Created: 12 March 1900
from parts of Westmoreland, Allegheny, and Lycoming Co.
County Seat: Kittanning

ARMSTRONG COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA GENEALOGY RECORDS

FORMATION OF PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES

SOURCE: Armstrong County Pennsylvania Will Book Volume 4 pp33-34, Last Will & Testament of James Guthrie

SOURCE: Biography of Walter J Guthrie published in the Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong Counties, Pennsylvania, by Samuel T Wiley, 1891.

SOURCE: Armstrong County Pennsylvania Orphans Court Records Vol 0, p140 – Petition of William Guthrie, Admin. of Estate of William Guthrie

SOURCE: Obituary of Capt. William Guthrie

The Gazette, Saturday, March 15, 1828. 

 “Distressing Casualty” – On Monday evening last Capt. William Guthrie, of Redbank township, in company with one of his sons, was coming to town with a wagon; but before they reached it, night overtook them. It became excessively dark, and it was difficult to proceed. The old gentleman was in the wagon, the son was driving, when they came to a high narrow bridge, about five miles above this place. Dark as it was, they attempted to pass it, but unfortunately they kept too much to the lower side, and horses and the wagon, with the old gentleman in it, fell over the side. Mr. Guthrie was killed instantly; his body, head and limbs were terribly bruised. The son fortunately escaped by leaping from the saddle.
Mr. Guthrie was about 73 years of age; he was a soldier of the revolution, and was at Paoli at the time of the shocking massacre of the troops at that place, and he narrowly escaped. He drew a pension. As a man he was much esteemed, and his melancholy end is the subject of universal regret. He has left an aged widow and numerous relatives to mourn his loss. 

SOURCE: American Guthrie and Allied Families, by Laurence R Guthrie, Footnotes on James Guthrie of Cumberland & Westmoreland, PA

(177)
“Transcript of property in Westmoreland, Mt. Pleasant Township, 1783:–Guthrie, Jas., Sen’r., 210 acres, 2 horses, 2 cattle.” “Return of State Tax, Westmoreland, Mt. Pleasant Township. Guthrie, Jas Sen’r. 2 pounds, 2 shillings.” (Pa Arch, Ser.3, Vol 22, p. 432 and 521) 
[Note: This almost certainly belongs to James Sr., though by this date James Jr. also has a son named James]

(178)
Tract in Donegal Township, property now or late of McKnab Christy, sold for taxes, 1785-86, by County Commisioners, September last. (1786), situate on Four-Mile Run, containing 210-1/2 acres to James Guthrie of said Township. (Westmoreland County, Pa Deeds, liber B, folio 255).

(179)
20th April, 1787: James Guthrie of Greensburg, Tavernkeeper, and Jean his wife, for 218 pounds, 15 shillings, convey to adam Hope, yeoman of Mt. Pleasant Township, a certain tract in said township, called “Guthrie’s Fortune,” containing 165-1/4 acres which was conveyed on application No.3428, entered 13th june , 1769, by Martin McDonald and William Perry, Esq, Sheriff, having taken same to satisfy debt by deed dated May 3, 1780, conveyed 1787, recorded in Patent Book No. 10, p.41. (Signed) James Guthrie. Jannet Guthrie.

[Note: This is more likely to be James Guthrie, Jr. who has been established as residing in Greensburg]

“James Guthrie, executor.” in the will of of David Rankin, Mt. Pleasant Township, Dec 16, 1788. (Westmoreland County, PA., Probates, liber 1, folio 100) 

(180) 
July 30, 1790. James Guthry, Westmoreland County, PA, Farmer, and Jannet his wife, to Robert Peoples, of Hamilton Township, Franklin Co., PA, innkeeper, wheras in pursuance of a certain agreement made between the said parties 23rd January, 1777, the said James Guthrey and Jannet his wife, on the 27th day of April, 1777, by deed recorded at Carlisle, in Book P., p.230, did convey the said Peeples all that certain plantation whereon he now lives; and whereas by mistake and contrary to the true intent and meaning under date of Sept 6, 1787, a patent under the seal of the State was issued to James Guthrey for the said lands, whereas the said patent ought to have granted the said lands unto Robert Peeples:–now, therefore the said James Guthrey and Jannet his wife, deed to said lands to the said Peeples. (Signed) James Guthery, Jennet her x mark Guthery. In the presence of John Parker, Wm. Guthrie, Isaac Parr. all of Westmoreland County, PA. A true copy taken from the original, 4th May 1808. (Franklin Co., PA Deeds, liber 8, folio 133).

