2A-F: John Guthrie
JOHN GUTHRIE 1728CT – 1775CT and PATIENCE KNAPP
of Fairfield and Litchfield, Connecticut
JOHN GUTHRIE
Parents: John Guthrie 1700CT – 1756CT and Abigail Coe
Birth: 25 Feb 1728
Birth Location: Stratford, Fairfield, Connecticut
Occupation: Unknown
Marriage: Patience Knapp on 10 May 1750 in Washington, Litchfield, Connecticut
Death: 10 Aug 1775
Death Location: Danbury, Fairfield, Connecticut
Burial Location: Unknown, possibly at Danbury First Congregational Church
Notes: ‘South Britain Sketches’ lists this DOB for a son that died on the same day, then lists John’s birth as Dec 1730, which is the date for William. His father’s will names him as the eldest son. It also indicates that John Guthrie was living in Kent, Litchfield, Connecticut at the time. Church Record abstracts indicate that John Guthrie was admitted to the Danbury First Congregational Church and received full communion. He had a letter of recommendation from Christ Church in East Greenwich, Kent, Connecticut, which provides some evidence that this John Guthrie was indeed the son of John Guthrie and Abigail Coe.
PATIENCE KNAPP
Parents: James Knapp 1700 – 1735CT and Patience Andrew
Birth: About 1728 (based on John’s DOB)
Birth Location: Unknown
Guthrie Sons: Abraham, Christian, James*, Abel*, Joel/Jael*, Thomas*, Ezra*, Daniel**, John**
Guthrie Daughters: Abigail Guthrie**
Death: possibly on 23 Aug 1775 “Wid., her child, d. Aug 23 1773”
Death Location: Unknown, presumably in Danbury, Fairfield, Connecticut
Burial Location: Unknown, possibly at Danbury First Congregational Church
Notes: John’s wife is not named in the transcription of the church records. It appears that the family joined the Danbury First Congregational Church and afterward all of the children were baptized there on 9 August 1775: Ezra*, James*, Abel*, Joel/Jael* and Thomas*, sons of John. No mention is made of Abraham or Christian. The church record transcription lists that a Guthrie widow and/or her child died 23 Aug 1775 only 13 days after the death of John Guthrie. Abraham named his brother Christian and James. The latter is also on the list of sons baptized on 9 Aug 1775. American Guthrie and Allied Families author, Lawrence R Guthrie, also lists presumed sons John** and Daniel**, but not all of the above named children. Like some of LRG’s other theoretical families there may be some discrepancies as to the appropriate placement of the children within one Guthrie family versus another living in the same county or region. Abigail Guthrie is one such example as she seems to be confused with the daughter of James and Abigail (Betts) Guthrie born in 1762.
PRESUMPTIVE CHILDREN: 6 – 9
ABIGAIL GUTHRIE
1751CT – 1830CT
This presumptive daughter of John Guthrie and Patience Knapp would have been born about 1751. She was 79 years of age at her death on 22 Sep 1830, making her DOB about 1751, which is a year after her parents’ marriage. Various sites list the wife of Thomas Morehouse who married an Abigail Guthrie on 23 June 1773 in Danbury, as the daughter of James Guthrie and Abigail Betts, but their daughter was born in 1762 making her too young to be Morehouse’s wife. One of the children’s middle names is Knapp, which would seem to hint that the correct placement for this Guthrie-Morehouse marriage is within this household. The couple lived in Hebron and later in Johnsburg and Bakers Mill, New York. They had several children, but I have had trouble identifying them as definitely belonging to this family. Listed below are those with some ties to each other.
Children:
1) Jerusha Morehouse Abt 1783NY – 1805 m. Lebbeus Curtis +children
2) Archibald Morehouse (twin) 1786NY – 1864NY m. abt 1818 Cynthia Perkins +children
3) Ira Morehouse (twin) 1786NY – 1844NY m. 1812 Elizabeth Weaver +children
4) James Knapp Morehouse 3 Oct 1789NY – 6 Feb 1867NY m. bef. Nov 1820 Hannah Carlton +children
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: No
JAMES GUTHRIE
Born about 1750-1760 – Died ????
