1A-G: Sarah W Guthrie
Guthrie Family Group 1A · Branch G · Child Page
Sarah “Sallie” W. Guthrie
Amherst County, Virginia · Lafayette, Jackson & Saline Counties, Missouri
Sarah Guthrie, known as Sally or Sallie, was a daughter of William Guthrie and Elizabeth Wingfield. Her story begins in Amherst County’s guardianship records and continues through more than half a century of Missouri family life.
Sarah shared a home with her sister Susan Stockton for many years and later lived with nieces in Marshall. Her 1906 death notice identifies her as a sister of the late Rev. Oliver Guthrie and remembers her long connection with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. She was ninety-three.
Family at a Glance
Sarah “Sallie” W. Guthrie
- Parents
- William Guthrie & Elizabeth Wingfield.
- Birth
- Reported 3 August 1813, Amherst County, Virginia. The death notice’s age of ninety-three supports an approximate 1813 birth; the exact date comes from the family research.
- Names
- Sarah, Sally, and Sallie. The middle initial W. is retained from the research profile and has not been expanded.
- Guardians
- Her mother, Elizabeth Guthrie, in the 1825 and 1828 references; her brother, Nicholas Guthrie, in the 1832 bond.
- Marriage & Children
- Recorded as single in the supplied 1880 census entry. No spouse or children have been identified.
- Missouri Homes
- Lafayette County by 1850; Westport in Jackson County during 1860–1880; Marshall in Saline County by 1900.
- Family Households
- Associated with brother Nathan and sister Susan Stockton in the earlier Missouri research; later with nieces Mary (Guthrie) Burnham and Ida M. Guthrie.
- Death
- 16 September 1906, Marshall, Saline County, Missouri, as recorded in the family research. The newspaper notice independently confirms Marshall and age ninety-three, but does not give the exact day.
- Burial
- Ridge Park Cemetery, Marshall, according to the family profile and its cemetery-index sources. The individual register entry and marker remain to be reviewed.
Sarah’s Family Connections
The guardianship abstracts identify Sally as a child of William Guthrie. Nathan’s will names Sarah Guthrie and Susan Stockton as his sisters, and the 1906 death notice identifies Sallie as Oliver Guthrie’s sister.
These relationships help connect Sarah’s childhood name, Sally, with the unmarried woman later recorded in the Missouri family households. The source references should be followed under all three name forms.
The research tree also retains an alternate birth estimate of 1816–1818. That estimate remains part of the research history; it should be compared with the original census entries and the cemetery and obituary evidence supporting the later profile.
Historical Highlights
Sisters, nieces, and a long Missouri life
Sarah was still a child when her father died. In September 1825, Elizabeth Guthrie became guardian of Sally, Laurence, Oliver, and Elizabeth. A further bond followed in 1828. After their mother’s death, Nicholas became guardian of these four younger siblings in March 1832.
By 1850, the family research places Sarah with Nathan and Susan Stockton in Lafayette County, Missouri. Nathan’s will, written in Virginia the previous October, named both sisters as equal beneficiaries. The records establish the family association, but they do not identify an exact departure date or show that the move resulted from Nathan’s lawsuit against Nicholas.
Nathan died in 1858. Sarah and Susan continued together in Westport, appearing in the census research for 1860, 1870, and 1880. Susan’s death notices place her final days in Miami, Saline County, in October 1886. They do not establish where Sarah was living that month.
Sarah’s own record continues in Marshall in 1900, with nieces Mary (Guthrie) Burnham and Ida M. Guthrie. When she died in 1906, the newspaper remembered both her family ties and her church membership. Its brief notice preserves a glimpse of a woman whose life was closely connected with several generations of the Guthrie family.
