MARTHA GUTHRIE a1766 MD or NC – aft.1846KY
m1. HUGH BARNETTT & m2. JOSEPH SNODGRASS
of Maryland, North Carolina, & Kentucky, USA

MARTHA GUTHRIE
Parents: James Guthrie c1720IRE – 1801NC & Elizabeth (MNU)
Birth: Before 1765 (age 45 and over in 1810)
Birth Location: Near Baltimore, Maryland or Orange County, North Carolina
Marriage – 1st: Hugh Barnett – Before 1795 in Orange County, North Carolina, USA
Marriage – 2nd: Joseph Snodgrass – 26 May 1803 in Warren County, Kentucky
Barnett Children: Thomas R Barnett, James Barnett, William Barnett (?), possibly 1-2 others
Snodgrass Children: Unknown
Death: After 1846, probably bet. 1846-1850
Death Location: Unknown, probably Kentucky
Burial Location: Unknown
Notes:
Martha Guthrie was one of the 6 daughters and 2 sons named in the last will and testament of their father James Guthrie Sr of Orange County, North Carolina. Until recently, the details of Martha’s marriage and family remained a mystery. Family Researcher, Caroline Diepenbrock shared her findings with Guthrie Genealogy (June 2023). Records in Warren and Logan County, KY have revealed the names of Martha Guthrie’s two husbands and uncovered some of her life story. Data collection is still ongoing. Based on the data from the 1810 KY census, Martha’s age range is listed as 45 and over for that year indicating she was born prior to 1765.

HUGH BARNETT
Parents: Unknown
Birth: Unknown
Birth Location: Unknown
Occupation: Unknown
Death: About 1799
Death Location: Logan County, Kentucky, USA
Burial Location: Unknown, presumably in Logan County, Kentucky, USA
Notes:
Since all of the other daughters and sons of James and Elizabeth Guthrie married in Orange County, NC prior to their move west, it seems very likely that Martha Guthrie met and married her husband Hugh Barnett in Orange, Person, or Caswell County, NC since the Guthrie property was located near that tri-county border. There were Barnett families living in the region, which included men of the name Hugh. More research is required to determine if this is the correct group of Barnetts as there was another group in Mecklenburg, NC. Prior to his death, Hugh Barnett wrote a Last Will and Testament on 6 October 1799. (Logan KY Will Book 1, Page 11). (Transcription)

JOSEPH SNODGRASS
Parents: Unknown
Birth: Before 1766 (age 45 and over in 1810)
Birth Location: Unknown
Occupation: Unknown
Death: Bet. 1810 – 1818
Death Location: Unknown, probably in Logan County, Kentucky, USA
Burial Location: Unknown, probably in Logan County, Kentucky, USA
Notes:
Joseph Snodgrass married the widow Barnett in 1803. At this point little is known about Joseph. He was born prior to 1765 and was at least 45 years of age in 1810 during the Logan County, KY census. He was ordered by the court to enter security for wife Martha’s administration of her deceased first husband’s estate in July of 1803. By this time, her father, James Guthrie Sr had also passed away. In 1805, Joseph provided his brother-in-law, Robert Guthrie, with power of attorney to act in his stead to secure any inheritance from the estate of James Guthrie Sr. Joseph’s death came after the 1810 census, but before 4 Feb 1818 when the Kentucky General Assembly passed an Act for the Benefit of Martha Snodgrass stating that Joseph had died leaving her in a “poor and helpless situation” making her a fit object for charity. Martha Barnett had once been granted a certificate No. 109 granting her 400 acres of land in Logan County, KY. The assembly enacted that the Register of the Land Office issue a grant to Martha Snodgrass for 200 acres of the aforesaid land, and that he receive into his office a plat and certificate of survey, and register the same without charging any fees.

The number and identity of Martha’s children remains murky at this point.

We know from Hugh Barnett’s will that there were “children” and that he had a son named Thomas Barnett who had some infirmities. Presumably also a son of Martha’s.

