4-A: William Guthrey

Guthrie Family Group 4 · Branch A · Child Page
William Guthrey & Rebecca Noel
Cumberland and Buckingham Counties, Virginia
View in Guthrie Research Tree →Thomas Guthrey’s deed for 260 acres calls William his son. The terms allowed Thomas to keep the use of the land during his lifetime. A generation later, the division of William’s own estate helps identify the daughters who had married into the Coleman and Apperson families.
The Family at a Glance
William Guthrey
- Birth
- 16 August 1751 in the family account. Flint Hill in King William County is a tradition. His father already held an interest in land in Cumberland.
- Marriage
- 25 November 1778 in Buckingham County, reported. Four children are known.
- Death
- By 27 March 1826, when the Cumberland court recorded his inventory. The day of death and burial place are unknown.
Rebecca Noel
- Birth
- 25 March 1761, reported. Her parents have yet to be established.
- Widowhood
- An 1830 Cumberland household is indexed under Rebecca’s name. Its oldest woman is much younger than the age implied by the family birth date.
- Death
- The family gives 5 January 1836. The court recorded her inventory on 26 January and her administration account and division in 1837.
Children of William Guthrey & Rebecca Noel
The four children are identified in the family and estate research. The dates labeled reported come from family accounts.
| Child | Birth | Marriage & Later Life |
|---|---|---|
| John Guthrey | 22 September 1779, reported | Married a Palmore, called Nancy or Jane in family accounts, then Mary “Polly” Ayres and Elizabeth “Betsy” Ayres. The Buckingham death register gives November 1856 and age 81. Its day appears to read 31, an impossible November date. The family gives the 30th. His age conflicts with the reported 1779 birth. |
| William “Buck” Guthrey | 24 September 1781, reported | Married Elizabeth Coleman. Their family included Edward Travis and William Poindexter Guthrie. Buck died 4 December 1848, according to the family account. |
| Nancy Ann Guthrey | 1 February 1783, reported | Married James White, then Gulielmus Coleman Jr. Her daughter Sarah Howard White belonged to the first marriage. Nancy died between the last reported Coleman birth in 1822 and her cousin’s marriage to Gulielmus in 1826. |
| Sarah Noel Guthrey | 28 January 1786, reported | Married James Apperson in Cumberland in August 1805. William consented and John stood surety. The Apperson–Harris–Turner Bible records their children. The family reports Sarah’s death on 5 January 1836. |
Following the next generation
John’s Buckingham family. The Palmore family includes William Palmore, Rebecca Noel, Elizabeth Boatwright, John Garnett, James Smith and Daniel Travis. Martha Ann belongs to the marriage to Polly Ayres. The Elizabeth Ayres line includes Joseph Lee, Mary Susan, Poindexter, Emily Jane, Nathaniel, Nancy Catherine, Kesiah and Matthew. The 1850 household helps distinguish the younger children.
Buck, Nancy Ann and Sarah Noel. Buck’s family includes Louzannie Garnett, Nancy Turner, Edward Travis, William Poindexter, Elizabeth Eleanor, John James and Ireland. Ireland’s later life remains open. Nancy Ann’s family includes Sarah Howard White and the Coleman children John Baptist, James W., Virgil, Ann Rebecca and Alexander Gulielmus. Use the Apperson Bible for Sarah Noel’s eight children. James Apperson’s reported death in Cumberland in 1865 and the Richmond mortality entry for 1869 need independent identification.
Guthrie DNA Project Participation
| Child line | Y-DNA | Big Y | Autosomal |
|---|---|---|---|
| John | 106344, 177763 | — | — |
| William “Buck” | — | — | ✓ |
| Nancy Ann | N/A | N/A | — |
| Sarah Noel | N/A | N/A | — |
✓ marks a documented autosomal line. A dash marks a category without an assigned result in this review. N/A marks a child through whom the Guthrey Y chromosome did not pass.
Historical Highlights

The two generations appear together in the deed books. Thomas retained the use of the 260 acres he conveyed to William for five shillings. In the next generation, a division of property names representatives of married children. The two sets of records allow a reader to follow both the land and the changes of surname.
Family Timeline
- 1778William and Rebecca’s marriage is reported on 25 November.
- 1779–86John, William, Nancy Ann and Sarah Noel were born.
- 1781–84William collected and drove cattle for continental use in September 1781. The court allowed his claim in 1785. Thomas conveyed the Pidy Creek tract to William in May 1784. The court acknowledged the transaction that August.
