George W. Guess

Mayor
George William Guess
Mayor of Dallas, Texas
In office
1866–1868
Preceded by John W. Lane
Succeeded by Benjamin Long
Personal details
Born 1822
North Carolina
Died July 18, 1868(1868 -07-18)
Memphis, Tennessee
Resting place Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis Tennessee
Nationality  USA
Spouse(s) Mary "Molly" Brown Miller
Children George W. Guess, Jr.
Occupation Lawyer
Military service
Allegiance  CSA
Service/branch Capt Good's Co., Dallas Light Artillery Company, Co. A 31st Regiment of the Texas Volunteer Cavalry
Years of service 1861–1865
Rank Lt. Colonel

George William Guess (1822 – 18 July 1868) was mayor of Dallas, Texas (1866–1868).

Biography

George W. Guess was born in North Carolina in 1822. He arrived in Texas about 1853 to practice law.[1] He married Mary (Molly) Brown Miller, daughter of William Brown Miller and Minerva Barnes December 4, 1856.[2] The couple had one child, George W. Guess, Jr. who died as an infant.[3] Mary Miller Guess died in 1861.

On March 12, 1862 Guess enlisted in Dallas as a private in Capt. William W. Peak's Company, Hawpe's Regiment Texas Cavalry providing his own horse. This company became Co. A 31st Regiment of the Texas Volunteer Cavalry. On May 14, 1862 he was commissioned a Lt. Col. He was accused by the Confederates of speculating in cotton in 1862. He was captured by Maj. Gen. Dana's forces near Morganza, Louisiana September 29, 1863 and was imprisoned in New Orleans. In December 1864 he was transferred to Ship Island, Mississippi, a Union prison for Confederate soldiers.[4][5]

George Guess was elected mayor in 1866 after John W. Lane resigned and served until Benjamin Long was appointed by federal military government.[6] He was a member of the Tannehill Lodge No. 52, A. F. and A. M. and served as Worshipful Master in 1860, 1861, 1862 and 1867.[7]

G. W. Guess died on the steamer "Victor" from sunstroke in the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tennessee on July 18, 1868.[8][9] Guess had traveled to Memphis to bring back the body of his wife's brother-in-law, Frank Roberson, but instead was interred beside him at Elmwood Cemetery.

References

  1. ↑ Voter Registration of 1867-1869, Vol 6 (Chambers County) to Vol 8 (Dallas County). Reel 3 (microfilm) Dallas County, No. 1302
  2. ↑ Dallas County, Texas Marriage Index. Aug 1846 - Oct 1963 "G" (microfilm)
  3. ↑ Mortality schedule : Texas, 1860. Ronald Vern Jackson, editor. Bountiful, Utah : Accelerated Indexing Systems, c1979
  4. ↑ Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Texas. NARA Publications M323. Thirty-first Cavalry (Hawpe's Regiment) George W. Guess.(accessed www.footnote.com on 2 Dec 2010).
  5. ↑ Guess (George W.) Letters (Mss. 793) Inventory. Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections, Special Collections, Hill Memorial Library, Louisiana State University Libraries, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University Revised 2010
  6. ↑ WPA Dallas Guide and History. Written and compiled from 1936 to 1942 by the workers of the Writers' Program of the Works Projects Administration in the City of Dallas. Maxine Holmes and Gerald D. Saxon (editors). Reprint of 1940 edition. Dallas Public Library, Texas Center for the Book University of North Texas Press, 1992, p.63
  7. ↑ "Past Masters." Tannehill Lodge 52 accessed December 3, 2010
  8. ↑ Dallas Daily Herald, Aug 1, 1868, p. 3
  9. ↑ Memphis and Shelby County Death Records 1848-1901
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