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Archiver > GUTHRIE > 1999-09 > 0936907287


From: "Brian L. Cartwright" <>
Subject: Re: Elizabeth and Mary Guthrie (Owens)/PA
Date: Thu, 09 Sep 99 13:01:27 PDT


----------
> Hi!
> Does anyone have the sisters, Elizabeth and Mary Guthrie in their trees?
> This is the information that I have:
>

Yes, my first hit on this list!

This branch comes from "American Guthries and Allied Familes", Laurence R. Guthrie, 1934. I haven't verified it myself this far down, I have down work (and corrections) closer to my direct ancestors.


> Elizabeth; born in 1822. Married Joshua Owens of Allegheny Twp.,
> Westmoreland County, PA ca. 1838. They had eight children, all born in
> Allegheny Twp.:
>
> After the death of Elizabeth, Joshua married her sister, Mary Guthrie,
> born 29 Sept 1815. They were married ca. 1852 in PA. By the time their first
> child was born, they were living in Cedar County, Iowa. They had four
> children, but only the oldest survived to maturity; Margaret, Samuel, and his
> twin, Ellen, and Catherine Camilla Owens, married Charles V. McClelland.
>
> I would certainly appreciate any help or information anyone can give. I
> would very much like to find Mary and Elizabeth's parents and siblings at the
> least. Thanks!
> Janis


According to the book, Joshua had married the two sisters, and ended up in Linn Co Iowa.

Their father was John Guthrie, spouse unknown.

John was the son of Samuel Guthrie & Jane Wilson. No dates on them, but would be about 1770-1780. Here's notes from the book:
Samuel Guthrie, son of James Guthrie, Jr., like his brother Rev. James Guthrie, studied at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa. He was an early lawyer of Greensburg, Pa., seems to have carried on his father's business after the decease of the latter. He bought and sold real estate estensively and appears on many documents at Greensburg as a Justice of the Peace. He seems to have been a man of considerable means in his day.
Samuel Guthrie married October 26, 1807, Jane Wilson. So far as present information goes he cannot be identified as appearing in the records of Westmoreland County later than 1822. He had a son William Jack Guthrie. It is believed that John and Samuel Guthrie, whose early lives were lived in or near Greensburg, were the sons of Samuel Guthrie and Jane Wilson.

Samuel's parents are Sheriff James Guthrie Jr. Esq. and Jennet Culbertson. The Guthrie book has Jennet married to his father James Sr. Her father Samuel did sell land to his son-in-law James Guthrie of Westmoreland, but she wouldn't have been quite old enough to mother the children and there's evidence of the name of the father's wife. Sheriff James had a part in calling for federal troops to put down the Whiskey Rebellion. His notes fom the book:
James Guthrie Jr. appears to have been their oldest son. He was a soldier in the Revolution, probably in the service before they removed from Cumberland to Westmoreland County. There are no records other than military ones which can be definately fixed as relating to him in Cumberland, but after moving to Westmoreland about 1789, his name appears on tax lists and in deeds, etc., sometimes distinguished from his father, but often not; so that one is uncertain at times as to which of the two is meant.
He was a man of probity an honor, trusted and respected by those who knew him. He was Sheriff of Westmoreland County, and later Register of Wills of same county.
James Guthrie, Jr., married, probably in what is now Franklin County, Pa., (1) ---- Barr. Her given name may have been Jane. She appears to have been deceased in Westmoreland County before 1801. He married (2) Aug 30., 1803, Martha Scott, of Chambersburg, Pa., widow of John (?) Scott. She had two daughters, Jane and Elizabeth, by her former marriage as is shown in the will of James Guthrie. But these do not appear as legatees in the will of John Scott of Chambersburg, who mentions wife Martha in a will of a date early enough that he may have been deceased at the time of her marriage to James Guthrie.
James Guthrie, Esq., died in Chambersburg, Pa., between the dates of the making and the probating of his will - April 23 and May 21, respectively, 1812.

