The Worland Family in America and Beyond

I began my life in the Puget Sound area of Washington State, on an island filled with forests and wild rhododendrons. I was separated from my Worland family there at an early age. Recently, I was reunited with my family and learned of my heritage. And so, this journey to know my ancestors began. The Worlands, Gideons, Newtons, Conards... they were the colonists, the settlers, the pioneers. They fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War. This is their story, and the story of a nation. -Deci Worland MacKinnon

Monday, March 29, 2010

October 1719, Maryland

October 4, 1719- George Hardy and Elizabeth Drane are married in Piscataway, St. John's Paris, Prince George's County, Maryland.

(George Hardy is my fifth great granduncle. Our common ancestors are William & Elizabeth Hardy. Elizabeth Drane is my fifth great grandaunt. Our common ancestors are Anthony Drane & Elizabeth Mockbee Nicholls.)

1720 Pennsylvania

1720- Samuel Shoemaker is born to Peter Shoemaker and Margaret Op den Graeff in Germantown, Pennsylvania.

(Samuel Shoemaker is my third cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are Herman Op den Graeff & Gretjen Driessen Pletjes.)

Peter Tyson and Mary Roberts are married in Germantown, Pennsylvania.

(Peter Tyson is my first cousin 9 times removed. Our common ancestors are Mathias Dohrs & Agnes Neesgen Op den Graeff. Samuel Shoemaker is Peter's second cousin once removed. Their common ancestor is Lysgen Grietes.)

Sunday, March 28, 2010

1720 Maryland

1720- John Worland III is born to John Worland and Stacey Robey in Charles County, Maryland. His first wife Rebecca is born the same year.

(John Worland III is my fourth great grandfather.)

James Robey is born to John Robey and Sarah Smallwood in Charles County, Maryland.

(James Robey and John Worland III are first cousins. James Robey is my first cousin 6 times removed. Our common ancestors are John Robey & Sarah Hines Luckett.)

Thomas Luckett is born to Samuel Luckett, Jr. and Ann Smoot in Port Tobacco, Charles County, Maryland.

(Thomas Luckett is first cousin once removed to James Robey and John Worland III.  Thomas Luckett is my first cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestor is Elizabeth Hussey.)

James Pike is born to Archibald Pike and Mildred Thompson in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

(James Pike is my fifth great grandfather.)

Elizabeth Skeen is born in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

(Elizabeth Skeen is my fifth great grandmother.)

Thomas Newton is born to Thomas & Katherine Newton in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

(Thomas Newton is my fifth great granduncle.)

Susanna Heard is born to William Heard and Elizabeth Cole in Maryland.

(Susanna Heard is my second cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are Robert Cole & Rebecca Gill.)

Joseph Thompson is born to Thomas Thompson and Jane Tant in Charles County, Maryland. Thomas and Jane had wed earlier in the same year.

(Joseph Thompson is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestor is Robert Drury.)

Robert Cole has died at the age of 34 in St. Mary's County, Maryland.
His will is proved in April 1720:

To son John and heirs: dwelling plantation, personalty.
To son Robert and heirs: "Cole's Purchase," at head of Choptank Bay; personalty.
To daughter Mary and heirs: "Pearewales"; personalty.
To wife Elizabeth, personalty, and with child. residue of estate, equally.

Exs.: Wife Elizabeth and Brother Edward.

Test: George Jenkens, Cuthbert Sawell (Seawell, Sewell) and Vitus Herbert.
(Robert Cole is my first cousin 9 times removed. Susanna Heard is his niece. Our common ancestors are Robert Cole & Rebecca Gill. His wife Elizabeth Tant is my first cousin 8 times removed. Joseph Thompson is her nephew. Our common ancestor is Robert Drury. )

Saturday, March 27, 2010

January 1720, Pennsylvania

January 19, 1720- Ellen Foulke is born to Hugh Foulke and Ann Williams.

(Ellen Foulke is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestors are Aret Klincken & Niske Agnes Jensen. Her mother, Ann Williams married secondly Joseph Ambler.)

March 1720, Rhode Island

March 16, 1720- Elizabeth Lawton dies at the age of 82 in Portsmouth, Newport County, Rhode Island.

