2A-J: Timothy Basselman Guthrie
TIMOTHY BASSELMAN GUTHRIE
Parents: Joseph Guthrie 1825IRE-1909TN and Julia J McCarthy 1841IRE-1924TN
Birth: 17 July 1870
Birth Location: Meigs County, Tennessee, USA
Occupation: Traveling Salesman / Merchant (Hardware Retail)
Marriage: Sarah ‘Sallie’ Barrett on 9 September 1903 in Bradley, Tennessee, USA
Death: 19 October 1956
Death Location: Sweetwater, Monroe, Tennessee, USA
Burial Location: West View Cemetery, Sweetwater, Monroe, Tennessee, USA
Notes: Timothy was born on 17 July 1870 in Meigs County, TN. He was listed in the 1880 census of Meigs with his family, and the 1900 census of Monroe, TN as a border living in the Fred C Smith household. He was a traveling salesman at the time. On 9 Sep 1903, Timothy married Sarah Lavinia Barrett. They made their home in Sweetwater, Monroe, Tennessee where they raised a son and two daughters. He was involved in business and civic affairs in Sweetwater, and at one time served as its mayor. Timothy died there 19 Oct 1956 at the age of 86. He is buried in the West View Cemetery. His widow Sallie outlived him by five years. She died 5 Oct 1961 and is also buried at the same cemetery. Read their obituaries below.
SARAH ‘SALLIE’ LAVINIA BARRETT
Parents: William Frederick Barrett 1844-1920TN and Sarah Florence Banner 1857NC – 1929TN
Birth: 24 April 1879
Birth Location: Charleston, Bradley, Tennessee, USA
Children: Florence Julia (1905), Timothy Barrett (1908), Estelle (1912)
Death: 5 October 1961
Death Location: Sweetwater, Monroe, Tennessee, USA
Burial Location: West View Cemetery, Sweetwater, Monroe, Tennessee, USA
CHILDREN: 3
FLORENCE JULIA GUTHRIE
1905TN-1934TN
Julia Guthrie was known by her middle name. She married Otto “Alan” Richardson, a native of Decatur, Georgia, on 22 Dec 1928 in Sweetwater at her family home. Alan was a teacher at the Tennessee Military Institute. He served in the Army during WWII and at the time of his death was a retired colonel. Julia and Alan were enumerated together at the TMI during the 1930 census. Julia died on 12 February 1934. She is buried at West View Cemetery in Sweetwater. The couple had no children. Alan remarried on 24 Jun 1936, in Maury County, TN to Miss Helen Ligon by whom he had 1 son. His wife predeceased him in 1985. He died on 8 March 1991 in James City, VA at the age of 86.
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: N/A – No Descendants
TIMOTHY BARRETT GUTHRIE
1908TN-1993TN
Timothy Barrett Guthrie worked as the manager of Guthrie, Bradley, and Jones Hardware in Sweetwater, Monroe County, TN for nearly 57 years. He was born 2 May 1908 in Charleston, Bradley, TN, the middle child and only son of the family. A “cornerstone of his community,” he was active in civic organizations such as the Downtown Business Association. He served in the Tennessee State National Guard as a captain during WWII, and was “largely responsible for the location of a National Guard Armory in Sweetwater.” Timothy married Catherine Cannon (1912-1997) on 1 January 1934. They had 2 sons and 2 daughters. Catherine survived him by 4 years. They are both buried at West View Cemetery in Sweetwater.
Y-DNA Project Participants: Yes
Autosomal DNA Participants: Yes
BEULAH ESTELLE GUTHRIE
1912TN-2003FL
Like her older sister, Estelle was known by her middle name. She was born on 21 May 1912 in Sweetwater, Monroe, Tennessee. She was 27 at her marriage to Burns Alan Dobbins Jr. He was a physician specializing in pediatric medicine. After their marriage, the couple moved to New York City where he was affiliated with the Presbyterian Hospital. He served in the US Navy during WWII. They later moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where Dr Dobbins opened his pediatric practice in 1946 and finally retired in 1983. At one time Estelle served as president of the Fort Lauderdale Charity Guild. She was a member of the Broward County Medical Association Auxillary, Lauderdale Yacht Club, and Coral Ridge Yacht Club. Burns and Estelle raised two sons. Dr Burns Alan Dobbins died on 12 March 1985 at 69 years of age. Estelle survived him. She lived until 13 March 2003 dying at 90 years old. They share a memorial stone at Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Broward, Florida.
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: No
READING & RESOURCES
OBITUARY: W. F. BARRETT, LEADING BRADLEY CITIZEN, DEAD – Chattanooga Daily Times – 14 May 1920, Friday, Page 3 – Digital Repository: Newspapers.com
“Chattanooga Times Special. Charleston, Tenn., May 13– W.F. Barrett, aged 76, former state senator, and former member of the Bradley county court, died at his home here this morning at 1:10 o’clock, of heart trouble. Senator Barrett, though a Democrat in a Republican County, was one of the most popular residents of the county and never failed with the voters, who respected his ability and honesty. He was one of the original Bryan democrats. Funeral services will be held tomorrow at 1 o’clock, Dr Neighbors officiating.”
