2A-G: Elizabeth Guthrie

Elizabeth Guthrie 1754PA – 18??PA and Isaac Parr abt. 1750PA – Aft. 1830
of Cumberland and Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA

ELIZABETH GUTHRIE
Parents: James Guthrie 1720IRE – 1801PA and Jeanette (Wilson) Moore Abt. 1720 – 1787PA
Birth: 1754
Birth Location: Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Marriage: Isaac Parr
Parr Children: Isaac G, Jane, Sarah, Hetty
Death: Unknown, probably bet. 1820-1830
Death Location: Derry, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA
Burial Location: Unknown, presumably in Westmoreland County, PA

ISAAC PARR
Parents: Isaac Parr Sr and (possibly) Mary Blair
Birth: 1751-1760
Birth Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Occupation: Agriculture (Farmer)
Marriage (2nd): Katherine MNU bet. 1830-1840
Death: Bet. 11 Dec 1840 and 19 Jun 1841
Death Location: Derry, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA
Burial Location: Unknown, presumably in Westmoreland County, PA

NOTES:

Elizabeth was the youngest child and only daughter of James Guthrie and Jeanette (Wilson) Moore. Several family documents identify her husband as Isaac Parr, but I have not found a specific DOM. Identifying Isaac Parr himself is a bit of a challenge as there was an older man of the same name in Derry. These appear to be father and son. The elder Parr died bet. 1785 and 1789 leaving a will naming children: Samuel, James, Isaac, Elizabeth Moore, and Ann, with Isaac acting as his executor. Since the elder Isaac Parr was dead by 1790 the one listed in the 1790 census lists is presumed to be the husband of Elizabeth Guthrie.

The Isaac Parr household in Derry, Westmoreland, PA:
1790: 1 male 16 and over, and 5 females.
1800: 1M and 1F 45+, 1M and 1F 26-44, 1M 16-25, 1M and 1F 10-15, 1M and 2F under 10, and 1 slave.
1810: 1M and 2F 45+, 1M and 2F 10-15, 1F under 10.
1820: 1M and 1F 45+, 1M and 2F 16-25
1830: 1M 70-79, 1F 50-59, 1F 30-39

Isaac Parr wrote a will on 11 Dec 1840 identifying himself as very advanced in years. He names his wife as Katherine, without indicating her maiden name or family. I believe this is the man who was once married to Elizabeth Guthrie and the children identified are theirs. One son and three daughters: Isaac G Parr, Jane Henry, widow of Thomas Henry, Sarah Hill, wife of James Hill, and Hetty Taylor, wife of Joseph Taylor. He mentions purchasing something at the estate sale of James Guthrie. His will was proved on 19 June 1841.

During the end of James Guthrie Sr’s life Isaac and Elizabeth provided bed and board. Since he did intestate, they were obliged to legally request compensation in the sum of $425.26. Elizabeth’s brother, James Guthrie assumed this debt, but died in 1812. The executors of James Guthrie Jr’s estate conveyed to Isaac Parr a right and interest in the estate of James Guthrie, Sr including a tract of land containing 160-1/2 acres and allowances. Elizabeth was not specifically named in that exchange because during those times the husband was always the legal party.

Elizabeth (Guthrie) Parr definitely died prior to her husband. The question is what year her death occurred. Isaac’s second wife, Katherine, was living with her stepson Isaac G Parr during the 1860 census, aged 85 making her birth year about 1775. Back during the 1830 census, she was in the 50-59 category making her age range 1771-1780, so both records fit. Katherine would also potentially fit into the 45+ category during the 1820 census, but so would Elizabeth. Katherine would not fit into the 45+ category during the 1810 census, so that appears to be Elizabeth. It also tells us that all of the children were hers because they were all born prior to 1810.

CHILDREN: 4

JANE PARR
born abt. 1788PA – died 25 Jul 1870PA

Jane Parr appears to be the eldest of the children. Estimating her birth date from census records and her grave marker, she was born about 1788. She married Thomas Henry about 1808 and had 8 sons and 1 daughter with him before his death in 1840. She remained a widow and lived with her younger sons until her death on 25 July 1870 at 82 years of age. She is buried at Congruity Cemetery in Congruity, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, USA.
1) Isaac Parr Henry 1808PA-1895PA m. Sybilla Wilson Guthrie (d/o Samuel Guthrie, Esq & Jane Wilson) +children
2) Robert Henry 1813PA-1858IL died at about 45 years of age, unmarried.
3) James Henry 1816PA-bef. 1851, no further details.
4) Samuel James Henry 1816PA-1871IL m. Jane Wilson McClaren +children
5) Wilson Henry 1820PA-1891PA, died at 71 years of age, unmarried.
6) Nancy Parr Henry 1825PA-1856 died at about 31 years of age, unmarried.
7) John Henry 1829PA – aft. 1850, no further details
8) William Henry 1829PA-1880KS m. Mary Ann Smith +children (needs verification)
9) Thomas Henry 1830PA-1892PA, no further details

