Guthrie Family Group 2A – Branch C
SAMUEL GUTHRIE 1680-1700 SCT or IRE – 1746 DE and MARY (Maiden Name Unknown)
of New Castle County, Delaware

CONTENTS:
Origin Theories
The Family of Samuel Guthrie & Mary MNU
Historical Highlights
Mistaken Identities
The Guthrie DNA Project

ORIGIN THEORIES for GFG2A BRANCH C

Keeping in mind that family theories come in all shapes and sizes, there is one Guthrie origin story that tells the tale of 7 Covenanting brothers who came to America from County Derry in Northern Ireland. Laurence R. Guthrie’s book, ‘American Guthrie and Allied Families’ relates the legend and makes an attempt at listing candidates for these fraternal immigrants.

Genetic testing of descendants has proven some of the ‘brothers’ to belong to different Guthrie Family Groups, while others had no known children. In other words, it’s not a perfect origin story.

Nine potential candidates for the Brotherhood of Seven:
Samuel Guthrie of DE (d1746) – Emigrated before 1737. GFG2A-Branch C
William Guthrie of IRE/DE (1710-1775) – Emigrated c1745. GFG6
James Guthrie of IRE/DE (d1788) – Emigrated c1745. Lived MCH. GFG6?
Cornelius Guthrie of IRE/DE (married in DE in 1748) – No descendants.
Archibald Guthrie of IRE/PA – Emigrated before 1760. GFG2A-Branch D
Robert Guthrie of IRL/Carlisle,PA – Emigrated c1740-44. GFG2A-Branch E
Francis Guthrie of IRE/PA – Lineage issues GFG2A vs GFG3A vs GFG10.
John Guthrie of IRE/PA 1735-1766 – No known descendants.
John Guthrie of IRE/PA (1725-1797) – Emigrated 1771 – GFG2A

4 of the 9 are confirmed to belong to GFG2A.
2 of the 9 are either confirmed or likely to belong to GFG6.
2 of the 9 have no known descendants for Y-DNA testing.
1 of the 9 has documentation issues connected to multiple groups.

There appear to be two separate groups of Guthries living in New Castle County, Delaware at the same time. The family associated with Guthrie Family Group 2A descends from Samuel Guthrie, who’s living in London Britain Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania in 1725, and obtained a land warrant in New Castle County, Delaware in 1737. The other family, associated with William Guthrie, who immigrated from Northern Ireland, lived in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware.

William lived in Mill Creek Hundred. His line is confirmed to belong to Guthrie Family Group 6. James also lived in Mill Creek Hundred, but his line remains untested for Y-DNA.

Cornelius’ marriage to Jane Peterson took place at Old Swedes Church in Wilmington on 24 Oct 1748. No further details are known about this couple.

Samuel, Archibald, Robert, and John are all known to belong to GFG2A. That would leave three addition unidentified ‘brothers’.

The legend’s connection to both County Derry and to the Covenanters fits well with the other origin stories for Guthrie Family Group 2A that tie into the Guthries of Pitforthie history.

THE FAMILY of SAMUEL GUTHRIE & MARY (MNU)

SAMUEL GUTHRIE
Parents: Unknown
Born: c1680-1700
Location: Scotland or Northern Ireland
Marriage: Unknown
Occupation: Unknown
Death: September 1746
Location: New Castle County, Delaware
Burial: Unknown, probably in New Castle County, Delaware

MARY (MNU)
Parents: Unknown
Born: Unknown, probably 1690-1710
Location: Unknown
Sons: Samuel, Adam, Robert
Daughters: Rachel, Elizabeth, Mary, Jane
Death: 1773, probably January or February
Location: New Castle County, Delaware
Burial: Unknown, probably in New Castle County, Delaware

CHILDREN:

ADAM GUTHRIE
b. Est.1720-25 – d. Bet.1746-1775
Adam Guthrie was married and had a daughter prior to his death, which occurred before 1775 when his sister Jane (Guthrie) Vail filed a petition for the division of the Guthrie estate.

