Descendants, by Orlin P. Fay
Cleveland, O.: J.B. Savage, 1898
William Alexander Fay. b. Westboro, Feb. 9 1819,
d. Springfield, O., Mar. 11, 1892 m. Marietta, O., Sept. 4, 1844
Patience Priscilla Guitteau, dau. of Adoniram Judson &
Sarah (White) G., b. Oct. 8, 1822, d. Mar. 20, 1892. He
was a farmer, res. Springfield, O., 6 chi.
1- Abigail Augusta, b. June 10 1845
m. Aug. 6, 1864, Rev. Josiah Jenkins, b. Buffalo, N.Y., Feb. 23, 1836.
2 chi.
1- Helen Fay, b. M.,O., July 24, 1869
2- Louisa Babbitt, b. S., June 3, 1874
2- Lucretia Moore, b. Mar. 16, 1848
3- Solomon Payson, b. July 29, 1851
m. Apr. 10, 1880, Lovira Elizabeth Lewis, dau. of Loyd Lyman &
Elizabeth Lewis, b. Windson, Wis., Feb. 28, 1851
4- Maria Elizabeth, b. Nov. 8, 1856
5- William Judson, b. Feb. 7, 1858, m. Nov. 1883
6- Benjamin Childs, b. Dec. 4, 1860
NOT ENTERED
William Alexander Fay 6 was born on Feb 9 1819 in Westboro MA. He died on Mar 11 1892 in Springfield OH. William was a farmer, and a noble Puritan. He served as deacon of the 1st Congregational Church in Marietta and later in the same office at the 1st Congregational Church of Springfield until his death, the family having moved to Springfield in 1869.He was married to Patience Priscilla Guitteau on Sep 8 1844 in Marietta OH. Patience Priscilla Guitteau was born in 1822 in ?. Birth date in Fay Genealogy is given as 1882, an obvious 'typo.' She died on Mar 20 1892 in Springfield OH. Children of William Alexander Fay and Patience Priscilla Guitteau were:
i. Abigail Augusta Fay.
ii. Lucretia Moore Fay was born on Mar 16 1848. She died in 1894 in ?. Buried at Ferncliff Cemetery, Springfield, OH, supposedly (according to cemetery records) in Section H, Plot 2. There is no marker. It is presumed they are in the same plot with Josiah and Abigail Jenkins, who have markers.
iii. Solomon Payson Fay was born Jul 29 1851.
iv. Maria Elizabeth Fay was born on Nov 8 1856.
v. William Judson Fay was born on Feb 7 1858.
vi. Benjamin Childs Fay was born on Dec 4 1860.
Fay Genealogy: John Fay of Marlborough and his Descendants, by Orlin P. Fay
Cleveland, O.: J.B. Savage, 1898
William Alexander Fay. b. Westboro, Feb. 9 1819,
d. Springfield, O., Mar. 11, 1892 m. Marietta, O., Sept. 4, 1844
Patience Priscilla Guitteau, dau. of Adoniram Judson &
Sarah (White) G., b. Oct. 8, 1822, d. Mar. 20, 1892. He
was a farmer, res. Springfield, O., 6 chi.
1- Abigail Augusta, b. June 10 1845
m. Aug. 6, 1864, Rev. Josiah Jenkins, b. Buffalo, N.Y., Feb. 23, 1836.
2 chi.
1- Helen Fay, b. M.,O., July 24, 1869
2- Louisa Babbitt, b. S., June 3, 1874
2- Lucretia Moore, b. Mar. 16, 1848
3- Solomon Payson, b. July 29, 1851
m. Apr. 10, 1880, Lovira Elizabeth Lewis, dau. of Loyd Lyman &
Elizabeth Lewis, b. Windson, Wis., Feb. 28, 1851
4- Maria Elizabeth, b. Nov. 8, 1856
5- William Judson, b. Feb. 7, 1858, m. Nov. 1883
6- Benjamin Childs, b. Dec. 4, 1860
had two children
WISCONSIN MEN OF PROGRESS - page 539
TIBBITS, Francis G., long conspicuous in business circles in Milwaukee, was born in Whitesborough, New York, October 28th, 1819, and was the son of Freedom and Sophronia Guiteau Tibbits. His grandfather, Joseph Tibbits, a native of Newport, Rhode Island, settled in Vermont, and removed thence to Whitesborough about the beginning of the present century. His father, Freedom Tibbits, took part in the battle of [p.539] Sackett's Harbor, came to Milwaukee in the early forties, and a few years later took up his residence in Madison, where he died in 1863. Mr. Tibbits' mother was a daughter of Dr. Francis Guiteau, a descendant of a Huguenot refugee who settled at Whitesborough, N. Y., and there passed the remainder of his life. When Francis was but two years of age his mother died, and he was placed in the care of his grandmother Tibbits, who brought him up. His education was secured at the public schools, the local academy, Oneida Institute and a school in New Prunswick, N. J., where his attention was mainly devoted to civil engineering. At the age of fifteen years he went to sea on the United States frigate Delaware, the voyage lasting two years. Upon his return he resumed his engineering studies and completed the prescribed course. In 1837 he was employed in the survey of a railroad from Ogdensburg to Lake Champlain, and, afterwards, in a topographical survey on Lake Ontario, including service at Sackett's Harbor and Oswego. In 1840-42 he was engaged in surveying the route of the New York & Erie railroad, and afterward, for two years in surveying in the Indian Territory.War of 1812 Service Records
1- Freedom Tibbits
Company: Officers and members General Court Martial
New York Militia
Rank Induction: Ensign
Rank Discharge: Ensign
Roll Box: 209
Roll Exct: 602
2- Freedom Tibbits
Company: Cleveland's Regiment (1814) New York Militia
Rank Induction: Ensign
Rank Discharge: Ensign
Roll Box: 209
Roll Exct: 6021830 Oneida County, New York Census, Rome page 388
Freedom Tibbits
males 30-40 3
females 0-5 2
females 5-10 1
females 20-30 2
133. FRANCIS TIBBETS
living in Milwaukee, a wealthy and respected citizen of that place
___________________________________________________
WISCONSIN MEN OF PROGRESS - page 539 TIBBITS, Francis G., long conspicuous in business circles in Milwaukee, was born in Whitesborough, New York, October 28th, 1819, and was the son of Freedom and Sophronia Guiteau Tibbits. His grandfather, Joseph Tibbits, a native of Newport, Rhode Island, settled in Vermont, and removed thence to Whitesborough about the beginning of the present century. His father, Freedom Tibbits, took part in the battle of [p.539] Sackett's Harbor, came to Milwaukee in the early forties, and a few years later took up his residence in Madison, where he died in 1863. Mr. Tibbits' mother was a daughter of Dr. Francis Guiteau, a descendant of a Huguenot refugee who settled at Whitesborough, N. Y., and there passed the remainder of his life. When Francis was but two years of age his mother died, and he was placed in the care of his grandmother Tibbits, who brought him up. His education was secured at the public schools, the local academy, Oneida Institute and a school in New Prunswick, N. J., where his attention was mainly devoted to civil engineering. At the age of fifteen years he went to sea on the United States frigate Delaware, the voyage lasting two years. Upon his return he resumed his engineering studies and completed the prescribed course. In 1837 he was employed in the survey of a railroad from Ogdensburg to Lake Champlain, and, afterwards, in a topographical survey on Lake Ontario, including service at Sackett's Harbor and Oswego. In 1840-42 he was engaged in surveying the route of the New York & Erie railroad, and afterward, for two years in surveying in the Indian Territory.
68. ANNA GUITEAU
1835 Anna was a widow with three children, and residing
at Ann Arbor, but that within a year or so after, she moved
away and went east, and in 1852, was living in Jefferson
county.Families of Cavendish, Vol. 2, by Linda M. F. Welch, published by the Cavendish Historical Society, Cavendis, Vt. (The Abraham Parker Family LIne)
Orasmus H. Parker was born in Harvard, Massachusetts, 1 July, 1789,
son of Dr. Isaiah & Sybil (Willard) Parker of Cavendish (Windsor County) Vermont.
Orasmus was a musician and ran a store at one time in Boston.
He moved to Utica, NY where he married 7 Jan., 1829, Ms. Anna Guiteau.
They removed to Oswego, NY, where Orasumus died 6 Oct., 1845.
Families of Cavendish, Vol. 2, by Linda M. F. Welch, published by the Cavendish Historical Society, Cavendis, Vt. (The Abraham Parker Family LIne)
Orasmus H. Parker was born in Harvard, Massachusetts, 1 July, 1789,
son of Dr. Isaiah & Sybil (Willard) Parker of Cavendish (Windsor County) Vermont.
Orasmus was a musician and ran a store at one time in Boston.
He moved to Utica, NY where he married 7 Jan., 1829, Ms. Anna Guiteau.
They removed to Oswego, NY, where Orasumus died 6 Oct., 1845.
136. UNKNOWN PARKER
living out west
70. JULIA GUITEAU
1850 Washtenaw County, Michigan Census, Ann Arbor pg 395
Maynard, Wlm S. 48 m MA
Julia G. 48 f NY
Julia E. 20 f NY
Abby 18 f MI
Mary 16 f MI
Corneilia 12 f MI
Frances E 6 f MI
Helen J. 4 f MI
Haria? Luna 20 f Ger
Clay , Henry 25 m KY
Oberion?, Michael 17 m MI
1850 Washtenaw County, Michigan Census, Ann Arbor pg:395
Maynard, Wlm S. 48 m MA merchant
Julia G. 48 f NY
Julia E. 20 f NY
Abby 18 f MI
Mary 16 f MI
Corneilia 12 f MI
Frances E. 6 f MI
Hellen J. 4 f MI
Haria, Luna 20 f Ger
Clay, Henry 25 m KY
? Michael 17 m MI1860 Washtenaw County, Michigan Census, Ann Arbor pg 566 anc.com 26
Maynard, William S 58 m merchant MA
Deborah 41 f NY
Abbie 26 f MI
Fanny 16 f MI
Nellie 13 f MI
Heattie 2 f MI
Lansing, Frank 14 m MI
Snow, Mary 31 f domestic NY
George 12 m Can
Andrew 9 m Can
Natz, Mary 18 f MI
Stirley, Michael 32 m MI
Collin, Thomas 31 m Ire
142. FRANCES E. MAYNARD
The youngest after ten or twelve years of age became weak minded and imbecile.
143. HELEN J. (NELLIE) MAYNARD
Washtenaw County, Michigan Marriages
Nellie J. Maynard md Frank E Lansing
5 Sep 1866
Washtenaw County, Michigan
of Michigan when bio written
71. CALVIN GUITEAU
In 1828 located in Watertown, Jefferson Co., NY
father of five or six children"A Map of the City of Cazenovia, and the Out Lots ..."
