ELMER A. GUY. A prospering business man of Elwood who has been identified with this city for the past twenty years, Mr. Guy has two first class stores for the cigar, tobacco and confectionary trade, and his business also includes a similar establishment in the town of Tipton. He carries on both wholesale and retail trade, and by progressive business methods has placed himself in the front ranks of Elwood business leaders.
Elmer A. Guy was born in Walton, Cass County, Indiana, July 11, 1875, The family settled in Cass County during the pioneer period. The founder of the family in that section of Indiana was Alfred Guy the paternal grandfather, the maiden name of whose wife was Quinn. This grandfather had been a soldier in the War of 1812, subsequently came to Cass County when it was a wilderness and while the Indians were still in possession of much of the country, and located in the country ten miles southeast of Logansport, He went out from Indiana as a soldier in the Mexican war, and was captain of his company, during that brief struggle with the southern Republic, His death occurred in Cass County, at the venerable age of eighty-seven years. His wife also attained old age.
Their large family of children were named Andrew, William, Joseph, Milton, Lavina, Hattie, Charles, Edward, Emma, The parents of the Elwood business man were Joseph M. and Martha (Fitzer) Guy, both of whom were born in Indiana, The father of Martha Fitzer was William Fitzer, he and his wife being natives of Ohio, and early settlers in Cass County, where they died at a good old age. In their family were the following children: Mary, Sarah, Melcina, Laura, Martha, Levi, Joshua, Henry, John, George and Jane Fitzer. Joseph M. Guy was reared about Logansport and was a farmer near that city and spent nearly all his life there and reared his children, His home is now near Lewisburg, Ohio, on a farm, and he and his wife are both members of the Christian church. The seven children in the family are named as follows: Elmer A. of Elwood; Lavora, wife of Frank Knight of Walton, Indiana; Harry, of Walton; Jessie, of Lewisburg, Ohio; Bertha, wife of Claude Hammond of Logansport; Elta, wife of W. J. Beckner of Logansport; and Wilda, who is married and lives at Eaton, Ohio.
Reared on his father’s farm in Cass County, Elmer A. Guy during his boyhood attended the district schools, and completed his education in the Logansport High School and the Logansport business college, In 1893 he came to Elwood, and became connected with the retail cigar and tobacco trade, He subsequently enlarged his store to handle cigars, tobacco and confectionery as a jobbing business, and still combines these two departments of his business, He has two well stocked and well patronized stores in Elwood and one in Tipton.
On September 13, 1898, Mr. Guy married Miss Maude E. Venard, daughter of Stephen and Mary (Phillips) Venard. Their one son is named Cecil S. Mrs. Guy was born at Walton and her parents were natives of Cass County, Her mother died when about thirty-five years of age. She was one of two children, her brother being named Warren, Mrs. Guy’s maternal grandfather was James Phillips, Mrs. Guy is a member of the Presbyterian church of Elwood, and her husband is popular in the fraternal orders of the city. He has affiliations with Quincy Lodge No. 230 F. & A. M.; Elwood Chapter, No. 109. R. A. M., and is a member of Murat Shrine, Indianapolis, He also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, with Quincy Lodge No, 200, and has membership in Elwood Castle No. 166, Knights of Pythias, with the Elwood Lodge No, 368 of the Order of Elks, and with the Improved Order of Red Men. In politics he is a Democrat and is a citizen who is always ready to use his influence and efforts to advance the welfare of Elwood.