Drumroll please! After years of searching for a direct line Guthrie descendant of Thomas Guthrie and Mildred Howell, we finally have YDNA results. Get ready to amend your Family Trees because this is big news. It’s a prime example of why YDNA tests are so important.

The Family Focus is on . . .
Thomas Guthrie (1744 – 1837KY) & Mildred Howell
of Fauquier County, Virginia and Woodford County, Kentucky, USA

One of the main goals of the Guthrie DNA Project is to confirm the family origins of the Guthrie lineages found in Laurence R. Guthrie’s ‘American Guthrie and Allied Families‘, especially those described by the author as having hypothetical relationships. Over the years many of these theories have been taken as factual and presented as such in family trees despite those cautionary words. The family of James Guthrie and his wife, supposedly a Miss Bissell (or Bussell), is one such hypothetical family formed by the author either for the convenience of gathering individuals together, because something about them, in his estimation, was similar, or he had information that led him to believe it was true.

This family of convenience included a son named Thomas Guthrie, potentially the one found documented in 1777 among the Associators and Militia for the County of Cumberland, Pennsylvania, 3rd Battalion, Privates, 1st Class in Service, under the charge of Captain John McTeer. (PA Archives Series 5 Volume 6, p.205). He was also listed in 1779 as a Freeman of Middleton Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, for Supply Tax Rates of 4 pounds, 10 shillings. (PA Archives Series 3, Volume 20, p.205).

Part one of LRG’s theory was an assumption that Thomas Guthrie, being a man of the Guthrie surname living in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, was directly related to other Guthrie men in Pennsylvania. Sounds fairly reasonable, right?

Part two involved the decision that Thomas Guthrie from Middleton, Cumberland, Pennsylvania was the same Thomas Guthrie who married Mildred Howell and settled in Fauquier County, Virginia. The entire section of LRG’s book relating the story of Thomas Guthrie and Descendants was compiled by Clara Harrison Guthrie (1881TN-1973VA), a daughter of George Nuchols Guthrie and Ellen Cary Hobson, in collaboration with LRG. (See AGAF, p.267)

Part three apparently attached Thomas Guthrie to a theorized set of parents, James Guthrie and Miss Bussell. Understanding how that hypothesis came to be is important because doing so may allow you to it to let it go. Prepare yourself for a change in your family tree.

Laurence Guthrie’s correspondence with Clara Harrison Guthrie is indexed amongst his digitalized papers at Family Search, but for some reason the file is not currently accessible. As the guardian of a large bulk of LRG’s original documentation, including a large folder containing the letters between LRG (in PA), Clara Harrison Guthrie (in VA), and her uncle Frank C Guthrie (in TN), I will share the following excerpts:

A letter dated 5 May 1925 from Clara Guthrie to LRG. “I am firmly of the opinion that Thomas Guthrie is one of the early Pennsylvania Guthrie’s crossing over into Fauquier County, VA. I am corresponding with some of the descendants of Robert Guthrie of Carlisle, Pa., and I believe Thomas was the son of James Guthrie who died at the age of 24 years. Robert married Bridget as you will remember in the Dunn Guthrie Book.”

This establishes that the primary family source for the Guthrie-Howell line was actively theorizing about Thomas Guthrie’s origins. It is interesting to note that her thoughts about Thomas’ father also named a James Guthrie, but instead was the son of the GFG2A-Branch E line rather than the GFG2A-Branch I lineage that was finally published by LRG in ‘American Guthrie and Allied Families’, p.267.

Another letter dated 2 Oct 1925 addressed to LRG suggests their information had been collected into a formalized family history: “My dear Mr Guthrie– Uncle Frank Guthrie spent the day with me yesterday and was very much pleased with the data– or rather “A History of the Early Guthries in America” by Clara Harrison Guthrie and Laurence Rawlins Guthrie– dedicated to Frank C Guthrie.” She writes that before publication he must “spend all of your time & efforts on Thomas — we must find his father and mother.” Then finally notes, “It may be after all his father was not James.”