Holland Land Company, Cazenovia Establishment
Surveyed by Calvin Guiteau, rendered by Alexandre Autrechy, 1794Early Settlers of New York State, Volume I, page 601
Members of the First Presbyterian Church, Watertown, Jefferson County, New York
date of admission: 1834
Guitteau, Calvin and w. Zaire,
d. 1836, to Nashville, Tenn.Onondaga County, New York Patentees, July 1, 1790 - June 30, 1875
1-Guiteau, C., Geddes
salt making
9/9/1825
Subject-Matter
Index, op. cit., Vol. III, p. 1239
2-Guiteau, C., Geddes
salt manufacture
10/25/1832
Subject-Matter
Index, op. cit., Vol. III, p. 1239
3-Guiteau, Calvin
village of Syracuse, town of Salina [also says Geddes]
improvement in salt works (evaporating pan )
2735
7/23/1842
4-Guiteau, Calvin
Syracuse
correcting magnetic needles
7216
3/26/1850
CHILD'S GAZETTEER OF JEFFERSON COUNTY
TOWN OF CLAYTON
Elkanah Corbin, a native of Russia, N. Y., came to Clayton in 1818, and died here in 1864, aged 75 years. He married Lucy A. Clark, and their children were Simon J., Ira H., Melzer, Irving, and Alanson C. The latter was born in the town of Russia, and when seven years of age came to Clayton with his parents. He married Eliza, daughter of Elijah and Betsey (Howe) Bowe, of Troy, N. Y., who bore him 10 children, viz.: Elizabeth, Lucy A., Caroline, Harriet, Ellen, Flora, Emily, Salomia, Sherman and James H. The latter, who was born in Clayton, married Caroline A., daughter of Calvin and Zaire A. (Romain) Guiteau, of Cape Vincent, and their children are Carrie I., Harry C., Herman J., and Ernest W. Mr. Corbin is a market gardener.Not entered - not sure which Calvin's wife - put under other Calvin's wife
Genealogical Records: New York, 1675-1920
Guiteau, Mrs. Calvin
Event: Lived in: 1851
Place: Syracuse County: Onondaga
Source: Daily Journal City Register and Directory for 1851-'52
Publisher: The Daily Journal
Publication Information: Syracuse, NY, 1851.
Page: 123 Province: New York
had four or five children
in dry goods trade in Pulaski, Oswego County as one of the firm of Mansfield & Guiteau.
in 1843 he located in Sacketts Harbor until 1853
moved west to Freeport.
died in Freeport at his brother Luthers home"The Ancestors and Descendants of Deane Whitney Merrill and Harriet Mary Ray"
by Deane W. Merrill
dates, namesA History of the Families of Edward Tinsley Ray and Isabel Douglass Curtis,
by Peter Ray
Guiteau
Abram Bloodgood Guiteau was born in 1807 at Utica, New York, and grew up at Utica and Whitesboro. His father was a physician and druggist, as well as a zealously outspoken Baptist, and his ancestors are said to have been French Huguenots who fled to London in the latter part of the seventeenth century and came to America in 1710. There is some indication that Abram rebelled against his religious heritage and upbringing, although an acquaintance of his once conjectured that he was “a little inclined toward spiritualism” himself.
Abram was a dry goods clerk during his youth, and sometime in the 1830’s he went into business for himself at Pulaski, New York, as one of the firm of Mansfield & Guiteau. In 1837 he married Emily Redfield of nearby Watertown and the couple removed to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Abram’s brother Luther and sister Julia were living. The two brothers soon decided to go into the dry goods business together and opened a store at Brewster’s Ferry, near Freeport, Illinois. Abram made frequent visits to his sister’s home in Ann Arbor, however, and Julia’s daughter recalled more than 40 years later, “I remember him in my childhood very distinctly as one who made many happy hours for me.”
In 1841 Abram and Emily returned East and settled once more in Pulaski. They removed to Watertown in 1842 and about 1843 settled at Sackett’s Harbor, where Abram was employed as a merchant for the next ten years. In September, 1853, the Guiteaus again settled in Freeport, buying a stone house about two blocks from the home of Abram’s brother Luther. Abram became an insurance agent and dealt in real estate during this period, using Luther’s circuit clerk’s office as his headquarters. He also seems to have spent a great deal of time with Luther’s family, among whom was Abram’s twelve year old nephew Charles, who was hanged 30 years later for assassinating President Garfield.
Abram was not a successful businessman and does not appear to have won many friends at Freeport. He was evidently a restless and unreliable character, and in the words of one contemporary, “was not the kind of man you would have associated with.” As his business prospects and financial condition declined he began drinking heavily and became increasingly disjointed and sexually promiscuous. On September 19, 1860, Emily finally filed for divorce at the Stephenson County Courthouse in Freeport, a very unusual step in those days, and two years later she married William Barnes, a merchant of Freeport, whose wife had died sometime earlier. Emily continued to live in the stone house purchased in 1853, and in her later years she became a school teacher and an active member of the Freeport Benevolent Society. “Grandma Barnes” is frequently mentioned in the letters and diaries of Emma (Tinsley) Ray, for Emily lived until near her 90th birthday in 1903.
As for Abram, one source claims that he “drifted south as a soldier and was at Little Rock and other points” during the early part of the Civil War, but no record of his service in the Union or Confederate armies has been found. If he did leave Freeport at this time, he was apparently not gone long, for he was living at the home of his brother Luther soon after his divorce. He had abandoned his business activities altogether by 1862 and seems to have spent his remaining years wandering about Freeport, bemoaning his condition. He died of erysipelas (a skin disease) at Luther’s home in 1864.
At Charles Guiteau’s assassination trial in 1882, defense counsel attempted to show that Charles, like a number of his cousins, uncles and other relatives, was mentally unbalanced. With regard to Abram Guiteau, it was argued that he “towards the last years of his life became what you would probably call foolish, not deranged, not insane, but weak-minded, and in connection with that sensual, so that he seemed to have no control over himself.” Charles’ attorney claimed that Abram’s condition was “a fair deduction from the taint of insanity in the blood, and it was an outgrowth of his inheritance from his ancestors.” One of the witnesses called at the trial stated that Abram was “very bad off his base… he was a gassy, blowhard kind of a man… I should have said that he was a little weak in the upper story.” Several witnesses confirmed this impression of Abram; others denied that he was actually insane. One exchange is particularly interesting:
Q. I will ask you if you recollect your uncle Abram, who lived a long time in Freeport, and died there?
A. I do very well.
Q. Was he ever insane?
A. I do not know.
Q. He was a man, I believe, of intemperate habits, was he not?
A. I always understood so from the family and friends of his.
Q. And dissolute?
A. That was the report.
Another witness was asked, “From your observation with regard to Abram Guiteau, did you ever have any conception that he was an insane man, or a man of unsound mind?” The witness replied, “Nothing, only he drinked some; that is all there was against him.” Charles Guiteau then interjected, “I guess he was the only Guiteau that ever drank; I never heard of any one of that name doing it before. They are all high-toned folks.”
Abram was b. July 20, 1807 (Utica, NY); d. March 26, 1864 (Freeport, IL); m. Sept. 11, 1837 (Watertown, NY), Emily Redfield (da. of Theophilus Redfield,6 q.v.), who was b. Oct. 7, 1813 (Watertown, NY) and d. July 10, 1903 (Freeport, IL).
Early Settlers of New York State, Volume I page 601
Members of the First Presbyterian Church, Watertown, Jefferson County, New York
date of admission: 1843
Guitteau, Mrs. Emily R.
d. 1846 to Sacketts Harbor
1833 Michigan Territory Census
Notable Names From Stephenson County (Illinois)
Charles Julius Guiteau was born on September 8, 1841, in Freeport, Illinois. As a child he and his brother Luke and sister Frances, lived in a Greek-style stone house on the Southwest corner of High and Galena Ave. He was the fourth of six children born to Luther Wilson Guiteau and Jane Howe. Jane died on September 25,1848. Luther Guiteau then remarried. Charles was hanged on June 30, 1882 for the assassin of President James Garfield.1870 Stephenson County, Illinois Census, 2nd Ward Freeport pg 98 anc.com 1
Guiteau, L.W...........60...mw...banker..............NY
..............Maria H......46...fw....keeping house..NY
..............Flora L........15...fw....at home............IL
..............Luther W....13...mw...at home...........IL
Blood, Harriet............76...fw............................CT
Pierce, Emma............21...fw...school teacher..MALand Record record for LUTHER W GUITEAU (Midland, MI, land office)
Name: LUTHER W GUITEAU
Date: 05 Sep 1838
Location: MI,
Document #: 1126
Serial #: MI1690__.090
Sale Type: 272002
Acres: 160.0000
Meridian or Watershed: 19
Parcel: Township 13 N, Range 1 W, Section 19Gratiot Co., MI -- General Land Office Records - 1807-1907
name: GUITEAU, LUTHER
section: 14
township: 10 N
range: 1 W
total acre: 80.00
land office code: 07
document number: 2192
sign date: 1837/11/02Ottawa Co., MI -- General Land Office Records - 1807-1907
name: GUITEAU, LUTHER
section: 3
township: 7 N
range: 15 W
total acres: 80.00
land office code: 07
document number: 2490
sign date: 1837/11/02not entered
Cass Co., MI -- General Land Office Records - 1807-1907
GUITEAU LUTHER 4 5 S 16 W 10.2500 01 8837 1838/09/10
GUITEAU LUTHER 4 5 S 16 W 91.0000 01 8838 1838/09/10
GUITEAU LUTHER 4 5 S 16 W 0.0000 01 8900 1838/09/10 WOLCOTT H KEELER
GUITEAU LUTHER 4 5 S 16 W 10.7000 01 8900Stephenson County, Illinois Genealogy-Political History of Stephenson County
School Commissioners
L. W. Guiteau, 1845-7The History of Stephenson County, Illinois, by Chicago Western Historical Society
page 219
Clerks Circuit Court:
John A Clark from 1839 to 1842
Joseph B. Smith to 1856
Luther W. Guiteau to 1860The History of Stephenson County, Illinois, by Chicago Western Historical Society
page 264
Along in 1838, L.W. Guiteau, made a pilgrimage to the
present town of Cedarville, where he was to deliver a
temperance address, at the invitation of A. Goddard and
others. At the time appointed, a snow storm was prevailing,
and, though Mr. Guiteau disliked to go there, he went, and
was confronted by an audience of fifteen or twenty, to whom
he spoke with reference to the advantages to be derived
from a practical application of the doctrine of total abstinence.
