"An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties : with a
brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon." Chicago?: Western
Historical Pub. Co., 1902.  Page 501.  Grant County.

OTIS GUERNSEY

     There are few men who have had their lives so crowded with continued
activities and thrilling adventures, coupled with hardships and frontier
experiences from every quarter, and in every department of that eventful and
rugged existence, as has the intrepid and enterprising gentleman of whom we now
have the pleasure to write, in giving the salient pints of his interesting
career, which, were it written in full, would make a very lively volume, full of
information of our western plains and mountains and conflicts with Indians and
search for gold that would do credit to a ready writer in the page of American
history.
     Montpelier, Vermont, is his birthplace, and September 14, 1833, the date of
his advent into life, being the son of H. B. and Sovia J. Guernsey, who went to
Canada while their son was an infant.  When Otis had reached the age of eight
years the family removed to Valparaiso, Indiana, and there he worked on a farm
with his father until 1853.  Then, in company with two uncles, he undertook the
long journey over plains and mountains to the Pacific coast.  The train was
composed of twenty-five outfits drawn by oxen.  The captain was an uncle to our
subject.  Several times they were attacked by the Indians; once three of their
number being killed, and once one was killed.  Their provisions began to get
very low and for two weeks they existed on half rations, but the government
officers hearing of their distress, aid was sent and they reached their
destination, Jacksonville, Oregon, in seven months from the date of starting.
From those that sent aid the train was named the Miller and Conder train.  When
Mr. Guernsey reached Oregon he was just in time to meet the uprising of the
Rogue Indians and enlisted to fight them, being in Captain Love's company.
Later on he fell in with the noted Kit Carson and went with him into Fort Hall,
Salt Lake, to the Colorado river, and on through Arizona to Los Angeles,
California.  During this time he participated in a number of severe battles and
was the subject of some thrilling adventures.  At Los Angeles he separated
company with the noted scout and turned to San Francisco and from there into the
mines in different portions of the state.  Afterward he was at Stockton, whence
he went to Sonoma county and farmed for two years and then repaired to
Healdsburg, where he engaged in the livery business in connection with the
wholesale liquor trade.  He did a thriving business until 1865.  At that date he
fitted conveyances and went back across the plains to Missouri with his family
and in that state and in Iowa he lived until 1880, and then removed to Colorado,
living there for four years, then crossed the plains again with wagons to Canyon
City, arriving there on August 9, 1884.  He at once perceived an opening in the
lumber business and was quick to take advantage of it, erecting a sawmill, and
in operating that he has been continuously engaged since.  His home and mill are
eight miles south from Canyon City and he has a fine property, consisting of
sawmill, residence, stock ranch of three hundred and twenty acres and a section
of timber and grazing land, besides interests in some valuable mining
properties.
     The marriage of Mr. Guernsey and Miss Nancy J. Fisher, of Stockton,
California, was celebrated December 25, 1856, and to them have been born the
following children:  Hosea B., married to Maggie Solinger, of Canyon City; Lena
R., wife of William Lincoln, of Canyon City; Charles O., married to Minnie
Hopprich, near Canyon City; Mary S., wife of Enos Trefry, now deceased; and
three that died in infancy.  Mr. Guernsey is a member of the I.O.O.F., in Canyon
City, and politically he is with the Republican party.  He is a citizen that
always takes an active interest in the affairs of government and is dominated by
a wisdom and prudence that have made him both successful in his business
enterprises and highly respected by his fellow men.  It is of note that the
ancestors of our subject were natives of Guernsey Islands, and doubtless gave
the name in early days to the islands.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in October 2005 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.