John W. Guest, who has been a resident of Merced since 1913, was born in Mariposa County on June 15, 1881, the son of John William and Mary M. (Scott) Guest. His father was born in Ohio and came to California about sixty-two years ago, and engaged in mining for a number of years. His mother, who was born in Missouri, was brought across the plains as a young girl with her parents.

Mr. Guest went to school in Mariposa County, and as a young man followed teaming and mining. Coming to Merced twenty-six years ago he joined the Yosemite Valley Railroad, and for the following seven years was employed in various capacities by the road, including those of boilermaker, machinist, brakeman and fireman. From 1920 until 1936 he engaged in the trucking business in which he was very successful. Mr. Guest is now the owner of valuable property in Merced, which includes a 150 foot corner at 19th and P Streets, and the Merced Motel, erected in 1936 on North 16th Street, Highway No. 99. This unique and pretentious structure consisting of twenty- five units, is of cobblestone construction, and therefore is cool during the hottest time of the summer, without requiring any special cooling system. The rooms are, artistically furnished and decorated, and equal those of the first-class hotels. The setting of the Motel is very attractive, the buildings surrounding a large lawn embellished with shrubbery and trees.

Mr. Guest is a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West, being affiliated with Yosemite Parlor No. 24. He married Miss Irene Lord, who was born in Mariposa County. Their son, Lawrence A., is the manager of the Merced Motel.

Interested since boyhood in mining, Mr. Guest still has a yearning for this occupation, and gives it as his hobby because those fortunate enough to make money out of mining can look with complacency on the earning because it assuredly does not "take the bread and butter out of anyone's mouth" but in every instance furnishes it, and is consequently a distinct contribution to the economic life of the nation..