The baptismal records of the Danbury First Congressional Church include the name James among the family of John Guthrie being baptized on 9 Aug 1775. These are clearly not infant baptisms. James would have had to have been one of the older sons as he is credited with being on the list of Litchfield County Revolutionary soldiers. James also apparently married to an unidentified woman and had at least one son of the same name.
Children:
1) James Guthrie born c1800 – died 18?? m1.Marcia Way, m2 Mary Goodwin +children
Y-DNA Project Participants: No
Autosomal DNA Participants: No
JOEL / JAEL GUTHRIE
Born 1750-1775 CT – Died 25 Jan 1786 PA
Joel (or Jael) is listed as one of John Guthrie’s sons baptized at the Danbury First Congregational Church on 9 Aug 1775, so his DOB was prior to that date. The combined family baptisms after their recent addition to the church congregation along with their parents’ 1750 DOM suggest the boys were probably not infants. According to the notes in American Guthrie and Allied Families, p81, Joel “led a life of hardship and tragedy. At the close of the Revolution, Connecticut continued to follow up her claims to territory lying to the west and sent out troops to fight the Indians on the western frontiers. Oct. 6, 1785, Captain Strong’s Company of Col. Harman’s Regiment arrived at West Point, NY.” The company was marched west crossing the Allegheny River on Christmas Day 1785 toward Fort Macintosh, a log frontier fort near the confluence of the Ohio and Beaver Rivers in what is now Beaver, Pennsylvania. A diary of a company orderly sergeant, Joseph Buell, reveals the fort to be in ruins. The soldiers went about restoring the fort and preparing barracks for the winter. Many of the troops were raw recruits unused to such toil or following strict orders. The officers were strict and their treatment of soldiers excessive often including severe flogging of up to 120 lashes. On the 25 of January 1786, Joel Guthrie and three others left the fort on a pass. Only one of them returned. Joel and two other privates were seized and returned to the fort as prisoners. Without waiting for the formality of a court martial, Major Willis, who commanded Fort Macintosh, ordered the three privates to be shot to death.
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – No known descendants
Autosomal DNA Participants: N/A – No known descendants
DANIEL GUTHRIE
Born 1751-1760 – Died ????
This is another son on LRG’s list of “presumptive” children of John Guthrie and Patience Knapp. He is not on the list with John Guthrie’s other sons being baptized at the Danbury First Congregational Church in 1775 indicating that he might have already been old enough to be living outside of his father’s household. A Daniel Guthrie was a known settler of the township of Claverack, under the Connecticut title, prior to and within the years of 1784, 1785, and 1786. He next shows up on the 1790 census of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Daniel was the father of one known son.
Children:
1) Chauncey Guthrie born 1781-90 NY – died aft. 1860PA m.Frances ‘Fanny’ Salisbury +children
Y-DNA Project Participants: No
Autosomal DNA Participants: No
CHRISTIAN GUTHRIE
Born 1750-1760CT – Died 1 Jul 1778
Christian Guthrie was a soldier in the New York line in the Revolutionary War serving from 25 Oct 1776 until his death 1 July 1778. He was killed in battle near Monmouth. He was returned as a dead soldier under the name Christian Gutrick, and a patent was issued to him by the name Gutrick for lot No. 90 in Milton. In 1829, Commissioners of the Land Office were to issue letters of patent to the heirs of Christian Guthrie for 200 acres on condition that they release to the state their interest in lot No. 90 in Milton. By the report of several committees it was resolved that there was legal and just obligation on the part of the state to give the heirs of Guthrie 500 acres of land. Further arguments were noted on the subject of Guthrie versus Gutrick. The documents at Fold3 include a testimonial letter dated 18 Sep 1832 by his brother Abel Guthrie of Augusta, Oneida, NY stating that he always upheld the belief that his brother Christian Guthrie was killed in the Battle of Monmouth. He indicated that Christian’s only known surviving heirs were himself and two other brothers, Abraham and James. That any others had not been heard from in over 20 years. This seems to indicate that Christian Guthrie had no surviving widow and no children.
