5-G: Josephus P Guthrie

Guthrie Family Group 5 – Branch G
JOSEPHUS P GUTHRIE and CLARA RUSSELL and JOSIE STREET
of Forsyth, Cobb, and Catoosa Counties, Georgia, and Blount County, Alabama, USA

JOSEPHUS P GUTHRIE
Parents: Henry Guthrie (1812GA-1855GA) and Manerva Lyon (1813GA-1896AL)
Birth: 1846
Birth Location: Roswell, Georgia, USA
Occupation: Boot and Shoemaker; Insurance Agent
Military Service: Civil War – Major/Acting Quartermaster, 11th Infantry, CSA
Marriage 1: Mary Clarissa ‘Clara’ Russell on 17 Dec 1871 in Marshall County, AL
Marriage 2: Josephine ‘Josie’ P Street on 22 Mar 1888 in Dade County, GA
Death: 25 Apr 1923
Death Location: Oneonta, Blount County, Alabama, USA
Burial: Oak Hill Cemetery, Oneonta, Blount County, Alabama, USA

MARY CLARISSA RUSSELL aka “CLARA”
Parents: Alfred Grayson Russell (1811-1874) and Laura Loveless (1826-1898)
Birth: About 1850
Birth Location: Crossroads, Marshall County, Alabama, USA
Guthrie Children: Yes
Death: Bet. 1882 and 1888
Death Location: Unknown, presumably in Alabama or Georgia, USA
Burial: Unknown, presumably in Alabama or Georgia, USA

LOUISA JOSEPHINE STREET aka “JOSIE”
Parents: Francis M Street (1832-1896) and Mahulda Jane Hawkins (1832-1910)
Birth: 7 December 1860
Birth Location: Georgia, USA
Guthrie Children: Yes
Death: 7 September 1920
Death Location: Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee, USA
Burial: Sulphur Springs Cemetery, Sulpher Springs, DeKalb County, Alabama, USA

NOTES:

This man’s name appears in multiple forms online. His gravestone lists him as J P Guthrie, and the name Josephus P Guthrie is frequently used. I have also seen him listed as Josephus C Guthrie. One tree lists him as Josephus Cleatius Guthrie, that middle name does not appear to be documented with a source. The name Josephus is frequently found shortened to Cephus, which might explain the use of the initial C. Census records do seem to indicate that this was one individual rather than an amalgamation of data on two different men.

Josephus Guthrie was born about 1846 in Roswell, Georgia.

On 3 July 1861, he enlisted as a 2nd Lieutenant in Company G of the 11th Regiment of Georgia infantry. He was promoted on 15 September to acting brigade quartermaster at Centerville, Virginia. Josephus received a gunshot wound in the left leg on 8 Jun 1864 and was hospitalized at Jackson Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, and returned to duty 8 days later. He was mustered out at Appomattox on 9 April 1865.

Josephus Guthrie married Mary Clarissa ‘Clara’ Russell in Marshall County, Alabama on 17 December 1871. He worked as a Boot and Shoemaker, a trade that seems to be consistent with this family. They were parents to 3 children: Betty Leona Guthrie, Annie Laura Guthrie, and Algie Guthrie.

Algie is the child that connects Josephus to his two families. Algie’s death records indicate that his parents were Josephus Guthrie and Mary Russell. Algie is also found living with Josephus and Josephine during the 1900 census in Friendship, Marshall, Alabama.

Josephus Guthrie married Josephine ‘Josie’ P Street on 22 Mar 1888 in Dade County, Georgia. Their children were: Donnie/Johnnie Guthrie, Pauline Guthrie, Mary E Guthrie, Hubert Guthrie, Julius Herman Guthrie, and Thyra Guthrie. The family moved to Tennessee for a time. Josie died in Chattanooga on 7 Sep 1920, and was buried in Alabama. Josephus moved back to Alabama. He died there on 25 April 1923 in Oneonta, Blount, Alabama and is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery.

