GUTHRIES OF VAUGHAN YDNA / HALIFAX VA / NC / TN / MS / IRE

GUTHRIE RESEARCH TREE: GFG8

Guthrie Family Group 8:
Unraveling the Vaughan-Guthrie Connection

Guthries with Vaughan Y-DNA Roots: Halifax VA, NC, TN, MS, AR, and County Cork, IRE

Welcome to the dedicated page for Guthrie Family Group 8 (GFG8), a fascinating cluster of paternal lineages united by shared Y-DNA markers. This group traces its American origins primarily to early settlers in Virginia, with migrations spreading across the Southeast. What makes GFG8 particularly intriguing is its genetic ties to the Vaughan (and variant Vaughn) surname from County Cork, Ireland, as well as matches to the Carter surname—hinting at historical “causal events” like adoptions, name changes, or non-paternity occurrences. These connections challenge traditional surname-based genealogy and highlight the power of DNA in revealing hidden family stories.

If you’re a descendant, researcher, or curious explorer, this page is your hub for collaboration. We’ve enhanced it with structured sections, visuals, and calls to action to make navigation easier and more engaging. Dive in, and let’s connect the dots together!

DNA Subgroups: GFG8A and GFG8B

GFG8 is divided into two subgroups based on Big Y-700 testing, reflecting genetic divergences:

• GFG8A (Guthrie Surnames): Core Guthrie lines, terminal haplogroup R-FTG17989. Includes descendants of Thomas Guthrie (1711VA-1786VA) and later branches.
• GFG8B (Other Surnames): Participants with Vaughan/Vaughn and Carter surnames matching the GFG8 profile. Terminal haplogroup R-BY104835 for Vaughans. This suggests shared paternal ancestry predating surname adoption, possibly in 17th-18th century Ireland or colonial America.

Big Y testing has been conducted on:

• One descendant from Branch A (Thomas Guthrie & Mary Cason).
• Two descendants from Branch D (Carter Guthrie & Barbara Beal).
• Additional GFG8B participants from Vaughan lines.

These tests refine the phylogenetic tree, showing a split at haplogroup R-FTC27564. For visual context, here’s a description of the Big Y block tree:

• The tree begins at basal haplogroup R-BY7172, associated with early tester Captain Thomas White (b. 1599, d. 1697, England).
• It descends to R-FTA58079 (linked to Christopher Clayton M. Vaughan).
• Then to R-FTC27564, the key branching point (shared by Joseph Vaughan and Charles Vaughan, b. ~1818 County Cork, Ireland).
• From here, one branch leads to R-BY104835 (orange, GFG8B: Mr. Roger Stuart Vaughan and Jeremiah Vaughan, b. Cork, IRE, d. 1851 AUS).
• The parallel branch continues to R-FTG17989 (blue, GFG8A: James Guthrie Jr., Thomas Guthrie 1711VA-1786VA m. Mary Cason, and descendants like Bobby Harold Guthrie Jr. and Glen Dale Guthrie, both via Carter Guthrie b. 1770, d. 1850).

This structure implies a common male ancestor at R-FTC27564, with an estimated Time to Most Recent Common Ancestor (TMRCA) around the 1600s-1700s (per FTDNA Discover tools, factoring in mutation rates and tester data). Nuances: TMRCA estimates can vary by +/- a generation due to uneven mutation accumulation; for instance, within Branch D, the predicted MRCA is ~1861, close to the documented 1911 (with a father born 1868).

Lineages Associated with Guthrie Family Group 8

GFG8 encompasses four main branches, all potentially descending from Thomas Guthrie & Mary Cason (Branch A). Each branch reflects migrations driven by economic opportunities (e.g., tobacco farming, land availability) and historical events (e.g., post-Revolutionary War westward movement). Here’s a breakdown for clarity:

Branch A: Thomas Guthrie & Mary Cason
Born: 1711 in Virginia (parents unidentified).
Died: 1786 in Halifax County, VA.
Marriage: Mary Cason (details sparse, but key to lineage).
Key Descendants: Son Cason Guthrie serves as the Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA) for many participants.
Migration Story: Settled in Halifax County, VA, amid colonial expansion. No pre-1711 Guthrie DNA matches suggest Thomas as the “founder” of this Guthrie line, likely via a causal event linking to Vaughans.
Engagement Tip: If your ancestor lived in 18th-century VA, test Y-DNA to confirm!