Family Timeline
| Date | Event & Evidence |
|---|---|
| 3 Aug 1813 | Reported birth in AmherstThe family profile gives this date. Her reported age of ninety-three at death is consistent with an approximately 1813 birth.Sources: supplied research-tree profile and 1906 death notice; exact birth date awaits the underlying family or cemetery record. |
| 19 Sep 1825 | Elizabeth’s guardianship of four childrenSally is named with Laurence, Oliver, and Elizabeth as children of William Guthrie under their mother’s guardianship.Source: retained abstract, Amherst County Will Book 6, p. 620. |
| 17 Mar 1828 | A further guardianship bondSarah appears with six siblings in Elizabeth Guthrie’s later bond. The family’s November estate references identify Elizabeth as deceased by then.Sources: Amherst County Will Book 7, pp. 145–146 and 187–190. |
| 21 Mar 1832 | Nicholas becomes guardianThe bond names Sally, Laurence P., Oliver, and Elizabeth as Nicholas’s wards. Nathan is one of the sureties.Source: retained abstract, Amherst County Will Book 8, p. 187. |
| 5 Oct 1846 | Named in an Amherst chancery proceedingThe published notice includes Sarah among the Guthrie, Stockton, Wingfield, and Taylor defendants.Source: notice captioned Lynchburg Virginian, 7 December 1846, vol. 25, issue 37, p. 5. |
| 23 Oct 1849 | Named in Nathan’s willNathan names Sarah Guthrie and Susan Stockton as his sisters and equal beneficiaries, with Susan appointed executrix.Source: Amherst County Will Book 14, p. 585. |
| 1850 | Lafayette County, MissouriThe census research places Sarah with Nathan and Susan in District 46.Source lead: 1850 U.S. census, Lafayette County, Missouri, p. 246a. |
| 1858 | Nathan’s death and probateNathan’s reported death date is 27 April. His will was proved and ordered recorded in Amherst in July 1858.Sources: reported Westport headstone dates and the endorsement beneath Nathan’s recorded will. |
| 1860–1880 | A shared home in WestportSarah and Susan remain together in the retained census sequence. Sarah’s supplied 1880 entry records her as single and as a sister of the household head.Sources: census references for Westport, Jackson County, Missouri. |
| Oct 1886 | Death of Susan StocktonTwo notices place Susan’s death in Miami, Saline County. The accounts preserve differing day and age details.Sources: Susan’s two newspaper death notices; see her child page. |
| 1900 | Living with nieces in MarshallThe family account associates Sarah’s Marshall census entry with Mary (Guthrie) Burnham and Ida M. Guthrie.Source: supplied 1900 census reference and retained household notes. |
| 16 Sep 1906 | Death at ninety-threeThe family research gives September 16. The short newspaper notice confirms her death at Marshall, age ninety-three, and her relationship to Oliver.Sources: research-tree death entry; notice captioned The Neosho Times, 4 October 1906. |
Explore the Records
Sarah’s records are strongest when read together: guardianship abstracts identify her parents and siblings, Nathan’s will states the relationship between the sisters, and the death notice connects Sallie with Oliver and the Marshall community.
1825–1832 · Guardianship by Mother and Brother
19 September 1825 — Elizabeth Guthrie as guardian. The supplied abstract places Sally with Laurence, Oliver, and Elizabeth, orphans of William Guthrie, in Amherst Will Book 6, p. 620. It names Elizabeth Guthrie and refers to William Turner and others through a cross-reference to the preceding entry.
17 March 1828 — A further bond. The retained abstract in Will Book 7, pp. 145–146 names Lucy, Nathan, Susan, Sarah, Laurence, Oliver, and Elizabeth as William Guthrie’s children, with Elizabeth as guardian.
21 March 1832 — Nicholas Guthrie as guardian. The supplied research notes preserve this abstract:
SALLY GUTHRIE — 8:187 GB — NICHL. GUTHRIE, Thos. Wingfield, and NATHAN GUTRIE, 21 Mar 1832, for NG as gdn of SALLY, LAURENCE P.; OLIVER, and ELIZ. GUTHRIE, orphans of WM. GUTHRIE.
This is a transcription of the supplied abstract, not a new reading of the manuscript. It distinguishes Nicholas’s role as guardian from Nathan’s role as a surety. The other surety appears as Thos. Wingfield here and as “Thos. Dinglefield” in the legacy resource list; the original bond should resolve the surname.
In these records, “orphan” identifies a child whose father had died; it does not mean that both parents were dead when Elizabeth took guardianship.
