Ancestors

John Worley

John Worley was born in Pennsylvania in 1760. A Worley genealogy typed in 1941 says he was "born on the frontier of Pa." He married Mary, whose maiden name that genealogy and a family sheet of 1983 give as Springer. In the 1790s the family was in Washington County, in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania, where his son Akey was born on 10 October 1797. The family of Jacob Need, who later married his daughter Nancy, was in the same corner of Pennsylvania in those years.

After the War of 1812 he took the family west into Ohio. His memorial says he "settled near Morges, Rose Twp., Carroll Co., OH (then Stark Co.)." His will calls him "John Worley of Sandy Township Stark County." He held two quarter sections, the farm he lived on and the northwest quarter of section 10, township 16, range 7. A quarter section was 160 acres of federal land, sold here through the land office at Steubenville.

He made his will on 16 December 1817 and signed it with his mark. To his wife he left "her bed and beding the large bay mare two of the cows all the Household and Kitchen furniture." She was to have "the management and profits of the Farm on which I now live during her natural Life provided she shall so long continue my widow," and was to keep the children who were not yet of age. The rest of his livestock was "to be divided among my Daughters Mary Rebecca Catharine and Nancy." Each daughter was also to have "one bed and bed cloaths the same that was made for each of them and known by each."

The sons were treated two ways. Thomas, Michael and Daniel, the three eldest, got one dollar each. They were grown men of about thirty six, thirty two and twenty seven. Akey and Joseph, written "Eaky and Joseph," shared the northwest quarter of section 10. Jacob, the youngest, was to have the home quarter "after the desease or marriage of my wife Mary." The three younger sons each got a colt: "to my Son Akey the two year old mare colt," to Joseph "the black mare colt," and to Jacob "the bay mare Colt." He named Daniel and Peter Shafer as executors. James McElroy, Henry Shane and John Shane witnessed the will.

He died that winter. Letters testamentary were issued on 31 March 1818. On 21 April James Dawning, John Beatty and Enoch Ross took the inventory, and it was a large one for the frontier. The house held seventeen sheep, a rifle, and a loom with five pairs of gears, the harnesses that lift the warp threads. There were two Bibles, two Testaments, two hymn books and five spelling books. The daughters' beds were listed by owner. At the sale that followed, his widow bought back hogs, sheep, a saddle and spoons, and the copper tea kettle went to his daughter Nancy.

His burial place is not known. Local historians suggest Harmony Cemetery. His widow lived on as Mary Worley until about 1841 and died in Canton Township.

By the will his children were Thomas, Michael, Daniel, Akey, Joseph and Jacob, and the daughters Mary, called Polly, Rebecca, Catharine, called Caty, and Nancy. Catherine married Matthias Firestone. Nancy married Jacob Need about 1821. Akey kept a hotel at Morges in Rose Township and died there in 1861. The 1941 genealogy lists nine of the ten, leaving out Thomas.

If John Worley is in your family, start your own tree.

Cite: Heirology, "John Worley (b. 1760)", https://heirology.com/ancestors/john-worley-1760-39d607.