William Edward Guthrie, one of Zanesville's most prominent business men and local capitalists died at his home at Jefferson street and Putnam avenue at 8 o'clock Wednesday morning following a complication of diseases.
Mr. Guthrie was born in Putnam of this city and had resided here his entire life being connected with many civic enterprises which will remain as a memorial to his name.
Mr. Guthrie was a veteran of the Civil War being a member of the 159th O. V. I. having seen 100 days service. He saw fighting in Ohio, was on the Potomac with his unit, fought in the battle of Harper's Ferry and was a member of the detachment which attempted to capture General Morgan of the cofederate Army.
Mr. Guthrie applied his principles as a soldier to his business career and was one of the most successful of local capitalists. At the time of his death he was a member of the Hazlett Post of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Mr. Guthrie had for a number of years been the superintendent of the Sunday school of the Putnam Presbyterian church and had been very devoted to his religious duties. He was associated with the Putnam Presbyterian church during his whole life and had been treasurer of the church for a number of years.
In starting his business career he was connected with his father in the George N. Guthrie lumber company with a large planing mill on the present site of the Eclipse Laundry Co. with town offices in the building at Third and Main street now occupied by the T. F. Luby tailoring establishment.
The Guthrie Lumber Co. will be remembered as having the first commercial telephone which was inaugurated to this city in the early 70's and it was through the efforts of Mr. Guthrie that the system was founded.
After severing connections with the lumber company he opened local offices in the insurance business, in which he was most sucessful for a number of years. He retired from active business several years ago but the insurance company is still continued under the caption of W. E. Guthrie & Co.
He was also active in local banking business being a director of the First National Bank, direcor of the First Trust & Savings Bank and director of the and treasurer of the Homestead Building and Loan Co.
He was also a director of the Brown Manufacturing Co. Mr. Guthrie was the oldest director in point of service of the First National Bank.
On March 19, 1878, he was united in marriage to Miss Clara Black, a New England girl and daughter of Peter Black. His home life was very beautiful in his devotion to his wife and daughter. Besides his wife, he is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Dorothea G. Frazier, wife of Attorney Florien F. Frazier of McIntire avenue. One brother George Guthrie of Jacksonville, Illinois, and two sisters, Mrs. S. B. Bootes of Los Angeles, Calif., and Mrs John Blanchard of Stockbridge, Mass. also survive.
Mr. Guthrie has for years been a trustee of the Avondale Children's Home and has been very influential in achieving improvements for the home and happiness of the children. He had a host of little friends at the home who with many friends in this city, will be grieved to learn of his death and extend to the family their deepest sympathies.
Funeral services will be held at the home on Putnam avenue at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon with the Rev. G. R. Dickinson, of the Putnam Presbyterian church officiating. Interment will be in Woodlawn cemetery.

The Zanesville Signal, published Zanesville, Ohio
July 20 1921

Buried: Summit Section, Woodlawn cemetery
GUTHRIE
William E. b. 1842. d. 1921
Clara B. b. 1853 d. 1935

FRAZIER
Florien F. 1882-1941
Dorothea 1883-1970


Muskingum County, Ohio