Michigan

GUTHRIE RESEARCH BY LOCATION

Michigan became the 26th state of the United States on January 26, 1837. It was organized as the Michigan Territory in 1805, with much of its early settlement driven by fur trade, lumbering, agriculture, and later industrialization (especially in the Detroit and Wayne County area). Vital records such as births, marriages, and deaths were not systematically recorded at the state level until 1867, though some county-level records exist earlier. Probate, land, military, and census records provide key insights into Guthrie families who migrated from New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and overseas (particularly Scotland and Ireland).

MICHI­GAN ONLINE GENEALOGY RECORDS ARCHIVES OF MICHIGAN LIST OF MICHIGAN COUNTIES, FORMATION DATES, and MAPS

GUTHRIE FAMILY GROUP CONNECTIONS in MICHIGAN:

GFG1A – Branch C: Descendants of Samuel Steele Gutherie (1848 PA – 1930 MI) & Mary Ann Williams of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, and Wayne County, Michigan (Detroit / Canton area). The 1920 and 1930 censuses place Samuel in Detroit and Canton, Wayne County, living with family members including daughter Anna Cohlhapp.

GFG2A – Branch F: Descendants of John Guthrie & Abigail Coe line, including Elisha Guthrie (c. 1849 OH – 1921 MI) who married Mahala Dunlap. The family settled in Michigan after earlier Ohio roots, with Y-DNA confirming placement in GFG2A.

Additional unassigned or research-pending Guthrie lines in Michigan include:

  • William Guthrie (c. 1837 OH – before 1870, likely MI) & Sarah M. Doty (m. c. 1853, possibly in Michigan); children born in Michigan (Alice 1854, Frederick & Millie 1860 twins, Tamar 1863, William 1864). Possible Dutch/Scots-Irish roots via Erie Canal-era migration for lumber work.
  • John Guthrie (Scottish immigrant, mason, arrived 1853 NY) & Rachel Law; moved to Michigan where John enlisted in Company E, Michigan Infantry during the Civil War (died 3 Oct 1864). Widow Rachel later relocated to California.

Geographic Notes:

  • Guthrie, Washtenaw County, Michigan – Small community; name origins unknown but tied to early settlement.
  • Guthrie Lake, Otsego County, Michigan – Named feature with unknown direct Guthrie settler link but indicative of family presence in northern Michigan.

SOURCE: MICHIGAN VITAL RECORDS (MARRIAGES, BIRTHS, DEATHS) Statewide registration began in 1867 (earlier scattered county records from 1820s–1860s). Key collections include:

  • Michigan Marriages, 1822–1995 (FamilySearch index)
  • Michigan, U.S., Marriage Records, 1867–1952 (Ancestry – registers and certificates)
  • County-specific indexes (e.g., Kent, Wayne, Washtenaw) often available via local genealogy societies or Michiganology.org.

Researchers should cross-reference with county clerks for pre-1867 records. Guthrie vital events are documented in Wayne, Washtenaw, Oakland, and other industrialized or farming counties.

SOURCE: MICHIGAN PROBATE RECORDS Michigan probate records (wills, estates, guardianships, inventories) date from territorial times and are rich for 19th–20th century Guthries. Collections include:

  • Michigan, Wills and Probate Records, 1784–1980 (Ancestry – images)
  • Michigan Probate Records, 1797–1973 (FamilySearch – index and images)

These often reveal land ownership, heirs, and occupations. Early Wayne County probate packets (1797–1901) are particularly useful for Detroit-area families like Samuel Steele Gutherie’s line. Check county probate courts or the Archives of Michigan for original packets.

SOURCE: MILITARY & CENSUS RECORDS

  • Civil War: Michigan Infantry units include Guthries such as the Scottish immigrant John Guthrie (Company E). Pension and service files are available via National Archives or Fold3.
  • Census Records: Federal censuses (1830 onward, with Michigan Territory data) and state censuses (e.g., 1845, 1854, 1864, 1874, 1884, 1894) frequently list Guthries in Wayne, Washtenaw, Genesee, and northern counties. The 1920/1930 censuses confirm GFG1A presence in Canton/Detroit.

Land records (via Bureau of Land Management or county deeds) and city directories (Detroit especially) further document migrations during the lumber boom and auto industry growth.

NEEDED DATA: Many Guthrie lines in Michigan remain partially researched or unlinked to a primary GFG via Y-DNA. If you have access to:

  • Pre-1867 county marriage/death registers
  • Wayne or Washtenaw County probate packets
  • Michiganology digital collections or Library of Michigan microfilm
  • Local histories or church records (especially Presbyterian or Catholic parishes in Detroit area)

…please share any Guthrie mentions, transcriptions, or images. Contributions help connect branches and resolve “brick walls” for descendants.

RELATED BLOG POSTS & FURTHER READING

  • 1A-C: Samuel Steele Gutherie – Detailed Wayne County MI line.
  • Guthrie Family Groups overview for Y-DNA context.
  • Claim to Fame: Places (mentions Michigan Guthrie locations).

Michigan Guthrie research often intersects with Great Lakes migration patterns, Civil War service, and 20th-century industrial growth. Check the Archives of Michigan, Library of Michigan, and Michiganology for digitized newspapers, city directories, and government records.

Last updated: March 2026. This page is a living research hub—comments and submissions welcome below.