(Elizabeth Lawton is my ninth great grandaunt. Our common ancestors are Thomas Lawton & Elizabeth Salisbury.)

June 1720, England

June 23, 1720- William Penn the Younger dies in England of consumption. On his death-bed he is said to have declared that he regretted the wrongs he had done.

(William Penn the Younger is my third cousin 9 times removed. He is, of course, the son of William Penn. Our common ancestors are Pletjes Driessen & Alet Gobels.)

Friday, March 26, 2010

August 1720, Maryland

August 8, 1720- The first child is born to George Hardy & Elizabeth Drane in Prince George's County, Maryland. They name the baby boy William, but the child dies three days later on August 11.

(Baby William was my first cousin 6 times removed. Our common ancestors are William & Elizabeth Hardy.)

Merion Friends Meeting House, Montgomery, Pennsylvania


"Among the companions of the founder of Pennsylvania, when he arrived on the shores of the Delaware, in the year 1682, were a large number of Welsh people of great respectability and substance. These excellent persons, before they left their native country, had purchased of the proprietary several thousand acres of land on the western side of the Schuylkill, about six miles from the spot fixed upon for the city of Philadelphia; and this tract was called Merioneth, in honour of their birth-place."
The Merion Monthly Meeting of Friends,(Quakers), began in 1682 upon the arrival of the first boatload of Welsh families fleeing persecution for their non-conformist worship in Wales. Edward Jones, son-in-law of Dr. Thomas Wynne, Quaker physician and friend of William Penn led them.

In 1695 the now thriving community in "Merion," named in honor of their Welsh Merionethshire, built a stone meeting house. It stood on a well-used path linking the Welsh farms to Philadelphia. Tradition says William Penn visited and preached here. In the loft above the meeting room, a school was held for girls and boys, including Indian children.
The meeting house was enlarged in 1714.
The Merion Friends Meetinghouse is a National Historic Landmark and one of the oldest extant examples of early Quaker architecture in the country.
Merion Meetinghouse has been in continuous use for over three hundred years.

This information is from the Merion Monthly Meeting Homepage.
Below is a picture of the Meeting house as it looks today.

August 1720, Pennsylvania

August 7, 1720- Joseph Ambler and Ann Williams are married at the Merion Friends Meeting House in Montgomery, Pennsylvania.

(Ann Williams is my first cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are Aret Klincken & Niske Agnes Jensen.)

August 11, 1720- Jonathan Cox is born to Richard Cox & Margaret Potts in Kennett Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania.

(Jonathan Cox is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestors are Thomas Potts & Elizabeth Baset.)

October 1720, Pennsylvania

October 21, 1720- John Tyson and Priscilla Naylor are married in Germantown, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

(John Tyson is my first cousin 9 times removed. Our common ancestors are Mathias Dohrs & Agnes Neesgen Op den Graeff.)

Monday, March 22, 2010

1721 Pennsylvania

1721- Henry Streypers is born to Lenart Streypers & Ann Entgen Cunraeds in Germantown, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

(Henry Streypers is my first cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are Thones Kunders & Elin Thiessen.)

Sunday, March 21, 2010

1721 Maryland

1721- John Mills and Mary Manning are married in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

Cornelius Manning, Mary's father, dies in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

Elizabeth Thompson is born to Thomas Thompson & Jane Tant in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

Richard Hayden is born to William Hayden & Elizabeth Thompson in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

(Mary Manning is my third cousin 6 times removed. Cornelius is Mary's father, he is my second cousin 7 times removed. Elizabeth Thompson is my second cousin 7 times removed. Mary and Elizabeth are first cousins. Our common ancestor is Robert Drury.
Richard Hayden is my fifth great granduncle. His mother Elizabeth is not related to the Elizabeth Thompson born to Jane & Thomas Thompson.)

