GUTHRIES of BALLEW YDNA / SCT / VA / TN / IN / GA / TX

GUTHRIE RESEARCH TREE: GFG11

Guthrie Family Group 11:
The Ballou Connection & The Colonial Mystery

Genetic Profile: Haplogroup R-M269 > R-A10673 Primary Genetic Matches: Ballou, Belew, Ballow

Guthrie Family Group 11 (GFG11) represents one of the most intriguing genetic detective stories in our project. Unlike groups connecting directly to Scottish clans, GFG11 shares a distinct Y-DNA signature that binds three geographically dispersed branches together—and connects them intimately with the Ballou/Belew families of Virginia and the Carolinas.

Below is an overview of the three distinct lineages that form this genetic group.

The GFG11 Branch Overview

The DNA Evidence: Breaking Down the Big Y-700

We currently have 5 participants representing GFG11 in the project, with testing levels ranging from STR panels to the advanced Big Y-700.

• Participants: Descendants of the Guthrie, Guthery, and Guthary surname variants.
• Confirmed Haplogroups: R-M269, R-A10673 (Big Y confirmed), and R-S11477 (Deep Ancestral).

The “Ballou” Cluster

The most striking discovery for GFG11 is the overwhelming match strength with the Ballou/Ballew/Belew surname. As seen in the Big Y-700 Time Tree (attached), the GFG11 Guthries are nested within a large cluster of Ballous.

Visualizing the Time Tree:

1. The Common Ancestor (c. 1500 CE – 1650 CE): The Time Tree shows a divergence point around the node R-A10673. This node splits into the Guthrie participants and the Ballou participants.
2. The Guthrie Branch (R-FTD22724): The tree groups Guthary (Branch B descendant) and Guthrie (Branch C descendant) tightly together. This confirms that Branch B and Branch C share a very recent common ancestor, likely in the mid-to-late 1700s.
3. The Ballou Branch (R-BY144400): Sitting directly next to the Guthries is a large cluster of men with the surname Belew and Ballow, tracing back to ancestors like William Belew (b. 1755 VA) and Leonard Ballew.

Origin Theories: How did a Guthrie become a Ballou (or vice versa)?

Based on the Big Y-700 matches and regional data, we can propose two main theories regarding the origins of GFG11.

Theory 1: The Colonial Virginia Name Change (NPE)

The most likely genealogical scenario. The geographical focal point for Branch A, Branch B, and the primary Ballou matches is Virginia in the mid-1700s.

• The Evidence: William Belew (Ballou match) was born in Virginia c. 1755. George Guthery (Branch A) and Tobias Benjamin Guthrie (Branch B) also have origins tied to Virginia during this same era.
• The Theory: A male born into the Ballou family may have been adopted by a Guthrie family, or took the Guthrie name due to out-of-wedlock birth (Non-Paternity Event), subsequently starting the GFG11 line. Given that there are many more Ballous in this genetic cluster than Guthries, genetics suggests the original male lineage was likely Ballou.

Theory 2: The Huguenot / Continental Origin

The deep ancestry perspective. Looking further back on the Time Tree, past the 1500 CE mark, we see connections to surnames that are distinctly non-British.

• The Evidence: The upstream nodes (R-S11477 and R-Z27559) connect to men with surnames like Stoudt, Teffeteller, and House—names of Germanic or Continental European origin. Furthermore, the name “Ballou” is often of French Huguenot origin (Ballou/Bellew).
• The Theory: This lineage may not be Scottish at all. The deep ancestry suggests a migration from the European Continent (Germany/France) to the UK or directly to the American Colonies. The name “Guthrie” may have been anglicized from a similar-sounding German or French name, or adopted upon arrival in an area populated by Scots-Irish immigrants to assimilate.

Call to Action for GFG11 Researchers

To solve this puzzle, we need to focus less on Scotland and more on Colonial Virginia.

1. Look for Neighbors: Search for Ballou/Belew families living near George Guthery or Tobias Benjamin Guthrie in Virginia census or tax records.
2. Upgrade Testing: Any male GFG11 member who has not yet taken a Big Y-700 test is encouraged to do so. Refining the split between Branch A and Branch B could tell us exactly when the Guthrie name was adopted.

LINEAGES ASSOCIATED with GUTHRIE FAMILY GROUP 11

• Descendants of George Guthery 1769VA-1855IN & Mary Young
• Descendants of Tobias Benjamin Guthery a1790VA-p1851GA & Sarah (MNU)
• Descendants of John Franklin Guthrie 1802AL-1858TX & Mary Swoap

GUTHERY-YOUNG:  Two of the 4 project participants are descendants of George Guthery of VA & IN and Mary Young, a couple with 15 children. Their common ancestor is George & Mary’s son Young Guthery 1812TN-1867KS, a man married three times. One participant descends from wife#1, and the other from wife#3.

George was born in Virginia on 17 Aug 1769, and married his wife Mary Young in Tennessee in 1794. They moved to Indiana bet. 1830-1840, as did their son, Young Guthrie, who had married his first wife prior to the move to Indiana. He later moved his family to Missouri, and then to Arkansas. His first and last children were born almost 40 years apart.

GUTHRIE-SWOAP:  John Franklin Guthrie was born in Alabama on 15 Sep 1802. He married Mary Swoap, who was born in Rutherford County Tennessee, and they moved to Jackson County, Alabama by 1830 and then onto Burleson County, TX by 1846 where they remained until John’s death in 1858. There are no census records for Alabama for 1800 or 1810, so it is difficult to pinpoint the Guthrie families who were living there at the time. It is doubtful that John Guthrie of AL/TX is a son of George Guthrie of VA/IN. There is perhaps a small window of opportunity in TN, however, George & Mary had a son John born in 1797. Unless John was an illegitemate child allowed to have the Guthrie last name, he is not a son of George, which means that the shared Y-DNA originated in a generation prior to George Guthery of VA/IN. 

GUTHARY-HAYES:   The furthest proven ancestor of this participant’s line is Posey Jackson Guthary, born 18 May 1817 in Fairmont, Georgia, and died 9 May 1892 in Arkansas City, Arkansas, Arkansas. He married Elizabeth Hayes, reportedly in NC, but I have no documentation of such. They were in the 1850 census of Union County, Georgia, and the 1860 census of Fannin County, GA.

There is a T.B. Guthry, age 81, born in VA, living next door to P.J. Guthry, along with a wife Sarah, age 62, and a child Rachel, age 10 living next door to Posey’s household in Union County, Georgia in 1850. This suggests a family relationship, likely that of father-son. The 1840 census lists a Tobias Gutry in Union County, GA in the 1840 census, and property records list Tobias in Rabun County, GA owning 400 acres in 1836. The 1830 census places Tobias Guthrey in Macon, Warren County, NC. The only difficulty in equating Tobias Guthrie with TB Guthrie is an age difference in the census records. He should be about 60-69 in 1850, but the record, which is difficult to read, appears to list him as 81. Tobias died 1851-1860 GA. 

Knowing that Posey Jackson Guthary’s descendants have the same Y-DNA as George & John, Posey’s 1817 birth would place him in the same timeframe as the births of George & Mary (Young) Guthrie’s children, but not the right location. Posey was born in GA when George was in TN. If Tobias (T.B.) Guthry is indeed Posey’s father, his birth range and location indicate he was born in Virginia between 1781-1790, making him of the approximate age to be a younger brother or nephew to George.

🧩 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 GFG11 story together.