James A. Guest

As printed in 1888

JAMES A. GUEST is a wholesale dealer in pianos and organs, the house being one of the oldest in the State, having been established for thirty-two years in Burlington, Iowa. Mr. Guest is a northwestern representative of Chickeriug & Sons, Ernst Gabler & Bro., Kranich, Bach, Hallett & Cumston and J. M. Starr & Co. pianos, and Packard organs. This extensive establishment is situated at No. 106 North Main street and occupies the three stories and basement of the brick structure. The with of the building is thirty and the depth 120 feet, giving an area of 14,400 square feet of sales and storage room. Its wholesale trade extends over Iowa and portions of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Dakota, and is the most extensive in this line of any west of the Mississippi River. In addition to his wholesale business, May. Guest is somewhat extensively engaged in real-estate transactions, at this and other places.

May. James A. Guest was born at Lyons, Wayne

Co., N. Y., May 4. 1845, and received an academic education in his native town, taking a preparatory course for Hobart College, but was deterred from entering by his enlistment in the late war. On the 2yth of August, 1862, he liecame a member of Company C, 160th New York Infantry, and served until November, 1865. He was in the llth Army Corps, and took part in the capture of Fort Bisland, La., battle of Sabine Cross Roads and other battles and skirmishes in Gen. Banks' Red River campaign. He participated in the siege of Port Hudson, was with Grant at the siege of Richmond and fought in the battle of Winchester, where he was wounded Sept. 8, 1864, by a glancing grape shot striking him in the shoulder. His wound confined him to the hospital for two months. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant of his company by Gov. Fenton in June, 1865, and was mustered out the following November.

On receiving his discharge, Lieut. Guest at once returned to New York and took a regular course at Ames Commercial College, Syracuse, from which he graduated in 1866. He then engaged as cashier and book-keeper in a wholesale house at Lyons, N. Y., and in the autumn of 1856 came to Iowa, being employed in the same capacity for two years at Belle Plaine, after which he engaged in business for himself, dealing in pianos, organs and sewing-machines. He also carried on the insurance business and served as agent for the American Express Company at that city. In 1874 he left Belle Plaine, came to Burlington, and succeeded to the old established business of Lange & Van Meter, dealers in musical instruments, music, etc. He has since materially increased and extended the business until he now has the most important house in this line in the Northwest. While a resident of Belle Plaine he was officially identified with that city, first as Recorder and later as Acting Mayor.

In September, 1884, Mr. Guest organized the " Burlington Rifles," which became Company H, 2d Regiment, Iowa National Guards, of which he was the first Captain. (See sketch of company elsewhere.) In January, 1887, he was commissioned Major of the regiment. He takes a very active interest in the organization. The Major is prominently identified with the Masonic order, having been

-4 made a member of that order at Belle Plaine in 18C8, and is now a member of Malta Lodge, No. 318, A. F. & A. M., of Iowa Cliapter, No. 1. R. A. M., and of St. Omer Ccmmandery, K. T. He is the present Eminent Commander of the latter and is now serving his sixth year in that capacity. He was also the first President of the Masonic Building Association, and still occupies that position.

Major Guest was married at Burlington, June fi, 1876, to Miss Louise M. David, daughter of Col. John S. David, an early settler of Iowa. They have one child, a son, Lyman J., born at Burlington in April, 1877. Major and Mrs. Ouest are members of Christ Episcopal Church of Burlington. In politics he is a Republican.

The ancestry of May. Guest can be traced back over 200 3'ears. Henry Guest, the first of the name to come to America, came in the ship "Delaware," in 1686, and first made a settlement with the Penn Colony, that he might affiliate with his co-religionists. The first house erected in Philaklelphia was built by the Guest family. It was called the " Blue Anchor." (See Proud's History of Philadelphia.)

As printed in Portrait and biographical album of Des Moines County, Iowa, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county .. (1888). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.