10 Apr 1721 - 15 Aug 1721  The Last Will of Cornelis Manning:

In the name of God Amen. I Cornelius MANNING of St. Mary's County being sick of body but of sound & perfect memory thanks be to god do make & ordaine this my last will & Testament in form following.
First I give unto my loving wife the plantation I now live on commonly called Hattons, during her natural life provided that my said wife shall abide & live hereupon during her life, and if my said wife should leave the said plantation and leave also where that then it shall be in the power of John MILLS my other executor to take the said plantation unto his _____ ______ & Keep the the same and the houses in tenent able repair until my son Cornelius MANNING shall arive to age and then the said plantation & tract of land thereunto belonging
I give and bequeath unto my said son Cornelius MANNING all the plantation in porke hall neck whereon Henry NOWELL lately lived and now possed by Doctor JOHNSON according to the meets and bonds that Henry NOWELL held to him the said Cornelius MANNING his heirs and assignes forever.
I give and bequeath unto my son Cornelius MANNING all that plantation and tract of lane in Smiths Neck called Mannings Hold together with a tract of land thereunto adjoyning to Calverts Creek bought of George PARKER to him the said Cornelius and to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten and for want of such heirs to his sister and to the survivour of them & to their heirs and asignes of the survivour of them forever.
I give & bequeath unto my two daughters Mary MILLS and Ann MANNING the remaining part of Porke Hall Neck to be equally devided between them the said Mary and Ann their & either of their heirs & assignes forever. And my true intent & meaning is that if eaither of my foresaid daughters should die without issue of their bodys that then the surviving daughter & her heirs shall take place and enjoy the remaining part of porke hall neck to the said survivour and their heirs & assignes forever.
I give and bequeath unto John MANNING son of John MANNING dec'd all that plantation called the rigg on Cornelius Swamp & to the heirs of his body lawfully begotton and for want of such heirs then to the heirs of me the said Cornelius MANNING & to their heirs & assignes forever.
 I give to Wm MORGAN son to Edward MORGAN one three years old heifer and as to my personal Estate after debts and changes payd I leave to be equally devided in three parts, one part thereof to my wife & the other two parts to be equally devided amongst my three children Cornelius, Mary and Ann. I leave my son Cornelius under the care & government of John MILLS untill he arrives to twenty one years of age. I leave my daughter Ann under the care & Government of her Grandmother SHIRLY if she will take that care upon her if not to my sister MILLS until she arrives to the age of sixteen years or day of marriage which shall first happen.
I give unto Mr. George THUROLD my horse a fidler. & I do hereby constitute & Appoint my loving wife Elizabeth and John MILS to be joynt Executors of this my last will & testament, witness my hand and seale this tenth day of April 1721. Cornelius MANNING seal.
 signed sealed and delivered August 15th 1721. in presence of Archibald JOHNSON, Mary JOHNSON, Rudolph MAN, Wm. JOHNSON.
Then came Mary JOHNSTONE subscribing evidences to the within will & made oath upon the holy evangelist of Almighty God that they saw the testator sign & seal the within instrument as his last will & testament and that he published and declared the same so to be , and that at the time of his so doing he was of sound & perfect mind & memory to the best of their knowledge August 21st 1721 sworn to before me Jn BAKER Depty Commissioner then came RODHAM subscibing evidence to the within will & made oath upon the holy evangelist of Almighty God theat they saw the testator sign & seal the same so to be & that at the time of his so doing he wass of sound & perfect mind & memory to the best their knowledge.
Sworne to before ___ Jn BAKER Depty Commissioner

Saturday, March 20, 2010

February 1721, Pennsylvania

February 9, 1721- Mary Ann Burson is born to Joseph Burson & Mary Rachel Potts at Gilbert's Manor in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

( Mary Ann Burson is my first cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestors are Jonas Potts & Mary Thomaston.)

February 24, 1721- Matthias Lucken and Ann Johnson are married at the Abington Monthly Meeting in Pennsylvania.

(Matthias Lucken is my first cousin 9 times removed. Our common ancestors are Matthias Dohrs & Agnes Neesgen Op den Graeff. )

Friday, March 19, 2010

Joseph Ambler Inn


The land on which the Joseph Ambler Inn now stands was originally part of a large expanse owned by William Penn. In 1682, William Penn granted 1,000 acres to Richard Pearce. In 1711, 50 acres were sold to William Morgan. Morgan built the original section of the Farmhouse, which consisted of a ground floor where meals were prepared, and a small upstairs sleeping chamber. When Morgan died, the property was sold to Joseph Ambler.

