Guthrie Family Group 4 – Branch B
WILLIAM GUTHREY 1772 VA – 1854 GA and MARY WARREN MUSGROVE
of Virginia and Georgia, USA

CONTENTS:
Origin Theories
The Family of William Guthrey & Mary Warren Musgrove
The Guthrie DNA Project
Reading and Resources

ORIGIN THEORIES for GFG4 – BRANCH B

The single most important clue to the origins of William Guthrey’s ancestry is genetic. The Y-DNA test of a direct line male Guthrie descendant is a match for the genetic profile of Guthrie Family Group 4. The primary genetic matches for this group all point to a single line of descent from Thomas Guthrey and Sarah Oakes of King William and Cumberland Counties, Virginia. From what can currently be determined from an analysis of the data, William Guthrey is probably a direct descendant of that couple. Thomas Guthrey appears to be either an adopted son of Edward Guthrie of King & Queen County, Virginia, or the result of a non-paternal event (NPE). There is no evidence of a broader Guthrie family with this YDNA profile. Determining William Guthrey’s exact line of descent is the challenge.

THE FAMILY of WILLIAM GUTHREY and MARY “POLLY” WARREN MUSGROVE

WILLIAM GUTHREY
Parents: Unidentified (Very Probable Lineal Descendant of Thomas Guthrey and Sarah Oakes)
Birth: About 1770 (Census estimates 1770-1775)
Birth Location: Virginia
Occupation: Unknown, presumably a farmer
Military Service: Unknown
Marriage: Polly Musgrove est. 1805-1809 in Georgia, USA
Death: 5 May 1854
Death Location: Cassandra, Walker County, Georgia, USA
Burial: Unknown, presumably in Walker County, Georgia, USA

MARY WARREN MUSGROVE aka “POLLY”
Parents: Harrison Musgrove Abt. 1750MD – 1796GA and Jeane Owen Abt. 1760MD – 1809GA
Birth: About 1786
Birth Location: Georgia
Guthrey Children: 5
Death: After 1860
Death Location: Unknown, last documented location: Pond Springs, Walker, Georgia, USA
Burial: Unknown

NOTES:
According to the 1850 census, William Guthrey was born about 1770, the estimated range from other records being 1770-1775. If the origin theory is correct, his age would likely make him a grandson of Thomas Guthrey and Sarah Oakes via one of their older sons. It is unknown if William served the United States in any military capacity, but his age makes him eligible for service during the War of 1812, or the southern Indian Wars of that era.

William’s marriage to Polly Musgrove would have probably occurred about 1805-1809. By that time the Musgrove family was already living in Georgia. According to random family history postings, descendants believe that Polly was of Native American descent, or potentially a “full blooded Cherokee”. No documentation has been found to support that family theory at this time.

The Musgrove family had spent several generations in Charles County, Maryland. Polly’s grandparents, Harrison Musgrove and Mary Warren lived there. The latter remarried and died in Georgia in 1796. Polly’s father, also named Harrison Musgrove was a Quartermaster in the Wilkes County, Georgia Militia during the Post-Rev War years. His wife, Polly’s mother, Jeane Owen married Harrison in Pittslvania, Virginia in 1782 prior to their move to Georgia. If Polly was a “full blooded Cherokee” she may have been adopted into the family rather than born into it, but Autosomal DNA tests should reveal the lack of either Musgrove or Owen family connections if that was the case.

William and Polly settled in Cassandra, Walker County, Georgia. They had twin sons who died either at birth or in their early childhood, and three other known children who lived to adulthood. William died on 5 May 1854. Polly was alive during the 1860 census in Pond Springs, Walker, Georgia.

GUTHREY CHILDREN: 5
Y-DNA Project Participants: YES
Autosomal DNA Participants: YES

CHILD 1: HARRISON GUTHREY
1809 – Bef. 1817
Died Young

Twins Harrison (presumably named after maternal grandfather) and Barnett Guthrey are documented on family trees as the earliest children of William and Polly, however I have not found any actual documentation. There is mention on various websites about a Family Bible Record. Does anyone have a copy? It may provide some evidence. Both boys died young prior to 10 years of age per the sites. One family tree lists their death date the same as their birth date on 15 October 1809.

CHILD 2: BARNETT GUTHREY
1809 – Bef. 1817
Died Young

Twins Barnett and Harrison (presumably named after maternal grandfather) Guthrey are documented on family trees as the earliest children of William and Polly, however I have not found any actual documentation. There is mention on various websites about a Family Bible Record. Does anyone have a copy? It may provide some evidence. Both boys died young prior to 10 years of age per the sites. One family tree lists their death date the same as their birth date on 15 October 1809.

