GUTHRIE RESEARCH BY LOCATION

Oregon – Guthrie Genealogy Oregon

RESEARCH RESOURCES
OREGON ONLINE GENEALOGY RECORDS

OREGON STATE ARCHIVES – GENEALOGY RECORDS

LIST of OREGON COUNTIES, FORMATION DATES, and MAPS

GUTHRIE FAMILY GROUP CONNECTIONS in OREGON
Oregon’s Guthrie families largely arrived during the territorial period (1848–1859) and early statehood, drawn by the Oregon Donation Land Claim Act of 1850, the Oregon Trail, and opportunities in agriculture, milling, and trade. Many connect to established Guthrie Family Groups (GFGs) identified through Y-DNA testing in the Guthrie DNA Project, with migrations from Missouri, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Scotland/Ireland. Research is ongoing to link specific pioneers to GFG branches; prominent examples include lines potentially tied to GFG1A or GFG7 (Scotland → Mid-Atlantic → Midwest → West). Early Oregonians Database and Donation Land Claims provide key entry points for tracing these families.

Notable early Guthries include:

• Henry Guthrie (Early Oregonian profile; pre-1860 resident).
• David M. Guthrie (Donation Land Claim #1233; arrived from Missouri; settled in Polk County area; family documented in territorial records).
• Robert M. Guthrie (Donation Land Claim #4446).
• Later arrivals such as Andrew D. Guthrie (b. c1848 Scotland, d. 1930 Multnomah County, Oregon; son of Andrew Guthrie & Susanna Thompson; missionary and book agent; linked to family records in Washington and Nebraska).
• Portland and Medford connections noted in American Guthrie and Allied Families (e.g., Maj. John D. Guthrie of Portland; Mrs. Rose Guthrie Schiefllin of Medford).

These represent scattered but verifiable pioneer and post-Civil War migrations. DNA testing is recommended to assign to specific GFGs.

LAND RECORDS: OREGON DONATION LAND CLAIMS & TERRITORIAL RECORDS
The 1850 Donation Land Act granted 320 acres (or 640 for married couples) to settlers who arrived before December 1850 and resided on the claim by 1853. These records are among the most valuable for Oregon genealogy, often including family details, arrival dates, and naturalization notes.

Key Guthrie examples (sourced from Oregon State Archives and FamilySearch collections):

• David M. Guthrie – DLC #1233 (Polk County vicinity; claimant from Missouri; details on improvements and family residency).
• Robert M. Guthrie – DLC #4446.

Additional resources:

• Oregon State Archives Provisional and Territorial Records Guide.
• FamilySearch: Oregon Donation Land Claims (indexed images).
• U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) GLO records for later patents.

Land records often overlap with county-level deeds and tax rolls; name variations (Guthrie/Guthry/Guthery) are common in handwritten territorial documents.

MARRIAGE RECORDS
Oregon County Marriages, 1851–1975 (FamilySearch collection) and state vital records post-1906 provide marriage data. Early territorial marriages may appear in county clerk or church records. Worcester County dominance in Maryland pages is mirrored here by concentration in early-settled western Oregon counties (e.g., Polk, Marion, Multnomah).

Example extractions (from indexed collections; full images available on FamilySearch):

Full indexes are available via Oregon State Archives Historical Records Index and FamilySearch. Post-1906 state marriage certificates are ordered through the Oregon Health Authority.

PROBATE & ESTATE RECORDS Oregon probate records (1849–1963) are available on Ancestry and partially on FamilySearch (Oregon Wills and Probate Records). The Oregon State Archives holds original estate files, guardianships, and inventories for territorial and early state periods.

• Search the Oregon Historical Records Index (surname “Guthrie”) for accounts, wills, and administrations.
• Example context: Pioneer estates often reference Donation Land Claims, heirs, and Oregon Trail migration details.
• Allegany County-style guardianships in Maryland have parallels in Multnomah or Polk County files for minor children of deceased settlers.

Probate files frequently include affidavits on residency, naturalization, and family relationships—critical for proving GFG connections.

CENSUS & VITAL RECORDS

• Territorial/State Censuses: 1850 U.S. Census (Oregon Territory) and subsequent federal censuses list Guthries in Polk, Marion, Washington, and Multnomah Counties. The 1850 census captures many DLC claimants and families.
• Vital Records: Birth/death records are county-level pre-1906; statewide from 1906. Oregon State Archives holds some early registers.
• Early Oregonians Database (Oregon State Archives): Searchable index of pre-1861 residents; includes Henry Guthrie and other pioneers with biographical notes.

Census records reveal occupations (farmers, millers, missionaries) and household compositions, often bridging to DNA-confirmed GFGs.

MILITARY & OTHER RECORDS Oregon Guthries appear in Civil War service (some as Union volunteers), Indian Wars, and later conflicts. The Oregon Historical Records Index includes military-related files. Land office appointments (e.g., James Guthrie as receiver in early territorial records, associated with milling interests alongside John McLoughlin) provide occupational context.

Church records, newspapers (via Chronicling America or Oregon Digital Newspaper Program), and cemeteries (Find A Grave, Oregon State Archives guides) offer supplementary evidence.

NEEDED DATA / RESEARCH GAPS

• Full transcription and indexing of additional Donation Land Claim files for Guthrie claimants.
• County-level probate packets (Polk, Marion, Multnomah) for 1850s–1900.
• Y-DNA or autosomal matches linking Oregon Guthries to specific GFG branches (e.g., Midwest origins).
• Microfilm or digitized images from Family History Library for pre-1850 territorial court records.

Contact the Oregon State Archives for in-person or ordered copies of non-digitized materials. The Historical County Records Guide (per-county inventories) is an essential starting point.

SOURCES & CITATIONS

• Oregon State Archives: Historical Records Index, Early Oregonians Database, Donation Land Claims, and county guides.
• FamilySearch Wiki: Oregon Online Genealogy Records and County Creation Dates.
• American Guthrie and Allied Families (Laurence Rawlin Guthrie, 1933).
• U.S. Census records (1850–1950) via FamilySearch/Ancestry.
• Oregon Donation Land Claim Act records and BLM GLO database.

All data cross-referenced with primary sources where possible. Name variations (Guthrie, Guthry, Guthery, Gutherie) must be considered due to phonetic spelling in 19th-century records.