In a short letter from two years earlier dated 12 June 1923, Clara writes, “Dr Guthrie of Louisville, Ky told me last year that his Aunt Mrs Underwood who has also been dead some time, said, James G. married a Miss Bussle & was the father of Thomas Guthrie who married Mildred Howell. Have you found any records of Miss Bussle? I do not know whether Thomas Sr had any brothers or not, as we have not been able to find Thomas’ father on record, I don’t know about his brothers.”

Both Frank C Guthrie and Clara Harrison Guthrie contributed heavily to the search for Thomas Guthrie’s past searching lineages in both Virginia and Pennsylvania without pinning down any hard evidence. It seems they latched onto the idea that Thomas’ father was named James and that he married a “Miss Bussle”. (Note that if the Dr Guthrie mentioned is Herbert Smith Guthrie 1880-1924 from Louisville’s 1920 census, his ancestor Thomas Guthrie was actually unrelated to Clara and Frank’s ancestors in KY. So the doc’s Aunt Mrs Underwood would have been speaking about some other person’s potential relations.)

Basically, the original idea that Thomas Guthrie was a son of James Guthrie and Miss Bissell was just hearsay. Confusion about shared ancestry between Guthrie families that were not actually related may have also pointed our family researchers in the wrong direction, seemingly leaving them fixated on Pennsylvania as the focal point for their family line instead of Virginia.

Let’s go with the genetic evidence instead.

We now have Y-DNA participation from a Direct Paternal Line descendant:
Thomas Guthrie and Mildred Howell via James Guthrie / Elizabeth Gibbs > James Guthrie / Frances ‘Frannie’ Smith > Andrew Smith Guthrie / Lucy Tribble Conner > John Andrew Smith Guthrie / Pearl M Hardin (2xGGP).

The Y-DNA is a match for the genetic profile of Guthrie Family Group 5.

This means that all descendants of the Thomas Guthrie-Mildred Howell line are NOT associated with any of the families from Guthrie Family Group 2A including the Branch I’s Guthrie-Bissell people. There is no known historical or genetic connection between the two groups.

Guthrie Family Group 5
Branch A: William Guthrie 1722VA-1798KY and Eleanor Harris Abbott.
Branch B: Levi Guthrie 1744-p1816KY and Elizabeth Yamons
Branch C: Shadrick Guthry 1772SC-1850MS and Malinda Badley / Ruah Ann Roberts
Branch D: James C Guthrie 1795GA-1862IA and Nancy Corn
Branch E: James C Guthrie 1803NC-bef.1850NC and Caroline Guthrie
Branch F: John ‘Jack’ Guthrie 1807KY-1870CA and Fairvilla Riddell
Branch G: Henry Guthrie 1812GA-1855GA and Manerva Lyon
Branch H: Thomas Guthrie 1744-1837KY and Mildred Howell

All branches of Guthrie Family Group 5 share a common paternal ancestor at some point along that direct ancestral line.

THE FAMILY of THOMAS GUTHRIE and MILDRED HOWELL

THOMAS GUTHRIE
Parents: Unidentified (Now Genetically Proven to be Unrelated to the Guthrie-Bissell Family)
Birth: 1744
Birth Location: Unknown, but probably Virginia
Marriage: Mildred Howell about 1772 (est.)
Occupation: Farmer
Military Service: Cumberland County Militia, 1777
Death: 1837
Death Location: Woodford County, Kentucky, USA
Burial: Unknown, presumably in Woodford County, Kentucky, USA

MILDRED HOWELL
Parents: Unidentified
Birth: 1748
Birth Location: Unknown, but probably Virginia
Children: Mary (1773), Thomas (1776), John (1777), James (1779), William (1784), Nancy (1785), Elizabeth (1787), Mildred (1792), Robert (1794), Caleb (1798)
Death: March 1824
Death Location: Woodford County, Kentucky, USA
Burial: Unknown, presumably in Woodford County, Kentucky, USA

GUTHRIE CHILDREN: 10
Y-DNA Project Participants: Yes
Autosomal DNA Participants: Yes

CHILD 1: MARY ‘POLLY’ GUTHRIE
1773-????