This was the first speech ever delivered in the county on
the subject, but the work of reform begun upon that night,
amid the storm and surrounded by many, very many
discouraging circumstances, has grown in strength, and,
stretching out its sympathetic arms, has since gathered
into its folds many of the loved and lost of Stephenson County.The History of Stephenson County, Illinois, by Chicago: Western Historical Society
page 303
On Thursday, December 16, 1869, a meeting of old settlers
was held at the court house in Freeport, to take measures
for the organization of a society of old settlers residing in
Stephenson County, and to provide ways and means for
a social re-union of those who became citizens of Stephenson
County prior to 1850....L.W. Guiteau officiated as secretary.
Finally the society was organized on the 1st of January 1870...
L.W. Guiteau, Treasurer.
The History of Stephenson County, Illinois, by Chicago: Western Historical Society
page 372
1838: L.W. Guiteau (opened) an establishment for the sale
of an assortment of goods at the corner of Galena and
Liberty Streets.
page 399
During 1868, the School Board was composed of.....
L.W. Guiteau, alternate
During 1869, L.W. Guiteau, F.W.S. Brawley and H.M. Barnum
made up the Board.
During 1870, the board consisted of L.W. Guiteau.....
page 410
November 1848, the first paper was issued. The advertising
deparment promulgated the existence of ....L.W. Guiteau, grocer.The History of Stephenson County, Illinois, by Chicago: Western Historical Society
page: 629,630
L.W. Guiteau, cashier of the Second National Bank, Freeport; is
a native of New York State, and was born in Utica, Oneida Co.,
March 3, 1810; he grew up to manhood in that State. He came
to Michigan, and engaged in mercantile business at Ann Arbor;
remained there a short time; in 1838 he came to Illinois and
settled in Freeport in the month of October of that year; he engaged
in the mercantile business near where the depot is now located.
In 1840, he was appointed Postmaster under President Harrison,
and held that office several years. In 1841, Mr. Guiteau became
embarrassed in his business; but he paid all of his creditors in full,
though he sacrificed all he had in doing so. He entered the post
office, and, after serving there for some time, was appointed
Deputy Clerk of the Circuit Court, and was afterwards elected
Clerk of that court, and held that office four years, and declined to
become a candidate for re-election. He was afterward appointed,
and served again as Deputy Clerk. Upon the organization of the
Second National Bank he became book-keepe, and served in
that capacity for one year, and then was elected cashier of the
bank in April, 1865, and since then has occupied that position.
Mr. Guiteau is a man of unswerving integrity, and enjoyed the
confidence of the Presidence and Board of Directors of the bank
to such an extent that for a long time he has had the respectable
management of the bank. Mr Guiteau was elected the First
County Commissioner of Schools. He was instrumental in organizing
the union system of graded schools, this being the second place
in the state to adopt this system, Chicago being the first, Freeport
the second. He was also the first Police Magistrate elected in the
city. In 1833, Mr. Guiteau was united in marriage to Miss Jane Howe,
daughter of Maj. John Howe, of Antwerp, Jefferson Co., N.Y., she
died in 1848; in 1854, he was married to his present wife, Maria
Blood, of Cazenovia, N.Y.; he has four children.Stephenson County, Illinois Genealogy-Political History of Stephenson County
Circuit Clerks:
Luther W. Guiteau, 1856The History of Stephenson County, Illinois, by Chicago Western Historical Society
page 248
Among those who came in 1837, Maj. John Howe should not be
forgotten. He had been a member of the New York Legistature,
and came west with the close of his official term. His influence
in Stephenson County was wide spread, and he was regarded
as a man of the most brilliant attainments. After filling the offices
of County Commissioner, County Judge, etc. he emigrated to
Wisconsin, where he died. His daughter married L.W. Guiteau,
long a prominent resident of Freeport, where he died during the
month of July 1880.
155. CHARLES H. GUITEAU
The Trial of the Assassin Guiteau by Charles E. Rosenberg pg13
Charles H. Guiteau
Illinois Statewide Marriage Index
Charles J. Guiteau md Annie J. Bunn
7 Jul 1869
Cook County, Illinois
Vol: 1Notable Names From Stephenson County (Illinois)
Charles Julius Guiteau was born on September 8, 1841, in Freeport, Illinois. As a child he and his brother Luke and sister Frances, lived in a Greek-style stone house on the Southwest corner of High and Galena Ave. He was the fourth of six children born to Luther Wilson Guiteau and Jane Howe. Jane died on September 25,1848. Luther Guiteau then remarried. Charles was hanged on June 30, 1882 for the assassin of President James Garfield.Scrapbook of Millerton Area 1890s, 1900s
Copy Obtained from J. Kelsey Jones
Typed for Tri-Counties by April Barnes
Charles J. Guiteau was born at Ann Arbor, Mich., in the year 1841. His father was a French Huguenot, and his mother was a Mrs. Howe. He is consequently forty years old. He takes after his father, who, though a first-rate business man, and for many years cashier of the Second National bank of Freeport, Illinois, was a fanatic on the subject of religion. Charles J. Guiteau first came to live at my house in Chicago in 1853, when quite a young lad, and his sister, my wife, took care of him here until he went to Ann Arbor to go to the university. He went to school all the time he was there; but I found him a very stubborn, stupid boy, taking queer notions and brooding over them and sticking to them. He was very self-opinionated, especially in relation to religious matters, even at that age, and no one could tell him anything about religion, because he claimed to know it all. He staid with me, going to school during the years 1854 and 1855, until he left here to go to the University at Ann Arbor. He continued studying at the university for the next ten years, during which time I knew very little about him, and the next place I heard of him was at Oneida, where he had become one of the Oneida community. I heard that he got along very badly with the community, because he would not work. They kept him so long as they did principally because he had put $700 into the community, which he had inherited from his grandfather’s estate, and he would not leave unless they returned him the money, which they refused ta do. He refused to conform to their ways, and got into a deal of trouble. These difficulties culminated finally in a row between him and the community in 1867, after which they made it so unpleasant for him that he left. He next turned up in New York and began a suit against the Oneida Community, and recovered $500. He next concluded to be a reformer. He had come to the conclusion that it was not necessary to eat anything more than crackers and water, and that finally he would be able to live on air. He commenced editing a little paper on diet and religion, of which two or three numbers were issued, when his money was all gone, and he got tired of living on crackers and water. He finally became dead broke in New York, and got money from his father to come back to Chicago.
AS A LAWYER
In 1867 he was admitted to practice law. There were a great many admitted during those times that did not possess either the qualifications or attainments necessary to make a lawyer, and he was among them. He was in my office until some time in the latter part of 1869, but he never had any practice, as his mind was so erratic that he could not comprehend a legal proposition nor see the necessity of acquiring and conforming to the practice. He then went away for a while, but got out of money and came back and had an office with some lawyer in the Ashland block, and I see he had one of these cards in his pocket when he was captured today. He was a young man of exceptionally good habits. He never used tobacco in any shape ……………. Play any game of chance. He was never known to join in any manly sport, but was always sitting down brooding over some theological question. What little business he had soon fell away, and he finally got into the business of collecting desperate claims, and his clients found it very difficult to get the money from him after he had collected the claim. He did not seem to possess the ability to distinguish between mine and thine, as he often took money that he had collected fro his clients and spent it in printing his books and lectures. He made a lving fro several years after this by collecting old claims in Chicago, Milwaukee, New York and Boston. Guiteau has a very pleasing address, and can ingratiate himself almost immediately into the favor of a stranger. He used to go around among the merchants in the different cities and ask them for claims to collect, and he got a good many that way. Perfect strangers continually trusted him with their business until they learned him, and as soon as he was known in one city he would go to another. He was always faultlessly dressed, and was very engaging in his manner, and to along very well with the ladies. He has often succeeded in engaging board in the first-class hotels without any baggage, and would live there weeks at a time before the landlord would lose faith in him. He owes three different board bills at the Palmer House in this city and they have some clothes belonging to him yet.
When MOODY AND SANKEY visited this city, some five years ago, he joined them, and became an usher in the tabernacle. He then got to be a monomaniac on the subject that Christ had already come to this world a second time, and that he was destined to communicate this theory to mankind. He then commenced lecturing, until about two ears ago, when he dropped religion for politics. Meanwhile, he had been soliciting for the Northwestern Life Insurance company, of Milwaukee, and had become very successful in that line. He saved up some money, which he immediately spendt in having his lectures printed.
IN THE INSURANCE BUSINESS
-The next place I heard of him was in Boston, where he joined his brother, JOHN W. GUITEAU, who is a prominent insurance man in Boston, and has acquired universal fame in this country as a statistician on life insurance matters. He did quite well in Boston, I understand. I have been telling my wife for years past that the only fit place for him was a lunatic asylum, but he was her favorite brother, and she would never agree to let him be sent to an asylum, although she consulted Dr. J. …….
I always thought him perfectly harmless, although I have known for years that he was insane, until he ----- to cut my wife’s head open with an ax – my place in Wisconsin. He was chopping wood one day, when my wife came up – him and asked about some work --- wanted him to do. He got mad and held the ax over her head and told her he would kill her. If my son Louis had not interfered he would probably have killer her. This incident occurred about two years ago.
I remember an incident which occurred some four years ago when he was in New York. He was locked up in the tombs for not paying a large board bill, which – owed at the St. Nicholas hotel. I --- DISTRICT ATTORNEY PHELPS about him, --- Mr. Phelps agreed to let him out if I would take him back to Chicago with me, which I agreed to do. He got out then and came back west.
161. FLORA L. GUITEAU
1910 Stephenson County, Illinois Census, Freeport Ward 3, page 184B
Barnes, Minnie........head..fw.....65..wid..NY NY NY...child:3/1
.............Albert.........son....mw....36..wid..IL PA NY...electircal-shop
Guiteau, Luther...nephew..mw...53...s....IL NY NY...manager-picture
..............Flora.......n...........fw.....55...s....IL NY NY
1930 Stephenson County, Illinois Census, Freeport
Guiteau, Luke.....head...wm..74..s..IL NY NY..mailing clerk-ins. office
..............Flora.....sister....wf...75...s..IL NY NY..feature writer-daily paperIllinois Statewide Death Index
last name: Guiteau
first name: Flora
sex/race: f/w
age: 81 y.
cert. number: 0023480
death date: 1 May 1935
county: Stephenson
city: Freeport
1910 Stephenson County, Illinois Census, Freeport Ward 3, page 184B
Barnes, Minnie........head..fw.....65..wid..NY NY NY...child:3/1
.............Albert.........son....mw....36..wid..IL PA NY...electircal-shop
Guiteau, Luther...nephew..mw...53...s....IL NY NY...manager-picture
..............Flora.......n...........fw.....55...s....IL NY NY1930 Stephenson County, Illinois Census, Freeport
Guiteau, Luke.....head...wm..74..s..IL NY NY..mailing clerk-ins. office
..............Flora.....sister....wf...75...s..IL NY NY..feature writer-daily paperIllinois Statewide Death Index
last name: Guiteau
first name: Luther
middle name: W
sex/race: m/w
age: unk
cert. number: 0004401
death date: 19 Jan 1944
county: Stephenson
city: FreeportGUITEAU LUTHER W M/W UNK 0004401 1944-01-19 STEPHENSON FREEPORT - -
NOT Entered
Beadle County, South Dakota
Andreas' historical atlas of Dakota - 1884
A. T. Andreas, pub.
(Chicago: R. R. Donnelley & sons, The Lakeside Press, c1
[Farmers’ & Merchant’s Bank]
The Farmers’ and Merchant’s Bank was opened for business in April, 1882. It was organized by William R. Deisher & Co. In November, 1883, Mr. Deisher sold his interest to Messrs. Bronson & Day, Mr. L. W. Guiteau, one of the founders of the bank, remaining in the firm.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From Peter Ray:
I'm doing some research on a Luther W. Giteau who is almost certainly relatedto your Giteau ancestors but who is not in your database. He was from Freeport but is somewhat later than the Luther Wilson Giteau in your datbase (I don't know his birth/death dates, but a reasonable guess would put his birth in the 1870s, and he was still living in 1928). He apparently went by the name of "Lute."
