1A-E: John Guthrie

John Guthrie c1855 AR – Aft. 1870 AR
of Washington County, Arkansas, USA

JOHN GUTHRIE
Parents: John Guthrie 1821 AL or TN – 1889 AR and Nancy Mahala 1846 MO – 1878 AR
Birth: About 1855
Birth Location: Mountain, Washington County, Arkansas, USA
Marriage: Not Known
Children: Not Known
Death: After 1860
Death Location: Unknown, possibly in Arkansas
Burial Location: Unknown, possibly in Arkansas
Notes:

John Guthrie was listed as 5 years old during the 1860 census placing his estimated birth year in 1855. The family was already living in Mountain, Washington County, Arkansas by that time. Since the family’s 1870 census location has not been found, it is unknown whether this son lived to adulthood. He is not living with the family during the 1880 census.

Did John die during childhood?

Primary Sources

Primary sources for researching John Guthrie (c. 1855–after 1860, likely died young), son of John Guthrie (c. 1821 AL or TN–1889 AR) and Nancy Mahala (surname unknown, c. 1829–1839 MO–1878 AR), are limited due to his short lifespan and apparent absence from records after early childhood. This reflects common challenges in 19th-century American genealogy, particularly for individuals who died young in rural areas like Washington County, Arkansas, where record-keeping was inconsistent, especially pre-Civil War. Vital records (birth, marriage, death) were not systematically maintained in Arkansas until the 20th century, so censuses, land deeds, and probate records become key. No direct birth, marriage, or death certificates for this John Guthrie have been identified, likely because he did not reach adulthood or produce records of his own. However, family context from his parents and siblings provides indirect evidence.

Key nuances: The family’s mobility (from Alabama/Tennessee to Missouri to Arkansas) and the Civil War era (1861–1865) disrupted record-keeping; many Arkansas censuses and courthouse records were lost or incomplete. DNA evidence from the Guthrie Family Group (GFG) project links this branch to broader colonial lineages, but primary sources focus on documentary proof. Edge cases include spelling variations (Guthrie, Guthery, Guttery), which require broad searches. Implications: These sources establish presence but highlight gaps, suggesting further archival digs (e.g., county courthouses) or DNA for confirmation.

  1. 1860 United States Federal Census
    • Details: Enumerated on 26 June 1860 in Mountain Township, Washington County, Arkansas (Post Office: Prairie Grove). Household headed by John Guthery (age 29, farmer, born AL), with wife Nancy (age 21, born MO), and children: Mary (14), James (8), John (5), Elisha (3), and Sarah (1 month). John Jr. is listed as age 5, born in Arkansas, supporting his estimated birth year of 1855. Real estate valued at $600, personal estate $300.
    • Access: Available on Ancestry.com (subscription required; Roll: M653_52, Page: 555, Image: 59); FamilySearch.org (free; Film #005035727, Image 59 of 726); or National Archives (microfilm).
    • Relevance: Sole direct record of John Jr. alive with family. Nuances: Age discrepancies (Nancy’s age varies across sources, possibly 21 here but estimated 1829–1839 elsewhere based on child births). Implications: Confirms location and family unit; absence in later censuses suggests early death.
    • Context/Example: This census captures pre-Civil War rural Arkansas life; the family farmed in a mountainous area prone to isolation, explaining sparse records.
  2. 1850 United States Federal Census (Indirect, for Parental Context)
    • Details: Potential match in Washington County, Arkansas, but family not definitively located in searches. Broader searches show related Guthries in nearby Benton or Madison Counties (e.g., William Guthery household in Benton Co., possibly kin). No direct listing for young John, as he was born post-1850.
    • Access: Ancestry.com (Roll: M432_30, search variations); FamilySearch.org.
    • Relevance: Establishes parental migration to Arkansas by mid-1840s. Edge case: If family evaded enumeration (common in frontier areas), tax lists could substitute. Implications: Highlights research gaps; cross-reference with 1860 for continuity.
  3. 1870 and 1880 United States Federal Censuses (Absence as Evidence)
    • Details: John Jr. not listed with family in 1870 (location unknown, possibly Washington Co.) or 1880 (Cove Creek Township, Washington Co.). Father John Sr. in 1880 (age 58, widowed, with younger children). Nancy died 1878, per family notes.
    • Access: Ancestry.com (1870: Roll M593; 1880: Roll T9_58); FamilySearch.org.
    • Relevance: Negative evidence supports theory of childhood death (post-1860, pre-1870). Nuances: War destruction affected 1870 AR enumerations. Implications: Useful for ruling out adulthood; compare with siblings’ records (e.g., sister Sarah’s 1880 listing).
  4. Arkansas County Marriage Records (Parental)
    • Details: John Guthrie Sr. and Nancy Mahala married c. 1845 in Washington County, AR (estimated from child births; no exact record found, but common-law or lost pre-1850). Later remarriage for John Sr. possible post-1878.
    • Access: FamilySearch.org (Arkansas County Marriages, 1837–1957); Arkansas Genealogical Society indices.
    • Relevance: Confirms family formation; no marriage for John Jr., aligning with young death. Edge case: Courthouse fires (e.g., Washington Co. 1865) destroyed records. Implications: Links to broader GFG1A migrations from VA/MD.
  5. Probate or Estate Records for John Guthrie Sr. (1889)
    • Details: John Sr. died 19 March 1889 in Cove Creek, Washington Co., AR. Potential will or administration papers mentioning heirs (though John Jr. likely predeceased). No direct finds, but siblings like Elisha or Joseph may be named.
    • Access: Washington County Probate Court (Fayetteville, AR archives); FamilySearch.org (unindexed images).
    • Relevance: Could exclude John Jr. as heir, confirming early death. Nuances: Rural estates often informal. Implications: Explores inheritance patterns in post-Reconstruction AR.
  6. Land and Tax Records
    • Details: John Sr. owned land in Washington Co. (1860 census value $600); possible BLM patents or deeds c. 1840s–1880s. No specific for John Jr.
    • Access: Bureau of Land Management (glorecords.blm.gov); Washington Co. Deed Books.
    • Relevance: Contextualizes family settlement. Edge case: Homestead Act claims post-1862. Implications: Ties to Arkansas pioneer history.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources interpret primary data, offering compiled narratives, analyses, and connections to broader Guthrie lineages. For this branch (GFG1A – Branch E), they link to Scottish origins (Guthries of Craigie) via colonial VA/MD, supported by Y-DNA (Haplogroup R-M198/R-M512). Challenges: Secondary works may contain errors (e.g., conflated individuals); always verify with primaries. Nuances: Genealogy blogs/DNA projects evolve with new data; books from early 20th century reflect era biases (e.g., less female lines). Implications: These provide hypotheses for further research, like DNA matching for unlinked branches. Edge cases: Conflicting birth years for Nancy (1829 vs. 1839 vs. 1846—likely transcription errors).

