ELISABETH GUTHERY 1781 – 1868 & JONATHAN CLARK
of Greene County, Pennsylvania, Pike County, Ohio, and Muscatine County, Iowa, USA

ELIZABETH GUTHERY
Parents: John Guthery 1744PA-1823OH & Lydia Baldwin
Birth: 26 January 1781 (or 26 March 1781)
Birth Location: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA (Later part of Washington and Greene Counties)
Marriage: Jonathan Clark on 29 Sep 1800 in Ross County Ohio, USA
Death: 1868
Death Location: Muscatine County, Iowa, USA
Burial: Unknown
Notes:
Elizabeth Guthery was born in January or March of 1781, the sixth child, but first daughter of the family. They were living in what was then Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, an area that later became Washington County and finally Greene County, Pennsylvania. She was about 16 or 17 when they moved to Ohio. On 29 October 1800, Elizabeth married Jonathan Clark in Ross County, Ohio.

JONATHAN CLARK
Parents: Unidentified
Birth: Abt. 1773
Birth Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Death: 18 March 1851 or 1854
Death Location: Seventy-Six Township, Muscitine, Iowa, USA
Burial: Kiser Cemetery, Cranston, Iowa, USA (unverified) – Notation: “Col.”
Notes:
I have found no family data on Jonathan Clark. It is unknown if he is related to the Clark family from Virginia associated with William Clark who explored the Louisiana Purchase with Meriwether Lewis in the Corps of Discovery Expedition between 1803-1806. The eldest sibling of that Clark family was named Jonathan. See also: The Clarks. The 1850 census lists Jonathan’s birthplace as Pennsylvania, so the name may simply be a coincidence rather than a sign of a connected family history.

Jonathan Clark was in Ross County, Ohio sometime prior to 29 Sep 1800 when he married Elizabeth Guthery. Census records don’t provide much help in tracking this couple. The Ohio Federal Census records for 1800 and 1810 were lost or destroyed. There is a Jonathan Clark household in Seal, Pike County, Ohio listed for 1820 and 1830, and one in Washington, Scioto County, Ohio in 1840. Jonathan and Elizabeth moved to Seventy-Six Twp. in Muscatine, Iowa by 1850.

Five children are known: Aaron (1808), Minerva (1810), Joseph (1812), Charlotte (1815) and Lovey (1819). Census records suggest there were probably at least 2 others. There appears to be some confusion about the identity of the man/men who married Charlotte and Lovey. Many online trees list them both married to John Edgar Oard, however the marriage date for Charlotte and death date for Lovey show a period of several overlapping years. Charlotte’s records show she married John F. Oard, while Lovey’s tombstone indicates she was married to Edgar Oard.

Jonathan and Elizabeth (Guthery) Clark settled in Seventy-Six Township, which was organized in 1853 taking its name from his map designation as “Township 76 north of range 3 west”. This Map of Seventy-Six at the Library of Congress shows the township as it was in 1899, thirty-one years after Elizabeth’s death. There is a discrepancy regarding Jonathan’s DOD as being in either 1851 or 1854. The cemetery sites list 1851, however he was named on the 1852 state census.

CHILDREN:

AARON GUTHRIE CLARK
1808OH-1899OH
Aaron Guthrie Clark was born in Piketon, Pike County, Ohio on 18 Jan 1808. He married Elizabeth Jane Orme in Scioto in 1836. Parents to 6 children, they both lived long lives. Aaron died at 91 years of age on 19 Jun 1899, and his wife at 87 on 30 Dec 1904. They are buried in Larkin Cemetery
1) Ira Collins Clark born about 1836, but not with family in 1850 census. No further information.
2) Silas Clark 12 May 1837OH – 16 Aug 1909OH m. Eveline Ophelia ‘Eva’ Calvert +children
3) Lovey Jane Clark 17 Sep 1844OH-16 Jan 1921OH m1.Elroy Reed (1863), m2.Joseph P Carlin (1874) +children
4) Mary Minerva Clark 1846OH-1877OH m.John M Morris (1866) +children
5) John Shackleford Clark 20 May 1848OH – 19 May 1907/ Death location unknown. Buried in OH. Marital status unk.
6) Aaron Milton Clark 13 Oct 1856OH – 28 Dec 1898OH m.Sarah Catherine Lakeman (1876) +children