He's not on my family tree but I'm working on a book about the Alaskan gold rush, and he was an active participant. I've found some letters he wrote home (published in the local paper), as well as a portion of his diary (published in the paper at a later date). I'm trying to find out if the rest of his diary has survived (he was in Alaska for five years), or if there may be other writings about his Alaskan experiences. (And after seeing your database, I'm also now curious about his relationship to Charles J. Giteau.)
I don't know if you have any info on this, but would appreciate any leads you could give me. If you're interested, I'd be happy to share what I know of his gold rush experiences.
Peter:
This sure sounds like the right guy. I was just guessing at the 1870's birth date, and it wasn't unusual for 40 year olds to go to Alaska. One additional clue that I had forgotten about--he had a sister named Flora.
I'm attaching copies of letters he wrote home in 1898-99; the diary isn't in electronic form so I'll have to send it along the old-fashioned way.
I'll keep my eyes open for additional information. I'm especially interested in learning if he has any descendants who might have inherited the diary or other materials. I suspect there were no children--he seems to have been single at the time of the gold rush (none of the letters were written to a wife, and he stayed in Alaska five years). But it may have been passed along to nieces or nephews.
Thanks for your help.
Larry Lashway
SOURCE: Freeport IL Daily Journal, 2/5/98.
(Excerpt of letter from Luther Guiteau.)
This is the most interesting trip imaginable. When we arrived at St. Paul we found the depot and baggage rooms filled with dogs and baggage and every conceivable thing, bound for Alaska. The platform was filled with all kinds, shapes and sizes of dogs, and it was really laughable to see bull dogs, hunting dogs, and some not much bigger than a Scotch terrier, all crated for Alaska. Then baggageman said there were mighty few as fine as my big one. But we had an awful time with KingsleyÕs dog. He had chewed his crate all to pieces and we had to make a new one. Our train consists of sixteen coaches, all loaded for the Klondike and the Copper river.Right opposite our section is one of the gamest women who ever breathed. She is a Swede and weighs about 115 pounds and she is bound for the Klondike all alone. She made her sled, her furs and her clothing herself, bade her three little children and her husband good bye and started for the Klondike. She says she can do as much work as any two men she ever saw, and I believe her, for she is a whole bundle of nerve and energy. She comes from somewhere near Albany, N.Y.
And there is another one also on the train. She is a short, heavy-set German woman, bound for the Klondike, and comes from New Jersey. She, too, is all alone. She is a very intelligent woman and says she isnÕt afraid of any Klondike weather. The poor woman is suffering with a tooth ache, but says she can stand it until she gets to Seattle.
The trip is getting more and more interesting. There are two fellows near us who are writing up the whole train for the New York papers, and they are very bright, sharp men.
We are all in good spirits and apparently everybody is happy. We have just finished our supper of roast beef, potato salad, tea, cookies, fruit cake, jelly, pickles and good bread and butter. Kingsley washed the dishes and the rest of us packed and put away the stuff for breakfast. Kingsley is feeling all O.K. and actually ate as much supper as my big dog. DonÕt worry about Kingsley, for if his appetite improves in the next year as much as it has since we started it will take a fortune to feed him.
There are all kinds and conditions of people on board the train and all are bound for Alaska or the Klondike. Our train has two big engines and two conductors.
=========================================================
SOURCE: Freeport IL Daily Journal, 2/14/98.
(Letter from L.W. Guiteau, dated 2/3/98.)
On Board Train, About 100 miles west of Bismarck, 10 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 3.--We had a very agreeable night and all slept very well. Got up and had our breakfast and dishes all washed and put away by 8:30. All feeling like fighting cocks. KingsleyÕs appetite on the increase. We have just fed our dogs in the baggage car, which is full of dogs and baggage for Alaska. All of the dogs have chewed their way out of their crates and are chained to the trunks and baggage, and my big fellow is the lord of them all. When we took the food in it was just like going into a cage of hungry lions. But thanks to my experience as a lion tamer, after one word from me they were all quiet, but my big Jack got nearly all of the grub and came near eating KingsleyÕs dog up.No snow up in this country and climate perfectly wonderful; thermometer about 15 above, but seems as though it was above freezing--clear and bright. At Bismarck we got out and walked around a few minutes and it seemed as thought we could not get enough of the ozone. It was just like gulping down a glass of water on a hot summer day--most invigorating.
I can assure you the people we have met who are going to the gold fields are a most serious and intelligent class.
We have just passed into western time and have all changed our watches and set them back about one hour. The Northern Pacific is a fine road, with good accommodations, and the officials at St. Paul were very kind to us. We had some trouble about our dogs. A law went into effect Feb. 1 that all dogs bound for Seattle were to be carried at a cost of $3.60, and all the dogs on this train are taxed that amount, except ours. We went to the general passenger agent and made a hard ÒspielÓ and he finally gave me a letter to the baggage master and authorized him to check our two dogs through to Seattle free of charge.
I bought a fine fur Klondike head and neck protector at St. Paul for $2.50. It covers my head, neck and face and is absolutely cold proof.
We saved money on our clothing by buying what we did in Freeport. Kennedy Bros., of St. Paul, wanted the address of the firm that made our blue shirts. They have nothing like them. Our coveralls and canvas coats and everything in that line are much cheaper and better than anything at St. Paul.
Friday morning, Feb. 4, 10:45 a.m. We are just crossing the main divide of the Rockies and the two big engines are puffing and snorting like porpoises. We are going very slowly, and it gives us a chance to stand out on the platform and take in the most wonderful mountain ranges. The air is light and invigorating. We are 15 or 20 miles east of Helena, Montana.
Later. Just before we got to Helena we saw a beautiful mountain range and wondered how far off it was, and we all guessed. Philo guessed two miles, Becker one and one-half miles, but I had heard of the deception of distances in the Rockies, and so I guessed five miles. In a few minutes we stopped at a small town and jumped off and asked a big mountain ranger who stood on the platform how far it was to the foot hills and he said about 30 miles.
We have some of the bets information obtainable in regard to the Copper river. We are trying hard to get in with a man named Millard and his party of Chippewa river lumbermen. Mr. Millard is a civil engineer and is steering his party to the Copper river. He is a Montana miner and a most interesting man, full of wonderful information. Philo is and has been working hard to get into his good graces, and Millard came over and talked to our party this morning. He advised Philo and Becker to get a good pair of moccasins, for they are absolutely indispensable in any northern, snowy country. He said my moccasins were just the things to travel in. We keep pumping him as much as we can, and have obtained most valuable information from him. We may start in from Valdes glacier with his party. Mr. Millard surveyed most of the Northern Pacific. His wife is going to the coast to see him safely off. She will return to Wisconsin in 3 or 4 weeks. He is 47 years old. He has some reliable information about the Copper river and has told us some things that will save us time and money.
The train is now at a standstill and is right on the top of the divide; the railroad track is 5,500 feet high and the altitude is 6,700 feet. The atmosphere is clear and dry and very warm.
Saturday morning, Feb. 5, 10:45 a.m.--We have just left Paco [Pasco], Washington, and are now crossing the Columbia river. It is about half a mile wide and is a clear, blue stream, and this morning as smooth as glass. We can see the Cascade mountains away ahead of us and in a few hours will be crossing over them. Mr. Millard says we shall see some of the most wonderful mountains on the whole Pacific slope. We passed through grand snow clad peaks all day yesterday. We had an exciting time this morning for a few minutes while we were waiting for the east-bound train. Nearly all of the passengers were out getting some fresh air and were scattered all along one side of the train, when, all of a sudden, some one spied a big wolf away up on the crest of a knoll about 600 yards from us and perhaps as high as the Presbyterian steeple. In a flash a dozen fellows rushed back into the cars for their Winchesters, but Philo got his out of its case first and got the only shot. We donÕt know whether Philo hit him or not, but Mr. Wolf jumped about 20 feet in an instant and was lost to view. It was a very long shot and created considerable excitement for a moment.
Mrs. Millard is a very delightful woman and is giving us lots of points about food; the Millard party seem to take quite an interest in us and we are very thankful we came in contact with them. The chances are that we shall trail in with the Millard party and I am making myself as agreeable as I can to a young Irishman whom Millard is taking along as a river pilot. The young fellow says he can take a flat boat or a canoe up a swift stream with a pole and can do anything in the boat line that anybody else can do. He was born on the Chippewa river, Wisconsin.
We are about ten hours late, owing to a big washout, and from 2 oÕclock last night until 8 this morning we never moved an inch. The weather is very warm and everybody was out in his shirt sleeves this morning. We are just getting into the foothills of the Cascades. We wonÕt get into Seattle before 12 oÕclock tonight. We may possibly stop at Tacoma for a few hours.
Our grub is holding out all O.K. We havenÕt touched my turkey yet, but probably will carve it today. We are all feeling well and the trip so far has been intensely interesting. When we were coming over the Rockies yesterday we all felt as if we had been taking quinine, a continual ringing in our ears. But itÕs all over this morning. I shall mail this letter at Ellensburg, in the Yakima valley.
============================================================
SOURCE: Freeport IL Daily Journal, 2/17/98.
(Letter from L.W. Guiteau to a friend, dated 2/10/98.)
