Submitted by Lem Guthery
William Guthery was born 04 Feb 1843 in Cherokee Co., Alabama. He was the 5th child of David Guthery and Mary Ann (Crone.) William married Martha Beatrice Speegle on 08 Nov 1866 in what is now Cullman Co., Alabama. Martha was born 19 Jul 1844 in Winston Co, Alabama and died 16 Dec 1910 in Cullman Co., Alabama. Martha Beatrice Speegle was the 11th child of David Speegle and Winnifred Cranford. She had eighteen brothers and sisters and seven half brothers and sisters.
When the Civil War broke out, William enlisted in the Union army. He enlisted as a private at Huntsville, Alabama on August 18, 1862 at the age of 19 years. He served the duration of the war. During the last six months of the war, he was one of the body guards of General Sherman and was said to have ridden a Bay horse No. 487329. He was chosen because of his excellent marksmanship and ability to ride any type of horse.
William was always willing to learn. He learned from anyone that could teach him what he wanted to learn and from his children that he kept in school. He had a good voice and learned most of the songs in the old hymn book. It had no musical notes. They sang by long meter and short meter.
After he and Martha Beatrice (Speegle) were married, they lived in his father, David's cabin. David moved to what was known as the Jackson place, the 80 acres west of this being the homestead. As the family increased, William and Martha moved into the big house, as it was called and the 20 by 20 cabin became the kitchen. They lived the remainder of their lives at this location. William bought more land from time to time and gave each of his sons, 80 acres.
William and Martha had 16 children. Margaret Melsena Guthery b. 17 Aug 1867; Benjamin Franklin Guthery b.
31 Jul 1868; King David Guthery b. 21 Aug 1869; Rhoda Ann Francis Guthery b. 05 Nov 1870; William Henderson Guthery b. 26 May 1872; Martha Darinda Guthery b. 19 May 1873; John McDaniel Guthery b. 12 Sep 1874; Lorenza Jackson Guthery b. 07 Dec 1875; Jerusha Adeline Guthery b. 22 Dec 1876; Thomas Richard Guthery b. 31 Jul 1878; Elsberry Houston Guthery b. 18 Jul 1879; Naomia Winford Guthery b. 25 Sep 1880; Mikel Elcana Guthery b. 02 Nov 1881; Mary Magdalene Guthery b. 17 May 1883; Marilla Beatrice Guthery b. 02 Aug 1885; and Chesley Emanuel Licagus Guthery b. 08 Sep
1887
Mr. Richard H. May of Washington, D.C. gives the following information about the pension record of William Guthery: "William Guthery's pension file is about an inch thick. In it besides the original application and supporting papers, are reapplications at various times as a result of more liberalized pension laws or his increasing disability. His pension was evidently increased from time to time, the last just before his death. As to his death, a deposition in the pension file by R.H. Beard, M.D., Co. health officer for Cullman Co., states that he died at 3:30 a.m. June 1, 1912, aged 69 years, 3 mo and 29 days, from pneumonia. He was a farmer, a widower, pensioner, had no children under 16, and was born in Alabama."
Service records compiled by Glenda Todd and used with her permission. This and other information about the history of the First and the men who fought with the unit
can be found in her book, First Alabama Cavalry, USA: Homage to Patriotism.