- 1805William consented to Sarah Noel’s marriage to James Apperson.
- 1826–28William’s inventory, division and sale were recorded in Cumberland Will Book 8.
- 1836–37Rebecca’s inventory and estate division followed in Will Books 9 and 10.
Finding the right William
The 1784 father-to-son deed is indexed in Cumberland Deed Book 6, p. 217. Deed Book 15, p. 37, is a later Guthrey transaction. The 1820 census entry for William Junior needs its own identification. The household ages make it unsafe to use it as a household list for either generation without corroboration.
Explore the Research
DNA & the Family Line
The project traces kit 106344 through John and his son Daniel Travis Guthrie, and kit 177763 through John and his son Joseph Lee Guthrie. The two descendants represent children of different marriages of the same John. Buck’s line has autosomal representation. Kit 232860 has a proposed Baskerville pedigree and is not assigned to one of William and Rebecca’s children.
The two Nancy Guthreys and the widow White
The 1812 marriage index calls Gulielmus’s bride Sarah White. Hoggard’s corrected family study identifies the widow as Nancy Ann, daughter of William and Rebecca. The 1827 division includes Gulielmus. In 1826 he married Nancy Guthrey, daughter of Henry and Patience. The Alabama papers later identify him as acting for this second Nancy in her brother Bernard’s estate. Nancy Turner Guthrie, Buck’s daughter, belongs to the following generation.
The Baskerville marriage
William’s appearance as surety for a Guthrey–Baskerville bond does not identify the groom as his son. The branch provisionally places the younger groom with Travis. The Thomas who married Catherine Cox was a son of Henry and Patience. Compare the Cumberland estate papers with the corrected Hoggard study before assigning another child to William.
John’s wives and their children
The Palmore marriage is associated with six children, including Daniel Travis. The older published account gives the wife’s forename as Elizabeth. Martha Ann is assigned to Polly Ayres. The later Ayres household includes Joseph Lee. A Palmore estate distribution or a marriage entry naming the bride would settle the first wife’s name.
Buck’s family and its neighbors
Buck’s daughter Nancy Turner and her cousins Nancy Ann and Nancy appear in different generations. In Kentucky records associated with William Poindexter, Jane and Morris Guthrie require their own family histories. Proximity in a census and a shared surname do not establish parentage.
Reading & Sources
Start with these records
- Thomas to his son William · Cumberland Deed Book 6, p. 217
- August 1784 court order
- William’s inventory · Will Book 8, p. 159
- 1827 division · Will Book 8, p. 330
- Sale account · Will Book 8, p. 502
- Rebecca’s inventory · Will Book 9, p. 282
- Rebecca’s division · Will Book 10, p. 367
- Apperson–Harris–Turner family Bible
- William’s cattle-driving claim · February 1785 court, p. 208
- 1846 Coleman conveyance · Cumberland Deed Book 26, p. 315
- Patrick Hoggard’s research on Henry’s family
- Hoggard · corrected Coleman account
- Ann Guthrie’s notes and Hoggard’s replies
- Henry Guthrey and Patience
- Travis and the Baskerville question
- Laurence R. Guthrie · American Guthrie and Allied Families
- Joseph A. Guthrie · Early Virginia Guthries and Their Kentucky Descendants
- Branch A evidence, publications and DNA
The collections below include records for relatives, neighbors and people with similar names. A link to an index is a finding aid. Identifications depend on the underlying entry. Some images require a sign-in or access through a participating library.