Seattle, Feb. 10, 1898.--On board the Gen. Siglin, 8:45 p.m.--Dear Doctor [Sunderland]: We are all down in the hole of the Gen. Siglin tonight and in an hour will probably be in our bunks sound asleep. We have been on the jump most of the time since we landed in Seattle, which was last Saturday night. We found the city full of all kinds of people outfitting for Alaska, and have met some note Eldorado and Bonanza creek kings. We had an interview today with Mr. George Rennick, who came out of the Copper river last fall with about $35,000. Mrs. TruesdellÕs friend, Mr. Manley Haynes, a banker, introduced me to him. Mr. Rennick is a little Englishman and is a very close mouth, conservative fellow, and will absolutely divulge nothing in regard to the location of his claim. He gave me a few pointers and told me the Copper river was rich and would prove so this coming summer, and also told us that the Valdes glacier can be crossed very easily after March 1st.
Our boat will probably sail Saturday, the 12th. She will carry only 50 passengers and a ton each to the man. She is owned by the McDougall & Southwick Co., and is considered one of the staunchest little crafts on the coast.
I wish you and Major Lohr could see Seattle and the outfitting firms, and the people, and the interesting and amusing scenes that we see every day. If you or Major ever decide to come, donÕt buy one single article in the east. Say, Doc, McDougall & Southwick Co. are bigger than all the stores in Freeport put together, and the most accommodating people you ever saw. But then there are fifty firms just as big, almost, with the most magnificent lines of goods imaginable. You have no idea of anything until you see it. We have heard hundreds of people say the same thing from all over the United States. DonÕt buy a sleeping bag. Buy a robe and role up in it. ItÕs the advice of Jack Ellwell, an Eldorado king, and George Rennick, and lots of other noted me we have talked to. You can buy the most beautiful robes here for $15 to $40 and they are seven by ten feet. They all say it is hard to keep the bags dry, but the robes you can hang up and air every day and do it quick, and quicker to get into. It has rained about every day since we arrived, but its very warm and we really enjoy it. ItÕs a delightful climate to live in. Our appetites are all on the increase, but probably itÕs because our grub donÕt cost us anything. McDougall & Southwick are feeding us until we land at Valdes. They do that with all people who engage passage on the General Siglin. The grub is fine and plenty of it. There is a jolly party of Wayne county, N.Y., fellows on board. Eight of them and one of them is Mr.s Boyd HillÕs sisterÕs brother-in-law. I had a letter of introduction to him from Mrs. Hill but did not expect to meet him on the same boat we sail on. They also go to the Copper river and have a doctor with them, Dr. Barrett, a fine big fellow. In fact everyone so far who has engaged passage on the General Siglin is apparently A No. 1. We have been lucky all the way through, so far, in a good many ways. This is for Major too, so please read it to him. Will try and write at the glacier.
Yours truly,
L.W. Guiteau
============================================================
SOURCE: Freeport IL Daily Journal, 3/2/98.
(Excerpts of letters from L.W. Guiteau, dated 2/6/98--2/11/98.)
Seattle, Feb. 6.--We arrived here last night about 9:30 all safe and sound, but in a driving rain. We found very comfortable quarters at the New Western hotel. Tell Carrie we sail for Copper river with Fred Leach and party. They are a fine lot of fellows and were apparently delighted to meet us. Dr. Barrett, the head of the party, is a big fine man and has with him a collection of surgical instruments. We consider ourselves in great luck in being able to start in with the Leach party. With the Leach party and the Millard party we will be in company with first-class people. We sail Wednesday night on the General Siglin which is the sailing vessel that Mrs. TruesdellÕs friend advised. The Leach party are already quartered on the boat. They had secured their passage several weeks ago. We were on the boat several hours this morning looking her over and when we went down into the cabin we ran across the Leach party and I immediately produced my letter of introduction and of course that settled it. They were tickled to death. Tell Dr. Sunderland and Major Lohr that one of the big Eldorado kings--a Mr. Elwell, who is here on his way to Dawson, told us last night he would take all kinds of chances to get up into the headwaters of the Copper river. He says he has had his eye on that country for the past two years and years ago up at Forty Mile he saw some Indians who had some of the biggest and finest specimens of nuggets he ever saw and they told him they got them over on the Copper river. He remarked if the Klondike had not been discovered he had made up his mind to go over there. Will write again before we start.
Lute.
Seattle, Feb. 10.--We slept on our boat for the first time last night, and expect to set sail Saturday, the 12th. Our boat, the General Siglin, is a whaler of about 110 tons capacity, but she is limited to 50 passengers, and a ton of baggage each. Philo and Ed went down to Tacoma yesterday and saw Ed Warner, and he says she is the staunchest vessel on the coast for her inches. Our captain, Mr. Johnston, has sailed for CookÕs Inlet and that vicinity for seven years. We shall make our headquarters on the boat from now on. Seattle is the only place in which to outfit, and there are thousands here coming and going all the time. The City of Seattle, bound for Juneau and Skaguay sailed last night, but before she pulled out the inspector made 200 of the passengers and about 150 dogs get off, he said she was overloaded.
We have met some people, well informed, in regard to the Copper river, and have an engagement with Geo. Rennick at 11 oÕclock. Mr. Morely Haynes knows him well, and took particular pains to have me meet him. Tell Mrs. Truesdell I am under obligation to her for putting me in contact with such a fine fellow as Haynes. He has been very considerate for our welfare. Tell Dr. Sunderland we have met Geo. Rennick, of Copper river fame. Haynes says that Rennick brought out a big lot of gold from the Copper river, and is absolutely reliable. I also ran across a fellow who knows Mr. Jay, of CookÕs Inlet. He says Jay has a good mine at CookÕs Inlet, but I donÕt know how much he is worth. Jay is now at Sitka. I will send you a new map of the Copper river tomorrow, and it will show you our exact trail. M. Dougal & Southwicks are getting it out, and it is the only reliable one published. It wonÕt be out of the press until tomorrow.
It has rained nearly every day since we have been here, but it is very warm, and the climate must be very delightful.
We met Charley Sanborn yesterday, and he says he could not be induced to live in any other place. His mother is still living, and is 88 years old. He inquired after you and invited me tom the house, and I may go. I ran across the old clerk at the Sibley hotel who is also going to the Copper river, and may possibly go on our boat. The Leach party are a jolly lot of fellows, but the Millard party are the fellows we want to stick to if we can, and the chances are that our three parties will all go over the trail together. Am going to meet Rennick with Philo and Mr. Millard.
Seattle, Wash., Feb. 11.--Enclosed find five maps of the Copper river and the Valdes Glacier. This map is just out today and is supposed to be the only correct map so far ever issued of that country. Please give one to Jack Hiller, Dan Burrell and Dr. Sunderland and keep one for yourself, the one I have written on where we all supposed to land. DonÕt be worried about us one bit, and if you donÕt hear from me for two years donÕt be worried one bit. We got some very valuable pointers this morning in regard to the Copper river. The United States is going to open up a fine trail clear through, and they are outfitting now; we would not miss being there and going as soon as we do for anything in the world. We shall be (or at least hope to be) up there when the Copper river excitement breaks out. With good luck we shall be right where there may be some big discoveries, but we may be off on some tributary, where it will be hard to mail you a letter. But we are going after the yellow stuff and are determined to get it, for itÕs in there in big quantities. DonÕt believe anything you see about the hardship and suffering. No one suffers who goes in prepared as we do. We have got a fine outfit and our tent and provisions are the very best. Will write you again tomorrow. Love to all my friends. I am feeling A No. 1 and we all are.
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SOURCE: Freeport IL Daily Journal, 3/3/98.
(Excerpts of letter from L.W. Guiteau to friends, dated 2/12/98.)
Seattle, Wash., Feb. 12.--We have bought some film for a camera and one of the boys on board ship will take out pictures, probably when we are out at sea. We shall send them back by the captain. We are liable to sail this afternoon, Saturday, the 12th, but it may not be before Monday. We have everything on board are [and?] are very comfortably situated. I will write you again (if I am not too sick) just before we leave the boat at Port Valdes. Now donÕt worry one bit if you donÕt hear from me for a year or even two, but the chances are that the government will open up a mail line from Port Valdes to the interior and in that case you will hear from me quite often. The passengers on board our boat are from Connecticut, New York, Missouri, Texas, Montana, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois and they are all fine fellows. One of the Texans has his wife with him and she is the only lady on board. Where we are going, the amount of food we are taking will last us two years and perhaps more. Mr. Rennick says the Copper river region abounds in all kinds of game, even to grouse. Rennick says my trinkets will come in mighty handy. The Indians are great traders and I am liable to get some very fine furs. He says its all bosh about their hostility.
Seattle, Wash., Feb. 14.--In all probability we shall sail this afternoon, but itÕs no sure thing, and we may be here until tomorrow. We have been sleeping on the boat for six days and have our bunks and baggage as conveniently packed as possible. I have a single bunk and so has Kingsley, but Philo and Becker are together. We take all of our meals on the boat at the expense of the MacDougall & Southwick Co. We are all very anxious to get off, for it will take us at least 13 or 14 days to get to Port Valdes. I will try and write you a description of the ValdesÕ glacier if I possibly can; it will depend entirely how long the Siglin will stay at the landing and how busy we are.
We are all feeling well and our appetites are something alarming. Kingsley claims he has gained five pounds, and he certainly does look better. When we get to the Copper river the most of our troubles will be over, for awhile at least, but the difficulty will be in getting into the Copper river from the glacier; it may take us two months.
Give my love to all my friends and tell them we are in good health and feeling fine. I will send you at least some kind of word before we start for the interior.
Tuesday, Feb. 15.--We sailed yesterday at 3 p.m. and are now anchored off Port Angeles, about 75 miles from Seattle. We have laid to all day (which they did for 72 hours) for our captain says it is too rough to go out into the straits. We have had quite a rough voyage so far, but as yet no one is sick. We expect to sail out into the Pacific tonight, as the wind is getting around into the southwest. There are only 45 passengers on board and they represent Illinois, Iowa, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Virginia, Texas, Missouri, Montana, Connecticut and Sweden. They are all good fellows, and the majority of them are big, sturdy men. There is one big Dutchman on board and his friends have to put him in his bunk every night because he is so big and fat, but he is good natured and so patient that all the boys are ready to do anything for him.
Our bunks are little bits of things and we can just squeeze into them. The big Dutchman never complains and is always saying funny things. Our shipÕs carpenter leaves us tonight in about an hour and I will give him this letter to mail. He goes back on a tug boat. Our captain is a fine fellow and thoroughly understands his business.
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SOURCE: Freeport IL Daily Journal, 3/23/98.
(Letter from L.W. Guiteau to Dr. Sunderland, dated 3/9/98.)
Valdes Glacier, March 9.--Dear Doctor: We are now located about 5 1/2 miles from the glacier and expect to make the start over the trail this afternoon. From the foot of the glacier to the summit it is seventeen miles and a gradual incline. It will in all probability take us (with our 6,000 pounds) about three weeks to get to the top.
