Guthrie Genealogy News is back with an update on our Guthrie Family Groups, Big-Y testing, site updates, community activities, new project member lineages, and a review of the latest posts.

GUTHRIE FAMILY GROUP UPDATES

This week we were finally able to confirm the direct paternal lineage of a Y-DNA participant whose genetic profile matches Guthrie Family Group 4. All lineages associated with this group trace back to Thomas Guthrey (c1717VA – 1800VA) and Sarah Oakes of Cumberland County Virginia.

Kit MK73302 descends from William Guthrey 1772VA – 1854 GA and Mary Warren Musgrove. While it is still possible that William’s line originated from a separate immigration than Thomas’s line or simply an earlier common ancestor in Virginia, it is my opinion that he is probably one of Thomas and Sarah’s direct descendants. We just have to figure out where his line fits.

BIG-Y TESTING UPDATES

Speaking of Guthrie Family Group 4, Big-Y results posted for Kit 18334. This participant is one of our “other surname” matches to GFG4A. He has the same genetic profile as all of the Guthrie men from GFG4. The Big-Y Haplogroup has been reported as I-Y12047. There is 1 Big-Y match to a non-project member who happens to be a Guthrie. (Invitation sent and lineage requested.) Since he already shows up as a match to all GFG4A YDNA tests, this also confirm the Haplogroup match for the overall group. Additional Big-Y testing for the group, especially by Kit MK73302, whose direct connection to the Guthrey-Oakes line remains undefined, may help to determine if William Guthrey is a descendant of that line or if he descends from an earlier common ancestor.

Guthrie Family Group 1A has another Big-Y test pending for Kit 72673. Results anticipated in 6-8 weeks. This will bring the group total to 3 Big-Y tests, but will importantly capture data for a lineage with defined roots in Scotland.

One anticipated Big-Y test for Guthrie Family Group 2A will remain incomplete. Sadly, our participant passed away last year before he could provide an updated sample to FTDNA. Apparently, the stored samples degrade after many years or multiple tests. This situation also happened with my plans to add a mtDNA test for my father’s kit. Fortunately, I had an uncle who volunteered for that test. If you have delayed additional testing for yourself or a family member consider that the original kit may no longer provide a viable sample. Upgrade while there is still an option for a new sample.

Guthrie Family Group 3A now has 5 Big-Y kits. This is really exciting stuff!

Over the past few years Guthrie Genealogy has been collaborating with project members Diana Guthrie, Sharyn Guthrie, Rachel Child, and other GFG3A participants to identify the lineages associated with this family group and determine how they are related to one another. These activities were previously shared with you in our posts on GFG3 Theories Part 1 (Oct 2019), GFG3 Theories Part 2 (Nov 2019), The Forgotten Sons (Nov 2021), and research on Guthries in Ayrshire, Scotland.

The group has 5 major participant branches:
A: Descendants of James Guthrie & Elizabeth Casdorph
B: Descendants of Robert Guthrie & Esther Giles (which includes John Guthrie & Mary Fuller)
C: Descendants of William Guthrie & Ann Hunter / Jacobina McClure (Ayrshire, Scotland)
D: Descendants of Alexander Guthrie & Eleanor Amis
E: Descendants of Robert Guthrie & Frances Fowler

Deep-dive traditional research combined with early genetic results is coming to life on the Big-Y Group Time Tree.

• The Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA) for GFG3A probably lived in the 1400s.
• Branch C’s William Guthrie has defined roots in Ayrshire, Scotland sharing an earlier common ancestor with the rest of the family group. The unidentified branch progenitor of William’s line probably lived in the mid 1400s.
• Branches A, B, D, and E all descend from a common genetic ancestor. The genetic estimate shows that this MRCA, namely Francis Guthrie, Sr, would have been born about the mid-late 1600s, which is about where our estimates place him.
• Branch B and its descendants are in a separate line from Branches A, D, and E.
• This provides genetic evidence of our GFG3A theory about “forgotten son” John Guthrie by showing that Branches A, D, and E share a common paternal ancestor.

The unrepresented American branches of Guthrie Family Group 3A still have some work to do. Although we now feel confident that the lineages assigned to Francis Guthrie Sr’s sons Robert Guthrie and John Guthrie are where they belong, we do not yet have any Y-DNA participants for the lineages believed to belong to “forgotten son” Francis Guthrie, Jr. (See Tree Below). These lineages are currently found all over the internet map attached to any number of trees. Guthrie men that directly descend from these family lines should start with a Y37 or Y111 test to verify Group Placement and ideally upgrade to a Big-Y.

PROJECT MEMBER LINEAGES

The “Ann’s Ancestors and Guthrie Research” tree on Ancestry contains all 1000+ Guthrie DNA Project lineages and hundreds more from around the world, along with source data, documents, and photos collected or donated to the tree. Represented lineages are identified by YDNA and Autosomal DNA icons.

Our most recent project members are from the following families:
Ungrouped: John Guthrie (Tailor) c1790 SCT – 1839 ENG & Jean ‘Jane’ Laidlaw
GFG2A-Branch D: John Guthery 1744PA-1823OH & Lydia Baldwin
GFG12 (AutosomalDNA) – Robert Guthrie c1774 IRE – 1854 OH & Jean McGibney

ARLO’S GUTHRIE GATHERING

Don’t forget that Arlo Guthrie is hosting a Guthrie Family Gathering at the Guthrie Center June 23-25 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. (Ticket Info). Learn more about it from ClanGuthrieUSA president Breeze Guthrie on their Facebook page.

Guthrie Genealogy has joined in by celebrating Massachusetts Guthrie families over the past few weeks with:

CT/MA: Guthrie-Hickox
Correcting an identity error in circulation since 1898

Guthries in the American Revolution

Dr Samuel Guthrie Jr
1782 MA – 1848 NY
Physician, Surgeon, Inventor, Chemist, Distiller, and Cultivator

GUTHRIE GENEALOGY WEBSITE UPDATES

The Research & Resources section now includes summary sections for Guthrie Hot Topics, Family Focus, and the Revolutionary War Series. This will provide an index and quick links to blog entries and important pages.

Guthrie Family Group Section Expansions continues. Additional generational data will be added to each established family group on the website. Trying to add additional Reading & Resources content where available. Currently working on GFG1 – Branch E.