We also know that Martha had a son named James Barnett, presumably also a son of Hugh Barnett. We also believe that this son is James Guthrie Barnett who was born about 1795 in either NC or KY and died in 1846 in AR. This site coordinator has autosomal DNA matches with descendants of that line, but we are still looking for additional evidence.

Based on the information in both wills, Thomas Barnett was alive in Oct 1799, and James Barnett in Nov 1800. Martha and Hugh’s marriage date is unknown, but is speculated to be 1780-1790. The 1800 Federal US Census for Kentucky was reportedly destroyed by fire during the War of 1812. Census substitutes are based on tax records, and as such do not include the enumeration of the family members.

Our next clue about the configuration of Martha’s family is the 1810 census listing the Joseph Snodgrass household:
1M and 1F 45 and over (born before 1766) – Joseph and Martha
2 M16-25 (born 1785-1794)
2M 10-15 (born 1795-1800)
1F under 10 (born 1800-1810) – daughter, stepdaughter, or apprentice (see note)
We don’t know if Joseph Snodgrass was previously married. If he was, these children might not belong to Martha. Thomas and James Barnett could fit into either of the categories listed above. All of the children could be Barnett children. The youngest one could potentially be a Snodgrass child, or the 7 year old orphan girl, Nancy Pittman, who was assigned by the court to Joseph Snodgrass as an apprentice.

Joseph’s death came sometime between this census and 1818. There are no Snodgrass households listed in 1820, 1830, or 1840 Logan County, KY, but ongoing tax records show that Martha was still living in the county.

The 1820 Logan KY census does include a Thomas Barnett Household with 1F 45 and older, 1M 26-44 and 2M 16-25, which is listed next to a William Barnett household in Russellville, Logan, KY. This scenario could work as a widow living with her sons, especially since the last known document listing Martha is a property transaction between her and a William Barnett in 1846.

If this 1820 census does belong to this family, it shows Martha’s birth before 1774, Thomas as the HOH would presumably be the eldest son born between 1776-1794, and two younger sons born bet. 1795-1804.

Related Barnetts? Wills of Logan, KY: William Barnett (1804), Thomas Barnett (1818)

CHILD 1: THOMAS BARNETT (Speculative)
Born 1785-1794 NC or KY – Died 18??
Thomas’ father, Hugh Barnett, indicated in his last will and testament that his son had infirmities. He is the only one of the ‘children’ named in the will. Martha sold Gasper River property to Thomas R. Barnett of Butler County, KY in 1836. No relationship is specified in the deed, but it is possible that he was her son.

The 1820 census of Russellville, Logan, KY, lists as Thomas Barnett household: 1M 26-44, 2M 16-25, and 1F 45 and over. This could be Thomas (born 1776-1794), two younger brothers (born 1795-1804), and widowed mother Martha. By 1830, Thomas appears to have made the move to neighboring Butler County, KY where he appears as the Head of Household listed as 1M 30-39 (born 1790-1800), 1F 20-29 (born 1801-1810), and 2 sons under 5 years old (born 1826-1830). Mother Martha is not living with them in 1830. She was still a resident of Logan, KY in 1846 when she sold property to William Barnett. Since she was not listed as a HOH in 1840, she was presumably living with a relative.

Thomas was still in Butler County in 1840, now listed as 40-49 (born 1790-1800), but without a spouse, and only 1 male of 5-9 years of age (born 1831-1835). He then disappears from the Butler County census in 1850 and 1860, bur reportedly died there on 16 Nov 1863. A James H Barnett was appointed his executor on 11 April 1864 (Administrator’s Bond). Thomas’s wife may have been Anna Reed. That marriage was recorded in Butler County, KY on 1 Feb 1825, which would make sense for the age of the children in the 1830 census following. They are listed as the parents of William R Barnett 1828-1911 in his death record. Anna Barnett and William R Barnett are listed together in the Morgantown, Butler, KY Census, which suggests that she and Thomas may have separated or divorced. Thomas is buried at Russ Cemetery in Morgantown, Butler, KY and listed at Find-a-Grave with a DOB of 1 Jan 1793 and DOD of 16 Nov 1863, aged 70.
Barnett Children: 1
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Descendant of a Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: No