We got here all safe and sound Sunday morning at 10 oÕclock, March 6th. We found about 500 people camped here, getting rested up and ready to start over the glacier. We are camped on 5 1/2 or 6 feet of snow, but it is pretty well packed and makes a fairly good camp ground. We have to go about a mile for fire wood; have to cut the timber down ourselves and haul it on our sled to camp. The wood in the vicinity of the camp is all cottonwood and some of it is 18 inches in diameter. We have experienced no cold weather yet; the thermometer ranges from 8 degrees above zero to about 35 or 6 above; nights a little cool; not a particle of wind so far a perfect dead calm.
The steamer Excelsior came in yesterday from Seattle with 150 passengers and the captain informs us that there are 1,700 more booked for Port Valdes.We have worked fearfully hard so far, as we had to pack all of our stuff from the boat landing to where we are, which is 1 1/2 miles. As soon as we made a camp we had to hustle for wood to burn. We have been on the jump ever since we landed.
This is a very quiet but interesting camp, people from all over the world. The first sign that confronted us was ÒAnyone who steals anything to the value of $100, penalty, death by hanging. Anything less than the value of $100, penalty, 40 lashes on the bare back and driven from Alaska.Ó The camp stretches along through the timber about half of a mile and we are on Alaska avenue, and our number is 53. Seven ladies in camp and all apparently fine people.
The camp is very orderly and quiet., and everybody is in bed by 9 or 10 oÕclock. Everybody seems neighborly, and always speak as they pass by, but everyone attends strictly to his own business. A good many people have been here three months and now the tops of their tents are just even with the top of the snow, so you can imagine there is some snow in this country: fourteen inches fell last night, but it never comes with wind. We are surrounded by mountains ranging in height from 1,000 to 5,000 feet. This is a truly interesting and fascinating country and grows more so all the time. But the glacier is a proposition that we will tell you about later, just as soon as we get over it and onto Copper river. No one has crossed the glacier yet with an outfit, but people have been over it as far as the lake, and they say that after you get over the summit it is comparatively easy. We hope to tell you all about it some time. All well. Love to everybody.
Yours truly,
L.W. Guiteau
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SOURCE:, Freeport IL Daily Journal, 4/6/98.
(Letter from L.W. Guiteau, dated 3/14/98.)
Valdes, March 14.--We have been in camp since the 6th, a week ago yesterday. We have all worked harder than any of us ever did before and really harder than we ever dreamed of. Wednesday I walked eleven full miles and packed 200 pounds. Thursday and Friday I walked twenty-two miles each day and packed 400 pounds. Saturday, Sunday and today I walked eleven miles each day and packed 200 pounds each day. We have all done about the same, and by tomorrow night we shall have moved our camp to the foot of Valdes Glacier, where all of our outfit is stored and covered with our four big tarpolins. About Thursday, the 17th, we shall begin to tackle that almost unknown quantity Valdes Glacier. Its almost 17 miles to the summit and its [sic] a gradual incline all the way from base to summit. It will take us not less than 20 days to pack our 6,000 pounds up to the top. Its ten miles from there to timber line on the other side and its then 22 miles to the Copper river. None yet has reached the Copper river over the glacier this winter, but quite a number are over the summit and they are commencing to be scattered all along the trail from the base to the timber line. The trail is intensely interesting, for we see every day all classes and conditions of people. This was a day that tried menÕs souls, and several of the weaker ones gave it up disheartened and discouraged. But thatÕs happening every day. Today, however, was the hardest day we have had, because we had to face a gale that came down from off the glacier and inasmuch as the snow is on the trail is from 6 to 8 feet deep, it was hard to keep the trail open and it took us just 4 hours to move 5 1/2 miles, and it took us 2 1/2 hours to get back to camp, so you can see we had just 6 1/2 hours of trudging and packing through the snow. Four big St. Bernard dogs dropped dead on the trail today and it was truly a pityful sight.No one stops to assist anyone else unless itÕs one of his own party and the trail is strewn with all sorts of lost articles and no one touches anything that donÕt belong to him. We are all exceedingly well, but every night are ready to go to bed at 7 or half past, for we are always up at from 5 to half past and are ready to hit the trail at 7. This is a typical mining camp and right here a good many people expect to prospect all summer. All kinds of people here, from an Aliute Indian to a Jap. There were two women working on the trail today, helping their husbands and they were marching along as heroically as any body. The climate here is simply perfect. The mercury has not fallen below 15 above zero, and has been up to 33 and 34 and always a dead calm, except today. A fellow, who has been living along the coast for eleven years, told us that it very seldom got below zero anywhere around Prince William Sound. When you write to me address it in care of McDougal & Southwick Co. and say on the letter to be forwarded to Valdes, Alaska, and then take it and give it to Dr. Kingsley and he will mail all of our letters in one big envelope and save us a good deal of expense. You can write once a month, and we have made arrangements with a half breed to hunt us up and deliver our mail to us for $1 a month, and shall, in all probability, be able to get a letter to you every month, providing the Indian finds us. Please tell the newspapers to make mention of the fact that if any of our friends want to write to us, and will give the letters to Dr, Kingsley we will get them, and have them mention the address correctly. You canÕt imagine how anxious we are to hear from home, and be sure and tell me all the news that you possibly can. If you will write J. H. W.Shipler, photographer, Clyde, N.Y., some time within a month or so, and ask him to send you some pictures taken by Smith, of Alaska, you can get a picture of us while out at sea.
Sunday afternoon, March 20. In camp at the foot of Valdes glacier. ItÕs now 2:30 p.m. and we have just finished our dinner, and we shall stay in camp here the rest of the day, for we worked from 6:30 this morning until 1:30 p.m. and now have all of our outfit, except our tent and a few provisions, up on top of the level of the glacier, and itÕs just 2,000 feet from the foot of the glacier where we are camped. We have worked incessantly from morning until night every day for the past ten days and have only got our outfit two miles from the foot of the glacier, but itÕs up an elevation of 2,000 feet. If we get over the summit of the glacier by April 5th we shall consider ourselves lucky. The Chilkoot pass in all its glory is not a circumstance to the glacier. Remember now, that we are only two miles from the foot and are up an elevation in that two miles of 2,000 feet and by the time we are upon the top of the glacier, which is 15 miles further, we shall then be up an elevation of 5,000 feet more. You canÕt imagine what the glacier is. ItÕs simply mountains of ice and snow, full of crevices from 400 to 1,000 feet deep and our trail all the time is only from 10 to 15 feet wide and the further up we go the more wonderful it seems. Now just imagine this: In one day we experienced a snow storm, perfect sunshine and calm, a tremendous earthquake that shook the whole glacier and saw several and heard a dozen snow slides that sounded like thunder peals. Where out outfit is cached now we can see for miles down the sound and our camp looks like a little Indian village and yet we can walk down to it in 25 minutes, while it takes us nearly an hour to walk from camp up to our cach. There are mosquitoes and crows all along the trail, but they donÕt bother us any yet. We have seen mosquitoes for two weeks, but not many. We can get all the white grouse we want by going a short distance from camp, but we have no snow shoes and really canÕt afford the time for we are pushing on as hard as we can to get over the summit by April 15th. There are lots of people here who will never get over it. They have come too late.
Lots of people have got up to within a mile of where we are and have backed out. A big steamer ;is down in the sound with 675 passengers, all from New York. They will never see Copper river this year. They canÕt land where we did. The ice has all gone out and they are discouraged and half of them now have decided to go back. There are 50 women among the passengers. They came clear around the horn. We have learned that there are 2,700 more book for Port Valdes, but they will never see the Copper river by the way of Valdes Glacier this year. We have worked with the Millard party with block and tackle and by combining our forces, making 19 men in all, we have succeeded in doing a tremendous lot of work in the past three or four days and we now shall have fairly good sailing for at least twelve miles and I hope to get over the glacier by the 5th of April. We are all getting strong as oxen, but when night comes we eat our bacon, rice oatmeal and some kind of fruit, and then jump right into bed and get up at 5 and are ready for the trail at 7, and sometimes at 6:30. We are all as red as Indians from sunburn, our beards are an inch long, and we are a tough set. It is always mild and calm at the foot of the glacier where we are camped. The mercury shows about 28 to 30 above in the morning, and by noon it is 45 to 50 in the sun. We are camped on 6 or 7 feet of snow that is packed hard.
The camp is full of interesting people who have come from all parts of the world. There are from 75 to 100 dogs in camp who keep up a continual barking until 12 oÕclock at night.
At 9 oÕclock everybody is in bed and the candles are all blown out.
Our party is nearly one mile further up the glaciers than the Luct [Leach?] party, and, in fact, there are very few that are ahead of us, and none who were on our boat except two Sweeds. Love to everybody that enquires.
--Lute.
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SOURCE: Freeport IL Daily Journal, 5/19/98.
(Letter from L.W. Guiteau, dated 4/21/98.)
Thursday, April 21, 1898. We have at last conquered the wonderful Valdes glacier and are now camped 12 miles down on the other side of it, in a grove of fine spruce timber and on the head waters of the Tasnuna river, a beautiful little stream of the finest water I ever drank. We are all in A No. 1 condition but of course tired, and have always been ready to jump into bed as soon as we ate our supper. We have had a terribly long, cold, hard experience crossing the glacier and it took us from the 6th of March until the 18th of April to get over it, a distance of about 30 miles; but we are over it, thank God, and are now in what seems to us like the garden of Eden, plenty of fine timber, water and evidences of game all around us. We had a terrible experience all last week at the foot of the summit. For five days we were in a blizzard and had to stay in our tents the whole time and with only enough wood to cook with and had to go to bed to keep warm. The cold was not so extreme, the mercury falling at no time below 20 above zero, but when one is camped on snow and ice, and for four weeks straight, we craves wood and fire more than anything else, almost.
The coldest we have experienced in temperature was this morning, but we did not notice it and worked in our shirt sleeves all day. The mercury showed five below zero at 6 this morning, but there is not wind where we are now and we have got all the fine wood we can burn and are just as comfortable as can be, and are the happiest lot of miners imaginable. We will push on down the Tasnuna as fast as possible and shall probably move our camp ten miles further down tomorrow. We shall make fast time from now on and get to the lake by May 1. ItÕs just fifteen miles from here. No one on the whole trail, and there are 3,000 of them, has pushed on any faster than we, and 2,500 of them are behind us; 1,000 of them will have a hard time to get over. There are only about 150 ahead of us and some of those came here two weeks before we did. There are lots of fellows who came on the same boat we did that are twenty miles behind us. Over here where we are camped is a wonderful and interesting country. I found a big birdÕs nest while cutting timber the other day, made of nothing but wool, evidences of mountain sheep. The Tasnuna river, on which we are camped, flows down a beautiful valley about ten miles wide, thickly lined with fine spruce and black birch and of course there are mountains all around us. It has been a lasting experience to us all, and to think that we have crossed over the glacier and are now out of danger of snow slides, and open crevases and blizzards, and continual winds which nearly always prevail near the top of the summit, which is over 5,000 feet higher than where we are now, makes us stop and wonder how our strength and courage ever held out. Millard, who is one of the most conservative of men, and who carefully figures on every step he takes, has estimated that one in crossing the glacier with an outfit of 1,500 pounds, doing his own packing and sledding, will have to walk 1,000 miles to get to Copper river, and we believe him. I myself have in three days this week walked just 89 miles and pulled 1,000 pounds half that distance. We have walked so far nearly 600 miles, and its been up hill most of the way, but from now on it will be down hill--yes, the promised land is in sight and we are now, all the miners say, in a first class country to prospect in; some of them are going to stay right around [the headwaters of the Tasnuna this summer, but we want to push on to the big lake before the breakup comes and then we shall still be in a better prospecting country and where their are fish and plenty of game.
