JANE GUTHRIE & JOHN VAIL
of New Castle County, Delaware

JANE GUTHRIE
Parents: Samuel Guthrie b.1680-1700 – d.1746DE & Mary (MNU)
Birth: Est. 1714-1724 (likely), Before 1746 (definitely)
Birth Location: Unknown, probably Chester County, Pennsylvania or New Castle County, Delaware
Marriage: Unknown Date & Location, likely in the late 1730s or early to mid 1740s
Death: 1780-1783
Death Location: St George’s Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware
Burial: Unknown
Notes:
This Guthrie branch is a tough one because there are very few details and the documentation is fairly sketchy. Jane was named in the Last Will and Testament of her father, Samuel Guthrie, in 1746. Based on a very broad estimate her DOB was probably around 1710-20. Since her father was documents in London Britain, Chester, PA in 1825, it is possible that Jane was born in Pennsylvania rather than Delaware. There is no record of Samuel Guthrie in New Castle County, Delaware until 1737 when he purchased 100 acres of land. However, making things a little more confusing is the fact that New Castle County was technically still claimed by Pennsylvania at that time, so PA/DE may be correct either way.

Samuel Guthrie’s will names his children only by their given names, therefore we can’t tell by that date if Jane Guthrie was already married. Jane’s sister Mary Guthrie married Thomas Vail a year later in 1747 DE. Her brother Samuel married Margaret Knox in 1745 DE. Jane lists herself after Adam and Robert in 3rd order during her petition to divide her mother’s estate when naming the children of Samuel & Mary Guthrie, so presumably she is older than Mary or Samuel and most likely married before them.

Mary Guthrie, widow of Samuel, died in 1774. Her estate had been administered by Jane’s husband, John Vail. John died in 1775, and so James Matthews, administrator of John Vail, came to court to produce John’s account of the administration of Mary Guthrie’s estate. (New Castle Co., Del. Orphans Court, Records, liber E., Folio 39)

Calendar of Delaware Wills:
John Vail. St. Geo. Hd. Mcc 7 1753. Apr 22 1774. K.222. Wife, Jane. Exc. David Stewart. Letters of adm. granted to James Matthews.

JOHN VAIL
Parents: Unidentified (Needs Research)
Birth: Unknown
Birth Location: Unknown
Occupation: Unknown
Death: 1773-1775, Before 16 August 1775
Death Location: St George’s Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware
Burial: Unknown

CHILDREN: 4 or 5

JOHN VAIL JR
Notes: Since Jane Guthrie’s husband is documented as John Vail Sr it is possible that there was a son styled as Jr, however it is sometimes used for differentiation when there is another younger man in the community. There is no son identified in the will of Jane Vail. If they did have a son by that name he died sometime prior to 1780.

THOMAS VAIL
Named in his mother’s 1780 will. Along with his brother Isaac Vail received all of the lands and tenements in her possession with the understanding that if they had no issue that the property would be inherited by Thomas Culbertson, the eldest son of their sister Jeany Culbertson. Also received a feather bed and bed clothes with half a dozen pewter plates and half of the rest of Jane’s household goods.

ISAAC VAIL
Named in his mother’s 1780 will. Along with his brother Thomas received all of the lands and tenements in her possession as described above. Also received a horse and mare, two cows, and a heifer, with a feather bed and bed clothes, likewise a half dozen pewter plates and half of the rest of Jane’s household goods.

MARGARET VAIL
Named in her mother’s 1780 will. Received a blue damask gown, blue worsted gown not made up and Tile (?) dress calico and half of the remainder of her wearing apparel.

JEAN VAIL
Named in her mother’s 1780 will as Jeany Culbertson. Received a double gown and black & white calico gown with a gold ring, and half of the remainder of her wearing apparel.