Jennet's parents were Samuel Culbertson & Jennet Shields of Cumberland Co. James Guthrie Sr married Jeannette Wilson, widow of William Moore.
notes and my comments on James Guthrie Sr:
"James Guthrie a taxable in Hamilton Township, Cumberland County, PA, in 1753, was the first Guthrie to settle permanantly that far west in Pennsylvania. His land lay along Back Creek about a mile above the point where the Lincoln Highway crosses it, about the confluence of Wilson's Run and Denney's Run with it.
Many of the neighbors of James Guthrie were from Chester County and it is quite probable that he, a young man, coming from Chester, was the son of Robert Guthrie. 'Rob't Guttery', a taxable in 1732 in Fallowfield Township, is presumably the same as 'Robert Guttery', a taxable in Nantmeal Township, 1734 and 1735 (no later appearance). Fallowfield Township, Chester County, Pa., bridged the distance between Nantmeal in the northern part of the county bordering on Berks and old Oxford in the southwest. Robert when first noted lived at no great distance from John Guthrie in Oxford. He is supposed to have been the Robert, who with his brother James, moved from Connecticut to Pennsylvania. Nothing more is known of this Robert. He seems to have moved out of Chester County about 1735; may have gone to that part of Lancaster which in 1750 became Cumberland County, Pa. He is not however to be confused with Robert Guthrie of Carlisle, 1750 and later.
Usually the Scotch Irish families who settled together in a locality were connected by ties of consanguinity, and not so infrequently when a man of past middle lifemigrated with grown sons, the land was taken up in their names, while the patriarch passed away leaving no records of himself, not even a tombstone in an ancient Presbyterian cemetery, for nearly all the first graves were marked only by rough unlettered native stones or by wooden slabs of walnut or locust.
This group of Adam, James, John and William hangs together pretty well. Adam and John Guthrie seem to have been both related to the Darlingtons and connected with the Marshalls. John, James and William were asscoiated with one another as brothers might have been. Each of them lived for a time on Back Creek, in Hamilton Township, Cumberland, now Franklin County, Pa., and may be properly referred to as the Back Creek Guthries.
Although poor in earthly goods and living on the rude frontier James gives ample evidence of having been a man of real quality. He possessed courage, fortitude, patriotism and true piety. It is probable that he worshipped at the Falling Spring Presbyterian Church. It was the nearest church, the next nearest being Rocky Spring.
The French and Indian War began in this region in 1752 with the abduction of women and children by the Indians. After the defeat of Braddock's expedition against Fort Duquesne, in July, 1755, the border lay defenseless before the infuriated savages, who made foray after foray that summer and autumn upon the exposed settlements of the Scotch Irish in the upper Cumberland Valley. The interested reader is referred to history for the harrowing accounts of the inhuman fury of the aborigines, which expressed itself in fiendish murders, arsons and massacres. Unparalleled courage was displayed by those frontiersmen in defending their homes and actually pursuing their enemies into the wilderness.
Colonel John Armstrong of Carlisle organized a command of 700 men of the Valley of the Kittochtinny (Cumberland), included in which was the company of Joseph Armstrong, in which James Guthrie was enlisted. Early in September, 1756, Col. John Armstrong marched his command against the Indian stronghold, Kittaning, on the Allegheny River. He made an attack on them just before dawn, totally surprising them, burned their town and drove them out with great slaughter. Returning he built Fort Loudon and garrisoned it, also west of the Tuscarora, Fort Littleton at Sugar Cabins, in what is now Fulton County.
From 1756 to 1760 the Conococheague settlements were abandoned, the settlers returning to the valley of the Susquehanna and eastward, except those who remained on military duty at the outposts. During those silent years it is supposed that James Guthrie did considerable military duty and spent his other time in Chester County. As those fearful and restless times drew to their close, he was among the first to reestablish a home on the frontier.
He laid broad foundations for the future and had he remained on Back Creek, would doubtless have been one of the most substantial citizens of the region. In addition to his original tract of some two hundred and forty acres, he secured warrants for other lands, adjoining or near the first. He sold these, usually having surveys made to the purchasers.
During the Revolutionary War there were at least three James Guthries in Cumberland County, our present subject and his son James, in Hamilton Township and another James in East Pennsboro, near or in Carlisle. It is quite certain that one of the Hamilton Township James Guthries was in the service, presumably the younger, as the elder was well adavnced in years. This is by no means conclusive, since sons, fathers and grandfathers often served together or in turn for the cause of liberty and independence.
James Guthrie sold his homestead on Back Creek in 1777 and moved to Chambersburg. He removed to Westmoreland County in 1780, where for a number of years he bought and sold land with a shrewd eye for gain. He was never strictly speaking a farmer, but energetic and enterprising, was willing to engage in any legitimate undertaking which promised fair returns. The land records represent him as living respectively in Mt. Pleasant, Donegal, Hempfield, (including Greensburg) and Salem Townships. He was a Justice of the Peace in Westmoreland County.
James Guthrie married Jennet (or Jane) Culbertson. She died in or near Greensburg, Pa., about 1801. Thereafter it appears he made his home with his son-in-law, Isaac Parr. He died a few years later."