The eldest child identified for Thomas Guthrie and Mildred Howell is Mary aka Polly Guthrie reportedly born about 1773. According to the 1810 census, Polly was in the 26-44 range, estimating her DOB between 1766-1784. The 1830 census, where she is named as the Head of Household, lists her as 50-59, or born between 1771-1780. Polly married John Frawner in Woodford County, Kentucky on 23 November 1797. Very little info on this couple or descendants has been found, so if you have resources to share, please do so. John and Polly had at least three children, daughter Elizabeth and sons George and John. Polly’s husband seems to have died in the 1820s as Mary Frawner is the HOH in 1830. There she is listed with 4 young men: 3 of 20-29 years and 1 of 15-19, all presumably her sons, which would mean there are at least 2 other unidentified sons.
CHILDREN:
1) Elizabeth Frawner 1798KY-1834KY m. Gabriel Smith +children
2) George Frawner 1801KY-bef. 1830KY m. Caroline Rodgers +children
3) John Frawner 1803KY-???? – No further details
4) Presumed son born 1801-1810
5) Presumed son born 1811-1815

Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: No

CHILD 2: THOMAS GUTHRIE JR
1776-1848MO

According to current documentation, Thomas Guthrie Sr was still in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania when Thomas Jr was born, but was that really the correct Thomas Guthrie? Thomas Jr may have been born in Virginia, lived in Fauquier County, Virginia with his family, and then moved to Woodford County, Kentucky with his parents and siblings. Thomas Jr’s marriage to Lucy wood occurred between 1805 – 1810. By the time of the 1810 census they already had 4 children in the household. Lucy died about 1830, and the following year on 21 Aug 1831, Thomas married Matilda (Dorsey) Griffith, the widow of Lt. Mordecai Griffith. She was the mother of Clarissa Griffith, who later married Thomas & Lucy’s son, William D Guthrie. Thomas and Matilda moved their family from Kentucky to Marion County, Missouri about 1834-35. They were unsatisfied living there and moved to Monroe County, MO. Matilda died on 19 Oct 1843 at 65 years, 6 months, and 19 days and is buried in Bryants Cemetery in Monroe County. A widower once again, Thomas Guthrie remarried for a third time after the customary year, on 10 Oct 1844 to the “Widow Chancy”; he was 68. Thomas died four years later on 28 Sep 1848 in Florida, Monroe, MO.

CHILDREN:
1) Lucy Guthrie born 1805-10KY – died 18?? – no further details
2) Archibald Guthrie born 1805-10KY – died aft 1830KY m. Charlotte Dodd +child
3) Nancy Guthrie 1805KY-18???? m1. FNU Craig, m2. FNU Cathern +child (Need Source Data)
4) Susan Guthrie 1810KY-1896MO m. Thomas Wood +children
5) Malinda Guthrie 1811KY-1871KY m1.1832 William Fible, m2.1837 Greenery Wigginton +children
6) Mary Guthrie 1816KY-1863KY m.1838KY Lemuel Baskett +children
7) William D Guthrie 1817KY-1876MO m1.1838MO Clarissa Griffith, m2.1855MO Mildred (Rogers) Acuff, m3.1867MO Ann C (Scott) Acuff +children*

Y-DNA Project Participants: Yes *
Autosomal DNA Participants: Yes

* Note that Y-DNA testing of 2 descendants of William D Guthrie and Clarissa Griffith resulted in a genetic mismatch to any Guthrie Family Group. Participants placed in Subgroup GFG5C.