The mail man is here and that is the reason I write you such a short note, but when we get over to the lake where we will rest up, IÕll write you more of the trip and country and glacier.
We havenÕt heard a bit of news of the world for nearly three weeks. Philo is writing as hard as he can to get is letter off with the man who is going over the glacier at 4 oÕclock in the morning. We are all well, and have at no time suffered much, and then only a little with the cold at the foot of the summit. We have been tired nearly every night, and are always in bed by 7:30 to 8:30, and always are up at work on the trail at 5:30 to 7. That glacier is an awful proposition, and for a while I began to believe what we heard in Seattle, that no man ever crossed it with a yearÕs supply of provisions.ItÕs a wonderful, wonderful formation, and IÕll tell you all about it the first time I have an opportunity. But if you knew how we are on the jump all the time from early morn until night, and expect to be until we get to the lake, you will be willing to wait a little while longer for a description of one of the wonders of the world. But I know all about it for IÕve been over it on one side ten times, and on the other three times. What we donÕt know about Valdes glacier would make a mighty small book.
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SOURCE: Freeport IL Daily Journal, 7/6/98.
(Letter from L.W. Guiteau, dated 5/20/98.)
In Camp Two Miles North of Lake Tasnuna, Or Hudson Lake., May 20, 1898.--We have just learned that a man near our camp is going back to ValdesÕ bay, and IÕll write you a few lines in a hurry. We have been in camp here since May 1, and have just completed two boats to transport our outfit down Lake Tasnuna and its outlet into Copper river. We had to whipsaw the lumber for these boats out of spruce logs that we cut, and then had to pack the lumber to our camp, about a mile and a half. Our big boat is 22 feet long and the little one 16 feet. We have made them strong and easy running, and in a few days will be on our journey down the lake, which is 12 miles long before we come to its outlet. We have been camping in a beautiful place, which in a few days longer will be covered with wild flowers, and I imagine there will be some choice ones. I picked a beautiful purple one yesterday and I send it to you. We are all well and have worked hard since we came here getting out the lumber for our boats. The work of whipsawing lumber out of big logs 22 feet long is just as hard work as pulling a sled over Valdes glacier, only it is of an entirely different nature. It took us a week to build our pit and fell the logs and get them in position to saw, and then it took another week to saw them, for we had to saw out twenty boards 22 feet long, 10 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches thick. It is raining today for the first time since we came here, and itÕs such a contrast to the glacier, where it stormed two-thirds of the time.
I wish you would save all the articles you see in any of the papers about Copper river and Valdes glacier and cut them out and lay them away; some day I want to read them over and see how nearly correct they are. We are surely in the land of gold, but to find it in paying quantities is another question. Color has been found all around us, and a fellow near our camp picked up a beautiful piece of quartz that had considerable gold in it. Tell Mr. Burrell that this country abounds in moose, bear, grouse, and millions of rabbits, ducks and geese. The sun rises at about 3 oÕclock and we can see to read outside of our tents at 9:45 p.m. I was up the other night at 1 oÕclock and it was quite light. The mosquitos are beginning to bother us, and they are big ones. Bumble bees, flies, spiders, mice and ants we have seen. It nearly always freezes at night, but gets quite warm during the day; the mercury runs up as high as 55 or 60 quite often during the middle of the day.
DonÕt send me any newspapers, but you can enclose clippings if you want to. The mail carrier charges $2 to deliver newspapers, and thatÕs a little too expensive. Love to all.
Lute.
Tuesday, May 3.--We have at last come to a standstill, and everyone on this side of the lake is lying quiet, waiting for the snow and ice to go out of the creeks and lake so that we can built boats to go on. Our sledding days are over, for the break-up has come and the little creek that we are camped on will be bank-full within a week.
We crossed over the lake just in time, and that was Sunday, the 1st. Today it is impassable and there are 800 on the other side (including the Millard party and the Wayne county boys) who can never get over to this side this spring. We are now about 40 miles from the glacier in a very beautiful and fertile little valley., which is densely covered with quaking asp, black birch, spruce, rose bushes and willows, and any amount of unknown shrubs (unknown to me, at least). There is plenty of good water and we are sheltered on the north and east by a high mountain range and on the west by low mountains and heavy timber. There are indications all around us of moose, grouse, rabbits and a small squirrel. We saw a robin this morning, and there were several varieties of small birds singing where we were camped. One of them was a very sweet singer and looked somewhat like a bluejay. We are all very thankful that we are through pulling a sled, at least for this spring, for we have been at it practically since the 7th of March, and the last few days it has been fearfully hard pulling through the soft, slushy trail. But the break-up came yesterday with a rain and now all have cached their outfits high and dry and gone into camp to rest, and will then soon begin boat building. Today has been our first and general wash day, and we have (all four of us) been at it hard. This is a beautiful sunny day, and the mercury stands about 45¡ at 2:30 p.m. The sun rises about 4:30 and we can see to eat as late as 8:45. We are now having about 18 hours of daylight. It never gets dark now until about 9:45, and is broad daylight at 3:30; I donÕt know how we shall get much sleep when the sun rises at 1:40 and sets at 10:30 for it is hard now to sleep in a tent after 4 oÕclock (for it is impossible to make it dark). Last Saturday we had breakfast at 4 oÕclock, and were working on the trail at 5:20. But we are nearly always in bed by 8:30. We have just heard from the glacier through a friend of ours who went back to get more provision. He tried to cross back (over the glacier) and go down to Port Valdez, but had to give it up, for he could not get over the summit on account of a terrible storm which had been raging for a week.
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SOURCE: Freeport IL Daily Journal, 4/19/99.
(Letter from L.W. Guiteau to his sister, dated 2/27/99.)
Copper Center, Alaska,
Mouth of Kluetina River,
Feb. 27th, 1899.
My Dear Sister:--I wish you would see General S.D. Atkins and try and have him use his influence with Mr. Hitt [Congressman] to have the government do something for these poor scurvy stricken men up here. We are in a terrible condition and are practically without sufficient food or medicine to keep these fellows alive unless we have relief within a couple of months, and it will be at least three months before we can ever hope to get them out of here and then they can never get out unless the government will send in a relief expedition.
We are in a veritable death trap and relief must come or there will be a good many deaths. We now have fifteen men who are absolutely helpless, and about seven or eight who are gradually getting into the same condition. And there are only four of us to look after them besides the doctor.
We have ten men huddled in one hospital that is only twenty feet square, and five in another. These hospitals are on either side of my cabin and Wheat and I do all the cooking and washing and keep the four stoves supplied with wood. We never get to bed before 10:30 and are on the jump from 6:00 in the morning, and all of this during fearfully cold weather. Every night for the past two weeks the mercury has dropped as low as from 20 to 52 below zero. Dr. Townsend, of Beaver Falls, Pa., has charge of the patients and he told me last night that we must have some help from the government or death will prevail in this whole section. Five more new patients who were brought down from up the Copper river will come into the hospital just as soon as we can get bunks made for them. You can tell Kingsley that both Baker and Hamilton are in the hospital in a terrible condition with the worst form of scurvy. They are mere shadows and I am afraid will never get back alive. I will enclose you a list of the names of the fellows who are absolutely helpless and in a terrible condition, and please have general Atkins put their names in the Journal so that possibly their friends or relatives will eventually hear of them. We refrained at first from giving out any of their names, but Dr. Townsend now thinks that it is necessary, for relief must come from some source. We havenÕt the time, or stamps either, to write to the home of each of them and so we shall rely on the newspapers to tell the tale. Dr. Townsend will write to his papers at Pittsburg and Beaver Falls, Pa.; Wheat will keep the Pacific coast papers supplied with information and I ask the Journal to spread the news. Tell the General we would like to have him get it into the Chicago papers if possible for we have several who are from Illinois and from Chicago as you notice by the list.
Every one of the fifteen I mention are flat on their backs, with their legs black up to their hips, decayed and ulcerated gums, pale as death and emaciated beyond recognition. Some of them are getting bed sore and are beginning to suffer terribly, but all are practically without pain until they get so thin that bed sores begin to form. Remember they have no clean sheets nor have had even a change of bed clothing, but have lain on the same old, dirty, coarse blankets ever since they came to the hospital. Every man that comes brings his own bed clothing. ItÕs agonizing to see the condition that some of them are in. We try to make them as comfortable and clean as possible. One thing is certain, had they not come to the hospital they would have all died, and they all admit it too.
The more I see and know dogs the more I hate men and love dogs. There are some noble dogs in camp that would no more think of deserting their masters than a bird would its young. But not so with some of the men I know of, who have gone and left their partners almost ready to die. Will tell you all about some of these poor fellows some time. One death scene was perfectly heart-rending. How we are going to get these poor fellows out of here after they do get well is a hard proposition to solve. Do all in your power to have General Atkins confer with Hitt, so that Hitt will bring it before the proper authorities and have it investigated.
List of helpless ones in the hospital. All have scurvy and two have amputated feet and scurvy:
Oscar Liljegren, age 43, No. 2302 Indiana Ave., Chicago.
J.G. Mccracken, age 28, No. 6356, Eggleston Ave., Chicago.
C.E. Mccoy, age 33, No. 747 61St Place, Station O, Chicago.
H.E. Hunt, Toledo, Wash.
Charles Gorich, age 31, Morris, Grundy county, Ill.
John Gardner, age 40, Gunnison county, Colorado.
D.M. Dennie, age 49, Madrid, Boone county, Iowa.
Hiram Cramer, age 45, Osceola Mills, Clearfield county, Penn.
Samuel W. Baker, age 37, San Francisco, Cal.
Henry Lannerd, age 59, has a brother living in Franklin county, Pennsylvania named Frederick.
Edward Young, aged 51, Port Huron, Mich., both feet off.
Jack C. Paulson, age 38, Laramore, North Dakota.
