JOHN GUTHRIE 1749PA – 1832PA and SARAH ANN DAVIS
of Lancaster, Cumberland, and Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA

JOHN GUTHRIE
Parents: Robert Guthrie c1700IRE – 1782PA and Bridget Dougherty 1711IRE – 1794PA
Birth: 11 January 1749
Birth Location: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, British Colonial America
Marriage: Abt. 1775 to Sarah Ann Davis
Military Service: Revolutionary War Soldier and Officer
Occupation: Frontiersman, Soldier
Death: 12 August 1832
Death Location: Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA
Burial Location: First Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA (Military Honors)

SARAH ANN DAVIS
Parents: Unknown (No Data Found in Guthrie Resources)
Birth: Unknown, probably 1750-1760
Birth Location: Unknown
Guthrie Sons: Robert (1776), James Verner (1778), John (1800)
Guthrie Daughters: Margaret (1781), Prundentialis (1789), Sarah (1792), Ellen (1797
Death: Before 1830
Death Location: Unknown, probably Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA
Burial Location: Unknown, probably the First Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Notes:
American Guthrie and Allied Families, p.313: “John Guthrie, son of Robert Guthrie and Bridget Dougherty, took neither to his father’s carpenter shop, nor to books, but to the forests and streams of his native land.  He was a frontiersman, expert with a rifle, an Indian fighter, a soldier, and an officer in the Revolutionary War.  It is difficult to tell exactly what all his military service were, but from various accounts, traditions and records the attempt is here made to give a coherent, chronological statement of heroic and notable career in the defense of his country.”

“As a frontiersman John Guthrie was well acquainted with and in all western settlements and during the Revolution was absent on long campaigns, but Carlisle remained his official home for many years. He was taxed at his home from 1779 forward.  On the list of 1782 he was styled as a butcher but this seems to have been a temporary employment.  He was prominent politically and was amember of a commission connected with the boundary dispute between Pennsylvania and Maryland.  This accounts for the presence of his family in Annapolis, where one of his children was born.  He was living in Carlisle in 1790 but soon afterward sold his property there and removed to Unity Township, Westmoreland County.  Though not wealthy, he seems to have prospered in Westmoreland and to have been fairly well to do.  Prior to 1797 he removed with his family to Meadville, PA.  During the last years of his life he lived with one of his children in Lexington, KY and one in Pittsburgh, PA  He was buried with military honors in the cemetery of the First Presbyterian Church.”

Pittsburgh Gazette – Friday 17 Aug 1832
Capt. John Guthrie.

“Capt.John Guthrie died Sunday last 5 o”clock am.John Guthrie of this city,a soldier of the Revolution. He was born in Lancaster Pa 1/11/1749, volunteered as a soldier under General Armstrong from Carlisle in 1774 and again under General Lacey 1776, continued battling against the country’s foes until 1779, when his wounds compelled him to leave the service. He invariably sustained the character of a brave soldier and honest man. On Sunday evening his remains were followed to the grave by a large concourse of citizens, and a hundred by up wards of 150 members of the volunteer corps of the city.”

Among the descendants of John Guthrie & Sarah Ann Davis are two Mayors of Pittsburgh.

CHILDREN: 7

ROBERT GUTHRIE
Born 15 Feb 1776PA – Died 1816PA

Robert was born in Carlisle, Cumberland Pennsylvania on 15 February 1776. About 1800, he married Mary Gillespie with whom he had four sons: Thomas, John, James, and William.

He enlisted for the War of 1812 in August of 1813 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a term of 5 years. Documents note him to be a carpenter with brown eyes, black hair, dark complexion, and height of 5ft-8-3/4 inches. He was wounded in the right leg at Bridgewater on 25 July 1814 and discharged at Greenish on 25 April 1815.

At the age of 40, Robert Guthrie died in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. His wife Mary survived him by 21 years. She died in 1837.
Children:
1) Thomas Guthrie abt.1801 – aft.1850 m.Sarah Maddox +children
2) John Guthrie, who burned to death in infancy.
3) James Gillespie Guthrie abt.1809PA-1870MO m1Jane Stephenson, m2.Mary Bowles, m3 Sarah MNU, m4. Mary Prescott +children
4) William Guthrie 1811PA-1889IN m1. Mary Bash, m2.Susan Bash +children

