Guthrie Family Group 3A
Sarah Guthrie 1765MD – p1820VA m1. Isaac Davis and m2. John Van Lear Sr
of Frederick, Maryland and Rockbridge & Montgomery, Virginia, USA

SARAH GUTHRIE aka “SALLY”
Parents: Robert Guthrie 1727PA – 1789VA and Esther Giles 1730PA or MD – 1806VA
Birth:
Birth Location:
Marriage 1st: Isaac Davis on 15 July 1796 in Montgomery County, Virginia, USA
Davis Children:
Marriage 2nd: John Van Lear Sr on 16 June 1817 in Montgomery County, Virginia, USA
Van Lear Children:
Death: Unknown, After 1820
Death Location: Unknown, presumably in Virginia, USA
Burial: Unknown, presumably in Virginia, USA

ISAAC DAVIS
Parents: Unknown
Birth: Unknown
Birth Location: Unknown
Occupation: Unknown
Death: Bet. 1796 – 1817
Death Location: Unknown, presumably in Montgomery County, Virginia, USA
Burial: Unknown, presumably in Montgomery County, Virginia, USA

JOHN VAN LEAR SR
Parents: Jacobus Van Lear 1704NY-1783VA and Margarita Gorissen
Birth: 1745
Birth Location: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Occupation: Unknown
Death: Unknown
Death Location: Unknown
Burial: Unknown

NOTES:

Sarah Guthrie and Isaac Davis were married when she was 31 years of age.

No probate documents were found for Isaac Davis in Montgomery County, Virginia. The Deed Book Indexes for the county are not accessible online, and Deed Book C, containing entries during key years does not seem to include an index in the book. So, no additional information has been found on Sarah during her marriage to Isaac Davis.

Sarah (Guthrie) Davis’ second marriage was to John Van Lear Sr in 1817. He was a 72 year old widower and a father of ten. She was 52. No issue. John died in Blacksburg, Montgomery, VA about 1829. His will was probated at the October 1829 Court for Montgomery County. Sarah survived him as he names her “Sally” in his will. She received 1/3 of his lands and plantation. At any remarriage or her death the property was to revert to his son, William Van Lear.

William Van Lear was one of the elders of Blacksburg Presbyterian Church, officially founded in 1832. Many in the church were of Scot-Irish ancestry, but the Van Lears were originally from Amsterdam. John Van Lear, the first in this area to be ordained an elder, and his wife Sarah (Allison) Van Lear were certainly among them. “Father of ten children, three sons and seven daughters; he trained them up in the old-fashioned way of keeping the Sabbath, and saw them all members of the church; two of his sons elders, and one a minister of the gospel.…‘The Bible, and Shorter Catechism, and a sermon from Davies or Burder on every Sabbath’ says his son was the order of his house ”

DAVIS CHILDREN: None Known
VAN LEAR CHILDREN: None
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: N/A – No Known Descendants

READING and RESOURCES

DOCUMENTS: The 1776 Elizabeth Hundred, Frederick County, Maryland Census

BOOK: Phillips, John (1936). A History of the Guthrie Family. Repository: Family Search Library. (Copyright restrictions. Unable to view online.) Subjects: Guthrie Family, Elliott Family, Skiles Family, Spear Family.

DOCUMENTS: The Last Will and Testament of Robert Guthrie of Rockbridge County, Virginia, 1788. Rockbridge County, Virginia Wills, 1778-1925, Will Book, Volume 1, 1778-1796, page 329. Digital Repository: Ancestry.com

DOCUMENTS: The Last Will and Testament of Robert Guthrie of Rockbridge County, Virginia, 1788. Virginia County Court (Rockbridge County) Will Books, 1778-1902, Will Book 1A – Page 329, FHL Film 0007646171, Image 500 of 603, Digital Repository: Family Search

DOCUMENTS: Register of Marriages – Montgomery County, Virginia – 1777 – 1853
FHL Film # 007579015 – 673 Images
Image 300 – Sarah Guthrie to Isaac Davis – 15 July 1796 – Easther Guthrie, mother, Security and Witnesses: David Love , Richard Guthrie

Image 394 – Sarah Davis to John Vanlear – 16 June 1817 – Security and Witnesses: Richard Guthrie; John Anderson

DOCUMENTS: The General Index to Montgomery County, Virginia Deeds Grantors/Grantees is locked. Must be accessed from FHL or affiliate library.

DOCUMENTS: The Last Will and Testament of John Van Lear Sr of Montgomery County, Virginia, 1829. Virginia US, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900, Mixed Records, Vol. 4-6, 1823-1842. Digital Repository: Ancestry.com

WEBSITE/BLOG/DATABASE: Family Stories ‘Introducing the Van Lear Family’. Includes a database with Van Lear information.

Is this your branch of the Guthrie Family Tree? 
Contribute research, reading, and resource information 
to share with your Guthrie cousins.
Start a Discussion!