Guthrie Sons: None
Guthrie Daughters: Mary Guthrie

Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – No Male Children
Autosomal DNA Project Participants: No

ROBERT GUTHRIE
b. Est.1712-24/Bef.1729 – d.1750DE
Robert Guthrie owned land in St George’s Hundred by 1750 when his property was mentioned in a deed between Michael & Elizabeth Signun and Thomas Hyatt. Later that year, Robert Guthrie wrote his will leaving all of his possessions to his mother, Mary Guthrie. The petition for division of the Guthrie property by Robert’s sister, Jane Vail, 16 Aug 1775, indicates that her brother died without issue, unmarried and childless.

Guthrie Children: 0

Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – No Children
Autosomal DNA Project Participants: N/A – No Children

JANE GUTHRIE
b. Est.1714-24 – d.1780DE
Jane Guthrie married John Vail at an unknown date and location. Probably in New Castle County, Delaware. Her will was probated in 1780 New Castle, DE.

Vail Sons: John Vail Jr (possibly), Thomas Vail, Isaac Vail
Vail Daughters: Margaret Vail, Jean Vail

Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Project Participants: No

MARY GUTHRIE
b. Est 1716-30 – d. aft 1774
Mary Guthrie married Thomas Vail on 26 February 1747 in Holy Trinity / Old Swedes Church in Wilmington, DE.

Vail Children: 2
Vail Sons: None
Vail Daughters: Nancy, Jane

Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Project Participants: No

ELIZABETH GUTHRIE
b. Est.1718-25 – d.1746-1774
Elizabeth Guthrie reportedly married a man named John McCabe.

McCabe Children: Unknown

Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Project Participants: N/A – No Verifiable Children Known

SAMUEL GUTHRIE
b. Est.1720-35 – d. 1765-1773

Samuel Guthrie married Margaret Knox in Holy Trinity / Old Swedes Church in Wilmington, DE in October 1745. He patented 106 acres of land in St George’s Hundred that hear. Samuel also fought in the French & Indian War (1854-1763). His estimated DOD has been changed recently to 1765-1773 to reflect that he died “in the lifetime of his mother” whose estate was assigned letters of administration in 1773.

Children: 4
Sons: Robert, William, Samuel, James
Daughters: None

Y-DNA Project Participants: Yes
Autosmal DNA Project Participants: Yes

RACHEL GUTHRIE
b. Est.1722-30 – d. Aft.1774
Rachel Guthrie married Robert Stewart, at an unknown date, and reportedly moved to Virginia where tradition states they were ancestors to General J.E.B. Stewart, commander of the cavalry under General Robert E. Lee.

Stewart Children: Unknown

Y-DNA Project Participants: N/A – Female Guthrie
Autosomal DNA Project Participants: No Verifiable Descendants

HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS

About 1700: BIRTH of SAMUEL GUTHRIE & MARY (MNU)
This is an arbitrary date selected because it is a round number 25 years before the earliest known document listing Samuel Guthrie indicating his adulthood. Two of his children had known DOM in 1745 and 1747. Assuming they were also around 20 at the time of their marriages, that would make their DOB in the 1720s, which again would estimate Samuel’s DOB around 1700. If he was about 20-40 at the time of their births, his age range would be 1680-1700. If the family legend is correct, Samuel Guthrie would have been born in County Derry, Northern Ireland. His future wife was most likely about the same age.

1725: TAX RECORDS, CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
“Sam’l Guttery, London Britain township, 1725” (From Chester Co PA tax lists, 1725-1765, unpublished, LRG,p691 footnote 95)

This is the first record in the area credited to Samuel Guthrie. 1725 was also the first year of the recorded tax lists, so it is possible that Samuel was in the county before that date. Chester County is also home to Guthries from GFG2A – Branch B and I.