Confirmation of the familial connections could be made through genetic tests, preferably the Y-DNA of descendants of Algie, Hubert, and Julius Herman.

Guthrie Children: 9 – (3 by Clara / 6 by Josie)
Y-DNA Project Participants: NONE
Autosomal DNA Particiapnts: NONE

CHILD 1: BETTIE ‘LEONA’ GUTHRIE
Born: 23 Aug 1876 AL – Died: 22 Oct 1918 AL @ Age: 42
Spouse: John Henry McGee
McGee Children: Yes
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: NONE

Josephus and Clara’s first child was named Bettie Leona Guthrie, and it seems they used a trend with the children by calling them by their middle names. Leona was 4 years old at the time of the 1880 Census. The family of four also included 1-year-old Laura.

Due to the gap in the census, the next date Leona pops up is the marriage license for John H McGee and Leona Guthrie signed by T A Street, judge of probate, on 13 Nov 1896, with their marriage recorded in Marshall, AL on 1 Dec 1896. John Henry McGee was born about 1874 in Alabama. He was a farmer and then a laborer at a Basket Factory. He owned his own home mortgage free. Henry and Leona had five sons together before her death in 1918. About three years later, he remarried to Katie L Carter by whom he had three additional children: Hazel Virginia McGee (1923), Hellen McGee (1926), and Harry Ray McGee (1929).

1.) Tildon Howard McGee: 10 Dec 1898 AL – 20 Mar 1945 AL m. c1921 Plumer ‘Pearl’ Matchum +children
2.) Herman Hugh McGee: 3 Apr 1900 AL – 10 May 1978 AL m. c1921 Lillie Gaunt +children
3.) Elbert Manley McGee: 2 May 1902 AL – 9 Dec 1941 m.1929 Lola Mae Douglass +children
4.) Claud ‘Short’ McGee: 1 May 1904 AL – Nov 1976 AL m. Annie May Long +children
5.) L.H. ‘Sonny’ McGee: 16 May 1909 AL – 26 Mar 1971 AL m. Rhoda Cobb +children

CHILD 2: ANNIE ‘LAURA’ GUTHRIE
Born: Sep 1880 AL – Died: 5 Apr 1950 GA @ Age: 69
Spouse: Millard Fillmore West about 1900 AL
West Children: Yes
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: NONE

The second of Clara’s three children, Annie Laura Guthrie was born in September of 1880. They called her Laura. She was listed on the 1880 census as a 1 year old, so the birth year may have been 1879. Records are unclear. Laura was 19 years old when she married Millard Fillmore West, her father J P Guthrie signing his consent on the license. Her husband was initially a farmer, but later entered the restaurant business as an owner, and as a real estate agent. Between 1910 and 1920, they moved from Marshall County, AL to Bibb County Georgia. By 1910, Laura had given birth to 5 children, but only Ray and Flora were living. Two more children, Vernon and Fred, were born in AL and reached adulthood. Millard died in Fulton County, GA on 11 Jan 1944. He was 65. Laura survived him by 6 years.

1.) Auwie Raymond West: 26 Aug 1904 AL – 4 May 1965 GA m.1930GA Vera May Phillips +children
2.) Florence ‘Flora’ West: 21 Jan 1908 AL – 17 Feb 1992 GA m. abt 1930 Anton Flynn +children
3.) Vernon Robert West: 21 May 1911 AL – 10 Sep 1993 GA m. abt. 1942 Aralee Goodwin +children
4.) Fred Filmore West: 28 Mar 1914 AL – 26 Nov 1986 GA m. Jimmie Anderson +child

CHILD 3: ALGIE GUTHRIE
Born: 16 Aug 1882 AL – Died: 26 Nov 1964 @ Age: 79
Marital Status: Single / Unmarried
Guthrie Children: None Known
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – No Known Descendants
Autosomal DNA Participants: N/A – No Known Descendants