CHILD 3: ROBERT MUSGROVE GUTHREY
1811GA – 1877GA
Spouse 1: Mary Jane Hardin
Spouse 2: Harriett Ann Bradley

Eldest surviving son, Robert Musgrove Guthrey was born in Georgia, likely in Greene County, on 24 March 1811. He was twice married. First to Mary Jane Hardin on 13 August 1835 in Walton County, GA, by whom he had 6 children: William Benjamin, Mary Elizabeth, Robert Beverly, Lucinda Jane, David Martial, and Malone Cook. Mary Jane died in 1864, and two years later Robert remarried to Harriett Ann Bradley. They had 5 more children: John Lee, Martha Iola, Rachel Frances, Walter Musgrove, and Robert Green. 

Robert Musgrove Guthrey was a farmer and remained in Walker County the remainder of his life. He died on 29 April 1877 in Cassandra, Walker, GA and was buried at Coulter Cemetery in Kensington, Walker, GA the following day. His widow Harriett lived until 1888.

Guthrey Children: 11
Y-DNA Project Participants: Yes
Autosomal DNA / Family Finder Project Participants: Yes

1.) William Benjamin Guthrey (farmer) 1836GA-1894GA m. Elizabeth Frances Lee Thompson +children
2.) Mary Elizabeth Guthrey 1839GA-1912GA m. Philemon H. G. McGuffey (farmer) +children
3.) Robert Beverly Guthrey 1842GA-1861GA – died at 19 years of age – unmarried.
4.) Lucinda Jane Guthrey 1844GA-1915GA m. George Colquitt Baker (farmer) +children
5.) David Marshall Guthrey (farmer) 1846GA-1919TN m. Sarah Adeline Shaw +children
6.) Malone Cook Guthrey 1848GA-1856GA – died young at 8 years of age
7.) John Lee Guthrey 1870GA-1957OK (farmer) m. Esther Ernest Ownbey +children
8.) Martha Iola ‘Ola’ Guthrey 1871GA-1943GA – unmarried
9.) Rachel Frances ‘Fannie’ Guthrey 1872GA-1937GA – unmarried
10.) Walter Musgrove Guthrey (railroad laborer) 1874GA-1964GA m. Alice Rowan -no children
11.) Robert Green Guthrey (farmer) 1877GA-1941GA – unmarried

CHILD 4: MARTHA JANE GUTHREY
1820GA – 1905OR
Spouse: Jesse H Stansell

Only known daughter, Martha Jane Guthrey was born on 19 May 1820. The family had been enumerated in Greene County in 1820, but Martha Jane was not yet listed. She was likely conceived there. The next location for the family is Oglethorpe County by 1830.

Martha Jane married Jesse H Stansell in Georgia on 14 February 1843. He was a farmer born in North Carolina. They lived in Walker County, Georgia during the 1850 census, but moved to Kings River, Madison County, Arkansas by 1860 where they remained through the 1870 census. By 1880 they had settled in Summerville, Union County, Oregon. Jesse died there in 1886. Martha Jane received a Civil War Widow’s Pension. She died in 1905 in Imbler, Union, Oregon. 

Stansell Children: 13
Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A
Autosomal DNA / Family Finder Project Participants: None at this time.

1.) Elizabeth ‘Susan’ Lane Stansell 1844GA-1924AR m1. Robert Tucker +children, m2. William Mays
2.) William Levi Stansell 1845GA-1922KS m. Mary Jane Shelton +children
3.) Sarah Catherine Stansell 1847GA-1860NC – died young at 13 years of age
4.) Margaret Loleta Stansell 1847GA-1920AR m. John Tucker (farmer) +children
5.) Elmirah Jane Stansell 1850GA – bet.1881-1899 m. Hardin Shelton (farmer) +children
6.) John Robert Stansell (farmer) 1852GA-1902AR m. Gemima Adeline Bollinger +children
7.) Martha Frances Stansell 1853GA-1896AR m. John Wesley Rollins (farmer) +children
8.) James Henry Stansell 1855GA – Bef. 1860GA – died at birth or early childhood
9.) Nancy ‘Eliza’ Stansell 1855 – 1878OR m. James Madison Sutherland (grocer) +children
9.) Jesse Richard Stansell (gardener/laborer) 1858-1920OR – unmarried
10.) George Wesley Stansell (farmer) 1860-1909 – unmarried
11.) Harriet Lucinda Clementine Stansell 1861GA-1918OR m. John Gamaller Berry (farmer) +children
12.) Cordelia Howell Stansell 1863AR- 1876OR – died young at 13 years of age.