(181)
Philadelphia February 27, 1783. “A return of the Justices for the Township of Mount Pleasant in the County of Westmoreland was received and read by which it appears that James Guthrie hath been duly elected and the inhabitantts of said township to the number of twenty-nine have prayed On Consideration, ordered that James Guthrie, Esquire, be appointed a Justice of the Peace for the County of Westmoreland and commissioned accordingly.” (From the Minutes of the Supreme Executive Council. Col. Records Vol 13, p 517)
[Most likely James Jr. as his father would be elderly.] 

(182)
12th day of April, 1800: James Guthrie, Esq., of Hempfield Township, and Jane his wife, sell to Daniel Turney, a tract of land in said township containing 150 acres and allowances, it being a part of a tract granted on application No. 3528, June 23, 1769, to Joseph Brownlee, who is since deceased, and John Guthrie, his only surviving administrator, in pursuance of an order of the Orphan’s Court, by deed dated 16 Nov. 1799, conveyed same to the said Guthrie; for which 150 acres and additional adjoining land of the said Guthrie, 310 acres and allowances, patent was granted 15th Feb 1800. (Signed) James Guthrie. Jane Guthrie. (Note: This is the last known instrument in which her name appears.) In the presence of Chris Truby. (Westmoreland Deeds, Vol. 5, p186-187) 

[Note: This would be James Jr., but it also brings up the Brownlee-Guthrie connections. Jennet Culbertson Guthrie died in 1801, so the referenced note indicating that the 1800 sale of land was her last legal document makes sense.]

(183)
May 15, 1817:–William Jack, Thomas Hoge, James Guthrie and Samuel Guthrie, executors of the last will and testament of James Guthrie, late of Hempfield Township, deceased:–

Whereas there was granted to James Guthrie, Sen’r., by the State of Pennsylvania, a patent dated Sept. 9, 1791, for a certain tract of land situate on Crab Tree Run, now in the Township of Salem, containing 320 acres, 139 perches,–and the aforesaid James Guthrie, Sen’r, died intestate leaving issue–James Guthrie, William Guthrie and Elizabeth Guthrie intermarried with Isaac Parr to whom the said tract of land by the law of this Commonwealth descended as tenants in common, and the undivided interest of William Guthrie was duely sold by the Sheriff of Westmoreland County to said James Guthrie; and wheras the said James Guthrie, the elder in his life time was endebted to the said Isaac Parr for boarding, etc., in the sum of $425.26, which sum the said James Guthrie, Jr., assumed; and whereas it hath been agreed by the executors of the said James Guthrie, deceased, and Isaac Parr to make equal partition of the land, and the said James Guthrie having made his last will and testament in writing dated 23rd April, 1812, in which Wm. Jack, Thomas Hoge, James Guthrie and Samuel Guthrie were duely appointed executors:–now therefore, they in consideration of the premises and in addition, one dollar paid by the said Isaac Parr, convey to him the right and interest of James Guthrie, in the estate of James Guthrie, Sr., of a tract of land containing 160-1/2 acres and allowances. Drafted April, 1816. (Signed) Samuel Guthrie, Thomas Hoge, James Guthrie, Wm. Jack. In the presence of Paul Morrow, Robert Williams. Recorded May 16, 1878. (Westmoreland Deeds, Vol. 12, p.350).

SOURCE: Hon. John Moore, The First President Judge of Westmoreland County {Google Books}

“(Judge John Moore) was born in Lancaster county. His father, Wm. Moore, died when he was but a boy; and afterwards, his mother Jeanette Moore, and her son, in company with her brothers Charles Wilson, Esq. and John Wilson removed to the district of Westmoreland County. 

What his opportunities for an education were are not known. He wrote a good hand, and in language and orthography, his composition indicated a man of strong, vigorous and clear intellect. After his mother had removed to Westmoreland County, she was again married, to James Guthrie of Greensburg, by whom she had several children, one of whom, named James, was afterward Sheriff of Westmoreland county.”

ESTATE RECORDS: