Guthrie Genealogy

Unlike most of the other genetic matches of the MD/PA Group, this branch has no documented connection to Pennsylvania. Branch A went from IRL to MD to NC before spreading out to TN, MO, AL, TX and CA. 

According to family accounts published in LRG's book, James Guthrie, Sr. came to America from Ireland. This information is corroborated in a family history written by his grandson, Rev. Allen Washington Guthrie. This branch reportedly originated in Scotland, but spent 1-2 generations in Ireland having been (according to my father's very vague telling) 'chased out of Scotland' for religious reasons. James Guthrie had reportedly married 'late in life' to Elizabeth (LNU), but there is no verification in any original documentation whether this marriage took place in Ireland or in America, and therefore no actual proof that any of their eldest children were born in Ireland. 

There is also no actual proof of James Guthrie Sr's date of birth. His grandson, Rev. Allen Washington Guthrie, reported that James was 'about 50 years of age' in 1770 making his approximate birth year 1720. 

This makes it difficult to determine James Guthrie's exact relationship to the Branch E and H progenitors. James might be their younger brother if he was actually older than 50 in 1770, or possibly a nephew. In either case, it appears that he remained in Ireland much longer than they did, arriving in America about 1760-1770.

According to the origin stories about potential brother/uncle John Guthrie, his parents were John Guthrie (b1682) a Scottish Covenanter who fled to Ireland because of religious persecution, and Jane Stuart, an Irish descendant of the Royal House of Scotland. Their story does seem to fit with the sketchy tidbits reported to me by my father. Importantly, the story gives us the names of the probable common ancestors for Branches A, E & H, and the location they lived: Londonderry, Ireland.

James & Elizabeth were living "near Baltimore, Maryland" where their second son Robert was born in November of 1770. There are very few Guthrie families found in colonial Maryland. This one is not listed in the 1776 Maryland Colonial Census, suggesting that they had already moved on to NC by that time. They settled on the South Hico River in Orange County, North Carolina, most likely having traveled there by way of the colonial route known as The Upper Road. The Guthrie property was close to the borders of Caswell & Person when those counties were formed.

The Upper Road (aka The Carolina Road or Rogue's Road) began in Fredericksburg, Maryland and passed through Hillsboro, NC. 

The family remained in NC until the children grew to adulthood.  

James Guthrie (c1720-1800/01) & Elizabeth (LNU) (c1743-after 1810): 2 sons and 6 daughters.

• Mary Guthrie married Alexander McMenamy. They remained in NC through the 1810s, but were in TN by 1820. Mary died 1840 in Wilson, TN. 4 known children.
• James Guthrie married Jane Smith. They moved to the Robertson-Sumner, TN area c1792/3. Probably died there before 1864. 6 sons, 5 daughters.
• Ann Guthrie married John Shannon. They moved to Robertson, TN. Ann died in 1834 in Robertson, TN. 9 known children.
• Robert Guthrie married Mary Smith. They moved to Sumner, TN c1792/3. Emigrated to Chariton, MO in the 1830s. Died there 1843. 5 sons, 6 daughters.
• Martha Guthrie married ____ Barnett. 1 known son: Rev. James Guthrie Barnett of Kentucky and Arkansas. Martha's DOD is unknown.
• Margaret Guthrie married John Forrest. They moved to Humphreys & Carroll, TN. 2 known children (1 a minister, the other a minister's wife).
• Jean Guthrie married John Madden. They moved to Humphreys, TN. 5 known children: 4 sons, 1 daughter. Jean died in 1860 in Humphreys, TN.
• Elizabeth Guthrie married Robert Patton. They moved to Robertson, TN and then to Gallatin, IL where Elizabeth died 1830-1840. 6 sons, 4 daughters.

There is no proof of James Guthrie, Sr.'s participation in the Revolutionary War. LRG's book indicates that James' descendants believed he took part. Based on the estimate of his DOB, James would've been in his mid fifties. There is no known documentation on the matter. Wife Elizabeth died before laws were passed allowing widows of Revolutionary War soldiers to receive a pension. 

The family legend goes that two brothers married to two sisters travelled on horseback over the mountains to settle in Tennessee. Robert Guthrie had married Mary Smith in January of 1791, and James Guthrie Jr followed suit by marrying Mary's sister Jane Smith the following month in February of 1791.