Family, estate and Bible records
- Family profile in the Guthrie Research Tree
- WB – 8 Index – IMG 304
- Guthrey, William – Inventory – Page 159 – IMG 387
- Guthrey, William – Division – Page 330 – IMG – 474
- Guthrey, William – Estate Sale – Page 502 – IMG 560
- WB – 9 Index – IMG 7
- Guthrey, Rebecca, inventory – Page 282 – IMG 151
- WB – 10 Index – IMG 218
- Guthrey, Rebecca – Admr Acctand Division – Page 367 – IMG 403
- Jane Guthrie
- Morris Guthrie
- Henry and Patience ‘Patsy’ (MNU) Guthrey
- Apperson Harris Turner Family Bible Record
Cumberland deeds and indexes · Books 1–9
- Cumberland County Deed Books
- Deed Book 1 – Page 292 – IMG185 – FHL Film #007893764
- Deed Book 1 – Page 298 – IMG184 – FHL Film # 007893764
- Deed Book 2 – Index – IMG 314 – Brown to Guttery – FHL Film # 007893764
- Book 2 – Page 509 – IMG 574 – Brown to Guttery
- Deed Book 3 – IMG 8 Index – Guttery to Trent p235
- Book 3 – IMG12 Deed – Guttery to Trent
- Deed Book 4 – IMG 312 Index – Guttery to Southall p.84
- Book 4 – IMG 356 Deed – Guttery to Southall p.84
- Book 4 – Page 86 – Kent to Guttrey
- Deed Book 6 -IMG 312 Index – Guttery to Guttery p.217 – FHL Film # 007893766
- Book 6 – Page 217 – IMG 423 – Guttrey to Guttrey
- Deed Book 7 – IMG 7 – Index – Saunders to Guttery – p. 505 – FHL Film # 007893767
- Book 7 – Page 505 – IMG 266 – Saunders to Guttery
- Deed Book 8 Index – IMG 281 – Guttery to Guttery – p.310
- Book 8 – Page 310 – IMG 453 – Guttery to Guttery
- Deed Book 9 Index – IMG 9 – Sanders to Guthery – page 42
- Book 9 – Page 42 – IMG 31 – Sanders to Guthery
- Deed Book 9 Index – IMG 8 – Guthery to Habeman – page 260
- Book 9 – Page 260 – IMG 157 – Guthery to Haberman
Cumberland deeds · later books and the Coleman heirs
- Coleman & wife to Guthrey – p.25 – IMG 22
- Guthry to Guthrey/Noell p.244 – IMG 434
- Guthry to Guthry p260 – IMG 442
- Commissioners to Guthrey p.314 – IMG 469
- Page to Guthery page 189 – IMG 103
- Page to Guthery, Page 191 IMG 104
- Guthrey to Guthrey – Page 37 – IMG 386
- Guthrey to Maddox – Page 1 – IMG 10
- Hatcher & wife to Guthrey – Page 50 – IMG 35
- Guthrey to Hooton – Page 467 – IMG 238
- Houston to Guthrey – Page 470 – IMG 239
- Guthrey to Brown – Page 17
- Guthrey & others to Caldwell – Page 110
- Guthrey & Wife to Guthrey – Page 446 – IMG 524
- Guthrey to Thornton – Page 447 – IMG 525
- Guthrey & Palmore Heirs to Carrington – Page 648
- Apperson & wife to Guthrey’s trustees – Page 184 – IMG 101
- Guthrey to Guthrey – Page 287 – IMG 152
- Guthrey from Brown – Page 53 – IMG 250
- Guthrey, William Inspectors Bond – Page 316 – IMG 200
- Guthrey to Guthrey – Page 32 – IMG 335
- Guthrey to Coleman – Page 193 – IMG 416
- Dunford to Guthrey – Page 587 – IMG 560
- Guthrey from Coleman & others – Page 315 – IMG 169
Cumberland wills, inventories and estate divisions
- Will Books, with Inventories and Accounts, 1749-1887
- IMG 258
- Page 59 – IMG 289
- Guthry (Thos.), Will – Page 153 – IMG 86
- Guthry (Thos.,) Inventory – Page 156
- Guthry, Peyton, Inventory – Page 272 – IMG 146
- Guthrey, Henry, Inventory – Page 427 – IMG 224
- WB – 4 Index – IMG 238 – No entries found
- WB – 5 Index – IMG 408
- Guthery, Alexander – Will – Page 308
- WB – 6 Index – IMG 6
- Guthrey, Alexander, Admr. retd – Page 264 – IMG 141
- WB – 7 Index – IMG 178 – No entries found
- Guthrey, Mary’s Will – Page 342 – IMG
- Guthrey, Mary – Inventory – Page 32 – IMG 236
- Guthrey, Mary – Acct – Page 45 – IMG 242
- WB – 11 Index – IMG 449
- Guthrey, Mary, account – Page 358 – IMG 648
- WB – 12 Index – IMG 9 – FHL 007644347
- Guthrey, Edward T, inventory and appraisement – 6 April 1853 – Page 99 – IMG 66
Printed sources and county collections
- Chapter 17: The Guthrey or Guthrie Family of Cumberland and Buckingham Counties, Virginia.
- Cumberland County, Virginia, Marriage Bonds
- Publication permalink
- Cumberland County Records.