Frederick E.A. Schloegel, age 34, 2015 East Baltimore St., Baltimore Md.
Wm. N. Lewis, age 41, Belle Fourche, South Dakota.
James L. Hamilton, Stockton, California.
L.W. Guiteau
=========================================================
SOURCE: Freeport IL Daily Journal, 5/19/99.
(Letter from L.W. Guiteau to his sister, Flora Guiteau. dated 4/14/99.)
Copper Center, April 14, 1899.--Everybody has left the camp except the few who are in the hospital sick, and before you get this letter Dr. Leroy S. Townsend, E.B. Wheat, Collins and myself and seven scurvy patients, assisted by four or five Indians, will be on our way over that dread glacier Valdes. We have got to help these poor fellows out or they never can get out by sled and they are all afraid to go down the Copper in boast. We will probably start within a week and it will take us a week to reach the foot of the glacier and another week to get them all over the glacier to Port Valdes. ItÕs a hard undertaking, but its got to be done sooner or later. We have had most remarkable success with the scurvy patients, but after I last wrote you four of five of them were at the point of death, and Dr. Townsend told me several times that he had given up hopes for three of them. But they all pulled through except one and he really wanted to die. [This is inconsistent with a story in the Seattle Times of 7/7/99, in which Townsend listed BakerÕs date of death as 5/9/99.] It was Baker, of KingsleyÕs party. Jim Hamilton, another of his party, also came out all right and has gone to Port Valdes and from there home.
I would like to have a photograph of our procession when we start. Every sick one, and there are seven of them left, will have to be pulled out, bundled up in furs and propped up on sleds. The glacier will be the hardest task of all, but we havenÕt the intense cold weather to fear that prevailed up to within three weeks ago. Seven of the last big party that went out froze to death and one has never been found. He was a physician by the name of Logan. Of course we donÕt fear the cold and the greatest anxiety will be that we may encounter a snow storm, but there will be so many of us, and we shall be so well provided with furs and tents that really there wont be much danger. I donÕt dread it myself for IÕve got a young Stick Indian to assist me and help the sick man whom I will have to pull. Will write you on reaching Port Valdes. I shall probably come back over the glacier in June or July for I have considerable stuff. I want to get either to Orca or Valdes. I have a wonderful flag pole and shall try to get it out so I can ship it to Seattle and then to Freeport. ItÕs about 30 feet high, and is a pine or spruce tree from the head waters of the Taslina river. I gave two Indians 25 lbs of rice to bring it to the mouth of the Klatena. IÕve had it up in front of my cabin ever since last November with a beautiful little flag on it floating in the breeze. ItÕs a great freak of nature. IÕve been offered $100 form it to land it at Seattle. I would like to send it home, and have it to look at as a reminder of this wonderful unproductive country. I will write you what I shall do after I get to Valdes. I will spend the summer in all probability prospecting with Wilson, for he is awaiting for me now at Valdes, and has a boat ready to prospect all along Prince Williams Sound. If I do come back over the glacier I will go down the Copper river to Orca and then back up to Valdes at once. Dr. Townsend and one or two other fellows will be in our party, if we come back, and the glacier will then be free of snow. Besides the flag pole IÕve got two magnificent large beaver skins that I got of old Chief Stick One, his name means the first one of the Stick tribe (who inhabit the country between the Konsina river to the south and to the Taslina river to the north.) I have had a photo taken of my cabin and the hospital force, and old Stick One and several of his bucks, and you will see me on the right of Stick One; IÕm sitting down on a tree stump. We have had an awful siege this winter with the hospital patients, but IÕll tell you all about it some time.
Roman Citizen Newspaper - Rome. Oneida County, New York
Friday, June 19, 1885
GUITEAU - In Trenton, New York, June 13, 1885,
LUTHER GUITEAU, M.D.,
aged 80 years 1 month and 8 days.
(RCJun19/1885)1860 Oneida County, New York Census, Trenton, page 461 (indexec Guitean)
Guiteau, Luther.......54...m...physician......NY
..............Sarah P.....45...f.........................NY
..............Robt............6...m.......................NY
Roach, Thos...........70...m.......................Ire
Jones, Anna............24...f...servant..........Wales
Stiffs, Mary...............27...f...servant..........NY
Guiteau, Nancy........80...f.........................MA
Jones, Jno................24...m...........................1870 Oneida County, New York Census, Trenton, page 765A
Guitteau, Luther........65...mw...physician..............NY
...............Sarah.........54...fw.....kpg house............NY
...............Robert........16...mw...at school...............NY
James, Anna..............30...fw....domestic servant...Wales
Guitteau, Nora............86...fw....domestic servant...Ireland
Brown, John................35...mw...farm laborer..........NY1880 Oneida County, New York Census, Trenton
Guiteau, Luther..........self....wm...75...Physician.........NY MA MA
..............Sarah P........wife...wf.....67..........................NY CT CT
Brown, John.............other....wm.........works on farm..Ire Ire Ire
James, Anna............other....wf.............................Wales Wales Wales
Brown, Cathrine........other....wf.............................NY Ire IreBoard of Councilors of The Oneida Historical Society
1876: Luther Guiteau
1881-1884: Luther Guiteau
1885: Luther GuiteauOneida Historical Society Year Book
A brother of Francis Guiteau, Jr., as early as 1794,
attended school in Clinton, later pursued and finished
his medical studies in Massachusetts, and in 1802
located in Trenton, in this county, and there for nearly
fifty years D. Luther Guiteau practiced his profession
and was among the foremost, most honored and
respected of the physicians and citizens of this
county. He was father of the present Dr. Luther
Guiteau of that village.College of Physicians and Surgeons of Western District of New York
Degree of Dr. of Medicine in 1826: Luther Guiteau Jr.History of Oneida County, New York, by Samuel W. Durant
Philadelphia: Everts & Fariss, 1878
page 643
On the first day of July, 1862, in response to a letter bearing
the signatures of eighteen loyal Governors, President Lincoln
issued a call for three hundred thousand volunteers to assist
those already in the field in putting down the Rebellion......
Three days after the appeal, on the 5th of July, a circular
was issued from the adjutant-general's office, directing the
division of the State into regimental districts...To Hon.
Horatio Seymour was addressed the letter appointing the
committee for this (the nineteenth) district....The following
gentlemen composed the committee for this district, viz:
Hon. Horation Seymour, chairman.....Luther Guiteau, of
Trenton.
Kendall County, IL - Early Marriages (could be with this family, later generations)
Chester L. Brimhall md Adella Clark 31 May 1902 book: 2 page: 32 Lic: 2329Millington Cemetery, Millington, Kendall Co., IL (personal visit & photo)
Horace J. Brimhall b: 4 Apr 1810 d: 27 Feb 1882
Jane, wife of Horace J Brimhall b: 7 Apr 1813 d: 5 Feb 1887Past and Present of La Salle County, 1877, page 263
H.J. Brimhall, P.O. Sheridan, born Jefferson Co., NY settled here in 1838
Jane Brimhall, P.O. Sheridan, born Huntingdon Co., PA, settled here in 1838"Old Settlers" Association
Brimhall, H.J. farmer; Sec 36; P.O. Millington; 8 (the number 8 refers to worth, $8,000Illinois Census
1850 LaSalle County, IL Census page 321 - image 290, ancestry.com page 6
Brimhall, Horace J 40 m farmer Mas
Jane 37 f Penn
Lydia 14 f Indiana
Saml 12 m Indiana
Horace J 9 m Illinois
Mary 4 f Illinois
Lucinda 1 f Illinois
Chas 2 m Illinois1860 LaSalle Co., IL Census, Mission Twp - ancestry.com page 14
1970 1981 Brimhall, Horace 50 m farmer 6420 1500 NY
Jane 47 f PA
Lydia 23 f IN
Samuel 21 m farmer IN
Horace 17 m IL
Mary 13 f IL
Charles 12 m IL
Ann L. 10 f IL
Amilia 8 f IL
Henry 2 m IL1870 LaSalle County, Illinois Census, Mission Twp - ancestry.com page
11 & 12
154 152 Brimhall, Horace J 60 m w farmer 10000 1000 MA
Jane 57 f w keeping house PA
Mary 23 f w at home IL
Charles 21 m w farm lab. IL
Lucinda 19 f w at home IL
Camelia 17 f w at home IL
Henry 12 m w at school IL1880 La Salle Co., IL Census, Mission Twp page 472D
Brimhall, Horace self wm married 70 NY
Jane wife wf married 65 PA
Amelia dau wf single 25 IL
Henry son wm single 22 IL
Severtson Toby other wf single 23 NOR
Wicks Walter other wm single 20 ILIndiana State Library Genealogy Division - Indiana Marriages through
1850
Horace Brimhall md Jane McMath
29 Oct 1835
Dearborn County, IndianaU.S./International Marriage Records, 1340-1980
Horace J. Brimhall
Gender: The gender of Horace J. Brimhall is male.
Birth Year: 1809
Birth Location Code: NY
Spouse: Jane Mcmath
Source Number: 274.000
Source Type: Electronic Database
Number of Pages: 1
Submitter Code: CGF
LaSalle Early Settlers
H.J. Brimhall LaSalle Co. Residence: Sheridan Prior residence: Jefferson Co, NY
year settled in La Salle: 1838
Jane Brimhall LaSalle Co. Residence: Sheridan Prior Residence: Huntingdon Co, PA
year settled in La Salle: 1838"Portrait and Biographical Record of Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties Iowa"
Chicago: Biographical Publishing Co., 1894. Salem: Higginson Book Co.Horace J. Brimhall, the father of our subject, was the eldest in a family of
eight children, six sons and two daughters. He had the advantage of a good
education; he read law, and was admitted to the Bar, after which he practiced in Illinois. In 1835, he married the daughter of Samuel McMath, who was born in Scotland and came to the United States in his boyhood. Our subject's mother was born in Pennsylvania in 1812 and came to Indiana with her parents. George, a brother of Horace J., a man of great culture
and piety, was a Congregational preacher in early life, but later left the faith and cast in his lot with the Mormons at Salt Lake City, where he became a prominent Mormon preacher, and at last accounts was alive. Samuel, another brother, was a Baptist minister, and died in Illinois. Noah joined the Mormon Church, became a civil engineer and is reputed to have made a
fortune. Andrew, still another brother, went to California in the early days and was lost track of.
167. MARY BRIMHALL
Millington Cemetery, Millington, Kendall, Illinois (personal visit &
photos)
Mary Alice Brimhall daughter of HJ & J b: 26 Aug 1846 d: 9 Jul
1876"Portrait and Biographical Record of Jasper, Marshall and Grundy
Counties, Iowa"1894
Biography of S.M. Brimhall
Mary (a sister of S.M. Brimhall) grew to womanhood, but died single.