Settlement of the Cumberland area of Middle Tennessee began not long after the close of the American Revolution, but 'Indian troubles' continued through the 1790s. By the time Robert & James and their wives were crossing the mountains and passing through the Cumberland Gap most of the strife with the Native American population in the region had already settled down. The Founding of the Cumberland Settlements, The First Atlas 1779-1804 by Doug Drake, Jack Masters, & Bill Puryear, is a fantastic resource for these early times. It includes trail maps that show the routes settlers took to get into the region, including an old trail first travelled by the Long Hunters which passes close to the property purchased by the brothers along the Robertson-Sumner County borders.

Back home in North Carolina, James Guthrie, Sr died sometime between November 1800 and March 1801 when his will was written and later proved in court. The will names his children and identifies several grandchildren named for him. All but two of his daughters had married by this date. An inventory of his estate indicates that he owned 6 horses, 16 cattle, 15 sheep, 22 hogs and 4 geese. There were also 3 bibles, 8 small books and 3 pairs of spectacles among his belongings. At the time of his death he possessed at least 523-1/2 acres of land.

The family was reared under a Presbyterian influence, though there is no documentation to show which church they attended. The Guthries' neighbor, David Mitchell, was mentioned in James Guthrie Sr's will. The Mitchells attended Upper Hyco Church, which was later renamed Grier's Presbyterian Church. David Mitchell and family are buried in the Old Grier's Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Several of James & Elizabeth's descendants became Cumberland Presbyterian Ministers.

After James Sr's death, his widow Elizabeth remained in North Carolina at least until 1810. After that we lose track of her. She may have died in North Carolina or traveled with one of her married daughters to the Cumberland region of Kentucky or Tennessee. She sold her share of the property in 1810. Her sons had already sold off their NC inheritance of 100 acres each on the Caswell side of the border in 1805 via a representative. Most, if not all, of the Guthrie children moved with their spouses the the region of Middle Tennessee or Kentucky by 1815.

Sumner County, Tennessee became the hub of activity for our Guthries. James & Jane and Robert & Mary's families grew to adulthood there. Farming was their primary occupation, but religion continued to play a key role in their lives. Robert became one of the early ministers of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Three of Robert & Mary's sons, and one of James & Jane's sons, also became ministers.

With the next generation, the family lines begin to diverge and another emigration takes place. This time from Tennessee to Missouri. One branch to Alabama and then to Texas and from there to California.

James Guthrie (c1765-<1862) & Jane Smith (1775-c1859): 6 Sons, 5 Daughters 

• Both James & Jane are believed to have died in Sumner, TN. The closest thing we have to proof is a deposition given in the Smith vs Smith case which identified the Smith children, their spouses and descendants, including the Guthries of TN, MO and TX.
• Son: James Guthrie III. (1792-1813/14). Died as a result of illness during the Creek Indian War 1813-1814. No heirs.
• Son: Robert Guthrie (1793-1855) married Aseneth C Motheral. War 1812. Died in Sumner, TN 1855. 6 sons and 2 daughters.
• Son: David Guthrie (1794-c1820). Never married. War 1812. Possibly died during the war. No heirs.
• Daughter: Elizabeth M. Guthrie (1799-after 1800). Married James Martin. Lived in Wilson, TN & probably died there. 9 known children.
• Daughter: Sarah 'Sally' Guthrie (1800-after 1870). Married David Spear Kerr. Lived in Sumner & Maury, TN. 10 known children.
• Son: Joseph Guthrie (1802-1850). Married Mary McNeely. Lived in Sumner & Wilson, TN. 3 sons and 6 daughters.
• Son: Rev William H Guthrie (1805-1872) Married twice. 1 son with ____  Wildridge. 3 sons, 4 daughters, 1 infant unknown gender with Emily B. Cole. Sumner & Humphreys, TN and later Dunklin, MO.
• Son: Andrew H. Guthrie (1807-1881). Married & Divorced Charity____. Married Emily Wright. Died in Sumner, TN. 5 sons and 3 daughters.
• Daughter: Eunice Jane Guthrie (1809-1840). Married Alexander Latimer. Lived in Sumner, TN and died in Abingdon, Knox, IL. 6 known children. Alexander remarried twice after Eunice's death and had 10 more children.
• Daughter:  Anna Martha Guthrie (1812-1862). Married Richard Pond. Lived & Died in Sumner, TN. 10 known children.
• Daughter: Lorena Lucinda Guthrie (1815-1850/60). Married Alvis Snodgrass Harder. Lived in Sumner, TN. Lorena died either in Sumner, TN or in KY. 9 children.