1A-G: Alfred Guthrie
Guthrie Family Group 1A · Branch G · Child Page
Alfred Guthrie
Amherst County, Virginia · A later home still to be found
Alfred Guthrie is included among the children of William Guthrie and Elizabeth Wingfield. His birth is estimated at 1801–1810 in Virginia, but the details of his early life remain sparse.
An Amherst County chancery notice places Alfred among several Guthrie and Wingfield defendants in 1846. It identifies him as a nonresident of Virginia—a useful clue to a life beyond the family’s Amherst home. His destination and later household have not yet been established.
Family at a Glance
Alfred Guthrie
- Parents
- William Guthrie & Elizabeth Wingfield, as identified in the family research.
- Birth
- Estimated 1801–1810, Virginia. An exact date and birthplace have not been established.
- Known Record
- Named in an Amherst County chancery proceeding at rules held 5 October 1846; identified as a nonresident of Virginia.
- Occupation
- Unknown.
- Marriage & Children
- No spouse or children have yet been identified.
- Death & Burial
- Unknown. The 1846 notice supplies no death or burial information.
Family Evidence Note
The chancery notice associates Alfred with the Guthrie–Wingfield family circle, but does not name his parents or explain the relationships among the defendants. His placement here follows the family research; the complete case papers may clarify that relationship.
The birth range is a working estimate, not a date supplied by the notice. An unidentified spouse or child should not be read as evidence that Alfred never married or had a family.
Historical Highlights
An Amherst connection beyond Virginia
Alfred’s clearest record is a legal notice arising from a suit brought by William T. Campbell and Samuel H. Quarles. The proceeding remained in Amherst County even though several defendants lived outside Virginia.
The notice specifically groups Alfred Guthrie, Oliver Guthrie, John G. Wingfield, and Elizabeth Wingfield among those who were not inhabitants of the Commonwealth. Their shared status does not establish that they lived together or had moved to the same state.
This makes the original chancery file an especially useful next step. A bill, answer, deposition, or exhibit may explain why Alfred was named and provide a more precise account of his family connections or residence.
Family Timeline
| Date | Event & Evidence |
|---|---|
| 1801–1810 Estimated | Birth in VirginiaThe family research places Alfred’s birth within this range. A record establishing the exact date and locality is still needed.Source: Guthrie Research Tree; working estimate. |
| 5 Oct 1846 | Named as a nonresident of VirginiaAt rules held in the clerk’s office of the Amherst County Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery, Alfred is among the defendants identified as living outside the Commonwealth. The notice directs those defendants to appear and answer the plaintiffs’ bill.Source: Chancery notice published in the Lynchburg Virginian, 7 December 1846, vol. 25, issue 37, p. 5. See the archived clipping below. |
Explore the Records
The surviving notice provides a firm starting point. The full court file and records from Alfred’s later home are the principal missing pieces.
1846 Amherst Chancery Notice
Court: Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery for Amherst County, Virginia. Rules held Monday, 5 October 1846.
Plaintiffs: William T. Campbell and Samuel H. Quarles. Alfred appears among the Guthrie, Wingfield, Stockton, and Taylor defendants.
The notice states that Oliver Guthrie, Alfred Guthrie, John G. Wingfield, and Elizabeth his wife “are not inhabitants of this Commonwealth.” It orders their appearance on the first Monday in February following, and directs publication of the order in a Lynchburg newspaper for two successive months.
What it establishes: Alfred was named in this Amherst proceeding and was identified to the court as a nonresident of Virginia. The notice does not identify his destination, wife, children, parents, or the underlying subject of the suit.
Source: Lynchburg Virginian, Monday, 7 December 1846, vol. 25, issue 37, p. 5; archived chancery-notice clipping. Court order attested by Robert Tinsley, clerk.
Research Tree & Family Context
Alfred’s profile in the Guthrie Research Tree preserves his working placement within the family. The William Guthrie & Elizabeth Wingfield Family Hub brings together the parents, siblings, and broader Amherst record trail.
The family’s GFG1A connection is supported by John William Guthrie’s line, with its GFG1A modal Y-DNA and matching Augusta County, Virginia locations. The hub discusses that evidence and the related family research.
The legacy Alfred page also cites a notice in the Lynchburg Virginian, 4 January 1847, vol. 25, issue 45, p. 5. That separate issue remains to be checked; it is not treated here as an independently verified later event in Alfred’s life.
Most Wanted: Alfred’s Missing Connections
- The complete chancery case: Search the Amherst case papers under plaintiffs William T. Campbell and Samuel H. Quarles, using the 5 October 1846 rules date and the named defendants. The bill and exhibits may explain Alfred’s interest in the suit.
- A later residence: Locate a census, deed, tax entry, court paper, or obituary that connects an Alfred Guthrie outside Virginia with this Amherst family.
- His own family: Seek a marriage record, probate file, Bible entry, or correspondence naming his parents, spouse, or children. Such a record could also narrow his birth estimate and establish his death or burial.
Keep the Story Growing
Help Build the Family Story
The 1846 notice preserves Alfred’s name and his connection to an Amherst court proceeding. A record from his later home could turn that brief reference into a fuller account of his life.
If Alfred appears in your family papers or research, please share what you have found. Copies of complete records, dates, and source details are especially helpful. Questions, corrections, and family recollections are welcome.
Researched and curated by Ann Guthrie · Guthrie Genealogy