The 1895 Minnesota census showed John T. Gunniss (age 45, born in Michigan, brick manufacturer) married to Annie E. (age 35, born in Michigan) and living in Duluth, Minnesota. Children Walter B. (age 13, born in Michigan), Clayton J. (age 10, born in Michigan), William B. (age 9, born in Michigan), and James G. (age 3, born in Minnesota) all lived with the couple.
The 1900 United States census showed John T. Gunniss (age 49, born in November 1850 in Michigan, brick manufacturer) married to Annie E. (age 38, born in June 1861 in Michigan) and living in Duluth, Minnesota. Children Walter B. (age 17, born in June 1882 in Michigan), Clayton J. (age 15, born in May 1885 in Michigan), William H. (age 13, born in August 1886 in Michigan), and Gordon J. (age 7, born in February 1892 in Minnesota) all lived with the couple.
The Gunniss Brick Co., Wrenshall, Minn., has shut down its works for the season after the most prosperous run in the history of the company. (Brick and Clay Record, Windsor & Kenfield Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, October 1901, Volume XV, Number 4, Page 36)
Page 376. John T. Gunniss, of Duluth, has been active in business circles ever since his location there. He was born Nov. 21, 1850, in Algonac, Mich., son of William and Louana (Cook) Gunniss, and comes of a family which has been prominent in Lincolnshire, England, for many generations. His father was born there in Sibsy, and came to the United States previous to 1840, making his home in Algonac, Mich., where he still resides, now living in retirement at the advanced age of eighty-four years. He followed the business of marine engineer for some years. Mrs. Gunniss, who has long since passed away, was a native of New York and a daughter of Truman Cook, who spent his last years in Algonac. The public schools of Algonac afforded John T. Gunniss very good opportunities for an education, and he made the most of them, completing the high school course at the age of seventeen years. For some years during his early manhood he followed steamboating as an engineer, becoming such when only eighteen years of age. In 1871 he went to L’Anse, Mich., where he was connected with a mercantile firm for some years, and he also operated a line of tugboats in that harbor. In 1882 he made another move, this time to Hancock, Mich., where he began the manufacture of brick, continuing in that business there until 1889. In that year he came to West Duluth, where he started a brickyard as a member of the firm Seager & Gunniss, and also conducted a brickyard at South Superior for a time. Since 1893 he has been engaged in the manufacture of brick at Wrenshall, Minn., the product being marketed at the Head of the Lakes. In 1902 he became a member of the firm of Derrig & Gunniss, who deal in mines, mining stock and oil properties in the West. Mr. Gunniss enjoys high standing as a citizen as well as in his commercial relations, and he served one term as president of the village of West Duluth before its annexation to the city proper. His political connection is with the Republican party. In 1881 Mr. Gunniss married Miss Annie E. Welsh, who was born in Ontonagon, Mich., and is a daughter of James and Mary Welsh, of L’Anse, Mich. Four sons have come to this marriage, Walter, Clay-
Page 377. ton, William and Gordon. The family is connected with the Catholic church, and socially has excellent standing. (Commemorative Biographical Record of the Upper Lake Region, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1905)
The 1910 United States census showed John T. Gunniss (age 56, born in Michigan, superintendent of a brickyard) married to Annie E. (age 47, born in Michigan) and living in Anaconda, Montana. Children Clayton (age 24, born in Michigan), William (age 23, born in Michigan), and Gordon (age 17, born in Minnesota) all lived with the couple.
John T. Gunniss died around June 5, 1917