1737: Property Warrant
New Castle County, Delaware on 8 April 1737
“Signed the warrant to Samuel Guthry for 100 acres in New Castle Co. (PA Arch Ser 3, Vol 1, p.90, Minute Book K).

1737: Property
New Castle County, Delaware (Pennsylvania) on 1 Jun 1737
“Samuel Guthrie, 100 acres in New Castle Co,” (PA Arch Ser 3, Vol 1, p.90.) Note: New Castle was included in Pennsylvania at that time.

1746: DEATH of SAMUEL GUTHRIE
Samuel Guthrie died sometime on or after 1 Sep 1746 when he wrote his last will and testament. He named Sons Adam, Robert, Samuel; daus Jane, Mary, Elizabeth and Rachel; wife Mary. Exc. wife Mary and son Robert. The will was probated on 5 September 17. Proved 13 Sept 1746.

1749: TAX RECORDS, CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
LRG, p.159, states that the “Widow Gulterie” is probably the widow of Samuel Guthrie of St George’s, New Castle, DE.

1750: DEATH of SON, ROBERT GUTHRIE
Robert Guthrie died in 1750 leaving a will that named his mother as his sole heir and executor. “I give all I have to my mother Mary Guthrey, who is to be executrix.” Test: John Guthrey, John McCabe. Proved Oct 13, 1750. (New Castle Co., Del. Wills, liber G, folio 427).

1773: DEATH of MARY (MNU) GUTHRIE
New Castle County, Delaware on 17 Feb 1773
Letters of Admin on estate of Mary Guthry granted in due form to John Neal and inventory to be exhibited on or before the 17th of August next and to render an account before the court on or before the 17th of Feb 1774.

THEIR STORY

SAMUEL GUTHRIE may have been born in Scotland or Northern Ireland. If the family legend about the Brotherhood of Seven is true, their origin would have been County Derry, Northern Ireland, with a deeper ancestry back in Scotland.

Before his arrival in Delaware, Samuel was a resident of London Britain Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania where he appeared on a 1725 tax list. This proves his immigration occurred no later than that year. Chester County is directly across the state line on the NE of New Castle County. By 1737, Samuel had secured a land warrant for 100 acres in New Castle County.

It is unknown exactly when Samuel & Mary were married or the dates of birth of their seven children, but it is likely that the location was either in Chester, PA or New Castle, DE.

The majority of our Branch C participants descend from Samuel and Mary through the line of their son Samuel Guthrie who married Margaret Knox, and from there through the 10 sons and daughters of James Guthrie and Elizabeth Eilor.

MISTAKEN IDENTITIES

None found at the moment, but use caution when linking Guthrie men and women in this area as there is more than one genetic line within New Castle County.

GUTHRIE DNA PROJECT

GUTHRIE FAMILY GROUP: GFG2A
GROUP DESIGNATION: Branch C – Cluster 3 (Colonial Delaware)

Haplogroup: R-M269
Confirmed Haplogroup: R-Z30233

Y-DNA Matches: 5
Kit 22098
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Robert Guthrie/Castilla Simpson > John Amos Guthrie/Elizabeth Ann Ashby (GGF) +more

Kit 113050
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Robert Guthrie/Castilla Simpson > Lewis G Guthrie/Lucy H Tomlinson (GGP) +more

Kit 146782
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Robert Guthrie/Castilla Simpson > James Guthrie/Harriett Furbee (GGP) +more

Kit 152427
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Edmund Guthrie/Elizabeth Sapp > Benjamin Franklin Guthrie/Katherine Sapphire Walls (GGP) +more

Kit 828792
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Robert Guthrie/Castilla Simpson > Commodore Guthrie/Phoebe Payne > Henry Ellis Guthrie/Susie Viola Wade > Ezra Earl Guthrie/Amy Phillips (GGP) +more

Family Finder / Autosomal DNA Kits:  16

Kit 98377
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Catherine Guthrie/Barrick Murphey > William R Murphey/Hettie Ann McCreary > John Murphey/Sarah M Huntsinger (2xGGP)