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

MINERVA B CLARK
1810OH-1895OR
Daughter Minerva B Clark was burnin Chillicothe, Ross, Ohio on 10 August 1810. She married Robert Graham in Pike, OH on 14 September 1830. They appear to have lived in Ohio until about the time their youngest son was born in 1845 by which time they had settled in Muscatine County, Iowa. Sometime during the next 10 years they made the move to the west coast to Oregon. Robert died in 1868 and Minerva survived him by 27 years.
1) Louisa Collins Graham 25 Jan 1832OH-20 Apr 1905OR m1/div. John C Epperly (1851/1869), m2 George W Shumway (1870) +children
2) Aaron Clark Graham 12 May 1843OH – 18 Jan 1918OR m.Cynthia Stephens (18??). No children.
3) Joseph Clark Graham 23 Dec 1845IA-18 Jan 1920OR m1Jane Buell (1868), m2 Eliza Jane Cone (1876) +children

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

JOSEPH M CLARK
c1812OH – ????
Joseph M Clark was born about 1812 in Ohio. He would appear to be the same Joseph M Clark who married Mary E Huston on 11 Oct 1835 in Scioto, Ohio. There are a number of other Joseph Clark records for Ohio within the next few decades, as well as in Iowa, but none that can be confirmed to belong to this couple.

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

CHARLOTTE CLARK
1815OH – 1879
Charlotte Clark was born while her family was still living in Ohio. She was twice married during her lifetime. At 25 she married John F Oard on 24 Nov 1840 in Scioto, Ohio. (Some trees list him as John Edgar Oard, the husband of Charlotte’s sister Lovey Jane Clark, but they appear to be two different men.) They had at least 4 children, one of which died young. Unconfirmed cause of death, but typhoid pneumonia was considered almost epidemic in Scioto, Ohio between Jan – May of 1845. There may be two other children who died young, but there are discrepancies regarding whether they belong to this couple. John died between 1846 and 1850 at a time when cholera was rampant, but he may have died in Muscatine, Iowa. Charlotte and the children were living with her parents in Iowa during the 1850 census. Her 2nd marriage to Henry Eugene Rockafellar on 11 Aug 1852. They had one son. Charlotte wrote her will on 22 Feb 1879. Her death folllowed on 30 Apr 1879. Her remains were buried at Bennington Cemetery in Sigourney, Keokuk, Iowa, USA.
1) Joseph Oard 1840OH-1934CA was one of the last surviving witnesses to Custer’s defeat at Little Big Horn in 1876. He was either widowed or divorced. No family details.
2) Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Oard 1841OH-1879IA m. James Henry Jordan (1867) +children
3) (Child) Oard 1843OH-1845OH died on 3 Dec 1845 at 2Y 15D. Buried Wilcoxon Cemetery.
4) Jonathan Clark Oard 1845OH-1922ND m. Nancy E Jacobs (1866IA) +children

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

LOVEY JANE CLARK
1819OH – 1843OH
Lovey Jane Clark was born about 1819 in Ohio. She married John Edgar Oard sometime between 1837-1842 in Ohio. The only data found on Lovey is her broken tombstone at Wilcoxon Cemetery: In Memory of Lovey Jane consort of Edegar Oard who departe_ this life April 18 1____ in the 24 year of h__ age, daughte_ __ Jonathan & E__eth Clar_. There do not appear to be any children from this marriage. John Edgar Oard remarried on 6 Aug 1844 to Jane Allaway in Scioto, Ohio.

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

Primary Sources

Primary sources in genealogy refer to original records created at or near the time of the event by someone with direct knowledge. These provide firsthand evidence of Elisabeth Guthery’s life events, family connections, and timeline.

