Maybe I have just been in a time bubble, but the year seems to be zooming by. Groundhog Day has come and gone. It’s almost Spring! (Here in the Northern Hemisphere).Things are happening in the world of genealogy and right here at Guthrie Genealogy.

GENEALOGY & DNA NEWS

RootsTech, the world’s largest family history conference, brought some keynote speakers and genealogy sessions to our computer screens during a three-day global even. Hosted by Family Search, you can still catch up on all of the sessions, keynote speakers, and genealogy topics.

Family Tree DNA just announced it’s St. Patrick’s Day sales events. Looks like the savings are for their Family Finder and their Family Finder + myDNA Wellness plans.

AncestryDNA is doing the same with sales on its AncestryDNA and AncestryDNA +Traits plans.

These are both autosomal DNA tests where your DNA is compared to everyone in their database matching you up with cousins from both sides of your family tree. The Guthrie DNA Project can review your Guthrie matches from both of these companies, or review results from other places if they are eligible to be transferred to FTDNA through their free Autosomal DNA Upload process.

Fold3 has some volunteers writing Stories Behind the Stars including many Guthrie entries. Their goal is to research and write the stories of all of the World War II fallen. I was contacted recently by Tricia Benny Castille, a volunteer for Stories Behind the Stars who is working on 1st Lt Marion P. Guthrie’s story. She is requesting a photo of Marion for his memorial page.

BIG-Y NEWS

Finally! Some of our Big-Y test results have come in.

Y-DNA is the type inherited directly from father to son, which tells us what other Guthrie lineages share the same paternal ancestry. The Big-Y test takes this a step further by revealing when our lineages most likely branched off from one another, and how those branches fit into the greater human family from which we descend.

GFG5
This group currently has 8 major branches (A thru H), which includes the discovery that the Thomas Guthrie-Mildred Howell family belongs here rather than GFG2. There are now 3 Big-Y tests representing this group. One for the newbie in Branch H: Thomas Guthrie/Mildred Howell, one for Branch C: Shadrick Guthry/Malinda Badley, and one whose lineage and connection to GFG5 is a little more complicated. He lists Shadrack Guthrie/Florence Chambers as likely ancestors, which is essentially Branch A descending from William Guthrie/Eleanor Harris Abbott.

Results show that Branches C and H probably share a common ancestor who lived about 1697. (This is an estimated date based on average years in a generation, and not a hard target date of birth.). It also shows that the third participants likely shared a slightly more distant common paternal ancestor with them who was born about 1479.

Big-Y testing from the additional branches of GFG5 will give us a better picture of the time lines showing us when the Most Recent Common Ancestors lived and when branches separated.

Group 5’s Branch A has the earliest verified couple in the group, William Guthrie and Eleanor Harris Abbott. William was born about 1722. The fact that there are 8 branches shows that there are probably collateral lineages. They don’t all descend directly from this couple. In fact, we suspect some earlier connections, the line of Daniel Guthrie and Mary Little being one of them, but we have yet to find a YDNA participant to represent their descendants.

GFG6
This group now has two Guthrie men participating in Big-Y testing, but apparently needs more participation at the Big-Y level to show branching within the Middle Ages to Modern age timeframe. Both men show as genetic matches to Haplogroup R-YP372. Fun Facts: They share a common paternal ancestor from about 2500BC with Nikola Tesla and J R R Tolkien.

Currently Pending Big-Y Tests
GFG7 – Branch D: Adam Guthrie / Mary Anderson
GFG2C – Robert Guthrie / Elizabeth Jane Caldwell

GUTHRIE FAMILY GROUP UPDATES

GFG2A
Branch A: The Smith-Kerr Family
Updated findings on the relatives of James Guthrie Jr/Jane Smith and Rev Robert Guthrie/Mary Smith of Orange County, North Carolina and Sumner County, Tennessee. Includes reading and research on the Guthrie, Smith, and Kerr families. The timeline of the Smith-Kerr family ancestry has been problematic from the start. Like many lineages with a big gap in their paper trail we descendants created multiple theories to explain it, and in doing so have taken a few interesting turns. This compilation of data and documents will provide a little more structure for the timeline, and should address a couple of theories.

Branch C: Robert ‘Wayne’ Guthrie (Journalist) 1896IN-1977IN
We’ve added a new face to our Guthrie ‘Claim to Fame’ page. Jane R. contacted me at Ancestry. She read in the Fall 2023 issue of the Indiana Historical Society about Wayne Guthrie (1896-1977), one of the journalists who was invited to witness the first atomic bomb testing at Bikini Atoll. Not only did he share his experience there in the columns of his newspaper, but in lectures. His stellar career spanned five decades as a reporter, assistant editor, and city editor. He was inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame, and awarded the highest civil honor in the state by three Indiana governors, Sagamore of the Wabash.

Branch O: Ahiel Guthrie – additional parent candidates added

GFG4

Finally completed the Next Generation updates for GFG4 included a lot of Reading and Resources data.

GFG5

Currently working on GFG5’s Next Generation additions. Branches A and B have been completed. Making a start on Branch C this week.

Just a reminder that you may submit stories, research, expand on ancestor bios, and suggest other additions or topics for discussion. Whether you have a DNA test or are just interested in your Guthrie ancestry you’re always welcome to participate here at Guthrie Genealogy.