GUTHRIE RESEARCH TREE: GFG10

Overview

Guthrie Family Group 10 (GFG10) represents a unique genetic lineage within the Guthrie Genealogy project. While this group originates from a known adoption into Guthrie Family Group 3A (Branch A), Y-DNA testing has confirmed that the biological ancestry is distinct from the GFG3A Guthrie line.

Descendants of this group need to be careful when it comes to the existing documentation on this family line. It is full of holes and wrong turns, in addition to an apparent genetic mismatch to either GFG2A or GFG3A depending on the origin theory. This is the story of Andrew S Guthrie’s adoption into the Guthrie Family of Bulls Gap, Tennessee.

• Descendants of Andrew S Guthrie 1801TN-1869TN & Isabella Rader

ORIGINS AND CONFUSING FAMILY TREES:

Looking into the details about Andrew S Guthrie, we find a Goodspeed Biographical Sketch about Andrew’s son, Lewis William Guthrie. It indicates that Andrew’s father moved to MS when he was just a boy and left him in the care of relatives. Presumably, these relatives would be James & Isabella (Carmichael) Guthrie. Did Andrew assume the Guthrie surname or was he a Guthrie by birth with “other” DNA? Was his unidentified mother the Guthrie connection?

YDNA reveals that Andrew Guthrie’s direct male line does not match any of the Guthrie family groups, including his adopted family in GFG3A. A new Guthrie Family Group (GFG10) was created for his line, although it could technically be a subgroup of GFG3A.

One of our key references in researching Guthrie families, especially those with early colonial roots, is ‘American Guthrie and Allied Families’ by Rev Laurence R Guthrie. This author painstakingly gathered family histories and trees, and conducted research on many of our early American immigrants. He traced their family lines, and hypothesized about relationships between various Guthrie families when the documentation did not provide the details. Many of his theories proved to be correct, but others fell short being disproved by DNA testing or clarification of documentation.

The branches of Andrew’s adopted Guthrie family in GFG3A have undergone a recent transformation thanks to some collaborative research. Read Guthrie Hot Topics on GFG3 Theories Parts 1 & 2 and the Forgotten Sons for details and discussion. Missing sons have been found. Disconnected lineage have been linked to their likely fathers. An unrelated son was removed from the family line.

The GFG3A Family:

Progenitor: Francis Guthrie born c1697-1709IRE – died abt.1755PA
Married: Unknown Spouse or Spouses
Theorized by LRG as a relation of the Guthries of GFG2A, but YDNA of claimed descendants forms a different genetic group: Guthrie Family Group 3A (GFG3A).

Son: Robert Guthrie – Born c1727PA Died 1789VA
Married: Esther Giles
Y-DNA of Descendants = GFG3A

(Not a) Son: Paul Guthrie – Born c1760 in IRE Died 1798SC
Married: Elizabeth Bell
No Participants of this Line in the DNA Project. Reading the original correspondence and origin theory for this line there is no connection to the Francis Guthrie family or to PA. Probably not related, but no YDNA evidence as yet.

Missing Son: Francis Guthrie Jr`- born 1720-30 – died 1799-1800 East TN
Married: Susannah (MNU)
Francis Jr was left out of LRG’s description of the family. Instead, he merged Francis Sr and Jr into one person. There is evidence in the PA records of both men. Francis Jr’s descendants are represented by Autosomal DNA testing only at this point. Need YDNA.

Missing Son: John Guthrie – Born 1730-50 – Died 1819 VA
Married: Unidentified Spouse/s
Several of the lineages now listed under the John Guthrie tree have YDNA matches to GFG3A.

Son: James Guthrie – Born c1769 Died c1829TN
Married: Isabella Carmichael (not Isabella King)
Isabella’s maiden name was Carmichael, not King. This family does not have any YDNA representation at this time.

Children of James & Isabella:
Child: Andrew S Guthrie
Married: Isabella Rader
Known Adoption into the Guthrie Family. Descendants have been placed into a different Guthrie Family Group (GFG10).

Child: James G Guthrie
Married: Mary Ann Simpson
No Participants of this Line in the DNA Project.
Inferred to be GFG3A.

The two children who are listed for James & Isabella (Carmichael) Guthrie are Andrew S Guthrie and James G Guthrie. We have no genetic data for the latter son. Y-DNA Testing from two men descending from Andrew S Guthrie & Isabella Rader have resulted in a unique Guthrie Group designation of their own. GFG10 does not match any other Guthrie group, nor does it appear to match any other group or list of people. There’re two other matches at the Y67 level, surnames Cameron and Perry.

The Genetic Lineage

The biological parents of the group’s progenitor, Andrew S. Guthrie, remain unidentified. Genetic evidence currently points toward a different paternal origin:

• Closest Match: A Y-DNA match to a man with the Perry surname.
• Haplogroup: I-L1450.
• Other Matches: At the Y67 marker level, there are 8–9 additional genetic matches to individuals with the surnames Campbell and MacDonald.

Branch Structure

Currently, the group consists of a single identified branch:

• Progenitors: Andrew S. Guthrie and his wife, Isabella Rader.
• Geographic Origin: Information on their specific origins remains a subject of ongoing research.

DNA Testing Status

The group’s genetic profile is established by:

• Testers: Two Y-DNA 67-marker participants.
• Genetic Distance: There is a 1-step difference between the two testers, confirming a close familial relationship and a stable genetic signature for this branch.

Summary of Research Goals

The primary objective for GFG10 is to identify the biological parentage of Andrew S. Guthrie and determine where the Perry, Campbell, or MacDonald genetic connections intersect with his family history.

🧩 Is This Your Piece of the Puzzle?

Your family story is a thread in a global tapestry.

While you may only know your immediate relatives, you are genetically linked to thousands of Guthrie cousins across the globe. That “minor” detail in your grandmother’s journal or that obscure Bible record in your attic could be the missing link a fellow researcher has been hunting for decades.

How You Can Help:

• Share Your Knowledge: Have you found a record that clarifies an ancestor’s location?
• Contribute a Story: Do you have a family legend or a photo that brings a branch to life?
• Write with Us: Want to feature your branch in an article? We can help you draft it!
• Solve a Mystery: Are you a DNA enthusiast? Help us analyze pattern markers.

Don’t let your branch of the tree remain a secret. [Contact Ann] today to share info, suggest an article, or start a collaboration.

Let’s write the next chapter of the GFG10 story together.