1) William R Barnett 1828KY-1911KY married Mary Jane Garrison +children
William R Barbett was a farmer. He lived in Morgantown, Butler, Kentucky, and married at the age of 32 to Mary Jane Garrison on 17 April 1861. They were parents to Sam Robert, James O, Laura, Thomas, and Nancy. The family moved to Vermillion, Dakota County, Minnesota and were living there during the 1870 census. Mary Jane died before the 1880 census by which time William had moved the family back to Butler County, KY. That year the census record noted he had suffered a spinal injury. William was still a minor in 1846 when Martha Snograss sold property on Gasper River to a William Barnett, so the sale most likely went to a another relative living in the county.

CHILD 2: WILLIAM BARNETT (Speculative)
Born abt. 1785-1799NC or KY – Died 18??
We know that Martha Snodgrass sold Gasper River property to a man named William Barnett in 1846 Logan, KY. What is unknown is the relationship between them. Was he her son by Hugh Barnett? Was he a grandson? Or perhaps even a nephew by marriage? There are men of the William Barnett name living in Logan, KY. The question is whether any of them is a son to Martha.

The 1840 census of Logan, KY includes 1 William Barnett household:
1M 30-39 (born 1801-1810), 1F 20-29 (born 1811-1820), and 1F 60-69 (born 1771-1780).
Based on our age calculations from earlier census records, this man is too young to be Martha’s son, and the older woman is also in you younger age category as Martha should be in her 70s.

The 1850 Census of Logan, KY.
The James W Covington Household (District 1):
403 413 James W Covington 27 m farmer, Real Estate: 300, Birthplace: KY
William Barnett 48 m (no occupation listed), Real Estate: 7000, Birthplace: KY
(48 = birth year est. 1802)

CHILD 3: JAMES GUTHRIE BARNETT (Speculative)
Born abt.1795NC or KY – Died 1846AR
Presumed son of Hugh Barnett and Martha Guthrie. They definitely had a son named James Barnett, who was born prior to the Nov 1800 Last Will and Testament of his grandfather, James Guthrie, Sr of Orange County, North Carolina.

James Guthrie Barnett was born about 1795. Trees list a birthplace of KY, but the 1880 census record of a daughter lists his birthplace as North Carolina, which might make more sense for 1795. James married Mary Henderson about 1817, potentially in Missouri where James shows up. They lived in Lawrence County, Arkansas. James died there about 1846 and Mary about 1850.

A descendant of James Guthrie Barnett (Kit 179044) is a participant in the Barnett Y-DNA Surname Project at FTDNA. He is a match for several others in Barnett Family Group 22. One lists ancestor Byron Barnett b1740-d1797.

Barnett Children:
1) William H Barnett 1817/8AR-1857AR married Martha E McGee +children
2) Martha G Barnett 1820AR-1880AR married 1st James Cravens +children, 2nd David McKnight +children
3) John Robinson Barnett 1722/3AR married Linda Carolina Johnson. No known children.
4) James Alexander Barnett 1824/5AR-1900AR married Nancy Jane Ware +children
5) Mary Ann Barnett 1829AR-1862AR married Markus B Jackson +children
6) Harvey Clark Barnett born 1831/2AR. No further details.
7) Franklin Monroe Barnett 1833AR-1888AR married Mary E Cunningham +children
8) Ira Nelson Barnett 1836/7AR-1866AR married Mariah Simpson +children
9) Margaret Elizabeth Barnett 1839AR-1899AR married 1st A M Holt, 2nd Israel Folsom Dawson +children
10) Samuel K Barnett born 18__AR. No further details.