OBITUARY: MRS SARAH F BARRETT – Chattanooga Daily Times – 7 Nov 1929, Thursday, Page 3 – Digital Repository: Newspapers.com
“Mrs. Sarah F Barrett. – Chattanooga Times Special. Charleston, Tenn., Nov. 6–Mrs. Sarah F Barrett, proprietor of the Barrett hotel here, died at her home last night after a lingering illness. She was born at Mount Airy, N.C., Nov. 22, 1857, and came here May 18, 1876, as the wife of William F Barrett. / Surviving are two daughters, Mrs Estella Woodward, Charleston; Mrs T. B. Guthrie, of Sweetwater; five grandchildren, and one sister, Mrs. J. F. Davis of Elk Park, N. C. The funeral will be held from the Cumberland Presbyterian church Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock, conducted by the Rev. McCanless, pastor of the M.E. church.”
OBITUARY: MRS S.F. BARRETT DIES AT CHARLESTON HOME – Chattanooga Daily Times – 8 Nov 1929, Friday, Page 3 – Digital Repository: Newspapers.com
“Chattanooga Times Special. Cleveland, Tenn., Nov. 7— The funeral of Mrs Sarah F. Barrett, widow of the late W. F. Barrett of Charleston, was held from the Cumberland Presbyterian church this afternoon, attended by one of the largest crowds ever to attend a funeral in Charleston. // The deceased had been a resident of Charleston since 1876, and had been proprietor of the historic Barrett house for over forty-eight years. The well-known inn has been operated by the Barrett family for more than 100 years. The deceased was the first proprietor of Epworth lodge, at Lake Junakuska, N.C., which was established by the late Rev. George R Stuart. Later she built the Hiwasee Terrace at Lake Junaluska, which she managed during the past five years. She was known as the “pioneer mother of Lake Junaluska” at that well-known resort. // Mrs Barret was widely known by the traveling public. She has been a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church for more than fifty years, and was a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Order of the Eastern Star.”
ARTICLE: PART OF OLD HOUSE REMAINS WHERE PAYNE WAS PRISONER – Chattanooga Daily Times – 13 Mar 1927, Sunday, Page 30. Digital Repository: Newspapers.com
“Chattanooga Times Special. Charleston, Tenn., March 10– The house where John Howard Payne, author of “Home, Sweet Home,” was held a prisoner in the year 1836, two years before the Cherokee Indians were driven from this country, was at that time the home of Lewis Ross. // John Ross, the Cherokee chief, when arrested by the United States military forces for some alleged insubordination to the United States authority, took refuge in the home of his brother, Lewis Ross. His warm personal friend, John Howard Payne, was also taken along with the chief, where they were kept prisoners for the night. ….(Article Continues)… after the removal of the Indians from this territory, in 1838, the property was bought by a family by the name of Barrett. The house was torn down and rebuilt about twenty-five years ago by William Barrett. His widow, S. F. Barrett, now owns the property. / An interesting feature is that much of the material in the new building was taken from the old Ross house. The two large mantels, which were removed from the Ross cabin, still in a perfect state of preservation, are in the rooms of the new Barrett hotel. …(Article Continues)…”
OBITUARY: TIMOTHY GUTHRIE, SWEETWATER, DIES – Chattanooga Daily Times – 20 Oct 1956, Saturday, Page 9 – Digital Repository: Newspapers.com
“Businessman, Civic Leader Once Served as Mayor; Funeral is Sunday – Special to the Chattanooga Times – Sweetwater, Tenn., Oct. 19– Timothy Baselman Guthrie, 86, one of Sweetwater’s oldest and most prominent citizens, died at his home here this afternoon after a brief illness. // Until the past three months, he attended daily to his duties as secretary-treasurer and general manager of Guthrie, Bradley & Jones, operators of a hardware, furniture, and farm implement business here. At the time of his death he was serving as president of the firm only. // Of the three original partners of the firm, established in 1905, O.K. Jones died on March 18 and the death of Mr. Guthrie today leaves John R Bradley as the last surviving partner. // Active in business and civic affairs, Mr. Guthrie was a former president of the Tennessee Hardware Assn. and had served as mayor of Sweetwater and a director of the Sweetwater Bank, American Textile Woolen Co. and O.K. Jones Co. He was a charter member of the local Kiwanis Club. /// Refinanced TMI – He was one of a group of men who in 1916 purchased Tennessee Military Institute here when it had fallen into financial difficulties and resold it in 1926 after it had been refinanced and reorganized. // Mr Guthrie was associated with the International Harvester Co. before establishing his own business. // He attended and supported the First Presbyterian Church here for 52 years. // Surviving are his wife, the former Sarah Lavinia Barrett; a daughter, Mrs. Burns Allen Dobbins of Fort Lauderdale; a son, T. B. Guthrie, Jr., Sweetwater; six grandchildren. // Funeral services will be conducted Sunday 2:30 p.m., from the residence by the Rev. D. R. Greenhouse, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, and burial will follow in West View Cemetery.
OBITUARY: SWEETWATER LEADER MRS. GUTHRIE, DEAD – Chattanooga Daily Times – 6 Oct 1861, Friday, Page 11 – Digital Repository: Newspapers.com
“Sweetwater, Tenn. — Mrs T. B. Guthrie, Sr, 82, of Sweetwater died Thursday at Woods Presbyterian Home in Sweetwater. // Mrs. Guthrie was the widow of T. B. Guthrie Sr, one of the founders of Guthrie, Bradley, and Jones, Inc. and president of the company, a hardware, furniture, and farm implement store, at the time of his death in 1956.. The firm is Sweetwater’s old business in continuous operation. // Mrs. Guthrie had been a member of the First Presbyterian Church here since 1903, when she came to Sweetwater as a bride. She had remained active in the affairs of the church until failing heath forced curtailment of her activities in recent months. She was prominent also in the civic and social activities of the town. A person of great artistic talent, she had many paintings and pieced of painted china about the family home which she had done.”