John S Guthrie c1815MD – p1880MD & Euphemia Jones
of Worcester County, Maryland, USA

CONTENTS:
Origin Theories
The Family of John S Guthrie & Euphemia Jones
Historical Highlights
The Guthrie DNA Project

ORIGIN THEORIES of GFG1A BRANCH D

Birth, marriage, and death records, are not the only documents that provide clues to family members’ identities. Many other documents can shed some light on how people are related. In the case of John S Guthrie, it is an indenture for his apprenticeship as a boot and shoemaker under the tutelage of local cordwainer, James S Nelson.

Census records later reveal that John S Guthrie’s occupation is shoe and bookmaking, which is one fact that suggests this documents might be about him. The document reveals the name of John’s father, also John Guthrie. It also gives us his date of birth by stating he will be 21 on the 12th of May 1840. This calculates his birth year to 1819. This year is close, but not exact to census ages.

An examination of the marriage records of Worcester County, Maryland reveals his parents to be John Guthrie and Betsy Nelson on 11 Feb 1817. This would appear to make John S Guthrie their eldest son. Since his mother Betsy was a Nelson, it is also likely that this is the connection allowing John to arrange an apprenticeship for his son with James S Nelson.

A deeper dive into the Worcester County, Maryland records is necessary to look for more documentation not readily available online. This one important clue has led our ability to develop a more detailed picture for the Guthrie-Nelson family as other marriage and census records are taken into account.

John Guthrie appears to have married three times. His first marriage was to Betsy Nelson 11 Feb 1817. The 1830 census lists 7 in the household: 1M 30-39, 1F 20-29, 2M 10-14, 1M 5-9, 1M and 1F under 5. These would be: John S Guthrie (1819-1893), William W Guthrie (1820-1893), Thomas B Guthrie (1824-1882), (FNU-Female) Guthrie (c1826-????), James Guthrie (1826-1903).

Another marriage record found is that of John Guthrie to Piercey Wilson on 28 Aug 1833. Although this record could belong to a different man, the census record of 1840 suggests that John Guthrie has a different wife by that date. She is in a different age category than we would expect for Betsy. The number in the household is 7 persons. 1M and 1F 40-49, 1F 5-9, 2M and 2F under 5. This is a household that includes some of the children from John’s first marriage and two from his second.

John Guthrie and Piercey Wilson are likely the parents of two daughters, Hannah Elizabeth (c1834-????) and Margaret A (c1834-????). It is presumed that Piercey Wilson died soon after the girls’ birth, or at least before 1840 when John appears to be starting on his third family. As is common with many of these early marriage, the children from previous marriages stay with relatives. That seems to be the case with the two youngest daughters. In 1850, Hannah (listed as Gutry) is found living in the household of her older half-brother William Guthrie and family. In 1860, she is living with her older half-brother James and family. Margaret (listed as Gutry) is listed in 1850 in the household of William T and Ann M Lewis. Unknown if Ann is the older sister whose given name is unknown, if the Lewis family are relatives, or if she was there as a boarder or servant.

The 1850 census shows that John Guthrie has already been married for about 10 years. This marriage is presumptive since no record has yet been located. His wife Ann’s maiden name is unknown. Children are George, 10, Ann 6, James 5, Charlotte 3, and Charles 2. Their birthplace is listed as ‘unknown’. Did the census taker forget to ask, or did someone other than John and Ann provide the info on the family. They all seem to disappear after this with the single exception of George Guthrie, who is most likely the man known to this project as George Leonard Guthrie, the progenitor of GFG1A-Branch D.

This trail of evidence reveals that John Guthrie, farmer, born about 1800, was the father of both John S Guthrie (Branch E) and George Leonard Guthrie (Branch D). Since descendants of both branches have participants in the YDNA project matching Guthrie Family Group 1A, it is certainly a likely possibility.

Now that this family has taken a leap back one generation we can examine the potential paths for ties to the other branches of Guthrie Family Group 1A. Was John Guthrie a new immigrant to Virginia from Scotland, Ireland, or England? Was he a descendant of one of the established branches of the family found in Pennsylvania or Virginia?