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

JAMES VERNER GUTHRIE
Born 27 Jun 1778PA – Died 4 Aug 1827PA

“James Verner Guthrie, second son of John Guthrie and Sarah Davis, married Aug. 21, 1804, Martha Brandon, who was born March 24, 1786, near Kittanning, Pennsylvania. For some years after their marriage they lived in Kittening. He engaged in boat building upon the river and as early as 1811 acquired an interest in a shipyard on the north side of the Allegheny River, on or near the site of Allegheny City. In 1815 he moved with his family to Pittsburgh. His wife died in Pittsburgh, May 21 (or 22), 1846.” {LRG, p317}
Children:
1) John Brandon Guthrie 1807PA-1885PA (Mayor of Pittsburgh) m.1833PA Catherine Stevenson Murray +children
2) James Verner Guthrie 1809PA-1896OH m.1836 Katherine ‘Kittie’ McCord +children
3) Sarah Jane Guthrie 1812PA-1848OH m. James Ewan +children
4) William Woodward Guthrie b 24 Aug 1814PA-1858OH m.1839 Elizabeth Investor +children
5) Mary Brandon Guthrie b 24 Mar 1817PA – d 18 Jul 1871OH m.1834 James Pattison Kilbreth +children
6) Presley Neville Guthrie b 1 Aug 1819PA – d 9 Mar 1858KY m1 Caroline Parker, m2 Mary R Parker +children
7) Robert Bruce Guthrie b 4 Feb 1822PA – d 3 Oct 1874PA m.1850 Catherine McKee +children
8) Martha Brandon Guthrie b 17 May 1824PA – 22 Dec 1902OH m.1843 William McDowell Doughty +chilren
9) Isabella Johnson Guthrie b 3 Dec 1827PA – d 1900OH m.1846 Rev Asbury Lowrey +children

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

MARGARET GUTHRIE
Born 16 Nov 1781PA – Died 18??

Margaret Guthrie is known to have married 1st to a Samuel Miller and second to a Mr. Linderman. No further details known.

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

PRUDENTIA ELLIS GUTHRIE
Born 4 May 1789MD – Died after 1860

Born in Annapolis, Anne Arundel, Maryland presumably while her father was working as a member of the commission on the boundary dispute between Maryland and Pennsylvania. Her name is documented as Prudentialis and as Prudentia Ellis, the latter being at her christening at the 1st Evangelical Church of Carlisle on 30 Mar 1779. It also gives an alternate DOB: 1 Mar 1779. She was twice married. First to Alexander Fowler, and afterward to Peter Gravosz, both soldiers of the War of 1812.
Children:
1) George Sample Fowler b.24 Oct 1805PA – d.20 May 1885PA m.1838 Rachel Stevenson +children
2) Robert H Fowler b.4 Feb 1807PA – d. abt.1870KY m. Sarah Perry +children
3) Alexander S Fowler b.27 Dec 1808PA – d.abt.1854PA m. Mary Jane Eatchel +children
4) Austin S Fowler b.29 Dec 1810PA – d.22 Jun 1846PA m. Christina Hess +children
5) John G Fowler b.23 May 1812PA – d.????
6) FNU Daughter Gravosz
7) FNU Daughter Gravosz

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

SARAH GUTHRIE
Born 4 Apr 1792PA – Died ????

Sarah Guthrie married twice. Her first marriage was to a Mr Fowler with whom she had 4 sons. Secondly, she married a Mr Graves with whom she had four daughters.
Children:
1) FNU Son Fowler – No Details Known
2) FNU Son Fowler – No Details Known
3) FNU Son Fowler – No Details Known
4) FNU Son Fowler – No Details Known
5) FNU Daughter Graves – No Details Known
6) FNU Daughter Graves – No Details Known
7) FNU Daughter Graves – No Details Known
8) FNU Daughter Graves – No Details Known

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

ELLEN GUTHRIE
Born 27 Aug 1797PA – Died 5 Apr 1865IN

Descendants inform us that this daughter’s name was “Ellen”. She was born on 27 August 1797 at Meadville, Crawford, Pennsylvania and married Duncan McCallum, a native of Argyll, Scotland, about 1815. They had five children and settled in Switzerland County, Indiana. Duncan died there in 1832. Ellen lived until 5 April 1865 at 68 years 7 months of age. They are buried at McCallum Cemetery. American Guthrie and Allied Families lends a little confusion to Ellen’s tale by listing a daughter named Eleanor and then listing Duncan’s wife as a separate daughter named Helen.
Children:
1) Manasseh McCallum b.1816 OH or IN – d.9 Feb 1854CA died of smallpox at 38 yrs old. Unmarried.
2) Ephraim McCallum b.1820 OH or IN – d.28 Feb 1854CA. Unmarried.
3) Jane Stuart McCallum b.23 Jul 1824OH – d.25 Nov 1876CA m. John Dick Van Eaton +children
4) John Guthrie McCallum (Judge) b.10 Aug 1826IN – d.5Feb 1897CA m. Emily Freeman +children
5) Elizabeth Shaw McCallum b.25Oct 1829OH – d.10 Mar 1900CA m. Frederick Louis Courvoisier +children