Algie Guthrie, the youngest of Clara’s children by Josephus, never married. He was a career military man, first in the US Army and later in the US Marine Corp. The name Algie Guthrie is found on a list of soldiers transferred in the 7th Infantry between 1902-1905. On 24 Sep 1907, reenlisted as a US Army private. He enlisted with the US Marines on 23 Nov 1910. He was stationed in San Francisco during the 1910 census, but was mustered in May 1911 with Co. C. 2nd Regiment, 1st Provisional Brigade, Camp Meyer, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The following month he was moved to the US Naval Medical School Hospital in Washington, DC. The same month it is noted that he is stationed at the Marine Barracks in Washington DC. In Sept 1911, Algie was still stationed at the US Naval Hospital in Washington DC. In June 1913, he was stationed with Company I, Expeditionary Force, US Marines, USS Prairie. Algie Guthrie reenlisted 24 Nov 1914 as a Corporal, mustering on Nov 1915 with Second Company, 1st Regiment, 1st Brigade, USMC, Maryland, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA. He reenlisted 29 Nov 1922 as a Sergeant stationed at the Southern Recruiting Divisions in New Orleans, LA. When his father died in 1923, Algie was still living in New Orleans. In 1942, he completed the “Old Man’s Draft” WWII Registration for men born on or after 28 Apr 1877 and on or before 16 Feb 1897. Algie listed his place of residence as Seguin, Texas, age 59, birthplace as Attalla, AL, DOB as 16 Aug 1882, and the name and address of someone who will known his address: U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. During the 1950 census, Algie was living in Hot Springs, Garland, Arkansas, 68 years old. He listed no occupation at that time. He was 79 at his death on 26 Nov 1964.

CHILD 4: JOHNNIE GUTHRIE
Born: Apr 1889 AL – Died: Aft. 1923 @ Age: Unk
Marital Status: Unknown – Single at 31 during the 1920 census
Occupation: Stenographer – Rail Road Office
Children: Unknown
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: N/A – No Known Descendants

Johnnie was the eldest child of Josephus P Guthrie by his second wife Josie. She attended school and chose a career path as a stenographer. The 1920 census lists her as working for a railroad company in Chattanooga, Hamilton County, TN. Her father’s obituary in 1923 lists his surviving family members, which includes “Misses Johnnie and Meta Guthrie, of San Antonio, Texas.”

That is the last clue found for Johnnie Guthrie. She is not living with her sister in 1930.

There are several marriage for women by this name, but none that have been confirmed to be her. Nor has Johnnie been found listed in the 1930 census. She shows up in Chattanooga, TN City Directories through 1922, which lists the following: “Johnie S Miss sec, C E James R 317 E 8th” Note that the 1930 census lists a Clarence E James, salesman, wife Williow, and son Clarence E. No renters or boarders listed. By this time, Johnnie had apparently already moved on to San Antonio, Texas in 1923, and perhaps elsewhere by 1930.

If she was still working for the railroad, her location might frequently change. She may also have returned home to Alabama at her father’s death and remained there, but that is merely speculation.

CHILD 5: EVONCA ‘PAULINE’ GUTHRIE
Born: Jul 1892 AL – Died: Bet. 1923-1930 TN or MO @ Age: Unknown
Spouse: Clovis B Johnson m.23 Mar 1914 in Morgan County, Alabama, USA
Johnson Children: Yes
Occupation: Stenographer
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: None

Like her sister Johnnie Guthrie, Pauline became a stenographer. She was 18 years old during the 1910 census when the Guthrie family was living in Dencherd, Franklin, Tennessee. She married in Morgan, AL to Clovis Burmer Johnson on 23 March 1914. This was the first marriage for both. The marriage record describes the parties. Clovis was 26, white, 5’8″ tall, 155lbs, born in TN, occupation: salesman, no blood relation between the parties, Baptist, residence: Lexingington, TN. Pauline was 22, white, 5’6, born in AL, Occupation: Stenographer, Presbyterian, residence: Decatur, AL.

