James Guthrie

James Guthrie is one of the oldest residents of Apollo, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, having come there in 1833, from Westmoreland county, where he was born September 20, 1806. His parents, William and Agnes (Dixon) Guthrie, were among the earliest settlers in the county last named. During his early life the subject of our sketch was a land surveyor. He has been engaged in the real estate business, and for fifteen years followed the occupation of a tanner. He was a justice of the peace in the borough of Apollo for ten years, and in the years 1872-3 was assistant clerk in the land office at Harrisburg, under his son. In 1834 Mr. Guthrie married Margaret Hall, whose maiden name was Beatty. She was a native of Westmoreland county, born June 9, 1797, and the daughter of John and Jane Beatty, the former born in Maryland, and the latter in Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie are living a retired life in Apollo. Both are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

John B. Guthrie, son of James and Margaret Guthrie, was born in 1835. He volunteered as captain of a company of drafted men in the war for the Union. Prior to that time he had studied law with Mr. Fretty, of Apollo, and had been admitted to the bar in 1857. He practiced his profession until 1872. He married, in 1859, Miss Mary Jane Fretty, daughter of Jacob Fretty, and of this marriage two children were the offspring � Luretha A., Walter J. John B. Guthrie died September 21, 1875. His widow now resides with his parents, and his son Walter is receiving an education at Meadville College.

Source: Page(s) 282, History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania by Robert Walker Smith, Esq. Chicago: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883.
Transcribed January 1999 by Jeffrey Bish for the Armstrong County Smith Project.
Contributed by Jeffrey Bish for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)

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