• Primary Resources
• Primary sources are original documents or records created at or near the time of events, offering direct evidence of Martha’s life, family, marriages, residences, and property. These include wills, court orders, censuses, marriage bonds, land grants, and legislative acts. Below is a curated list, prioritized by chronological relevance, with full citations, brief descriptions of content/utility, and access notes. I’ve focused on verifiable records; some are digitized on platforms like Ancestry or FamilySearch, while others require archival visits.
• Will of James Guthrie Sr. (Father’s Will) Citation: North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1665–1998 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: North Carolina County, District and Probate Courts; Cross Index to Wills, 1756–1962; Wills, 1752–1952; Author: North Carolina. Superior Court (Orange County). Will written November 1800, proved March 1801, Orange County, North Carolina. Description: Names Martha as a daughter (among six daughters and two sons), mentioning her married surname “Barnett” and grandson James Barnett from her first marriage. Provides evidence of parentage, first marriage, and early family structure. Implications: Highlights inheritance patterns in post-Revolutionary North Carolina families; useful for tracing siblings like Ann, Mary, Margaret, and Robert Guthrie. Access: Available on Ancestry; partial transcriptions in secondary sources.
• Will of Hugh Barnett (First Husband’s Will) Citation: Logan County, Kentucky, Will Book 1, Page 11. Dated 6 October 1799; proved [date not specified in extracts, but c.1799]. Transcription available at: USGenWeb Archives, http://files.usgwarchives.net/ky/logan/wills/barnett492gwl.txt. Description: Names Martha as executrix and mentions sons Thomas (with infirmities), James, and possibly William. Confirms residence in Logan County, Kentucky, and death around 1799. Nuances: Speculative on exact children due to vague bequests; illustrates frontier estate settlement. Access: Original at Logan County Courthouse; digitized transcription online.
• Marriage Record: Martha Barnett to Joseph Snodgrass Citation: Kentucky, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1802–1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Original data: Dodd, Jordan, Comp. Kentucky Marriages, 1802–1850. Electronic transcription of marriage records held by the individual counties in Kentucky. Marriage date: 26 May 1803, Warren County, Kentucky. Description: Bond for second marriage, listing Martha as widow of Hugh Barnett. Evidence of relocation to Kentucky and remarriage post-1799. Considerations: Warren County’s proximity to Logan suggests regional family networks; no children noted, aligning with bio. Access: Ancestry database; originals at county level.
• Logan County Court Order Book 3, Page 5 (Estate Administration Order) Citation: Logan County, Kentucky, Court Order Book 3, Page 5, 1803. Extracted in genealogical compilations. Description: Orders Joseph Snodgrass to provide counter security for Martha’s administration of Hugh Barnett’s estate. Confirms her role as widow and second marriage’s legal ties. Implications: Reflects early 19th-century Kentucky probate laws requiring bonds for widows. Access: Logan County Courthouse; referenced in secondary analyses.
• Power of Attorney Assignment: Joseph Snodgrass to Robert Guthrie Citation: Logan County, Kentucky, records, 1805. Referenced in estate settlements related to James Guthrie Sr.’s inheritance. Description: Joseph assigns power to Martha’s brother Robert for claiming her share of father’s estate. Links North Carolina inheritance to Kentucky residence. Edge case: Demonstrates interstate family coordination. Access: County archives; partial extracts online.
• 1810 U.S. Federal Census Citation: 1810 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Third Census of the United States, 1810. (NARA microfilm publication M252, 71 rolls). Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. Logan County, Kentucky; Roll: 7; Page: 170; Image: Kym252_7-0177; FHL Film: 0181352. Joseph Snodgrass household. Description: Lists household with 1 male and 1 female over 45 (likely Joseph and Martha), plus younger males (possibly sons from first marriage) and a female under 10. Evidence of residence and family composition post-remarriage. Nuances: Age categories confirm birth before 1766; potential for unnamed daughter. Access: Ancestry or FamilySearch.
• Kentucky General Assembly Act for Benefit of Martha Snodgrass Citation: Acts Passed at the First Session of the Twenty-Sixth General Assembly for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Begun and Held in the Town of Frankfort, on Monday the Fourth Day of December in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventeen, and of the Commonwealth the Twenty-Sixth. Frankfort: Printed by Gerard & Kendall, 1818. Chapter 540, “An Act for the Benefit of Martha Snodgrass,” approved 4 February 1818. Description: Grants Martha 200 acres in Logan County due to her widowhood and poverty after Joseph’s death (pre-1818). Highlights socio-economic challenges for widows in early Kentucky. Implications: Rare legislative intervention; ties to military bounty claims from Hugh Barnett. Access: Kentucky State Library or digitized legislative records.
• Settlement of Hugh Barnett Estate Citation: Logan County, Kentucky, Court Order Book 6, Page 156, 21 November 1815. FamilySearch Film #007646885, Image 98 of 587. Description: Joseph Snodgrass settles Hugh’s estate, confirming Martha’s involvement. Provides closure on first marriage’s probate. Access: FamilySearch digital collection.
• Kentucky Land Grants Citation: Jillson, Willard Rouse. The Kentucky Land Grants. Vol. I-II. Louisville, KY, USA: Filson Club Publications, 1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2012. Entries for Martha Snodgrass: 200 acres, surveyed 10 November 1819, Logan County, Watercourse: Gasper River, Book 25; 113 acres, Warren County, Watercourse: Gaspers River, Book M-2. Description: Grants tied to widow’s relief; evidence of post-1818 residence and property ownership. Considerations: Gasper River location suggests continuity in Logan/Warren area. Access: Ancestry.
• 1820 U.S. Federal Census Citation: 1820 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Fourth Census of the United States, 1820. (NARA microfilm publication M33, 142 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. Logan County, Kentucky; Page: 46; NARA Roll: M33_26; Image: 55. Thomas Barnett household (speculative inclusion of Martha). Description: Household with female over 45 (likely Martha as widow), plus males aligning with sons. Supports residence after Joseph’s death. Nuances: Speculative due to no names; cross-reference with land records. Access: Ancestry.
• Land Deed: Martha Snodgrass to W. Barnett Citation: Logan County, Kentucky, Deed Book 26, Page 456, 1846. Full text extracted in genealogical blogs. Description: Sale of 200 acres on Gasper River to son William Barnett. Confirms survival to 1846 and family ties. Implications: Last known record; useful for tracing descendants. Access: Logan County Deed Records.
• Additional primary notes: Tax lists and grantor/grantee indexes from Logan County (c.1800–1840s) provide supporting evidence of residences but are fragmentary; FamilySearch films (e.g., #007838118 for surveys) offer visuals.

1846 September 6 – Logan County, Kentucky – Land Transaction
Logan County Deed Book 26, p. 456
Martha Snodgrass to W. Barnett

Then Indenture made & entered into this 8^th day of September 1846 between Marthay Snodgrass of the county of Logan and state of Kentucky of the one part and W. Barnett of the county and state aforesaid fo the other part Witnesseth That the said Marthay Snodgrass for and in consideration of the sum of fifty dollars in hand paid the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged hath granted bargained and sold and doth by these presents grant bargain and sell unto the said W. Barnett his heirs and assigns all that tract or parcel of land situate and being in the county of Logan on the waters of Gasper River and bounded as follows to wit Beginning at a white Oake and Black Oak standing on the south bounding line of a 200 acre survey made in the name of Lewis Darton running thence S 18 E 40 poles to a black walnut thence S 25 W 40 poles to a Spanish oak thence S 5 E 130 poles to a sassafras and Black gum s[t]anding on the north boundary line of a 200 acres military survey made in the name of Lee running with a line of that survey S 67 E 200 poles to two black oak saplins thence N 20 E 100 poles to a black oak and post oak on Woods line thence with his line N 25 W 40 poles to a post Oak thence N 55 W 26 poles to the beginning containing Two hundred acres be the same more or less together with all and singular the appurtenances there unto belonging or in any wise appertaining To have and to hold the land hereby conveyed with the appurtenances unto the said W Barnett his heirs or assigns forever and the said Marthay Snodgrass for herself her heirs executors and administrators the aforesaid tract or parcel of land and appurtenances unto the said W. Barnett his heirs or assigns against the claim or claims of all and every person or persons whatsoever doth and will forever warrant and and defend by these presents except about one hundred acres deed to H.S. Barnett on the south side of the survey. In witness whereof the said Marthay Snodgrass hath hereunto set her hand and seal the day and date first above written. 