The Lexington Progress, Fri. 7 April 1916, p.5 reported, “Mayor C. C. Davis has been informed by letter from Birmingham, AL, that Mrs Clovis B. Johnson had undergone a double operation in a Birmingham infirmary on the day before and was doing well when her husband wrote the letter. Mr Johnson was reared in this county, at or near Darden, and yet has many friends in the old neighborhood.” (Newspapers.com)

They are found in the 1918 City Directory for Birmingham, AL: Johnson, Clovis B (Pauline) com travel b 1212 s 16th. In September of that year they are residing in Darden, Henderson, TN where Clovis signed up for the WWI draft. On this card, his next of kin is written with her full name, what appears to be “Evonca Pauline”. The first name is a little fuzzy, so may actually be something similar. Clovis was working for a medical company as a traveling salesman. The 1920 census shows them with one son, Clovis Jr. This boy is later documented as Charles Burmer Johnson.

On Monday, 20 February 1922, the Springfield Leader and Press (Springfield, Missouri) reported “Mary Johnson dead. Mary Marie Johnson, two-year-old daughter of Clovis Johnson, died of pneumonia yesterday morning at 5 o’clock. She is survived by her parents and one brother, all of whom reside on Rural Route 1. The funeral service will be held at Shiloh church tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock, followed by interment at Shiloh cemetery. W.L. Starne, undertaker, will direct the burial.”

Pauline (Guthrie) Johnson was still alive in 1923 when she is mentioned in her father’s obituary. By 1930, Clovis B Johnson has remarried and had a son, Richard Edward, with his second wife, LaVohne Wellman. The eldest son, C B Johnson, is found in Hickman County, TN living with his paternal grandmother, Nonnie Johnson, 65, and great-grandmother, Marie M Johnson, 86. Note that he has been listed as Charles Burmer Johnson Jr, and Charles Benjamin Johnson.

Clovis Burner Johnson died in a St. Louis nursing home in 1966, aged 80-81. His widow LaVohne lived until 1976. They are both buried at Union Church Cemetery in Chesterfield, Henderson County, TN.

1.) Charles Benjamin Johnson: 20 Dec 1914 TN – aft. 1950 MO m.1938 Hazel Juanita Nichols +children
2.) Mary Marie Johnson: abt. 1920 MO – 19 Feb 1922 MO – died in early childhood

CHILD 6: MARY E. GUTHRIE aka “META JO”
Born: 28 Aug 1893 – Died: 9 Feb 1987 @ Age: 93
Spouse: Karl Patterson Tatum (draftsman) m. 14 Oct 1924 in Chattanooga, TN.
Tatum Children: Yes
Occupations: Teacher, Stenographer
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: None

For the first 25 years of her life, this daughter is documented in census records as “Mary E Guthrie”. After that she is listed as “Metta” or “Meta Jo”. She worked as a school teacher in Chatanooga, TN and was living with her parents and siblings until after the 1920 census. In 1923, at the time of her father’s death, both she and her sister Johnnie were working in San Antonio, Texas. She returned to Tennessee where her marriage to Karl Patterson Tatum took place on 14 Oct 1924 when she was 31 years old. He worked as a draftsman. Their only child, Suzanne Evelyn Tatum, was born in 1928 after their move to California.

Meta Jo died on 9 Feb 1987 in San Diego, California. She was buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, Los Angeles, California. She had been a widow since Karl’s death on 1 Jan 1974.

CHILD 7: JOSEPH ‘HUBERT’ GUTHRIE
Born: 8 Oct 1894 AL – Died: 8 July 1973 @ Age: 78
Spouse 1: Cleone (Atkins) Fogo on 26 Jul 1928 in Chattanooga, TN / Div. bef. 1934
Spouse 2: Mary Lou Sparks on 16 Sep 1934 in Chattanooga, TN/ Div. abt. 1944
Spouse 3: Evenlyn B (MNU) bef. 1950
Occupation: Post Office Supervisor
Guthrie Children: None
Y-DNA Project Participant: N/A – No descendants
Autosomal DNA Participants: N/A – No descendants

