Boundary County IDGenWeb Project

James H. Guthrie

          This substantial and well to do agriculturist and stockman has a good estate one mile north from Copeland, where he is engaged in general farming and raising stock and also does dairying. He is a man of energy and good ability and has made worthy achievements since he settled in this county.

          James H. Guthrie was born in Iowa City. Johnson county, Iowa, on February 6, 1863, being the son of R. J. and Eliza J. (Poland) Guthrie, natives of Ohio and West Virginia, respectively. They came to Iowa in 1852 and later lived in Montana for sixteen years and then came to this valley, where they now reside. They were the parents of thirteen children, six of whom are living. James H. received a good common school education in his native place and remained with his parents until he was seventeen years old and then went to work on the neighboring farms. He remained thus engaged for five years when he removed to Boulder, Montana, and there served one year as apprentice in a blacksmith shop. After that, he did contracting for ties, lumber and so forth with his brother. In 1891, they came to the Kootenai valley and engaged in the butcher business. Later he bought out his brother and took W. A. Nail as partner, conducting the shop until April, 1902. In May, 1892, Mr. Guthrie located the quarter section where he now resides, and since that time he has continually been adding improvementsand now has a fine farm.Part is meadow and part is upland. He has a fine orchard and raises about thirty head of cattle.

          In 1894, Mr. Guthrie married Miss Martha A., daughter of V. N. and Anna (Sievert) Washburn, natives of New York and Norway, respectively. The mother came from Norway with her father, her mother having died in that country. The father later came to Kootenai valley and died here in 1901. To Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie there have been born five children Chancy E, Delia R., James H., Eliza J., William R. Mr. Guthrie is a member of the M. W. A. of Porthill. He is not connected with any church but practices the rule of doing to others as you would wish them to do by you.

– Page 841 “An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903 “