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – No Known Descendants
Autosomal DNA Participants: N/A – No Known Descendants
ABRAHAM ‘ABRAM’ GUTHRIE
9 Jan 1763 CT – 12 Dec 1830 NY
This son is not on the roster of baptized children at Danbury First Congregational Church indicating that he may have already been living outside of his father’s household. LRG lists Abram Guthrie as presumptive son of John Guthrie and Patience Knapp. Abraham was a Revolutionary Soldier serving from Litchfield, Connecticut. He married Kezia Mallory on 9 Jan 1783 in New Preston, Litchfield, Connecticut. During the 1800 census, the family was living in Washington, Litchfield, Connecticut, but by 1818 when Abram had applied for a Bounty Land Warrant they were in Oneida County, New York. Also living in Oneida by that date was Abel Guthrie, another son from the Danbury baptism list. See Bill Kellogg’s transcription of the Kellogg Family Bible.
Children:
1) Sarah ‘Sally’ Guthrie 1789CT-15 Nov 1873 (84y 9m 7 d) m. Oliver Combs +children
2) Simeon Guthrie (physician) abt. 1799CT – 1875MA married, but no known children
3) Abigail Guthrie abt.1801CT – 12 Jan 1883MI m1.Stephen Mix, m2.Seneca Palmer +children
4) Hester Guthrie 1805CT – 1870NY m. Frederick Webster Kellogg -no known children
5) Eliza Guthrie died 1873 possibly m. Robert Z Williams if her birthplace is listed incorrectly in the census
6) Polly Guthrie – possibly m. Erastus McAdams – no source info or details
7) Warren Guthrie died 17 May 1846 – no further details
8) Riley Guthrie died 17 Jan 1827 – no further details
Y-DNA Project Participants: No
Autosomal DNA Participants: No
ABEL GUTHRIE
Oct 1764 CT – 26 May 1843 NY
As a presumed son of John Guthrie and Patience Knapp, the birthplace of Abel Guthrie would have been in Connecticut. The name Abel does appear on the list of children baptized at Danbury First Congregational Church in 1775. Abel Guthrie served as a Revolutionary Soldier from New York. His marriage to Olive Fuller occurred on 2 Nov 1788 in Richmond, Berkshire, Massachusetts, but the couple settled in Augusta, Oneida, NY before the 1800 census. Olive died there on 11 April 1843 at 78 years of age, and Abel soon followed. His death occurred only a month later on 26 May 1843. They are buried at Knoxboro-Augusta Cemetery.
Children:
1) Myron Guthrie 1789MA-1855NY m1.Olive Baldwin, m2.Dyantha Witheril +children
2) Oliver Guthrie 1795 – 1848NY – No further details known
3) Florilla Guthrie 3 Jan 1797NY – 1 Dec 1872NY m.Justus Durkee +children
4) Hervey F Guthrie 14 Aug 1804 NY – 14 Dec 1866NY m. Philena Witherel +children
Y-DNA Project Participants: No
Autosomal DNA Participants: No
JOHN GUTHRIE
Born abt. 1774CT – Died ????
Probable Placement Error
John and Patience were married in 1750. Their children would most likely have been born 1750-1780.
Alternate Parents: Ephraim Guthrie and Thankful Stone – The DOB of 5 Apr 1774 is their documented son.
Author LRG makes the assumption that John Guthrie, who moved from CT to Groton, NY when he was 21, and later married Olive Wilson, was the son of John Guthrie and Patience Knapp. This is probably an error. John and Olive’s eldest daughter was named Thankful Guthrie. Note that there is no son on the list of children baptized at Danbury First Congregational Church after John Guthrie joined the church.
Children:
See John Guthrie 5 Apr 1774 – 16 Mar 1846 son of Ephraim Guthrie and Thankful Stone
Y-DNA Project Participants: No
Autosomal DNA Participants: No
THOMAS GUTHRIE
Born 1750-1780 – Died ????
This son is named amongst those baptized on 9 Aug 1775 at Danbury First Congregational Church. He is not on LRG’s list of presumptive sons of John Guthrie and Patience Knapp. Nothing further is known.
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – No known descendants
Autosomal DNA Participants: N/A – No known descendants
READING and RESOURCES
The Kellogg Family Bible
Transcription of the Kellogg Family Bible including Vital Data on Guthrie relations.
FOLD3: