Looking for a needle in a haystack - William Guthrie, born 1783 in Brechin

[Forfarian]

William Guthrie was the son of David Guthrie and Clementina Cay, and he was born in Brechin on 25 June 1783.

His father died in 1824, and in his will William is said to have gone to sea and not been heard of for some time.

In 1877 two of his nephews published a memoir of their father, William's younger brother Thomas, in which they say that William had gone abroad and was long dead.

Has anyone come across a possible William Guthrie, or does anyone have any ideas how to extract this needle from its haystack?

(For the avoidance of duplication of effort, I already have reams of information about the rest of William's siblings.)

[Flattybasher9]

Just curious, did you look at the 1841 census, East Mains Of Finhaven, Oathlaw, Angus, with  Thomas Guthier [Thomas Guthrie]  etc etc

Malky

[ColC]

Well spotted Malky, by the way it is Guthrie on freereg, William 58 in 1841.
He is still there in 1851 noted as born Glenisla as is his brother Thomas.

Colin

[Forfarian]

Yes, I have seen these, thank you.

This William Guthrie was the son of James Guthrie and Janet Phil(i)p. This is confirmed by the death certificate of his brother Thomas, who died at at East Mains of Finaven, Oathlaw in 1858. The original of the 1851 census says that William was Thomas' brother.

The William Guthrie I am looking for was born in Brechin, not in Glenisla, and he went to sea and/or abroad. His brother Thomas was a minister famous enough to have a statue of him in Princes Street in Edinburgh. 

PS I just checked the SP death indexes again and William Guthrie, mother's maiden surname Philip, died in Oathlaw in 1856 aged 75, which fits better with his baptism in 1779 than does his age in the 1851 census. Sister Susan also died in Oathlaw, in 1857.

[ColC]

There are a large number of Find a Grave records on family search, the only one with an age below.
I checked find a grave and there appears to be an attachment, sadly it is very blurred and seems impossible to read, unless some kind Rootschatter can improve it? 

William Guthrie born 1784
Burial 1853
Died 2 Jul 1853
Weston, Platte, Missouri, United States of America
Guthrie - Mitchell Cemetery

Colin

[Forfarian]

That looks promising, thanks, ColC.

Edit: On checking, that FindaGrave reference seems to be from a book titled 'Paxton's Annals' which says that this William Guthrie who died in 1853 was born in Fauquier County, Virginia, which seems to rule him out.