CHILD 3: JOHN GUTHRIE
1777PA-1848MO

During 1777, the year John Guthrie, is said to have been born, his father was a reportedly militiaman in Cumberland County, PA, assuming that this family were not always residents of Virginia. John lived with his parents and siblings in Fauquier, VA and later Woodford, KY. He married Margaret Tiller on 1 Sep 1814 in Franklin County, Kentucky, but the presence of a John Guthrie in Woodford, KY in the 1810 census with a wife, 2 sons, and a daughter suggest that the marriage may not have been his first. There is a Woodford, KY marriage between Molly Bridgeford and John Guthrie dated 29 Nov 1802 in Woodford, KY. Family trees identify a daughter, Nancy for that couple. John Guthrie’s death is given as 28 Sep 1848 in Florida, Monroe, Missouri, USA.
CHILDREN:
1) FNU Son Guthrie born 1803-1810KY – Possibly John Guthrie who m. Elizabeth Wheat in 1826 Woodford, KY.
2) FNU Son Guthrie born 1803-1810 – No further details.
3) Nancy J Guthrie 1809KY-1845KY m.1827KY James Pulliam Sargent +children
4) Sarah Ann Lucinda Guthrie 1817KY-1866MO m.1842KY William Lavell +children

Y-DNA Project Participants: No
Autosomal DNA Participants: No

CHILD 4: JAMES GUTHRIE
1779VA-1840KY

Some basic family information on James Guthrie is covered in a biographical sketch of his grandson of the same name published in the 6th edition of Kentucky: A History of the State, by Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 1887. James Guthrie was born in Virginia on 28 March 1779. He married Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Gibbs, the daughter of Rev. War soldier, Julius Gibbs in Woodford County, Kentucky on 16 March 1802. They resided in that county until 1837. Their children were born mainly in Woodford between 1803 – 1826. The family moved to Shelby County, Kentucky where they settled on the old State Turnpike east of Shelbysvill where James Guthrie kept a public house and a stage stand until his death on 26 February 1840. He wrote a last will and testament. His wife survived him. She died on 17 November 1859.

James’ son Isaac Newton Guthrie moved from Kentucky to Gallatin, Sumner, Tennessee, which by coincidence is also the home of descendants of the GFG2A – Branch A Guthrie line. Frank C Guthrie’s correspondence does mention that he was acquainted with the family.

CHILDREN:
1) Agnes Guthrie 1803KY-1884KY m.1834KY Gabriel Smith (farmer) +children
2) Nathaniel Guthrie 1804KY-1832KY was possibly the Nathan who m.1829 Ellin Heady. Children?
3) James Guthrie 1806KY-1881KY (farmer) m.1828KY Frances Smith +children
4) Mildred Guthrie 1808KY-1831KY m.1827KY James Finney Overton (farmer). No children.
5) Isaac Newton Guthrie 1810KY-1896TN (farmer) m1.1832KY Mary Beauchamp, m2.1845 Martha Ann Montgomery +children
6) Julius Gibbs Guthrie 1812KY-1861KY (farmer/postmaster) m.1835KY Sarah White +children
7) Thomas Churchill Guthrie 1815KY-1869KY (farmer) m1.1839KY Elizabeth Sloan, m2.1859KY Mary Catherine Balee. +children
8) Granville Clifford Guthrie 1818KY-1881KY (farmer) m1.1843KY Martha Jane Jewell, m2.abt.1855KY Elizabeth Lillian Ambrose +children
9) Jeptha Dudley Guthrie 1818KY-1885KY (farmer) m.1853KY Sarah Camilla Cotton +children
10) William J. Guthrie 1824KY-1835KY died at 11 years of age.
11) Elizabeth Guthrie 1826KY-1875KY m.1846KY George W Beard +children

Y-DNA Project Participants: Yes
Autosomal DNA Participants: Yes

CHILD 5: WILLIAM A GUTHRIE
1784VA-1854MO

Since his older brother James Guthrie was reportedly born in Virginia, it is likely that was also the location of William’s birth. He married Mary L Yeates (1804-1850) in Shelby County, Kentucky on 4 March 1822. Between 1830 and 1840, William moved his family to Missouri. By 1850 they had settled in Platte County. He died in Platte City on 8 July 1854. His wife Mary survived him. They are buried in the Guthrie-Bonifant-Mitchell Cemetery in Weston, Platte, Missouri.