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

JOHN GUTHRIE
Born 3 Nov 1800PA – Died 12 Aug 1832PA

Born in Meadville, Crawford, Pennsylvania, John Guthrie was the youngest child of the family. He married Elizabeth Fielding about 1820, reportedly in Philadelphia. They had 4 daughters. John died at only 31 years of age on 12 August 1832. Elizabeth lived another 50 years. She died in 1882.
1) Susan Catherine Guthrie b.1824MD m.1848OH Raymond Belt +children
2) Sarah Elizabeth Guthrie b.22 Jul 1827PA – d.20 Jun 1908PA m.1847 James Burns Ingraham
3) Anne Guthrie
4) Ellen Guthrie

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

Primary Sources

Primary sources for John Guthrie (born January 11, 1749, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; died August 12, 1832, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), son of Robert Guthrie and Bridget Dougherty, consist of original or near-contemporary records such as baptisms, censuses, military documents, court records, obituaries, and estate indexes.

1. Baptism Record (1750)
   • Description: Records the baptism of John Guthrie on January 12, 1750, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, shortly after his birth on January 11, 1749. This is the earliest direct record linking him to his parents, Robert Guthrie (a carpenter and immigrant from Ireland) and Bridget Dougherty (from County Donegal, Ireland). It confirms his birthplace in America, distinguishing him from his older siblings born in Ireland (Robert Jr., James, and Jane).
   • Context and Nuances: The family had immigrated piecemeal—Robert Sr. and son Robert Jr. in 1744, followed by Bridget and James after Jane’s death in 1744. This record reflects their brief settlement in Philadelphia (3-4 years) before moving to Lancaster, then Carlisle. Edge cases: Baptismal records from this era may underrepresent non-Anglican families, as the Guthries were likely Presbyterian due to Scottish-Irish roots.
   • Access: Transcribed in Pennsylvania church records; original likely held in Lancaster County historical archives or FamilySearch microfilm.
   • Implications: Establishes parentage and refutes any claims of Irish birth for John (as sometimes misstated in secondary sources). Related: Father’s 1749 property sales in Lancaster County align with this timeline.
2. Court and Indictment Records (1777-1782)
   • Description: Multiple entries in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, court records document John Guthrie’s involvement in minor legal disputes, including assaults and batteries (e.g., October 13, 1777, on Andrew and Mary Miller; July 1, 1779, on John Dunning; January 10, 1782, on Jonathan Wallace) and forcible entry (April 19, 1781, with Matthew Atkinson). These list him as a resident of Carlisle.
   • Context and Nuances: These reflect the turbulent Revolutionary era, where personal conflicts often escalated amid wartime stress. John, like his father and brothers, appears in similar records, suggesting a family pattern of minor infractions (e.g., Robert Sr.’s 1752 tippling house charge). Edge cases: Records may be incomplete due to lost colonial documents; biases include overrepresentation of litigious individuals.
   • Access: Cumberland County Indictments, 1750-1800, archived in Pennsylvania State Archives or local courthouses.
   • Implications: Confirms residence in Carlisle during early adulthood and marriage, providing indirect evidence of family stability despite conflicts.
3. Revolutionary War Military Records (1774-1780)
   • Description: Enlistment and service rolls document John’s volunteer service under General Armstrong (1774) and General Lacey (1776), including as a Lieutenant in Colonel Broadhead’s 8th Pennsylvania Regiment (1777-1778, including Valley Forge winter). He was wounded at the Battle of Trenton and served in Morgan’s Rifle Command until 1779. Appointed Captain of Militia, 1st Battalion, Washington County, Pennsylvania, on May 27, 1780, but declined a commission from Washington. Additional service in Border Troubles (two years) as Captain of Rangers.
   • Context and Nuances: These records highlight his patriotism, aligning with family tradition of military involvement (e.g., brothers Robert Jr. and George also served). Discrepancies: Some rolls list him as “Ensign” (Hammersley’s List, 1775-1776); wounds forced early retirement, potentially underreported. Edge cases: Pension applications (if any) might provide more personal details, but none are directly cited here; wartime records often have gaps due to destruction.
   • Access: Pennsylvania Archives (N.S. Vol. IV, p. 64 for 1812 muster roll); Hammersley’s Army Register; National Archives Revolutionary War Rolls (M246).
   • Implications: Proves eligibility for lineage societies like NSDAR; links to post-war life, as he lived with children in Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
4. 1790 United States Federal Census
   • Description: Lists the “John Gutherie” household in Hopewell, Newton, Tyborn, and Westpensboro, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania: 1 male over 16 (John), 2 males under 16 (sons Robert and James Verner), and 3 females (wife Sarah Ann Davis and daughters Margaret and Prudentia).
   • Context and Nuances: Captures the family post-Revolution, after marriage (c.1775) and birth of early children. They owned a house and lot in Carlisle. Edge cases: Name variations (“Gutherie” vs. “Guthrie”) common in censuses; undercounts females or enslaved individuals if applicable (none noted here).
   • Access: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm; available on Ancestry.com or FamilySearch.
   • Implications: Confirms family size and location, aiding in tracing migrations (e.g., to Westmoreland County by 1790s).
5. Post Office and Legal Records (1789-1798)
   • Description: Unclaimed letters at Greensburg Post Office (1790-1796, e.g., January 5, 1790; addressed to “John Guthrie, Esq., Beaver Run”); court cases in Westmoreland (1794 vs. A. St. Clair) and Allegheny Counties (1798 vs. Squire Chamberlaine).
   • Context and Nuances: Indicate residence shifts to Westmoreland (near Greensburg) and involvement in local affairs. Edge cases: “Esq.” suggests status; repeated unclaimed mail may imply travel or literacy issues.
   • Access: Pittsburgh Gazette Abstracts (1786-1803), archived in Family History Library (FHL) microfilm.
   • Implications: Bridges military to civilian life, showing economic activity.
6. Handwritten Family Record (1807)
   • Description: A personal record by John Guthrie, endorsed by son James Verner Guthrie, detailing descent from Robert Guthrie and Bridget Dougherty, including children’s birth dates (e.g., Robert: February 15, 1776; James Verner: June 27, 1778).
   • Context and Nuances: Rare firsthand account; covers migrations (e.g., to Annapolis for Prudentia’s 1789 birth). Edge cases: Subject to memory errors; preserved in family letters.
   • Access: Cited in secondary works; originals possibly in private collections.
   • Implications: Direct parentage proof; useful for DNA corroboration (Guthrie Family Group 2A-Branch E).
7. Obituary and Death Record (1832)
   • Description: Published in the Pittsburg Gazette on August 17, 1832, detailing death on August 12 at age 83 (born January 11, 1749), military service, and family (son of Robert and Bridget; widower of Sarah Ann Davis, died 1830). Buried at First Presbyterian Cemetery, Pittsburgh (grave lost in 1902 relocation).
   • Context and Nuances: Emphasizes military honors; lists birth in Carlisle (error—actually Lancaster). Edge cases: Obituaries may romanticize service; NSDAR notes grave loss.
   • Access: Microfilm at Pennsylvania historical societies or newspapers.com.
   • Implications: Final life summary; confirms longevity and child residences.
8. Estate Index (Post-1832)
   • Description: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, estate index listing John as son of Robert and Bridget, widower of Sarah Ann Davis.
   • Context and Nuances: Handles inheritance; minimal details but confirms relationships. Edge cases: May exclude out-of-state assets (e.g., Kentucky ties).
   • Access: FamilySearch.org (Pennsylvania Estate Indexes).
   • Implications: Posthumous family verification.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources interpret or compile primary data, such as books, genealogies, websites, and letters.