Florida Today
Tues. 10 Jul 1973
(Cocoa, Florida)

CHILD 8: JULIUS HERMAN GUTHRIE
Born: 17 February 1896 AL – Died: 4 February 1970 TX @ Age: 73
Spouse: Eilene Alvina Seiler
Occupation: Post Office Letter Carrier / Postal Clerk
Guthrie Children: Yes
Y-DNA Project Particiapants: NONE
Autosomal DNA Participants: NONE

Julius Herman Guthrie was born in Etowah County, Alabama. The family moved to Franklin County, TN by 1910 where they were listed in the census for Decherd. He was the youngest son of the family. He enlisted in the US Army during WWI serving as a private in Battery B, First Tennessee Field Artillery Unit / 30th division 114th field artillery.. He was wounded at the battle of Argonne forest. He returned from France on the ship North Pacific arriving in Hoboken, New Jersey on 2 Nov 1918. His mother Mrs J P Guthrie of 449 McCallie Ave, Chattanooga, TN was listed as his nearest relative. Julius Guthrie joined others in reporting that the YMCA had charged (or overcharged) soldiers for good during their encounters in Paris, and gave credit to the Red Cross and Salvation Army for providing services and meals to soldiers free of charge.

During the 1920 census, Julius was 22, still single, and living with his parents and siblings on McCallie Avenue in Chattanooga. He had no occupation listed at that time. Sometime afterward, Julius and at least two of his siblings moved to San Antonio, Bexar (pronounced ‘bear’) County, Texas. He married there on 5 June 1929 to Eilene Alvina Seiler. They had one son born the following year, Joe Edward Guthrie.

Both Julius and his older brother Joseph Hubert Guthrie worked for the U.S. Postal Service as mail clerks. Julius and Eilene initially rented a home on Nolan Stree, but later purchased their own home at 1646 Schley Avenue. Eilene was a civil service employee working in ‘physical counting and auditing’. In 1942, Julius was required to register for the WWII ‘Old Man’s Draft’ for men born on or after 28 April 1877 and on or before 16 Feb 1897. He was 46 at the time and living at 1646 Schley Ave. in San Antonio, TX. He died in Kerrville, Kerr County, TX on 4 February 1970, and was buried San Antonio at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery with a military marker for his WWI service. His wife Eilene is also buried there. She died on 30 Dec 1985 at 77 years of age. Their son Joe Edward Guthrie was a US Navy man who served in Korea. He is also buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery with a military marker.

1.) Joe Edward Guthrie: 20 Mar 1930 TX – 6 Jul 2006 TX (m.x2) +children

CHILD 9: THYRA VARRICK GUTHRIE
Born: 2 Oct 1900 AL – Died: 15 Nov 1977 @ Age: 77
Spouse: Alfred Aloysius Phillips m. 23 Nov 1921 in Valdez, Texas, USA
Occupation: Stenographer (Lawyer’s Office)
Phillips Children: Yes
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Participants: NONE

The youngest child of the family was born in the new century on 2 October 1900 in Alabama. She was named Thyra Carrick Guthrie. Before she turned 10, the family had moved to Decherd, Franklin, TN where she attended school including 2 years of college. Like her older sisters, she became a stenographer. Thyra moved from Chattanooga, TN to San Antonio, TX making her home with her sister for a time.

On 23 Nov 1921, Thyra V Guthrie married Alfred Aloysius Phillips. Passenger records show they took a trip to Key West, Florida in 1925. They had one daughter, Josephine Ann Phillips, born in 1928. Alfred was a WWI veteran. By 1930 he was a Stock Broker and employer, and later owned a Real Estate business. Alfred died in 1950 in San Antonio at the age of 62. Thyra was only 50 at his death. On 10 Aug 1956, she was in London England on a flight to New York.

1.) Josephine Ann Phillips: 2 Feb 1928 TX – 21 Dec 1996 TX m. Gus Donald Bohnet +children