Branch B: Nelson Guthrie & Catherine Lowe
Born: ~1788 in Virginia.
Died: 1870 in Mississippi.
Marriage: Catherine Lowe in Lincoln County, NC.
Key Descendants: Potential grandson of Branch A’s Thomas & Mary, based on timelines and proximity to other Guthries in NC.
Migration Story: From VA to NC (marriage), then southward to MS, reflecting broader Scotch-Irish settlement patterns.
Nuance: Limited records on siblings; could overlap with unrelated Low/Lowe families—use autosomal DNA for verification.

Branch C: Thomas Guthrie & Mary Russell
Born: ~1800 in North Carolina.
Died: After 1850 in Tennessee.
Marriage: First wife unknown; second, Mary Russell in Van Buren County, TN.
Key Descendants: Likely great-grandchild of Branch A, with short descent lines.
Migration Story: NC birth, settled in White County, TN; moved to Warren (1840) and Van Buren Counties. County boundary shifts complicate tracking.
Edge Case: Undocumented first marriage/children; female lines underrepresented in Y-DNA—recommend mtDNA or autosomal tests.

Branch D: Carter Guthrie & Barbara Beal
Born: 1770-1780 in North Carolina (1850 census lists 80, NC birth).
Died: After 1850 in Arkansas (likely ~1850-1860).
Marriage: Barbara Beal on 15 August 1800 in Lincoln County, NC.
Key Descendants: Sons like William Guthrie (b. ~1824 TN); two modern descendants tested Big Y, confirming link to Branch A.
Migration Story: NC birth/marriage, moved to TN (children born there), then AR by 1850 (census in Lawrence County?). This aligns with frontier expansions post-1812 War.
Nuance: Possible military service (unconfirmed); 1850 census shows neighbors as potential relatives. Research challenges include AR’s sparse early records due to Civil War destruction.

Chart of Group Branches, Progenitors, Key Locations, and Research Challenges

This table summarizes the branches for quick reference, exploring temporal, spatial, and analytical angles. It includes edge cases like record gaps and implications for DNA testing.

Summary with Origin Theories and Research Recommendations

Origin Theories

GFG8’s roots blend colonial American settlement with Irish heritage, illuminated by Big Y results. The primary theory centers on Thomas Guthrie (Branch A) as the American progenitor, but his lack of earlier Guthrie matches and alignment with Vaughan Y-DNA (haplogroup R-FTC27564) points to a causal event—perhaps an 18th-century adoption or illegitimacy where a Vaughan descendant took the Guthrie name in Virginia. County Cork, Ireland, emerges as a hotspot, with Vaughan testers tracing to ~1818 births there, implying immigration during penal transportations or economic famines (e.g., 1600s-1700s waves).

Alternative angles: The Carter surname matches (in GFG8B and Branch D’s namesake) may stem from Ephraim Guthrie (~1794VA) or intermarriages, common in blended colonial families amid high mortality (e.g., from diseases or wars like the French and Indian). Big Y tree shows a TMRCA at R-FTC27564 (~1600s per FTDNA estimates), with Guthries (R-FTG17989) diverging from Vaughans (R-BY104835) around the 1700s—potentially aligning with Captain Thomas White’s era (1599-1697) as a distant anchor. Nuances: Cultural contexts like indentured servitude could explain name shifts; no Scottish Guthrie links distinguish GFG8. Edge cases: If mislinked to other VA groups, it might reflect record errors from variant spellings (Guthry/Gutherie). Implications: This reframes identity, emphasizing genetic over surname heritage, with privacy considerations for living descendants.

Research Recommendations

To deepen GFG8 insights, adopt a multifaceted strategy blending DNA, archives, and community:

• DNA Focus: Upgrade to Big Y-700 on FamilyTreeDNA for precise subclades; aim for more Branch B/C testers to refine TMRCA (~1661 for A/D). Use autosomal (e.g., AncestryDNA) for female lines and Carter/Vaughan cross-matches. Ethical tip: Discuss results privately to handle sensitive revelations.
• Archival Dives: Search VA tithables/land patents (Library of Virginia), NC marriage bonds (FamilySearch), TN censuses (1840-1870 on MyHeritage), and AR probate (Arkansas State Archives). Handle variants like “Guthrey”; cross-verify with newspapers via Chronicling America for obituaries.
• Tools & Resources: Leverage WikiTree/Geni for collaborative trees; Google Drive for shared docs. For Irish ties, explore Cork records on IrishGenealogy.ie. Budget-friendly: Free FamilySearch; paid Ancestry for hints.
• Engagement: Join FTDNA’s Guthrie Project or host Zoom meetups. Cover edge cases like boundary changes by mapping migrations (e.g., via Google Earth). Recommendations: Verify multi-sources to avoid biases; include global descendants for diverse perspectives.

🧩 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 GFG8 story together.