- Publication permalink
- Extracts from King William County Records. Book XI
- Publication permalink
- Cumberland County tax Petitions Since 1776 with Names of Residence of the County Prior to 1789′
Guardian accounts
Cumberland court orders · earlier books
- Court Order Books, 1749 – 1904
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 11-12 – No Applicable Entries
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 195
- Guttery vs Mills & c – Page 191 – IMG 299 – May Court 1754
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 500
- Guttery vs Jones Page 327 – IMG 671 – May Court 1762
- Guttery vs Jones – Page 480 – IMG 748 – May Court 1762
- Guttery to Trent – Page 424 – IMG 720 – November Court 1761
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 9
- Page 18 – IMG 24 – Thomas Guttery against Samuel Jones re: Debt – July Court 1762
- Page 100 – IMG 65 – Thomas Guttery against Samuel Jones re: Debt. Continuation – October Court 1762
- Page 156 – IMG 93 – Thomas Guttery against Samuel Jones re: Debt. Continuation – March Court 1763
- Page 214 – IMG 123 – Thomas Guttery against Samuel Jones re Debt. Dismissed at cost of Deft. – May Court 1763
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 299
- Guttery ~ Thomas – Page 478 – IMG 546 – 25 May 176
- Guttery ~ Southall – Page 491 – IMG 552 – 26 May 1767
- Guttery to Southall ~ Page 264 – IMG 439 – 28 July 1766
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 10
- Guthrey vs Harman – Page 145 – IMG 91 – 25 April 1768
- Harman to Guthrey – Page 212 – IMG 125 – 22 August 1768
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 292
- Guttrey – her will proved – Page 438 – IMG 536 – 25 May 1772
- Guttrey – chose her guardian – Page 506 – IMG 570 – 27 July 1772
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 592
- Guttrey ~ his ordinance license – Page 108 – IMG 654 – 22 March 1773
- Guttrey ~ Homesley – Page 121 – IMG 660 – 22 March 1773
- Guttrey ~ Scruggs – Page 430 – IMG 815 – 28 September 1773
- Guttrey ~ his admr. ~ Coleman – Page 336 – IMG 768 – 24 August 1773
- Guttrey ~ his admr. ~ Coleman – Page 421 – IMG 810 – 28 September 1773
- Guttrey ~ his admr. ~ Coleman – Page 473 – IMG 836 – 26 October 1773
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 9
- Guthrey vs Powel – Page 16 – IMG 26 – 20 February 1774
- Guthrey vs Powell – Page 132 – IMG 84 – 20 March 1774
- Guthrey vs Powell – Page 208 – IMG 122 – 26 April 1774
- Guthrey vs Powell – Page 228 – IMG 132 – 23 May 1774
- Guthrey – his ordinary license – Page 149 – IMG92 – 25 April 1774
- Guthrey – her guardians account – Page 284 – IMG 160 – 26 September 1774
- Guthrey – her guardians account – Page 342 – IMG 189 – 28 August 1775
- Guthrey – his admr ~ Coleman – Page 50 – IMG 43 – 2 March 1774
Cumberland court orders · later eighteenth century
- Guthrey – his admr ~ Coleman – Page 120 – IMG 78 – 29 March 1774
- Guthrey – his admr ~ Coleman – Page 177 – IMG 106 – 26 April 1774
- Guthrey – his admr ~ Coleman – Page 238 – IMG 137 – 24 May 1774
- Guthrey – his admr ~ Coleman – Page 517 – IMG 276 – 29 September 1778
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 292
- Guthrey ~ admr ~ Coleman – Page 26 – IMG 332 – 28 June 1779
- Guthrey ~ admr ~ Coleman – Page 29 – IMG 333 – 28 June 1779
- Guthrey ~ admr ~ Coleman – Page 38 – IMG 338 – 27 July 1779 –
- Guthrey ~ admr ~ Coleman – Page 63 – IMG 350 – 28 September 1779
- Guthrey ~ Elliot – Page 266 – IMG 451 – 28 October 1782
- Guthrey ~ Elliot – Page 300 – IMG 465 – 26 November 1782
- Guthrey ~ Elliot – Page 421 – IMG 525 – 26 August 1783 –
- Guthrey ~ Pearce – Page 390 – IMG 510 – 24 June 1783
- Letter G Surnames IMG 591
- Guthery to Guthery – Page 127 – IMG 662 – 23 Aug 1784
- Guthery ~ Robinson – Page 129- IMG 663 – 23 Aug 1784