CHILDREN:
1) Mary Guthrie 1823KY-1896MO m. Madison W Mitchell (farmer) +children
2) Nancy Guthrie 1824KY-1902MO m.1839MO Joseph J Kelly (farmer) +children
3) Linna A Guthrie 1826KY-1881MO m.1842MO Rev. Philip J Burruss (Baptist Minister) +children
4) John M Guthrie 1830KY-1889MO (farmer) m.1850MO Elvira Pence +children
5) Martha A Guthrie 1837KY-1873MO m.1853MO John S Mitchell (farmer) +children
6) Lucy Jane Guthrie 1840KY-1882MO m.1857MO James Dye (farmer) +children
7) Elizabeth Guthrie 1844KY-1901MO m.1858MO David Tanner Polk (surveyor) +children

Y-DNA Project Participants: No
Autosomal DNA Participants: Yes

CHILD 6: NANCY GUTHRIE
1785VA-1842MO

Nancy’s birth was probably in Virginia about 1785. The family settled in Woodford County, Kentucky when she was about 12 years of age. She married Richard Bridgford, son of William Bridgford and Elizabeth Johnson, on 25 Jan 1808 in Woodford. They had five sons and two daughters. The youngest daughter died during infancy. They removed from Kentucky settling in Monroe County, Missouri. Nancy died 2 Oct 1842 in Monroe City. Richard moved to Hannibal, Marion, Missouri (also the home of Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain (1835-1910) where he later died on 23 May 1849.

CHILDREN:
1) Eliza Bridgford 1808KY-1869TX m.1850MO (3rd wife) Hugh Withers +children
2) William Thomas Bridgford 1810KY-1879MO m1.1830 Sally Ann Fawkes, m2.1837MO Sarah McGruder Noonan +children
3) Richard Bridgeford 1814KY-1880MO m1.Melissa Thomason, m2.1846 Rachel Frances Bird +children
4) James B Bridgford 1816KY-1894MO m.1838MO Margaret Ann Campbell +children
5) Lucy Bridgford 1819KY-1819KY died during infancy.
6) Robert Bridgford 1819KY-1879MO m.1843 Elizabeth Burke Clarke +children
7) Jefferson Bridgford 1822KY-1914MO m.1848 Margaret Elizabeth Waller +children

Y-DNA Project Participants: No
Autosomal DNA Participants: No

CHILD 7: ELIZABETH ‘BETSY’ GUTHRIE
1787VA-1875KY

Born on 30 April 1787, Elizabeth Guthrie was nicknamed Betsy. She married James Lawrence Gibbs, a son of Julius Gibbs and Aggie Davis, and the brother of Elizabeth Gibbs who married her elder brother James Guthrie creating two James-Betsy / Guthrie-Gibbs marriages. The younger pair were married in Franklin, Kentucky on 8 August 1811. Initially, they lived in Shelby County, but were residing in Franklin again by the time of the 1830 census. Unlike several of the Guthrie siblings who removed to Tennessee or Missouri, this couple remained in Franklin County, Kentucky. James died in Bridgeport on 21 Dec 1872 and Betsy on 14 Feb 1875. They are buried at the Gibbs Family Cemetery in Waddy, Shelby, Kentucky.