AMERICAN GUTHRIE AND ALLIED FAMILIES



Culbertson book lists Jennet as next to last child (abt 1750) m James Guthrie, children are copied from Seilhammer report (on Morrow family, which I haven't seen yet, but I need to write back to a Morrow descendant in the Pittsburgh area) James, William, John, Archibald, Esther (Mrs Paul Morrow).

Guthrie book lists children of Jennet Culbertson and James Guthrie (from James' estate settlement) as William, James & Elizabeth (wife of Isaac Parr), whom James is living with at the time of his death.

Guthrie lists children of James Jr and Janet Barr (her name sourced to Seilhammer) as James, Samuel & Hettie (wife of Paul Morrow). The appendix does print the 1812 will which mentions Paul Morrow and his children, so this looks convincing.

A listing on Yates publishing has Jane Culbertson m 1775 James Guthrie, he born 1752 (I need to call submitter)

a listing on Kindred Konnections has Jane Culbertson m James Guthrie, he d 1812.

These two dates match James Jr, Sheriff. Sheriff James will mentions his Morrow grandchildren, Seilhammer's Morrow genealogy has Jane Culbertson as mother-in-law of Paul Morrow. I tend to believe Jane Culbertson m James Jr, while Jeanette Wilson Moore m James Sr.

One more twist - DAR Patriot Index, Centennial Edition, lists our William Guthrie, exact dates. Also lists an Archibald Guthrie, b abt 1753, dies 1779 in the war. He would not then appear in his father's estate settlement abt 1805. Only problem is, they are both listed as being born in Scotland. If this is true, Jeanette Wilson may be Sheriff James' mother, but she couldn't be William's mother. But James Jr is listed as 1752, so the dates are real tight here. I'll try to get to the DAR library and look up the submitted info on William & Archibald. [Brian Cartwright 6 Apr 1998]

and for Jeannette Wilson:
[Caldwells 1880 History of Indiana County, page 176]
John Moore the first President Judge of Westmoreland County-delegate from Westmoreland County to form the constitution of PA in 1776-among lots of other things! He died in 1811 in the 73rd year of his life buried at Congruity Presbyterian Church in his will he set free his older colored slaves and offered apprenticships for the younger slaves with any of his children they may choose.
John Moore was the age of 37 at the commencement of the colonial rebellion-his wife was the daughter of Isaac Parr, of the state of New Jersey. they had one child at that time. He had a farm of 450 acres on Crabtree Run-a branch of the Loyalhanna, two miles SE of New Alexandria.
He was born in Lancaster County, his father was William Moore-who died when he was but a boy, and afterwards his mother Jeanette Moore, and her son, in company with her brothers-Charles Wilson esq. and John Wilson, removed to the district of Westmoreland County After his mother removed to Westmoreland County, she was again married this time to JAMES GUTHRIE, of Greensburg-by whom she had several children-one of whom named James was afterward Sheriff of Westmoreland County.
John Moore had 4 daughters and 2 sons One daughter married -Major John Krikpatrick; the other daughter married John M Snowden-editor of the Pittsburg Mercury and later Mayor of the city of Pittsburg (among lots of other things listed about him); another daughter married Rev Francis Laird D.D.and the last daughter married James McJunkin a respectable farmer One son was County surveyer and the other a railroad man who died in Kentucky

I will send more details, let me know if I can send you a gedcom file, would be glad to exchange info.

Brian Cartwright

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