CHILD 5: WILLIAM OLANDER GUTHREY
1825GA – 1895AR
Spouse: Clementine Stewart

William Olander Guthrey was born on 22 February 1825 in Georgia, probably in Greene or Oglethorpe County. He was a 24yr old farmer living with his parents in Lookout Valley, Walker, GA in 1850, and married Clementine Stewart about 1853. They had 5 sons and a daughter. William and Clementine continued to live in Walker County, GA through the 1880 census, but they moved to Black Springs, Arkansas by 1895 where William died in October of that year. His widow died in 1904. Both are buried in Black Springs Cemetery in Montgomery County, AR

Guthrey Children: 6
Y-DNA Project Participants: None
Autosomal DNA / Family Finder Project Participants: None

1.) William Harrison M Guthrey 1854GA-1930AR m1. Martha Fowler +children, m2. Ella Crumley +children
2.) John Beverly W Gutthrey 1857GA-1925OK m1. Sallie Thornton +children, m2. Adele Lee Jones +children
3.) George E C Guthrey 1860GA-1865GA – died young at about 5 years of age
4.) Mary Elizabeth Mahaley Guthrey 1866GA-1940AR m1. James Moore +child, m2. Benjamin Gillespie +children
5.) Robert Albert Lee Gutrhey 1869GA-1943AR m. Stella Justice +child
6.) Oscar Dean Guthrey 1875GA-1943AR m. Martha Bell Hendrix +children

THE GUTHRIE DNA PROJECT

Haplogroup: I-M253

Y-DNA Kits:
Kit MK73302: William Guthrey/Mary Warren Musgrove > Robert Musgrove Guthrey/Mary Jane Hardin > William Benjamin Guthrey/Elizabeth Frances Lee Thompson (GGP) +more

This kit matches the YDNA profile of Guthrie Family Group 4 Descendants

READING and RESOURCES

WEBSITE/DATABASE: Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia’s Northern Neck Counties
Entries for:
Harrison Musgrove 1729-1760
Harrison Musgrove c1751MD-1799GA

DOCUMENTS: General Index to Deeds, Greene County, Georgia, FHL Film # 007898892.
G-Index: IMG 76-85
Reverse Index IMG 77 – Guttery, William (Grantee) from Thomas Daniell (Grantor)
Deed – 29 Aug 1796 – Rec. 29 Aug 1796 – Vol 2 Page 213
Deed mentions his ‘trusty friend’ Reuben Guttery giving to him and his heirs a tract of land in Kentucky. The index lists the Grantee as William Guttery rather than Reuben.

Direct Index IMG79 – Gutery, William & Polly (Grantors) to George Owen (Grantee)
Deed – 23 March 1809 – Rec. 3 Jan 1810 – Vol 5 Page 347
William Gutery is listed as being of the County of Greene, Georgia (grantor) and George Owen the same.
Consideration of $70, 1/8 part of a tract of land known by the name of Musgroves Old Tract lying on the waters of little River. The deed includes the names of William Gutery and wife Polley Gutery, both making their mark.

M-Index: Starting at IMG 130
Direct Index – IMG 131 – Musgrove, H (Grantor) to Jeremiah Lindsey (Grantee)
Deed – 15 Dec 1795, Recorded 30 Jan 1804 – Volume 3 Page 721

WEBSITE: Oglethorpe County GA GenWeb – Harrison Musgrove Estate and Other Records
A breakdown of division of Harrison Musgrove’s estate in 1806 includes a notation “To Polly Warren Musgrove -Ditto – $280”. The 1820 Yearly Return of the estate of HarrisonMusgrove – Oglethorpe County, GA listing the signatories verifying receipt of their portion of the estate, either Musgrave’s sons or the daughters’ husbands, which includes William Guthry (married Mary Warren Musgrove).

DOCUMENTS: Filing Docket and General Index to Deeds and Reality Mortgages, 1794-1938, FHL Film # 008564248 Grantor: IMG 293-294 and FHL Film # 008188535 Grantee: IMG 306.
There are no entries for William Guthrie and/or Polly Warren Musgrove
The following are the only Guthrie (Grantor) entries. Note that there is no verified connection between this William Guthrie and the Guthrie-Colquit line, but they do show up in the same region at the same time, and one of William and Polly’s grandsons has Beverly as a middle name. Beverly’s family line needs YDNA testing / representation for placement.
IMG 293 (Grantor Entries)
Guthery, Beverly et al to James Colquit – 1798 – Rec. 1 Jan 1797 – 243 Acres Millstone Creek – Deed C p256
Guthery, Sarah et al (same) Deed C 256
IMG 294 (Grantor Entries, cont.)
Guthrey Nehemiah to George M Smith – Filing 22 May 1829 – Instr. 19 Jan 1829 – 255 Acres – W.D. Book N p7
Guthrey, Nehemiah to Wm Collins – 16 Oct 1849 – Int. in Sarah Guthry’s Estate 247 1/2 acres – Deed Book S p456
Guthrey, Sarah to Guthrey, Nehemiah – 7 Feb 1829 – Inst. 29 Oct 1828 – Golden Grove Creek – QC D – Book M p 401
IMG 306 (Grantee Entries)

The Same Sources list the Musgrove entries on IMG 480 (Grantor) and IMG 513 (Grantee)
Grantor…

Grantee…

DOCUMENTS: Oglethorpe County Deed Books (Family Search)

REPORT: Houston, Martha Lou, (1928) ‘Land lottery list of Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1804, Hancock County, Georgia, 1806‘ Columbus, Georgia.
Includes:
#1112 Beverly Guthery – Draws 2 (page 13)

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