Sources: Amherst County Will Book 6, p. 620; Will Book 7, pp. 145–146; Will Book 8, p. 187; supplied research-tree abstracts. The related November 1828 estate bonds occupy Will Book 7, pp. 187–190.
1846 · Sarah in the Amherst Chancery Notice
At rules held 5 October 1846, William T. Campbell and Samuel H. Quarles were plaintiffs against a group that included Sarah and several Guthrie siblings, Susan Stockton, the Wingfields, and Creed and Mary Louisa Taylor.
The notice’s middle initial after Sarah appears to be H., while the research profile uses W. Neither initial has been expanded. The names and relationships in the complete court file may help resolve the difference.
The notice identifies Oliver, Alfred, and John G. Wingfield and his wife Elizabeth as nonresidents of Virginia. It does not apply that description to Sarah. The underlying bill is needed to determine her interest in the case.
Source: archived notice captioned Lynchburg Virginian, 7 December 1846, vol. 25, issue 37, p. 5; court order attested by Robert Tinsley.
1849–1858 · Sarah and Susan in Nathan’s Will
Nathan’s will, dated 23 October 1849, identifies “my two sisters Susan Stockton and Sarah Guthrie” and directs that his bequest be divided equally between them. It provides for the survivor if either sister died before him and appoints Susan executrix.
The intended bequest includes enslaved Abraham, Sarah, and Sarah’s four children, together with Nathan’s other property and interests. The enslaved mother Sarah is a different person from Nathan’s sister Sarah Guthrie. The will records Nathan’s intentions; estate settlements are needed to establish what happened to the people and property named in it.
The court endorsement records probate in July 1858. The retained abstract gives 19 July; the exact day should be checked in the full-resolution volume. The will’s 1849 writing date should not be substituted for the probate date.
Source: Amherst County, Virginia, Will Book 14, p. 585; recorded will and endorsement.
Open Nathan’s recorded will →
Read the full transcription on Nathan’s page →
1850–1900 · Sarah’s Missouri Households
| Year | Residence & Family | Record Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | District 46, Lafayette County. Sarah is associated with Nathan or Nathaniel Guthrie and Susan Stockton in the family research. | 1850 U.S. census; roll 403; p. 246a. |
| 1860 | Westport, Jackson County; Westport post office. Sarah and Susan are recorded together in the retained notes. | 1860 U.S. census; M653, roll 625; p. 243. |
| 1870 | Westport, Jackson County; Independence post office. The sisters continue in the same household sequence. | 1870 U.S. census; M593, roll 781; p. 340B. |
| 1880 | Westport, Jackson County. Sarah’s supplied entry reads “Single” and “Sister” in relation to the household head; Susan’s related entry identifies her as widowed. | 1880 U.S. census; roll 694; enumeration district 41; p. 226D. |
| 1900 | Marshall, Saline County. The family account places Sarah with nieces Mary (Guthrie) Burnham and Ida M. Guthrie. | 1900 U.S. census; supplied tree reference. Enumeration district, sheet, and household numbers remain to be added. |
These are retained references and household notes, not newly prepared full census transcriptions. The 1870 post office, Independence, should not replace Westport as the residence locality.
The supplied profile’s timeline ages are calculated from its selected birth date; they should not be copied as the ages actually written by the census enumerator. The original schedules are needed for an accurate comparison of Sarah’s reported ages, including the birth month and year in 1900.
The family notes also flag possible Susan/Sarah indexing confusion in 1880. Comparing both manuscript entries will help resolve the transcription without losing the clear sibling relationships established by Nathan’s will.
1906 Death Notice · “Marshall Woman Dead at 93”
Full transcription:
Marshall Woman Dead at 93.
Miss Sallie Guthrie, 93 years old, died recently at Marshall. Miss Guthrie was the oldest citizen of Saline county. She was a sister of the late Rev. Oliver Guthrie, one of the first Cumberland Presbyterian preachers in this part of the country. Miss Guthrie was one of the first members of that church in this state.
What it adds: The notice directly connects Sallie with Oliver, confirms her death at Marshall and age ninety-three, and describes her connection with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Its statements that she was the county’s oldest citizen and among the church’s first members are the newspaper’s descriptions.
The wording “died recently” does not establish a specific day. 16 September 1906 remains the date recorded in the family research, to be checked against the longer obituary and cemetery entry.
Source: archived clipping captioned The Neosho Times, 4 October 1906, via Newspapers.com. The crop does not include the masthead or page number. Line-end hyphenation has been joined.
Ridge Park Cemetery & the September 1906 Obituary Lead
The research profile identifies Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall as Sarah’s burial place. Its sources include Saline County, Missouri, U.S., Ridge Park Cemetery Index, 1875–1963 and U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s–Current.
The individual cemetery entry and memorial image were not included in the supplied screenshots. They may help establish her exact dates, burial date, lot, and nearby relatives. No lot or grave number has been inferred.
A separate saved source is labeled “Saline County Weekly Progress — 1906-09-21 — Obituary for Sallie Barn.” That label is a retrieval lead, not evidence that Sarah married someone named Barn. The underlying clipping needs to be opened and identified before its contents can be transcribed or used.
The exact birth date 3 August 1813 and death date 16 September 1906 are retained from the research profile. The short Neosho notice supports her age and death locality but does not independently supply those exact dates.
Related Family Records & Research Context
- William and Elizabeth’s estates: Amherst Will Book 6, pp. 619–621, and Will Book 7, pp. 145–146 and 187–190, preserve the family’s estate and guardianship references.
- John Wingfield’s estate: Franklin County Will Book 5, p. 178, January 1840, includes heirs of Elizabeth Guthrie. The full division should be examined for Sarah’s share or representation.
- Nicholas’s lost pocketbook notice: The advertisement mentions guardianship bonds and other papers. It supplies a record lead, but does not establish that he neglected his wards.
- Nathan’s suit against Nicholas and William Kent: The notice concerns rules held 3 December 1849. It does not state that the dispute caused Sarah, Susan, and Nathan to leave Virginia.
- Susan’s death notices: These place her death in Miami in October 1886. Marshall should not be substituted simply because it appears as a dateline or publication location.
Nicholas Guthrie’s page →
Nathan Guthrie’s page →
Susan Guthrie & Preston Stockton’s page →
For Amherst originals, the Library of Virginia’s county microfilm guide lists Will Book 6 on reel 19, Will Books 7 and 8 on reel 20, and Will Book 14 on reel 22. These are Library of Virginia reel numbers, not FamilySearch film numbers.
DNA & the Wider Guthrie Family
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.
Sarah did not transmit her father’s Y chromosome, and no children or descendant test evidence through Sarah have been identified. Guthrie Y-DNA and Big-Y comparisons for this family come through direct male Guthrie lines elsewhere in the branch.
Her records remain valuable to the wider family: the guardianship bonds, Nathan’s will, and the Missouri households help document the relationships among siblings whose descendants may participate in the project.
Most Wanted Documents
- The complete September 1906 obituary: Retrieve the Saline County Weekly Progress clipping saved under “Sallie Barn,” confirm its subject, and preserve the issue and page details.
- Ridge Park’s original burial entry and marker: Confirm Sarah’s exact dates, burial date, grave location, and any shared family lot.
- The 1900 census household: Obtain the full Marshall schedule, including Sarah’s relationship, birth month and year, and all household members.
- The earlier census originals: Compare the 1850–1880 ages and resolve any Susan/Sarah indexing confusion.
- Guardianship accounts and Nathan’s estate settlement: Follow Sarah’s interests beyond the appointment bonds and intended bequest.
- Church and family papers: Cumberland Presbyterian membership records, correspondence, photographs, or Bible entries that preserve Sarah’s life and relationships.
Keep the Story Growing
Help Build the Family Story
Sarah’s story connects the Amherst household of William and Elizabeth with siblings and nieces in Missouri. Her long life offers a thread through several generations, even though no descendants of her own have been identified.
If your Guthrie or Burnham family papers include Sallie, please share photographs, letters, church records, cemetery information, or newspaper clippings. Complete images and source details help preserve her story and clarify the dates still awaiting confirmation. Questions and corrections are welcome.
Researched and curated by Ann Guthrie · Guthrie Genealogy