John M. Gunn Valencia County, New Mexico

John M. Gunn, a cattleman, miller and merchant living at Laguna, is a native of Hardin County, Ohio. He came to Laguna in 1881, and here became connected with the cattle industry and with surveying. Four years later he formed a partnership with his brother, K. C. C. Gunn, in the cattle business, with which they have since been identified. In 1904 they established a mercantile store at Laguna under the firm name of Gunn Brothers. In 1893 Mr. Gunn built a flour mill at Laguna, which he enlarged in 1903 until it has a capacity of forty barrels a day. Here he has a steam plant and the grain used is principally raised in this vicinity. The chief brand of flour is the "Pansy," and he supplies a large local demand and does custom work. He also has a cattle ranch about twenty-five miles south of Laguna. He located large beds of lithographic limestone, which are now being operated by the New Mexico Pumice Stone Company, and the officers of this enterprise are: E. E. Lemke, president: John Davern, vice-president; M. W. Flournoy, treasurer, and E. B. Christy, secretary. Mr. Gunn is interested largely in this undertaking.

He has had some military experience, having served as first lieutenant of the Laguna troop of mounted militia in the Apache war. He also served for several years in the Territorial militia, reaching the rank of captain.

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Source: History of New Mexico, Its Resources and People, Volume II, Pacific States Publishing Co., 1907.