CHILDREN:
1) Thomas Jefferson Gibbs 1813KY-1867TX (cooper) m.1833KY Permelia Johnson +children
2) Elizabeth Ann Gibbs 1815KY-1870KY m.1833KY John W Bennett (farmer) +children
3) James Lawrence Gibbs Jr 1817KY-1899MO (farmer) m1.1839 Hulda Watts, m2.1863 Sarah Melvina Nesbit +children
4) William G Gibbs 1819KY-1881KY (farmer) m.1840 Judith Ann Rucker +children
5) Mildred Gibbs 1820KY-1910KY m.1839KY Jordan S Gibbs (wagon maker) +children
6) Jacob Creath Gibbs 1822KY-1908KY (medical doctor) m.1850KY Mary Ann Munday +children
7) Catherine Gibbs 1824KY-1838KY died at 13 years of age.
8) Julius Caesar Gibbs 1826KY-1913KY m.1847KY Elizabeth Moore +children

Y-DNA Project Participants: No
Autosomal DNA Participants: No

CHILD 8: MILDRED ‘MILLY’ GUTHRIE
1792VA-1854KY

Mildred Guthrie was born about 1792 probably in Fauquier County, Virginia. She was about 18 years old at the time of her marriage to Adam Montgomery on 20 February 1810 in Woodford County, Kentucky. They had 4 sons and 4 daughters. Living with most of them during the 1850 census they were located in Henry County, KY. Milly died on 5 April 1854. Adam lived another 11 years. He died in 1865 in Platte City, Missouri.

1) Mary Montgomery 1811KY – abt.1833-40KY m.1829KY John L Stubbins +children
2) Jennette Jane Montgomery 1813KY-1875MO m.1831KY Elliott Birch Kirtley +children
3) Robert Montgomery 1815KY-aft.1870KY m1.1839 Nancy Robertson, m2.abt1850 Mary Francis Kitson +children
4) Jeptha Montgomery 1817KY-1861MO m.1841 Miranda Adams +children
5) George N Montgomery 1819KY-1909MO m.1844KY Polly Ann Owens +children
6) William M Montgomery 1824KY-1904MO m.1852MO Julia Ann Cooper +children
7) Louisa Montgomery 1829KY-1854KY m.1852KY John H Gardner. No children.
8) Nancy B. Montgomery 1832KY-1902MO m.1855MO William H Clay +children

Y-DNA Project Participants: No
Autosomal DNA Participants: No

CHILD 9: ROBERT GUTHRIE
1794VA-1842KY

Robert Guthrie was born in Fauquier County, Virginia on 8 December 1794. He married Sarah “Sally” Long on 22 October 1815 in Woodford County, Kentucky. They settled in Henry County, Kentucky where they raised a large family of 5 sons and 6 daughters born between 1816 and 1841. Like most of the Guthries from this family group, Robert was a slave owner. The 1830 census lists 3 slaves. The 1840 census lists 5 slaves. Robert died 9 Feb 1842 leaving a will. His widow Sarah Guthrie is listed as the Head of Household during the 1850 census and was listed with 4 children aged 10-17. The slave schedule lists Sarah as the owner of two female slaves. She died on 10 Jun 1853 in Henry County, Kentucky. Robert may be buried at Old Rockbridge Church Cemetery in Eminence, Henry, Kentucky, but the stone is half buried, covered in lichen, and difficult to read.

CHILDREN:
1) Thomas Guthrie 1816KY-1824KY died at 8 years of age.
2) William Guthrie 1818-1876KY m1.1839 Sarah Jane Jackson, m2.1846 Elizabeth A Yount +children
3) John Guthrie 1820KY-1850KY m.1840KY Frances Owen +children
4) Mary Mildred Guthrie 1822-1825 died at about 3 years of age.
5) Matilda Guthrie 1826KY-1906KY m.1845 Dr Isaac Newton Underwood. No children.
6) Robert Guthrie 1828KY-1844KY was about 16 years old at the time of his death.
7) Sarah Ann Guthrie 1830KY-aft 1880KY m.1846 Richard Corker Jackson +children
8) Marian (or Miriam) Guthrie 1832KY-1855KY m. Dr Samuel D Buck. No children.
9) Lucy Jane Guthrie 1835KY-1854KY was unmarried and died at 19 years of age.
10) James Thomas Guthrie 1837KY-1926MO m1.1865 Margaret Ann Crawford +children
11) Mary Elizabeth Guthrie 1841KY-1876KY m. Judge Samuel Landrum (2nd wife) +children

