In 1876 Mr. Guernsey was instructed by the commissioners of the new county of Columbia—F. G. Frary, G. T. Pollard of Huntsville and E. Oliver of Pomeroy—to call a special election for the purpose of choosing county officers. Mr. Guernsey was elected county treasurer for one year and at the first biennial election was chosen for a full term at a salary of three hundred dollars per year, the officers being required to serve at a "moderate salary" inasmuch as this was an infant county. In 1878 he was chosen to represent his district in the territorial legislature and on the 31st of July, 1880, he succeeded L. F. A. Shaw in the office of deputy collector of internal revenue under Major James R. Hayden. He occupied that position for three years and then surrendered the office to H. W. Fairweather. On the 4th of May, 1884, Mr. Guernsey entered the Columbia National Bank of Dayton as cashier and had complete charge of the bank's affairs through the following sixteen years, at which time his brother, F. W. Guernsey, became cashier, while D. C. Guernsey was made vice president and manager of the institution. He successfully carried the bank through the panic of 1893, although he closed one Saturday night with but five hundred and fifty dollars in the bank. However, he most carefully safeguarded the interests of the institution and managed to weather the financial storm which swept over the entire country in that year. He remained in his official capacity with the bank until 1900, when he retired, the institution at that time having deposits of three hundred and seventy-four thousand dollars. He then turned his attention to the real estate, insurance and loan business in Dayton and in 1904 he took charge of a mining camp on the Omnaha in Willowa county, Oregon, for the Eureka Mining Company, his position being that of managing director. While there he built the wagon road down Deer creek from Dobbins Cabin to Snake river. He occupied the position of director of the mining camp for two years, after which he returned to Dayton and through the succeeding two years gave his attention to the real estate and insurance business. In 1908 he removed to Starbuck to assist in straightening out the affairs of the Bank of Starbuck, of which institution he was made cashier, occupying that position for a period of two and a half years. He then resigned and established his present business, with which he has since been prominently identified, being today one of the foremost real estate, loan and insurance agents in this part of the state. One of the local papers said: "D. C. Guernsey has been a most important factor in the development of Columbia county and the moulding of civilized life in the great state of Washington. During the early history of Columbia county, hardly a business transaction was carried through or a public enterprise launched that was not inspired by the brain or fostered by the public-spiritedness of Mr. Guernsey." He helped to organize and was the first president of the Dayton Electric Light Company and built many of the buildings in that city in the block in which the Columbia National Bank is located. He organized the Dayton Hotel Company, which built the hotel, and was its president for several years.
Mr. Guernsey has also left the impress of his individuality in marked manner upon the political history of the state. In politics he has always been a stanch republican and was a leader in the party from the time when there were but twelve republicans who went from Walla Walla to Lewiston. In 1879, when he became a member of the territorial legislature, he became a member of what was known as the bunch grass delegation, which became the controlling factor in the general assembly. He was made chairman of the ways and means committee and did important work in that connection. In 1890 he was appointed a member of the state harbor line commission by Governor Ferry, the first state governor, and was active in the work of the commission, which located all the harbor lines in the state and submitted the plans to the United States war department. Mr. Guernsey also became identified with the military interests of the northwest. He assisted in organizing the Dayton Grays, which merged into Company F of the First Washington Regiment for service in the Philippines. He was also paymaster and battalion adjutant of the Second Washington Regiment under Colonel Pike.
On the 23d of September, 1873, Mr. Guernsey was married to Miss Harriet E. Day, a daughter of Dr. W. W. Day, who was the first physician in Dayton, where his son and grandson are now practicing, so that the name of Dr. Day has always been associated with that city. To Mr. and Mrs. Guernsey have been born five children, four of whom are yet living: William Day, a journalist connected with a newspaper of Schenectady, New York; Frank Day, a mining man of Jerome, Arizona; Minerva G., the wife of George F. Price, of Dayton; and Helen G., the wife of Frank E. Girton, of Covello, Washington.
In fraternal relations Mr. Guernsey has occupied a very prominent position. He was made a Mason in Independence Lodge, No. 80, F. & A. M., of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in November, 1869, and was made a Royal Arch Mason in Walla Walla Chapter, No. 1, in 1880. He became a charter member and is a past master of Columbia Lodge, No. 26, F. & A. M., of Dayton, and on the formation of Dayton Chapter, No. 5, R. A. M., he also became a charter member of that organization and is a past high priest. He is likewise a member and past eminent commander of Washington Commandery, No. 1, K. T., is a member of the Lodge of Perfection and the Chapter of Rose Croix in Walla Walla and of the Knights of Kodosh and of Spokane Consistory, A. A. S. R. He likewise has membership with the Knights Commander Court of Honor. He was the first chancellor commander in Organization Lodge, No. 3, K. P., and is the oldest chancellor commander in the state. He also has connection with various other fraternal organizations and has been very prominent in that connection for many years. His has been a guiding hand in shaping the history of southeastern Washington in its material, social and political progress and at all times he has been actuated by high ideals, looking ever to the benefit and upbuilding of his section of the state. Great indeed have been the changes which have occurred since his arrival in Columbia county. The seeds of civilization had scarcely been planted when he reached Dayton and from that time forward he has cooperated in all movements which have been instituted for public benefit, and without invidious distinction he may be termed the foremost resident of Starbuck.
DICK HARPER.
Dick Harper, who is filling the position of county auditor in Columbia county, Washington, and makes his home in Dayton, was born August 12, 1863, in Washburn, Woodford county, Illinois. His father, James D. Harper, was a native of Sullivan county, Indiana, born in 1838, and when quite young removed to central Illinois, where his boyhood and youth were passed. He was a graduate of Eureka College, Eureka, Illinois, and devoted his entire life to educational work. He married Marion A. Jenkins when twenty-five years of age and passed away in Dayton, Washington, in February, 1901. His wife is a representative of a pioneer family of New York and is now living in Dayton at the age of eighty years and is splendidly preserved. She lived for a few months in the same house with Abraham Lincoln during the famous Lincoln-Douglas campaign. She has a brother living at the age of ninety years, who was an officer in the Civil war, holding the rank of first lieutenant.