John B. Guthrie (July 28, 1807 – August 17, 1885), a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

, was twice elected

Mayor of Pittsburgh The mayor of Pittsburgh is the chief executive of the government of the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, as stipulated by the Charter of the City of Pittsburgh. Prior to the 1816 city charter, the Borough of Pittsburgh had its c ...

and served from 1851 to 1853.

Biography

John Brandon Guthrie was born in

Kittanning, Pennsylvania Kittanning ( ) is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is situated northeast of Pittsburgh, along the east bank of the Allegheny River. The population was 3,921 at the 2020 census. The name is ...

, the son of shipbuilder James V. Guthrie and Martha Brandon, daughter of Revolutionary War captain John Brandon. When Guthrie was young, his family moved from Armstrong County to

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

. Guthrie married Catherine Murray, daughter of

Magnus Miller Murray Magnus Miller Murray (February 22, 1787 – March 4, 1838), served as the mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1828 to 1830 and again from 1831 to 1832. Mayor Murray now rests in Section 19, Lot 29 of Allegheny Cemetery. Early life Mu ...

, the lawyer, businessman, and two-time mayor of Pittsburgh. Guthrie served in the Mexican War with the Duquesne Grays. He was appointed "Collector of Customs" for the port of Pittsburgh. Guthrie served two terms as mayor. During his terms, he appointed a new police force who ended the lawlessness of 1851 in Pittsburgh. Guthrie was the father of George W. Guthrie, who would also serve as mayor. Guthrie was a member of the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention of 1872–73. He died in 1885 in

Cresson, Pennsylvania Cresson is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. Cresson is east of Pittsburgh. It is above in elevation. Lumber, coal, and coke yards were industries that had supported the population, which numbered 1,470 in 1910. The bo ...

. He is buried in

Allegheny Cemetery Allegheny Cemetery is one of the largest and oldest burial grounds in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is a historic rural cemetery. The non-sectarian, wooded hillside park is located at 4734 Butler Street in the Lawrenceville neighborhood, and b ...

References

Political Graveyard
{{DEFAULTSORT:Guthrie, John B. 1807 births 1885 deaths Mayors of Pittsburgh American military personnel of the Mexican–American War Pennsylvania Democrats Burials at Allegheny Cemetery 19th-century mayors of places in Pennsylvania

Biography

See also

References