Looking at the descendants of GFG1A-Branch B: John Guthrie & Elizabeth Baskett none of the descendant paths would seem to be likely to include John Guthrie of Worcester, MD (b.1800). That assumes no other son or grandson survived whom we know nothing about. There appears to be a little more wiggle room for discussion in the family of GFG2A-Branch G: William Guthrie & Frances Wilbourn as some appear to have stayed in the Virginia area rather than going south to the Carolinas. There may also be other Guthrie families living in the Worcester, Maryland area to explore.

THE FAMILY of JOHN S GUTHRIE & EUPHEMIA ‘FAMMIE’ JONES

JOHN S GUTHRIE
Parents: Unknown
Born: 12 May 1819
Location: Maryland, possibly Worcester County
Marriage: Euphemia Jones on 19 Jan 1841 in Worcester County, Maryland
Occupation: Shoe and Bootmaker
Death: 15 Oct 1893
Location: Unknown, presumably in Worcester County, Maryland
Buried: Unknown

EUPHEMIA ‘FAMMIE’ JONES
Parents: Walter Jones & Martha Truitt
Born: c1824
Location: Maryland, possibly Worcester County
Sons: Nelson Gray Guthrie, John James Guthrie
Daughters: Martha Guthrie, May T Guthrie, Annie V Guthrie
Death: Unknown, after 1880
Location: Unknown, presumably in Worcester County, Maryland
Buried: Unknown

CHILDREN:

MARTHA GUTHRIE
1842MD – BEFORE 1920

Martha Guthrie was born in February of 1842, presumably in Worcester County, Maryland. She married Charles Ennis on 8 Jan 1868 in Worcester. Like her father, Charles was a shoe and bookmaker. They started out in Snow Hill, but moved within Worcester County, MD to Stokton, Pokomoke, and Coston. Martha & Charles were parents to 3 sons and 2 daughters. She died sometime between 1910 and 1920.

Children: 5
Ennis Sons: John W Ennis, Charles Ennis
Ennis Daughters: Mary V Ennis, Annie Kate Ennis, Winnie W Ennis

Family Finder Participants: None

NELSON GRAY GUTHRIE
c1850MD – 1901MD

Nelson Gray Guthrie was born about 1850 in Snow Hill, Worcester County, Maryland. He was listed with the family in the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses prior to his 23 March 1871 marriage to Josephine Truitt. The Truths were relatives on his mother’s side of the family. They lived in Snow Hill for a time where he worked as a shoemaker before moving to Baltimore, Maryland where he found work as a carpenter. Nelson and Josephine were parents to 2 sons and 1 daughter.

Children: 3
Sons: Nelson Rawlins Guthrie, John Guthrie
Daughters: Maud Guthrie

Y-DNA Project Participants: None
Family Finder Participants: None

JOHN JAMES GUTHRIE
1853MD – 1916MD

John James Guthrie was born at Snow Hill, Worcester, Maryland on 23 August 1853. Prior to his marriage to Annie Elizabeth Broughton on 30 Jun 1875, he lived at Snow Hill with his family. The couple remained there fo about 3 years. In 1878 they moved to #9 Market Street, Onacock, Accomack County, Virginia on the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay where he worked as a carpenter and later an oyster & sweet potato broker. They raised 1 son and 8 daughters. John was known as ‘Big Daddy’ to his family. He died in Baltimore on 15 Feb 1916 and was buried in Druid Ridge Cemetery.

Children: 9
Sons: John Bridener Guthrie
Daughters: Bernice Broughton Guthrie, Bynum B Guthrie, Ethyl Euphemia Guthrie, Winifred Guthrie, Mary Guthrie, Annie Guthrie, Nancy Guthrie, Hazel Shakespeare Guthrie, Marian Guthrie

MAY T GUTHRIE
1854MD – AFTER 1880MD

May T Guthrie was born about 1854 in Snow Hill, Worcester County, Maryland. One census record lists her as Nancy. She married Isaac Henry Layfield on 28 May 1873. He was a blacksmith. The started out their married life in Snow Hill and later moved to Somerset County, Maryland. Parents to 1 son and 1 daughter. May’s exact date of death is unknown, but it looks to be between 1880-1900.