Kit 223601
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Sarah Guthrie/Benjamin Franklin Sapp> Rebecca Sapp/Joshua Shuttlesworth > Eliza LaUna Shuttlesworth/Thomas J Watson (2xGGP)

Kit 227929
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Sarah Guthrie/Benjamin Franklin Sapp> Rebecca Sapp/Joshua Shuttlesworth > Eliza LaUna Shuttlesworth/Thomas J Watson (2xGGP)

Kit 245662
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Hannah Guthrie/Jacob E Kerns > Elisha Kerns/Elizabeth J Harris (2xGGP)

Kit 350253
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > James Guthrie/Louisa Rebecca Naylor > Rebecca Louisa Guthrie/Edward B Cox (2xGGP)

Kit 351582
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Robert Guthrie/Castilla Simpson > Eliab Guthrie/Hannah Hickman (2xGGP) +more

Kit 351583
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Robert Guthrie/Castilla Simpson > Eliab Guthrie/Hannah Hickman (2xGGP) +more

Kit 351584
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Robert Guthrie/Castilla Simpson > Eliab Guthrie/Hannah Hickman (2xGGP) +more

Kit 351585
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Robert Guthrie/Castilla Simpson > Eliab Guthrie/Hannah Hickman (2xGGP) +more

Kit 483673
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Sarah Guthrie/Benjamin Franklin Sapp > Rebecca Sapp/Joshua Shuttlesworth (2xGGP)

Kit 491064 (Male Guthrie – FF Only)
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Edmund Guthrie/Elizabeth Sapp > Benjamin Franklin Guthrie/Katherine Sapphire Walls (2xGGP) +more

Kit 582727
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Margaret Guthrie/Robert Lyons > Marinda Lyons/Richard T Coppage > Mary Elizabeth Coppage/David M Hickman (GGP)

Kit 654481
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Margaret Guthrie/Robert Lyons > Marinda Lyons/Richard T Coppage > Marinda Jane Coppage/George H Marshall (GGP)

Kit 797833
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Catherine Guthrie/Barrick Murphey > William R Murphey/Hettie Ann McCreary > John Murphey/Sarah M Huntsinger (2xGGP)

Kit B328759
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Edmund Guthrie/Elizabeth Sapp > Joseph Guthrie/Clemensey Dusenberry > Elmina Guthrie/Robert Powell (2xGGP)

Kit N115888
Samuel Guthrie/Mary MNU > Samuel Guthrie/Margaret Knox > James Guthrie/Elizabeth Eilor > Margaret Guthrie/Robert Lyons > Marinda Lyons/Richard T Coppage > Katherine A Coppage/William Henry Bigler > Reuben Jerome Bigler/Hazel Ruth Holmes (GGP)

FINDINGS:
There are only a few traceable lineages that descend from Samuel & Mary Guthrie, and only 2 of those with the potential for YDNA. Only the line of James Guthrie c1766-c1815 & Elizabeth Eilor has been confirmed through YDNA testing to belong to GFG2A. A breadcrumb trail of historical evidence leads the line back to Samuel & Mary Guthrie.

All direct male descendants of Robert Guthrie & Castilla Simpson’s line share a genetic marker. DYS561 = 17. Participant 152427, a descendant of Edmund Guthrie & Elizabeth Sapp, also shared this same genetic mutation, which confirms Robert & Edmund were brothers having inherited that genetic change from a recent common ancestor.

Author, Laurence R. Guthrie in his book ‘American Guthrie and Allied Families’ implied that John Guthrie of Oxford (Branch H) was a likely brother to Samuel Guthrie. However, Samuel’s descendants do not match the DNA profile for Cluster 5 (Guthrie-Stuart), whose branches all share a specific genetic marker. That’s one theory debunked even though the two men do appear to share more distant common ancestry.