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

SARAH PARR
born 1790-1800PA – died aft. 1840

Sarah Parr was most likely enumerated in the census records as a daughter born between 1790-1800. The last will and testament of her father, Isaac Parr, written in 1840, names her as the wife of James Hill. Issac made a bequest to his daughter Sarah Hill a deed for a piece of land formerly owned by Samuel Blain, and a looking glass currently in her possession. However, she is to pay her sister Hetty $8 to equal the cost of the looking glass. No indication in the will as to the specific location of the property. The Grantor Index indicates the deed was recorded Vol 20, p235-6 on 18 Mar 1833, and the deed indicates the property contains 349 acres on the waters of Loyalhannah Creek in Westmoreland County.

Identifying Sarah Parr’s husband is a bit of a challenge. There are 3 men of that name in the 1830 Westmoreland. PA census.

The 1830 census of Fairfield, Westmoreland, PA lists a James Hill household with a Male of 40-49, but the eldest female is only 20-29, possibly Sarah listed in a younger age category, or not the right household. [Note: A deed between James Hill of Fairfield Twp in 1834 identifies his wife as Ann.] There is another James Hill listed in Washington, Westmoreland, PA with a Male of 30-39, but again the spouse is in the 20-29 year old category.

A third James Hill is listed in 1830 as living in Unity Township, Westmoreland, PA: 1M and 1F 30-39, 1F 15-19, 1M 10-14, 1F under 5. [Note: A deed dated 30 Sep 1847 in Vol 29, p 559, FHL Film008085363, identifies James & Sarah Hill, formerly Sarah Parr, as living in Unity Township. They sold to Jane Henry 100 acres on the Crabtree Run in Salem, a part of Unity Twp. The deed following is one by Isaac G Par to Jane Henry.]

In 1840 there are 3 James Hill households in Westmoreland, but only 1 with age-appropriate people. The household of James Hill of Franklin, Westmoreland, PA includes 12 persons: 1M 50-59, 1F40-49, 2F15-19, 2M and 1F 10-14, 1M and 1F 5-9, and 2M and 1F under 5.

After the 1847 deed, above, there is not another property sale by a James Hill until 1858, which is by James W Hill and wife Eliza of Fayette, PA.

There is a PA Death Certificate for a James Hill Sr born abt. 1784 County Monaghan, Ireland who died 9 Oct 1880 in Derry Twp, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania at age 96. He is buried at Mount Moriah (FHL Film 2047252), but I cannot confirm whether he is associated with Sarah Parr. Online trees pair that James Hill with wife Elizabeth Pitzer who died in 1899 at 99 years of age. They also state James Hill and Elizabeth Pitzer were married in 1817, which would rule out this man as having 1st married Sarah Parr. That couple are listed in the 1850 census of Mahoning, Lawrence, PA.

1) Unidentified Daughter born 1811-1815
2) Unidentified Son born 1816-1820
3) Unidentified Daughter born 1826-1830

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

ISAAC G. PARR
born abt. 1800PA – died aft. 1860

One might imagine that the full name might be Isaac Guthrie Parr, but I have not seen any indication of it so far. Isaac Parr’s will identifies his son as Isaac G. Parr. Census records reveal that Isaac was born about 1800. He married Jane (or Jean) Murphy prior to 1830. They had 4 known children. Jean died between 1850-1860 in Derry, Westmoreland, PA. During the 1860 census Isaac’s household consisted of himself, daughter, Matilda Parr, his step mother Catherine Parr, and John Rimel, a laborer. A farmer, his real estate was valued at $15,000, and personal estate at $1,500.
1) Agnes Jane Parr 1831PA-1908PA m.1856PA William Beardsley Sanford +children
2) Marie Parr 1834PA-1914PA m. Thomas M Irvin + children
3) Matilda Parr 1837PA-1918PA – unmarried
4) Abraham Parr 1840PA-aft.1850 – no further details – marital status unknown

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

HETTY PARR
born abt. 1802PA – died 5 Oct 1846PA

Hetty was the youngest of Isaac and Elizabeth (Guthrie) Parr’s children. Unknown if Hetty was a nickname for Harriet, Henrietta or Esther. She married Joseph R Taylor, a tanner, sometime before 1826, and they lived in Dunbar, Fayette, Pennsylvania. I am uncertain that I have all of their children documented because it is difficult to identify the family in earlier census records. Hetty died in 1846 prior to the 1850 census and by that time Joseph appears to have remarried to an Ann E, who may be the mother to the Wilson and/or Graham children living in the household. Joseph died in 1857.
1) John Holmes Taylor 1826PA-1866PA m. Emily Freeman +children
2) Catherine Elvira Taylor 1832PA-1917PA m. Robert Johnston Patton (Dentist) +children
3) James Taylor 1835PA-???? – no further info
4) Rachel M Taylor 1838PA-???? – no further info

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