Children: 2
Layfield Sons: Charles Henry Layfield
Layfield Daughters: Winona Layfield

Family Finder Participants: None

ANNIE V GUTHRIE
1857MD – 1925VA

Youngest child, Annie V Guthrie, was born on 18 February 1857 in Snow Hill, Worcester County, Maryland. She married James Dryden in 1874. They were parents to 3 sons and 2 daughters. James was a farmer, odd job laborer, and later a railroad track foreman. Annie died on 25 May 1925 in Eastville, Northampton, Virginia.

Children: 5
Dryden Sons: Gordon L Dryden, Thomas Dryden, Robert E Dryden
Dryden Daughters: Myrtle Dryden, Mary Dryden

Family Finder Participants: None

HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS

ABOUT 1815: BIRTH of JOHN S GUTHRIE

Based on the ages listed in future census records, John S Guthrie’s birth year is estimated to be 1815. We do not have confirmation of the identity of his parents, but he could have been the John Guthrie living in District 2 of Worcester County, MD in 1830.

ABOUT 1824: BIRTH of EUPHEMIA ‘FAMMIE’ JONES

Fammie was born about 1824 in Maryland to Walter Jones and his wife Martha Truitt. Also known in records as Fama or Famy.

1830: US CENSUS of MARYLAND
District 2, Worcester County, Maryland, USA

Possible family:
Household of John Guthrie (transcribed as Jon Gatherie)
1 Male 30-39
1 Female 20-29
2 Males 10-14
1 Male 5-9
1 Male and 1Female Under 5
Total Free White Persons: 7

1841: MARRIAGE of JOHN S GUTHRIE & EUPHEMIA JONES
Worcester County, Maryland, USA on 19 January 1841

1842: BIRTH of DAUGHTER: MARTHA GUTHRIE

Martha was born in February of 1842. She married Charles E Ennis Sr, a shoe and bookmaker. They resided in various places in Worcester, MD raising their children: Mary V Ennis, John W Ennis, Charles E Ennis, Annie Kate Ennis, and Winnie W Ennis. Martha died between 1910-1920.

11849-1850: BIRTH of SON: NELSON GRAY GUTHRIE

Nelson was born late 1849 or early in 1850 prior to the census in Snow Hill, Worcester, Maryland. His marriage to Josephine Truitt took place 23 March 1871 in Worcester. They moved to Baltimore where they resided until Nelson’s death in November 1901. They were parents to Nelson Rawlins Guthrie, Maud Guthrie, and John Guthrie.

1850: US CENSUS of MARYLAND
District 9, Worcester County, Maryland

GUTHERY HOUSEHOLD:
John Guthery 35 (no occupation listed) born Maryland (cannot read/write)
Euphemia Guthery 37 born Maryland
Martha Guthery 5 born Maryland
Nelson G Guthery 8/12 born Maryland
James Phillips 5 (no relationship listed) born Maryland
James Guthery 23 (no relationship listed, likely a younger brother) laborer, born Maryland (cannot read/write)
Sally A Jones 19 (no relationship or occupation listed) born Maryland

1853: BIRTH of SON: JOHN JAMES GUTHRIE

John James Guthrie was born on 23 Aug 1853 in Snow Hill, Worcester, MD. He married Annie Elizabeth Broughton on 30 Jun 1875. They raised 1 son and 8 daughters in Onancock, Accomack County, Virginia, but retired to Baltimore, Maryland. John died there on 15 Feb 1916 and is buried at Druid Ridge Cemetery. Children: Bernice Broughton Guthrie, Bynum B Guthrie, Ethyl Euphemia Guthrie, Winifred Guthrie, Mary Guthrie, John Bridener Guthrie, Annie Guthrie, Nancy Guthrie, Hazel Shakespeare Guthrie, and Marian Guthrie.