1. Family Bible Records (Birth, Marriage, and Death Entries)
   • Description: The Guthery family Bible records Elisabeth’s birth as 26 January 1781 (with an alternate notation of 26 March 1781, possibly a transcription error or calendar adjustment). It also notes her parents (John Guthery, born 14 April 1744; Lydia Baldwin, born 12 February 1755) and siblings. The Bible documents the family’s migration from Pennsylvania to Ohio around 1797–1798.
   • Citation: Guthery Family Bible (original or transcribed entries, as referenced in pension applications and family histories). Pennsylvania Archives, Series V, Vol. 3, pp. 305–376 (cross-referenced with John Guthery’s military service).
   • Location/Access: Often held privately or in archives like the Pennsylvania State Archives (Harrisburg) or Greene County Historical Society. Digital scans may be available via FamilySearch.org (search “Guthrey Family Bible” under catalog).
   • Nuances and Implications: Bibles were common for recording vital events in frontier families lacking formal registries. Discrepancies in birth date could stem from Old Style/New Style calendar shifts or memory errors. This source confirms her as the sixth child and first daughter, providing context for her role in a large family (11 siblings total). Edge case: If the Bible is lost, secondary transcriptions (e.g., from daughters’ interviews) serve as proxies. Researchers should cross-verify with siblings’ records for consistency.
2. Marriage Record (Ross County, Ohio, 1800)
   • Description: Official county record of marriage between Jonathan Clark and Elizabeth Guthery on 29 September 1800 in Ross County, Ohio. This marks her transition from her parental household to forming her own family unit.
   • Citation: Ross County, Ohio, Marriage Records, 1789–1850 (microfilm of original courthouse records, Chillicothe, Ohio). Volume: Early Marriages, entry under “C” (Clark, Jonathan to Guthery, Elizabeth).
   • Location/Access: Ohio History Connection (Columbus, OH) microfilm reels; digitized on Ancestry.com (Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774–1993) or FamilySearch.org (Film #0281637). RootsWeb transcription available at https://sites.rootsweb.com/~ohross/Vital%20Record%20Files/Marriages/marriages_1789_1850_c.htm.
   • Nuances and Implications: No officiant or witnesses are typically listed in early Ohio records, reflecting sparse frontier documentation. This aligns with her family’s 1797–1798 migration to Pike County (adjacent to Ross). Implications include potential land claims tied to marriage (e.g., via her father’s Revolutionary War bounty). Edge case: Spelling as “Guthery” confirms family variant; absence of parental consent notation suggests she was of age (about 19).
3. U.S. Federal Census Records (1820–1850)
   • Description: Enumerations tracking Elisabeth (as “Elizth Clark” or similar) in Jonathan Clark’s household, confirming residence, approximate age, and inferred children. Key details:
     • 1820: Seal Township, Pike County, Ohio (household: 2M/1F 26–44; 1M/1F 16–25; 2M/1F 10–15; 2F under 10; total 10 free white persons).
     • 1830: Seal Township, Pike County, Ohio (1M 50–59; 1F 40–49; 3M 20–29; 3F 15–19; 1F 10–14; 1M 5–9; total 10).
     • 1840: Washington Township, Scioto County, Ohio (1M 60–69; 1F 50–59; 1M/1F 20–29; 2M/1F 15–19; total 7).
     • 1850: Seventy-Six Township, Muscatine County, Iowa (Elizth Clark, age 69, born PA; with Jonathan, age 72, and daughter Charlotte Ord, age 35). Suggests at least 7 children (5 confirmed: Aaron, Minerva, Joseph, Charlotte, Lovey Jane).
   • Citation: U.S. Census Bureau. 1820–1850 U.S. Federal Census (National Archives Microfilm Publication M33, M19, M704, M432).
   • Location/Access: National Archives (Washington, D.C.); digitized on Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, or Fold3.com.
   • Nuances and Implications: Censuses pre-1850 list only heads of household, requiring inference for females (e.g., age bands match Elisabeth’s ~1781 birth). Discrepancies in child counts (e.g., 1820/1830 suggest 2+ unconfirmed children) highlight gaps in vital records. Migration pattern (PA→OH→IA) reflects post-Revolutionary settlement incentives. Edge case: 1850 is the first naming individuals, confirming her PA birth; no 1860 census for her (widowed by 1851/1854, possibly living with children).

CENSUS RECORDS: 1820 US Federal Census of Seal, Pike, Ohio
Jonathan Clark Household
2M & 1F 26 – 44
1M & 1F 16-25 (The 1M is 16-18)
2M & 1F 10 – 15
2F under 10
Persons Engaged in Agriculture: 1
Total Free White Persons: 10
Total Household Members: 10
(By 1820 this household appears to have 3 sons and 4 daughters.)

CENSUS RECORDS: 1830 US Federal Census of Seal, Pike, Ohio
Jonathan Clark Household
1M 50 – 59
1F 40 – 49
3M 20-29
3F 15-19
1F 10-14
1M 5-9
Total Free White Persons: 10
Total Household Members: 10

CENSUS RECORDS: 1840 US Federal Census of Washington, Scioto, Ohio
Jonathan Clark Household
1M 60-69
1F 50-59
1M & 1F 20-29
2M & 1F 15-19
Persons Engaged in Agriculture: 4
Total Free White Persons: 7
Total Household Members: 7

CENSUS RECORDS: 1850 US Federal Census of Seventy-Six, Muscatine, Iowa
Jonathan Clark 72 male white Farmer Real Estate Value: 1500 Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Elizth Clark 69 female white Pennsylvania
Charlotte Ord 35 female white Ohio
Margaret Turner 22 female white Ireland
John Smith 22 male white Farmer Ohio
Christopher Hooson 16 male white Farmer Ohio
Elizabeth Ord 9 female white Ohio
Joseph Ord 7 male white Ohio
Clark Ord 4 male white Ohio

CENSUS RECORDS: 1852 Iowa US State Census Collection
Johnathan Clark Household
3 Males
3 Females
0 Colored Males
0 Colored Females
1 No. of Voters
0 No. of Militia
Total: 6

Iowa State Census Record (1852)

• Description: Jonathan Clark household in Muscatine County, Iowa (3M, 3F; total 6; 1 voter). Implies Elisabeth’s presence as the adult female.
• Citation: Iowa State Census Collection, 1836–1925 (microfilm, State Historical Society of Iowa).
• Location/Access: Ancestry.com (Iowa, U.S., State Census Collection) or Iowa State Historical Society (Des Moines).
• Nuances and Implications: Post-1850 migration to Iowa ties to land availability; voter notation excludes women, reinforcing gender norms. Edge case: No names listed, but household size matches 1850 federal census minus deceased.

Father’s Pension Application (1820)

• Description: John Guthery’s Revolutionary War pension file lists Elisabeth as a daughter, confirming her birth and family ties. Filed 13 October 1820 in Pike County, Ohio.
• Citation: Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (NARA Microfilm M804, Roll 1111). Pennsylvania Archives, Series VI, Vol. 2, pp. 18–19, 271.
• Location/Access: National Archives ( Fold3.com or HeritageQuest); transcribed in “Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Ohio” (p. 167).
• Nuances and Implications: Provides indirect evidence of Elisabeth’s existence via family enumeration. Father’s service (8th Pennsylvania Regiment) explains westward migration. Edge case: Pensions often include Bible extracts for proof, linking back to family records.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are interpretations or compilations of primary data, such as books, websites, or family trees.

1. “The History of Lieutenant-Colonel John Guthrey of Greene County, Pennsylvania” (1950)
   • Description: Detailed biography of father John Guthery, including Elisabeth’s birth (26 Jan 1781), marriage to Jonathan Clark, and 5 children (Minerva, Joseph, Aaron, Lovie, Charlotte). Covers family migration, Guthery’s Fort, and Piketon founding.
   • Citation: Maymard, Carroll H. The History of Lieutenant-Colonel John Guthrey of Greene County, Pennsylvania. Archive.org (PDF: https://archive.org/download/historyoflieuten00maym/historyoflieuten00maym.pdf).
   • Nuances and Implications: Draws from primary sources (Bible, pensions); explores nuances like date discrepancies. Implications: Highlights Elisabeth’s life amid Indian conflicts and settlement. Edge case: Author’s bias toward military heroism; verify with primaries.
2. Guthrie Genealogy Blog Post (2023)
   • Description: Dedicated page on Elisabeth, synthesizing bio, censuses, and uncertainties (e.g., Jonathan’s 1851/1854 death; unverified burial). Lists children and migrations.
   • Citation: “2A-D: Elisabeth Guthery.” Guthrie Genealogy Blog. https://guthriegenealogy.blog/2a-d-elisabeth-guthery/ (accessed 2026).
   • Nuances and Implications: User-generated but cites primaries; discusses spelling variants and child discrepancies. Edge case: Blogs evolve; archive via Wayback Machine.
3. Ancestry.com Family Tree (Ongoing)
   • Description: User-submitted tree linking Elisabeth to parents, spouse, and descendants. Includes census images and Bible transcripts.
   • Citation: Ancestry.com. “Public Member Trees” (e.g., tree/3406955/person/-559777862/facts).
   • Nuances and Implications: Collaborative but prone to errors; cross-reference with primaries. Explores multi-generational impacts (e.g., children’s westward moves).
4. “Records of the Guthrie Family of Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Virginia” (1880)
   • Description: Broader Guthrie history with PA branches (e.g., Chester County), but no direct match to this line—useful for ruling out confusions with similar names.
   • Citation: Dunn, Harriet N. and Eveline Guthrie. PDF: https://electricscotland.com/webclans/dtog/guthriefamilyofp00dunn.pdf.
   • Nuances and Implications: Scotch-Irish context; edge case: Possible distant relations via DE-PA border families.
5. Pike County Republican Interview (1872)
   • Description: Daughters’ (including Lydia Peters) recollections of family history, confirming Elisabeth’s details.
   • Citation: Pike County Republican, 4 April 1872 (transcribed in Guthrey history book).
   • Nuances and Implications: Oral history; potential memory biases but valuable for nuances like daily life.

MAPS: Atlas of Muscatine County Iowa, 1899, Huebinger Survey and Map Publishing Company, (Iowa Digital Library)

Muscatine County is located along the Mississippi River, with Keokuk Lake being nestled between Seventy-Six Township and Fruitland Township.

WEBSITE: Rootsweb – Kiser Cemetery

WEBSITE: PeopleLegacy – Kiser Cemetery Burials List

WEBSITE: Find a Grave – Wilcoxon Cemetery (aka Oard Cemetery, Old Town Church Cemetery)