Y-DNA Project Participants: No
Autosomal DNA Participants: Yes

CHILD 10: CALEB GUTHRIE
1798KY-1878KY

The youngest of ten children, Caleb Guthrie was born on 28 April 1798 in Woodford County, Kentucky. He married Elizabeth “Betsy” Smith, the daughter of Joel and Catherine (Casper) Smith. After a few years of marriage and four children, the family moved to Shelby County, Kentucky. The Chestnut Grove Baptist Church was built on a corner of land he donated. Caleb served as a Baptist minister from 1830 to 1878. He was also involved in the pork packing business out of Louisville. About 1858, they moved to Mexico, Audrain County, MO with several sons and their families. Nearly twenty years later, Caleb and Betsy returned to Kentucky residing with their daughter, Mrs James Crawford. Caleb died in Eminence, Kentucky on 7 Sep 1878 and Betsy on 8 Aug 1884.

CHILDREN:
1) Sarah Ann Guthrie 1818KY-1838KY m.abt. 1837-38KY George Caplinger Price (farmer). No children.
2) Mary Guthrie 1820KY-1858KY m.1839KY (2nd wife) George Caplinger Price (farmer) +children
3) Martha Guthrie 1822KY-1857 m.1840KY Joseph H. Stone (farmer) +children
4) Catherine Guthrie 1823KY-1824KY died during her infancy.
5) Coleman Guthrie 1826KY-1905MO (farmer) m1.1847 Mary J Crawford, m2.1864 Elizabeth Rudasill +children
6) Joel Guthrie 1828KY-1891MO (coal dealer / trader) m. Martha Davis Moxley +children
8) William Smith Guthrie 1829KY-1864MO (merchant) m.1849 Mary Mildred Woods +children
8) Phoebe Guthrie 1831KY-1916KY m.1848KY James Wilson Thomas Crawford (farmer) +children
9) Elizabeth Guthrie 1834KY-1835KY died at one year of age.
10) Caleb Guthrie 1836KY-1907MO (farmer/store clerk/salesman) m.1863 Caroline Amelia Hall. No children.
11) Georgia Ann Guthrie 1838KY-1858KY was about 20 years of age at her death.

Y-DNA Project Participants: No
Autosomal DNA Participants: Yes

THE GUTHRIE DNA PROJECT

Guthrie Family Group: GFG5
Guthrie Family Group Designation – Branch H
Haplogroup: R-M269

The group currently has 11 participants with Y-DNA tests matching the GFG5 YDNA genetic profile.
Branch H is now represented by 1 participant with a Y111 test. Upgrading to a Big-Y level test.
There is currently 1 other member of GFG5 with a Big-Y test for comparison.
Seven have tested at the Y67 level and four at the Y37 level. Recommend upgrade to Y11 or Big-Y.

Big-Y testing now provides a more precise examination of timelines. This assists us with determining when common ancestors lived and the individual branches formed. Consider upgrade to this level as a long-term genealogy investment. It’s a pricey test, but every branch that participates adds a key piece to the group puzzle.

Project members with autosomal results charts can convert Guthrie-Howell matches listed as GFG2A-Branch I to GFG5 for comparison to your other matches.

Those of you who have been putting off YDNA testing because you think you know where your family line belongs should reconsider. Guthrie-Howell descendants have been looking in the wrong places for their ancestors for 100 years. Laurence, Clara, and Frank had the right idea by collaborating, but they did not have the resources or the genetic evidence to prove or debunk their theories like we do today.

Let’s shine a spotlight on another new Guthrie family discovery sometime soon.