Wyoming

GUTHRIE RESEARCH BY LOCATION

GUTHRIE FAMILY GROUP CONNECTIONS in WYOMING:

  • GFG2A – Descendants of John Guthery & Lydia Baldwin (Pennsylvania roots, later migrations westward). Key Wyoming connection: Silas Albans Guthrie (1847–1923), son of Isaac Frazier Guthery Sr. & Rachel Frederick. Silas settled in Converse County and operated in the sheep industry (Empire Sheep Co.). His wife Isabel M. Guthrie served as the first postmaster of the short-lived Guthrie Post Office.

Wyoming offers a distinct research landscape compared to the colonial-era states like Connecticut or Maryland. As a frontier territory (organized 1868) and the 44th state (admitted 1890), its records begin primarily in the territorial period rather than the Revolutionary or colonial eras. Early settlement was driven by ranching, mining, railroads, and homesteading under federal land acts. Guthrie families appear in post-1860s records, often tied to agricultural enterprises, land claims, and community infrastructure like post offices. Negative evidence (e.g., absence in pre-1868 records) is common and useful for confirming migration timing.

Key Research Considerations for Wyoming Guthrie Lines

  • County-Level Focus: Records are decentralized. Use the county formation timeline (initial counties created 1867–1868 from Dakota Territory: Laramie, Carter/Sweetwater, Carbon, Albany; later splits like Converse in 1888 from Albany/Laramie). Converse County is especially relevant for documented Guthries.
  • Territorial vs. State Records: 1869–1890 territorial censuses, land patents, and probate often predate statehood. Post-1890 vital records are more standardized but still require county clerks or the State Archives.
  • Land & Homestead Emphasis: Many Guthries were ranchers or homesteaders. Check BLM land patents, county deeds, and Wyoming State Archives county record transfers.
  • Access Tips: FamilySearch and Ancestry hold digitized probate, wills, deeds, and censuses. The Wyoming State Archives maintains microfilm, original county files (some transferred centrally), oral histories, and photograph collections. Town clerks hold recent deeds/vitals; earlier ones may be at the Archives. Always cross-reference spelling variants (Guthrie, Guthery, Guthry, Gutteridge).
  • Challenges & Nuances: Sparse pre-1870 population means small clusters; frontier mobility (e.g., from Iowa, Pennsylvania, or neighboring territories) requires multi-state tracing. Edge cases include railroad workers, military veterans (Indian Wars, Spanish-American), and women’s records under married names.

Notable Wyoming Guthrie Landmark: Guthrie Post Office (Converse County) Established February 1895 with Isabel M. Guthrie (Mrs. Silas Albans Guthrie) as postmaster. Discontinued 15 October 1902; mail rerouted to Labonte Post Office. This short-lived office reflects early ranching community infrastructure in the North Platte River area. Silas Albans Guthrie (b. 1847, d. 1923) and family were active in the sheep industry via the Empire Sheep Co. The location ties directly to GFG2A and provides a geographic anchor for descendants.

Recommended Record Types & Starting Points Censuses (Territorial & Federal)

  • 1869 Wyoming Territorial Census (and Cheyenne city enumerations 1875/1878).
  • 1870–1950 U.S. Federal Censuses (Wyoming indexed and imaged on FamilySearch/Ancestry). Look for agricultural schedules (1870–1910) highlighting ranchers like the Guthries. Probate, Wills & Estates
  • Wyoming Wills and Deeds (ca. 1700s–2017, but primarily post-1868) on FamilySearch (index + images).
  • Wyoming Probate Records, 1864–1915 on Ancestry (index & images).
  • County-level files at Wyoming State Archives (e.g., Converse County transfers); includes inventories, guardianships, and creditor lists. Land & Property
  • County deed records (begin ~1869; some at Archives).
  • Federal land patents/homesteads via BLM GLO or FamilySearch land collections.
  • Tax assessment rolls (territorial onward) for property ownership clues. Vital Records (Birth, Marriage, Death)
  • County clerks for post-1900; earlier via church, newspapers, or probate.
  • Wyoming State Archives holds some microfilmed vital indexes. Other High-Value Sources
  • Wyoming State Archives oral history collection (includes interviews with Guthries, e.g., Judge Rodney M. Guthrie and others).
  • Newspapers (Wyoming Digital Newspapers Project via Archives or Chronicling America) for obituaries, land notices, and ranching news.
  • Military (Indian Wars, Civil War pensions if applicable) and cemetery records (Wyoming Cemeteries on FamilySearch).
  • Directories and city/county histories for business ties (e.g., sheep companies).

Needed Data / Opportunities for Collaboration Early territorial land claims, full Empire Sheep Co. records, and any pre-1895 Converse County deeds or probates for Silas Albans Guthrie or siblings (e.g., William) would strengthen GFG2A Wyoming branches. If you have transcriptions, photos, or additional county-level finds (Albany, Laramie, Sweetwater, etc.), please share in the comments to help build this resource.

Sources & Further Reading All links above are primary starting points. Additional context drawn from Wyoming State Archives county record inventories, FamilySearch Wyoming wiki pages, and blog-documented family group lineages.