  1. Guthrie Genealogy Blog (Online Resource)
    • Details: Dedicated to Guthrie Family Groups (GFG), with specific page for Branch E: John Guthrie (c1855 AR–aft.1860). Includes timelines, research notes (e.g., possible childhood death), and links to parents/siblings. Part of GFG1A, tracing to Scottish Guthries of Craigie (cadet branch of Guthries of Guthrie, Angus, Scotland, c. 1299 onward).
    • Access: https://guthriegenealogy.blog/1a-e-john-guthrie/ (free); related pages: Parents, Siblings (e.g., Sarah: https://guthriegenealogy.blog/1a-e-sarah-f-guthrie).
    • Relevance: Core resource for this query; synthesizes censuses and DNA. Examples: Notes absence in 1870/1880, Y-DNA matches. Implications: Community-driven; updates possible.
  2. Guthrie Family Group Project (DNA and Lineage Summary)
    • Details: FamilyTreeDNA project grouping GFG1A (Guthries of Craigie/Middlesex VA/Worcester MD). Includes VIP participants tracing to Scottish merchants (e.g., James Guthrie, 1669–1711). Links AR branch via colonial migrations.
    • Access: https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/guthrie/about/results (free summaries; kits require participation).
    • Relevance: Genetic context; confirms unrelated to other Guthrie groups. Nuances: Y-DNA only paternal; autosomal for broader matches. Implications: Modern tool bridging gaps in paper trails.
  3. American Guthrie and Allied Families (Book)
    • Details: Compiled by Laurence R. Guthrie (1933, reprinted 1985). Covers colonial Guthries in PA, CT, MD, DE, VA, NC, SC (802 pages). Includes AR branches via VA migrations; references similar families (e.g., John Guthrie lines).
    • Access: Archive.org (free PDF: https://ia803409.us.archive.org/8/items/americanguthriea01guth/americanguthriea01guth.pdf); FamilySearch.org catalog.
    • Relevance: Broad historical overview; possible mentions of VA-AR connections. Edge case: Focuses pre-1800; supplement for 19th-century. Implications: Explores allied families (e.g., Mahala surname variants).
  4. Records of the Guthrie Family of Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Virginia (Book)
    • Details: By Harriet N. Dunn and Eveline Guthrie Dunn (1898, 181 pages). Lineal representations with intermarriages; includes VA branches linking to AR migrations.
    • Access: Archive.org (free: https://archive.org/details/recordsofguthrie00dunn); Walmart reprint (paperback).
    • Relevance: Colonial focus complements GFG1A; examples of similar John Guthries. Nuances: 19th-century bias toward male lines. Implications: Nuanced view of intermarriages.
  5. The Arkansas Family Historian (Periodical)
    • Details: Arkansas Genealogical Society publication (e.g., Dec 1969 issue mentions TN-AR migrations; Dec 1987 on Washington Co. history). Potential articles on Guthrie families.
    • Access: https://argensoc.org/wp-content/uploads/afh/AFH074Dec1969.pdf (free PDFs); society membership for full archives.
    • Relevance: Local context (e.g., p. 54 on TN-AR families like Guthries). Implications: Explores regional nuances like post-1836 county formations.
  6. WikiTree and MyHeritage Profiles (Crowdsourced)
    • Details: User-contributed trees; e.g., WikiTree Guthrie genealogy (6,947 profiles, including AR Guthries); MyHeritage on Alfred Guthrie (related lines).
    • Access: https://www.wikitree.com/genealogy/GUTHRIE (free); MyHeritage.com (subscription).
    • Relevance: Collaborative; cross-check with primaries. Edge case: User errors common. Implications: Community insights.
  7. Additional Genealogy Databases
    • Details: FindAGrave (potential unmarked graves in Washington Co.); RootsWeb/Ancestry trees linking to GFG1A.
    • Access: Findagrave.com; Ancestry.com.
    • Relevance: Memorials for siblings/parents. Implications: Visual/commemorative value.