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Below is a family biography included in History of Lee County, Iowa published by Western Historical Company in 1879.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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GUTHRIE, ELIZA ANN, far., Sec. 6; P. O. Denmark; Mrs. Guthrie is the daughter of Aaron Van Pelt, who was born in Sussex Co., N. J., June, 1780, where he married Elizabeth Gilliland, also born in New Jersey, Jan. 2, 1787; they afterward removed to Marietta, Ohio, and subsequently to Meigs Co., in that State, where her father died Sept. 2, 1862, and her mother Sept. 11, 1870. Mrs. G. is one of nine children, six still living — Maria, born Feb. 28, 1809; Jacob, born Dec. 8, 1810, died Oct. 1, 1852; Eliza A., born Sept. 25, 1812; Daniel, born Aug. 31, 1814, died Nov. 9, 1824; Catharine was born Nov. 2, 1815; Susan was born Sept. 7, 1817, died March 7, 1856; Charlotte was born Sept. 1, 1821; Aaron was born July 17, 1823; Patience M. was born Feb. 20, 1827, died Sept. 22, 1868. Eliza A. was 5 years of age when her parents removed to Ohio, where, March 2, 1834, she married Milo Guthrie, son of Joseph Guthrie, who was born in Athens Co., Ohio, March 5, 1809; after marriage, they commenced the battle of life in the house on the farm where they were married, and where they remained thirty-two years; in 1866, they removed to Iowa and settled on the farm now occupied by Mrs. G., consisting of 165 acres, valued at $50 per acre; had three children — Annie M., born Feb. 12, 1835, and, on her 23d birthday, Feb. 12, 1858, married Joel E. Cowdry, of Denmark Tp.; Edwin N. was born Jan. 29, 1840, and died Jan. 21, 1846; Annie L. was born Sept. 24, 1847, and married, Feb. 4, 1869, Robert Peoples, of this township. Mr. Guthrie was a consistent and respected member of the Christian Church for thirty years previous to his death on the 13th of August, 1874, leaving many friends and but few enemies. His first vote was cast for Gen. Jackson for President in 1832, and he adhered to the Democratic faith throughout his life. Mrs. G., both her daughters and Mr. Cowdry, her son-in-law, are members of the Christian Church. The parents of Mrs. Guthrie’s husband, Joseph Guthrie and his wife, were born in Connecticut; moved to Ohio in 1790; settled in Carthage Tp., Athens Co.; they died, he at the age of 81, she at 96. He was a minister of the M. E. Church; she a member. Had eight children — Wm., Chas., Amy, Harriet, Sophia, Milo, Aurilla and Joseph; four are still living, two in Meigs Co., Ohio, the others in Monticello, Lewis Co., Mo. His oldest brother, Truman Guthrie, sowed the first bushel of wheat in Ohio in 1795 on the Ohio River, in Washington Co., Newburg Tp., about twenty-five miles below Marietta. At that time, Indians were the inhabitants and the first settlements of whites were made.

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This family biography is one of 668 biographies included in The History of Lee County, Iowa published in 1879.  For the complete description, click here: Lee County, Iowa History and Genealogy

View additional Lee County, Iowa family biographies: Lee County, Iowa Biographies

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