1. Records of the Guthrie Family of Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Virginia (1898) by Harriet N. and Eveline Guthrie Dunn
   • Description: Details Robert Guthrie’s emigration (c.1745), marriage to Bridget (1736), and children, focusing on John (1749-1832) and descendants. Includes family record excerpts.
   • Context and Nuances: Victorian-era compilation; strong on Pennsylvania lines but mixes branches.
   • Access: Available on Ancestry.com or Archive.org.
2. American Guthrie and Allied Families (1933) by Laurence R. Guthrie
   • Description: Comprehensive genealogy tracing John to Robert and Bridget, with military and migration details.
   • Context and Nuances: Author is a descendant; reliable but dated.
   • Access: Kerr Printing Company reprint; libraries or online scans.
3. WikiTree Profile for John Guthrie (Guthrie-3889)
   • Description: Crowdsourced biography with sources, family tree, and DNA notes.
   • Context and Nuances: Collaborative; verify with primaries.
   • Access: Wikitree.com.
4. Geni Profile for Robert Guthrie Sr.
   • Description: Curated tree with DNA haplogroup (R-M269) and property/court details linking to John.
   • Context and Nuances: User-contributed; strong on autosomal DNA matches.
   • Access: Geni.com.
5. Guthrie Genealogy Blog (Various Entries)
   • Description: Analyzes Branch E (Robert and Bridget’s line), with John’s obituary and estate details.
   • Context and Nuances: Modern research; addresses mistaken identities.
   • Access: Guthriegenealogy.blog.
6. Family Letters (e.g., 1893 Guthrie-Lyster Letter)
   • Description: Correspondence from George Wilkins Guthrie detailing family records.
   • Context and Nuances: Personal but subjective.
   • Access: Included in Dunn’s book.
7. Allegheny County Pennsylvania Revolutionary War Soldiers (n.d.) by Paul W. Myers
   • Description: Lists John’s service and burial.
   • Context and Nuances: Focused compilation.
   • Access: Local histories.

These sources collectively paint a multifaceted portrait of John Guthrie as an immigrant’s son, Revolutionary veteran, and family man.