GUTHRIE RESEARCH BY LOCATION

South Dakota was organized as part of Dakota Territory in 1861 and admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889 (as one of the two states created from the territory, alongside North Dakota). Settlement accelerated after the 1862 Homestead Act, drawing families from the Midwest, East, and Europe seeking farmland on the prairie. Many early Guthries arrived during the territorial period or shortly after statehood, often attempting to homestead. Challenges such as drought, harsh winters, and economic shifts led some families to relocate after brief stays. South Dakota’s records are relatively recent compared to colonial states, with vital registration beginning statewide in 1905 (though some counties hold earlier records). Research often centers on land/homestead patents, state censuses (1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1945), probate, marriage, cemetery, and newspaper collections housed at the South Dakota State Historical Society Archives.

SOUTH DAKOTA ONLINE GENEALOGY RECORDS

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY – ARCHIVES & DIGITAL COLLECTIONS

LIST of SOUTH DAKOTA COUNTIES, FORMATION DATES, and MAPS

GUTHRIE FAMILY GROUP CONNECTIONS in SOUTH DAKOTA:

• GFG7 – Branch B: Descendants of Daniel Guthrie (b. 14 Feb 1737, Bedford/Hopewell, Pennsylvania – d. 17 Sep 1826, Lawrence, Indiana) & Jane Flinn (b. 17 Feb 1747, Pennsylvania – d. 18 Aug 1826, Indiana). Later generations attempted homesteading in South Dakota but returned to Iowa due to drought. Family oral histories (including stories preserved by descendant Goldie Gertrude Guthrie, who lived to age 101) describe the prairie settlement period. This line has documented Revolutionary War service (Continental Army) in earlier generations and autosomal DNA links to GFG2A via Bussell ancestry.
• Additional connections (GFG5-related branches): Anna Inez Guthrie (and husband Taylor Fry) resided in Custer City, Custer County, South Dakota in the late 1880s–early 1890s before relocating to Lost River Valley, Idaho (arriving 15 Sep 1893). Their daughter Dorothy Eva Fry was born in South Dakota on 6 Mar 1890. These transient settlement patterns reflect the broader homesteading boom and bust cycles common in the state.
• Other scattered references appear in family trees and records (e.g., individuals or in-laws in Minnehaha County/Sioux Falls area and Deuel County/Toronto area in the late 19th/early 20th centuries). Comprehensive DNA-project matching and archive searches often uncover additional ungrouped or newly connected lines.

SOUTH DAKOTA LAND & HOMESTEAD RECORDS The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) General Land Office records and Dakota Territory/South Dakota homestead patents are primary sources for Guthrie settlers. Many families filed claims in the 1880s–1910s. Search the BLM GLO database or National Archives for patent details, which often include application dates, legal descriptions, and witness affidavits. County-level deed and land records (post-organization) are held by Register of Deeds offices or microfilmed at the State Archives. Early township plats and survey notes can provide context for Guthrie land ownership.

SOURCE: SOUTH DAKOTA STATE CENSUSES & VITAL RECORDS Statewide censuses (1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1945) are available through the South Dakota State Historical Society and FamilySearch. These often include household composition, birthplaces, occupations, and military service notes—valuable for placing Guthries who do not appear in federal censuses due to timing or mobility. Vital records (births, marriages, deaths) began centralized registration in 1905; earlier county-level records vary by formation date. Marriages from 1905 onward are indexed statewide. Pre-1905 records remain with county clerks (e.g., Minnehaha County for Sioux Falls area). Examples of known Guthrie events include marriages in Minnehaha County (Sioux Falls) in the 1890s. Delayed birth records and probate files supplement these collections.

SOURCE: SOUTH DAKOTA STATE ARCHIVES – PROBATE, CEMETERY & NEWSPAPER INDEXES The South Dakota State Historical Society Archives holds probate records, cemetery indexes, biographical files, and digitized newspapers. Search their online catalog and Digital Archives portal for Guthrie surnames in wills, estates, obituaries, and military pensions. Biographical indexes (late 19th/early 20th century) may reference prominent or pioneer Guthries. County-level probate and court records are also archived here. Researchers should contact the Archives for access to non-digitized materials.

NEEDED DATA: Detailed extractions from early Dakota Territory land records, full transcriptions of any Guthrie probate files or homestead applications, and confirmation of additional GFG branches in specific counties (e.g., Custer, Minnehaha, Deuel, Beadle). If you have access to county-level books, microfilm, or unpublished family documents, please share Guthrie entries for inclusion or verification. Contributions help build the broader Guthrie DNA Surname Project connections.

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