Texas

GUTHRIE RESEARCH BY LOCATION

Texas – Guthrie Genealogy Texas

Texas offers a rich tapestry for genealogy research, blending Spanish/Mexican colonial roots, the independent Republic era (1836–1845), and post-statehood (1845 onward) expansion. As one of the largest U.S. states with 254 counties, its history includes empresario land grants under Stephen F. Austin, Republic headright claims, and later federal preemption acts. Guthrie families arrived as early “Texians” (Anglo settlers under Mexican rule or the Republic), drawn by vast prairies, fertile river valleys, and opportunities in farming, ranching, timber, and cattle. They settled primarily in east-central and coastal counties such as Jackson, Lavaca, Burleson, Jasper, Bell, Fannin, Henderson, and Williamson—areas shaped by indigenous tensions (e.g., Comanche, Alabama-Coushatta), floods, the Texas Revolution, and economic booms in cotton and livestock. Research nuances include spelling variants (Guthrie, Guthery, Guthry, Guttry), non-centralized county-level records (deeds, probates, marriages held locally), and the prominence of land patents in the Texas General Land Office (GLO) database. Edge cases often involve ungrouped Y-DNA lines or conflated online trees; early settlers like those in Austin’s “Old Three Hundred” qualify for heritage programs such as the Daughters/Sons of the Republic of Texas.

General Texas Genealogy Resources

GUTHRIE FAMILY GROUP CONNECTIONS in TEXAS:

  • GFG5 – Branch C: Descendants of Shadrick Guthrie (c.1821 KY–1888 TX) & wives Rachel Harbour / Amanda Mira Culpepper, and related lines including William Edward Guthrie (1809 KY–1891 TX) & Mary Ann Beasley / Ethelrda Ruth Beasley. Migrated from Kentucky via Tennessee and Mississippi to Lavaca County (Republic era onward), later Bell County (Killeen/Salado area) and Fannin County (Bonham). Key individuals include Rev. Orin Guthrie (1804 KY–1854 TX) & Nancy Boyd / Eliza Jane Davis (settled Lavaca County); Jim Henry Guthrie (1843 MS–1905 TX) & Martha Wilson (Fannin County); and sons such as Jeremiah Guthrie (b. c.1852 TX). Families engaged in farming; multiple moves reflect frontier patterns. Detailed branch pages on the blog.
  • GFG11: Includes John Franklin Guthrie (1802 AL–1858 TX) & Mary Swoap, who relocated to Burleson County by 1846 (remained until his death). Potential descendants like George Washington Guthrie (1824–1902); links to earlier Virginia/Alabama roots under investigation.
  • Ungrouped / Early Pioneer Lines (Y-DNA testing encouraged for connections):
    • Robert Guthrie (c.1796–unknown), one of Stephen F. Austin’s “Old Three Hundred.” Farmer and stock raiser; migrated from Missouri with wife Cassandra Andrews.
    • William Guthrie (c.1767 VA–1838 TX) & Nancy Bradberry, settled in Bevil’s Settlement (Jasper County area, 1830–1833).

Claim to Fame: Guthrie, Texas (King County) Guthrie (county seat of King County) was named after W.H. Guthrie, a Kentucky stockholder in the Louisville Land and Cattle Company. The company purchased land in 1883; the townsite was platted in 1891. No confirmed link to established Guthrie Family Groups—further research on W.H. Guthrie (possibly the 1850 Calloway County, KY census entry) is needed.

SOURCE: Austin’s Old Three Hundred & Colonial / Republic Land Records Robert Guthrie received title to one league (4,428 acres) on July 19, 1824, along the Lavaca River in present-day Jackson County. The 1826 colonial census lists him (age 25–40) with a wife, two sons (ages ~9 and 11), and one daughter (age ~7); occupation: farmer/stock raiser. He attended the 1835 Lavaca-Navidad Meeting protesting Mexican policies. Portions of his grant were later conveyed (e.g., by granddaughter Lucy Dever Flournoy) and helped found Edna, Jackson County. Naming patterns in children (William Andrews, Martha Jane, Robert Carnes) align with maternal Andrews/Carnes lines. Consult the Texas GLO database for full patent details, surveys, and descendant conveyances. Implications: Early grants like this provide proof of “Texian” status for heritage societies; records may include affidavits or improvement proofs.

SOURCE: 1850 U.S. Census & Early Statehood Migrations Post-Republic and early statehood censuses document Guthrie households clustering in east-central Texas. Examples (spelling variants noted):

  • Burleson County: John Guthrie household (GFG11 connection).
  • Henderson County: Ephraim and Edmund Guthrie.
  • Lavaca County: Rev. Orin Guthrie and family (GFG5-C).
  • Additional clusters in Williamson and other counties reflect Southern migration waves (KY, TN, AL, MS, MO). Republic tax rolls and voter lists (1836–1845) may yield further entries in Lavaca or Jasper areas. Nuances: 1850 census often lists occupations (farmer, stock raiser) and real estate values; edge cases include blended households or widows inheriting property.

SOURCE: Probate, Marriage, and County Records Texas probate records (colonial through 1940s) are primarily county-level and available via FamilySearch (e.g., “Texas Probate Records, 1800-1990”) or TSLAC microfilms. Marriage records begin as early as 1837 in some counties (county clerks or statewide indexes post-1966). Relevant for Guthries:

  • Lavaca/Bell Counties (GFG5-C): Look for Shadrick Guthrie’s 1872 marriage to Amanda Mira Culpepper; William E. Guthrie estate (d. 1891, Killeen City Cemetery).
  • Jackson County: Potential Robert Guthrie descendant probates or conveyances.
  • Burleson County: John Franklin Guthrie estate (d. 1858). Spelling variations common; many packets include inventories, guardianships, or heir affidavits. Edge cases: Fires, floods, or courthouse losses in frontier counties require cross-checking GLO deeds or church records. TSLAC holds some centralized indexes.

SOURCE: Texas Revolution / Military & Later Records Guthries participated in Republic-era activities (e.g., 1835 consultations). Later: Civil War service (Confederate rolls), land preemption claims, and 20th-century vital records (births 1903+, deaths 1890+ on FamilySearch). Guthrie, King County, reflects 1880s cattle boom naming practices.

NEEDED DATA

  • Y-DNA results for Robert Guthrie or William Guthrie (Bevil’s Settlement) descendants to link to known GFGs.
  • Full transcriptions or images from Jackson/Lavaca/Burleson/Bell County probate packets, tax rolls, or Republic voter lists.
  • Any unpublished family Bibles, letters, or photos tying early pioneers to later branches.
  • Checks on ungrouped lines in Henderson or Williamson Counties.

Contributions welcome—share details in comments to expand the research tree! See related blog posts on specific branches (e.g., 5-C Shadrick Guthrie, Texians & Texans) for deeper dives.

Further Reading & Considerations

  • Handbook of Texas Online (TSHA) entries on Old Three Hundred, Bevil’s Settlement, and individual counties.
  • Texas land records are uniquely comprehensive due to state ownership of public lands—start here for pre-1850 research.
  • Challenges: Mobile frontier families, record losses, and variant spellings require multi-source triangulation.
  • Opportunities: Heritage societies value Old Three Hundred or Republic-era proof; digital GLO access democratizes research.

Last updated based on available public sources as of March 2026. New discoveries always welcome.