- Guthery ~ Robinson – Page 299- IMG 748 – 30 March 1785
- Guthery ~ the Public – Page 208 – IMG 703 – 28 Feb 1785
- Gutheries ~ Holman – Page 220 – IMG 709 – 28 March 1785
- Gutheries ~ Holman – Page 455 – IMG 826 – 25 October 1785
- Gutheries ~ Holman – Page 547 – IMG 872 – 29 Nov 1785
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 11
- Guthrie & Amos – Page 186 – IMG 112 – 29 November 1786
- Guthrie – Page 248 – IMG 160 – 27 March 1787
- Guthrie, Robertson – Page 402 – IMG 237 – 29 Aug 1787
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 314
- Guthrie ~ Martin – Page 121 – IMG 380 – 28 May 1789
- Guthrie ~ Martin – Page 194 – IMG 417 – 25 November 1789
- Guthrie ~ Martin – Page 267 – IMG 454 – May Session 1790
- Guthrie ~ Martin – Page 301 – IMG 471 – August Session 1790
- Guthrie & Hill ~ Cunninghams – Page 206 – IMG – 423 – 4 February 1790
- Guthrie ~ Angelea -Page 480 – IMG 561 – March Court 1792
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 12
- Guthrey to Harvey – Page 69 – IMG 56 – March Court 1793
Cumberland court orders · later volumes
- Guthrey & wife to Hendrick – Page 470 – IMG 257 – February Term 1796
- Guthrey & c – writ – Page 656 – IMG 367 – June Court 1797
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 386
- IMG 387
- Guttery – Page 144 – IMG 467 – 22 October 1798
- Guthery to Guthery – Page 297 – IMG 544 – 31 October 1799
- Guthery ~ Anderson – Page 326 – IMG 558 – 26 February 1800
- Guthery ~ Cheshier – Page 327 – IMG 559 – 27 February 1800
- Guthrey, Thomas – probate his will grants – Page 398 – IMG 594 – 22 September 1800
- Guthrey, Thomas – inventory returned – Page 401 – IMG 596 – 27 October 1800
- Guthrey, Thomas ~ Cayce – Page 442 – IMG 616 – 23 February 1801
- Guthrey, Thomas ~ Cayce – Page 498 – IMG 644 – 30 April 1801
- Letter G Surnames IMG 12 and 13
- Guthrey, Thos. order to executors – Page 259 – IMG 151 – August Court 1802
- Guthrey to Holeman – Page 445 – IMG 244 – September Court 1803
- Guthrey to Guthrey – Page 287 – IMG 165 – October Court 1802
- Guthrey & Palmore – Page 360 – IMG 202 – February Court 1803
- Guthreys v Atkinson – Page 467 – IMG 255 – October Court 1803
- Letter G Surnames – IMG 268
- Guthrey ~ Kinnon – Page 38 – IMG 286 – 27 February 1804
- Guthrey ~ Palmore adm – Page 83 – IMG 319 – 25 July 1804
- Guthrey ~ Palmore admr – Page 125 – IMG 357 – October Court 1804
- Guthrey ~ Durham – Page 70 – IMG 313 – 23 July 1804
- Guthrey, Peyton, admr granted – Page 115 – IMG 352 – October 1804
- Guthrey, inventory returned – Page 148 – IMG 369 – 26 Feb 1805
- Guthrey ~ Davies – Page 154 – IMG 372 – 26 February 1805
- Guthrey ~ Davies – Page 474 – IMG 532 – 24 February 1807
- Guthrey ~ White – Page 130 – IMG 360 – October Court 1804
- Guthrey appraisers appointed – Page 133 – IMG 361 – 26 Nov 1804
- Guthrey ~ Cheshire – Page 478 – IMG 534 – 25 February 1807
- Guthrey to Maddox – Page 400 – IMG 495 – 25 August 1806
Bible collections and Noel family research
Most Wanted Documents
- Find the original Buckingham marriage or a Noel deed or estate record that identifies Rebecca’s parents.
- Read the 1812 White marriage bond, the 1846 Coleman conveyance (Cumberland Deed Book 26, p. 315) and chancery case 1830-005 together for the two Nancy families.
- Compare the Buckingham register (1856, p. 45, entry 67) with an obituary or Bible entry. The register appears to say 31 November, while the family gives 30 November. Seek the original Palmore marriage evidence.
Continue the Family’s Story

The 1827 division names the households that came together after William’s death. A receipt signed by an heir, a Palmore family entry or the record behind Rebecca’s reported birth date could identify which relatives carried these papers into the next generation.
Researched & Curated by Ann Guthrie
