John Worland Information

I received an email from Keith Worland of Missouri with the following information on ancestor John Worland:

During the 1600s, a set of laws were introduced and were referred to as the Penal Laws. These laws made it illegal for catholics to hold a position in Parliament, own land, or practice their religion. Punishments for practicing an illegal religion included torture, prison time, and death. This caused many of the Catholics to flee england(along with other regions and people who just wanted to leave). A lot can be learned by looking at where people fled too. Although many of Richard Worland kids fled to New Zealand, one man fled to America. John(1) fled to what is now just outside of Baltimore, Maryland, one of the original settlements. Lord Baltimore's territory quickly became a place for Catholics to flee from religion persecution from around the world. To help bring more people to Lord Baltimore territory, Lord Baltimore gave away 50 acres, to new settlers. One of the questions that "One Mans Family" raises is: why did John(1) wait so long to claim his land(about 5 years)? Although there is no proof, it is possible that John(1) paid for his trip to America by becoming an indentured servant. The average indentured servant served ether 5, 7, or 10 years. This would account for the fact the John(1) did not clam his land for the first five years he was in the country. John(1) claimed his free land on December 10 1672. John(1) had one son named John(2) born 1639. John(1) would eventuality own two plantations by the time he died on February 13 1701. It is believed he is buried on his first plantation. John(1) left behind one son John(2), who married a woman named Mary. John(2) and Mary would inherit John(1)'s two plantations along with opening an additional plantation. Mary would die on October 12 1711, and John(2) died on October 12 1754. They had one son John(3) who was born in 1720 and married 3 women. The first women is unknown but they had four children together: John(4), Charles,Anastasia, and Eleanor. John(3) would then marry a woman named Rebecca. John(3) and Rebecca would have four children: Henry, Mary, William, and James. Finally John(3) would marry a women named Mary Brady(born 1737) on June 11 1774. John and Mary would have five children together: Thomas, Walter, Barnaby, Lucy, and Rebecca. Upon hitting hard times, John(3) and Mary Brady along with John(3), inlaws and 60 other people left Maryland to Kentucky where he would farm tobacco. One of the great mysteries of John(3) is why after moving to Kentucky, why did he move back to Maryland where he would die? There are even a few records that would suggest John(3) lived in Kansas before moving back to Maryland. John(3) died February 18 1790 and Mary Brady died November 13 1754.

Thank you, Keith.


(I will add to this that "One Man's Family" states: "Although John entered the colony in 1662, he strangely did not prove his right to a land grant until December 14, 1670, when a warrant for two hundred acres was issued to him......In this period the proprietor granted fifty acres for each adult brought into the colony and twenty-five acres for each child under sixteen, but there is no indication of how John was entitled to two hundred."