1854: BIRTH of DAUGHTER: MAY T GUTHRIE

May Guthrie was born about 1854. She married Isaac Henry Layfield in Worcester County, MD on 28 May 1873. They were parents to Charles Henry Layfield and Winona Layfield.

1857: BIRTH of DAUGHTER: ANNIE V GUTHRIE

Annie was born on 18 Feb 1857 in Snow Hill, Worcester, Maryland. She married James Dryden about 1874. Their children were Gordon L Dryden, Thomas Dryden, Robert E Dryden, Myrtle Dryden, and Mary Dryden. They moved to Brinkleys, Somerset, Maryland between 1880-1900 and to Eastville, Northampton, Virginia between 1910-1920. Annie died there on 25 May 1925, but is buried at Snow Hill at Whatcoat United Methodist Cemetery.

1860: US CENSUS of MARYLAND
Snow Hill, Worcester, Maryland, USA

GUTHERY HOUSEHOLD:
John Guthery 36 Shoemaker Maryland Personal Estate Value 100
Fama Guthery 40
Martha Guthery 16
Nelson Guthery 9
John Guthery 8
May Guthery 6
Anna Guthery 3

1866: US IRS TAX ASSESSMENT LISTS
District 1, Maryland

Name: Guthrie, John S
Location and Post Office Address: Snow Hill
Article or Occupation: Maker of Boots & Shoes
No. in Abstract: 4
Quantity or Valuation: 7445
Rate of Tax: (illegible)
Amount of Tax Upon Particular Article: 4.35
Total: 4.35

1870: US CENSUS of MARYLAND
Snow Hill, Worcester, Maryland, USA

GUTHRIE HOUSEHOLD:
John Guthrie 50 boot & shoe maker, Real Estate 1500, Personal Estate 500, born Maryland, cannot read/write, male citizen of US age 21 & up
_?_ Guthrie 53 Keeping house, born Maryland, cannot read/write
Nelson Guthrie 20 boot & shoemaker, born Maryland
John Guthrie 17 clerk in store, born Maryland
Nancy Guthrie 14, born Maryland
Annie Guthrie 12, born Maryland
Jane Robbins 20 domestic servant, born Maryland
Betsy Jones 40 Lady, born Maryland
Thomas Harman 13 apprentice shoemaker, born Maryland

1880: US CENSUS of MARYLAND
Snow Hill, Worcester, Maryland, USA

GUTHERY HOUSEHOLD:
John S Guthery 56 married MDx3 Bootmaker cannot write
Euphemia Guthery 56 wife married Keeping House MDx3 cannot write
Annie Guthery 19 daughter single At Home MDx3.

This record reveals that John’s parents were both born in Maryland.

1880-1900: PRESUMED DEATHS of JOHN S GUTHRIE & EUPHEMIA JONES

THE GUTHRIE DNA PROJECT

Guthrie Family Group: GFG1A
Group Designation: Branch E – (The Guthries of Worcester, MD)

Haplogroup: R-M269
Confirmed Haplogroup: R-Y62042

YDNA Matches:Kit 290792 (+FF)
John S Guthrie/Euphemia Jones > John James Guthrie/Annie Elizabeth Broughton > John Bridener Guthrie Sr/Charlotte Beatrice Veronica Thompson (GGP) +more

Family Finder / Autosomal DNA Kits: 2
Kit B79382
John Guthery/Euphemia Jones > John James Guthrie/Annie Elizabeth Broughton (GGP) +more

Kit B737347
John Guthery/Euphemia Jones > John James Guthrie/Annie Elizabeth Broughton (2xGGP) +more

Findings:The YDNA participant matches the genetic profile of GFG1A. He has tested at the Y37 marker level and has 2 mutations compared to Group Mode DNA. DYS392 = 14 (Group Mode 13) matches Kit 846168, which is from GFG1A Branch D, the other Worcester, MD line.

CDYa = 38 (Group Mode 37) is a fast moving marker also shared with Kit 846168 and others within the group.

More advanced Y-DNA testing might show if this participant, like the other Worcester man, shared genetic mutations also found in those GFG1A kits known to descend from James Guthrie & Christian Scott.

Is This Your Piece of the Puzzle?
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