Interlined before signed                                                 Martha [her x mark] Snodgrass {SEAL}

Witness

C. Hutcheson

Samuel Price

Logan County Sct: 

I Marmaduke B. Morton as clerk of the said Logan County court do certify that this deed from Martha Snodgrass to W Barnett was on the 25^th day of September proven before me in my office by the oath of Samuel Price a Subscribing witness thereto to be the act and deed of the said Martha Snodgrass and on this day the same by the oath of C Hutcheson another subscribing witness thereto to be the act and deed of the said Martha Snodgrass. Whereupon the same together with this certificate hath been duly admitted to record in my office. Given under my hand this 28^th day of September 1846. 

M B Morton

Secondary Resources

Secondary sources interpret or compile primary data, such as family histories, blogs, and online trees. These provide context, hypotheses (e.g., on children), and leads to primaries but should be verified against originals due to potential biases or errors. Listed with citations, descriptions, and caveats.

1. Guthrie Genealogy Blog: Profile of Martha Guthrie Citation: “2A-A: Martha Guthrie.” Guthrie Genealogy Blog, accessed 11 March 2026. https://guthriegenealogy.blog/2a-a-martha-guthrie/. Research contributions by Caroline Diepenbrock, June 2023. Description: Detailed bio, timeline, speculative children, and transcriptions of primaries (e.g., Hugh’s will, 1846 deed). Explores DNA matches and Barnett connections. Strengths: Comprehensive Kentucky focus; weaknesses: Relies on user-submitted research. Access: Free online.
2. WikiTree Profile: Martha (Guthrie) Snodgrass Citation: “Martha (Guthrie) Snodgrass (bef.1766-aft.1846).” WikiTree, managed by Guthrie Genealogy Project, last modified [date varies]. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Guthrie-6697. Description: Collaborative tree with bio, family links, and citations to primaries (e.g., censuses, land grants). Notes uncertainties like birth location. Implications: Community-edited; useful for global connections but prone to revisions. Access: Free; requires login for edits.
3. WikiTree Profile: James Guthrie Sr. (Father) Citation: “James Guthrie Sr (abt.1720-bef.1801).” WikiTree, managed by Guthrie Genealogy Project, last modified [date varies]. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Guthrie-2290. Description: Parent profile listing Martha’s details, marriages, and children; cites will and family history book. Provides broader family context. Caveats: Secondary interpretations of primaries. Access: Free online.
4. American Guthrie and Allied Families Citation: Guthrie, Lawrence R. American Guthrie and Allied Families: Lineal Representations of the Colonial Guthries of Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, Together with Mention of Many of Their Descendants; Also Some Notes on Allied Families. Chambersburg, PA: Kerr Printing Co., 1933. Description: Genealogical book covering Guthrie lines, including James Sr.’s family and Martha’s branch. Offers historical context on migrations. Strengths: Early compilation; weaknesses: Pre-DNA era, potential inaccuracies. Access: Digitized on Ancestry or libraries; referenced in WikiTree.
5. Guthrie Genealogy Blog: Family Group Overview Citation: “A: James Guthrie & Elizabeth (MNU).” Guthrie Genealogy Blog, accessed 11 March 2026. https://guthriegenealogy.blog/guthrie-family-groups/gfg2a/a-james-guthrie-elizabeth-mnu. Description: Broader family group sheet with Martha’s timeline, marriages, and references to primaries. Explores speculative elements like no children with Snodgrass. Useful for multi-angle views. Access: Free online.

Additional secondary notes: Compilations like Longhunter newsletter (Warren County marriages/censuses) offer regional context but no direct Martha citations; avoid unverified trees on Ancestry or RootsWeb for accuracy. For completeness, cross-check with Kentucky Historical Society or North Carolina State Archives for uncited primaries.

Research Contributions and Transcriptions by Caroline Diepenbrock