The house remained in the Ambler family until 1825 when the property was acquired by squire John Roberts who married an Ambler daughter. It was Roberts who built the middle section of the farmhouse, adding the living room and dining room.

Over the next 100 years, the property had many owners. In 1929, under the ownership of the Wright family, the "schoolroom" was constructed. It was in this room that the children of the house were schooled. The property passed from the Wrights, to the Flood's, to the Wolfe's, and finally in 1983, the remaining 12 acres were sold to Richard Allman, the present day owner. It was Allman who put the property to use as a small bed and breakfast.

The Joseph Ambler Inn is located in North Wales, Pennsylvania.

May 1721, Pennsylvania

May 25, 1721- Sarah Ambler is born to Joseph Ambler & Ann Williams in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

(Sarah Ambler is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestors are Aret Klincken & Niske Agnes Jensen.)

Monday, March 15, 2010

The Grater House, Pennsylvania

The Grater house was erected circa 1724. The property on which the house was built was bought by Abraham Op den Graeff in 1706 from Matthias Van Bebber.
The house on the property was built by Jacob, son of Abraham, and Anneken Op den Graeff around 1724. This was not your normal farmstead for the 1700's. This was considered a "plantation" where they, more than likely, grew apples, pears and peaches.
The property, of 100 acres, was in the Op den Graeff family until 1816, when the great grandson of Abraham Op den Graeff died and the property was sold to Abraham and Mary Tyson by Ann Op den Graeff, great granddaughter.
The Tyson’s resided in the house until 1847 when they sold it to Josiah Bechtel. Bechtel lived in the house until 1866 and during this time, he built an addition on the rear of the house, doubling it's size. Bechtel also split the land up, selling about four different pieces off for large sums of money. He sold the parcel containing the house to Abraham and Mary Grater. The land was now 26 acres and 124 perches.
While the Grater family lived in the house, the Underground Railroad was put through the basement. Also, the Grater's added the back addition including the kitchen, dining room and 2 bedrooms. Abraham Grater was very influential in the Mennonite church and caused a reform around the mid 1860's. Within 10 months of the Grater’s moving in, they sold the house to Jacob and Mary Gerges for $4,550. Gerges owned the property until 1875 when he sold it to John H. Tyson for $4,200.
The Tyson’s owned the house with two parcels of land until 1907. In the fall of 1907, Franklin Tyson, executer of estate, sold the now 82 acres of land containing the house to Christian and Susie Bean.

(Abraham Op den Graeff is my first cousin 10 times removed.)

October 1721, Pennsylvania

October 10, 1721- Abraham Tyson and Mary Hallowell are married in Germantown, Pennsylvania.

( Abraham Tyson is my first cousin 9 times removed. )

Sunday, March 14, 2010

December 1721, Pennsylvania

December 25, 1721- Daniel Potts and Sarah Shoemaker are married in the Abington Monthly Meeting of Friends in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

(Daniel Potts is my first cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are Thomas Potts & Elizabeth Baset. Sarah Shoemaker is my third cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestor is Lysgen Grietes. However, Daniel and Sarah are not blood relatives.)

1722 Rhode Island


1722- John Sisson is jailed in Bristol for protesting taxes.

(John Sisson is my eighth great grandfather.)

Bristol was settled in 1680 as part of the Plymouth Colony. It was presumably named after Bristol, England.

Bristol was the "shire town" (county seat) of Bristol County, Plymouth Colony, when the county was created in 1685. (It was later split into Bristol County, Rhode Island and Bristol County, Massachusetts.)  It remained a part of Massachusetts until the Crown transferred it to the Rhode Island Colony in 1747.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

1722 Maryland

1722- Eleanor Heard is born to William Heard & Elizabeth Cole in St. Mary's, Maryland.

(Eleanor Heard is my second cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are Robert Cole and Rebecca Gill.)

Anne Tant & George Medley are married in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

(Anne Tant is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestor is Robert Drury.)

Friday, March 12, 2010

1722 Pennsylvania

1722- James Conard is born to Cunraed Cunraeds and Ann Burson in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

(James Conard is my sixth great granduncle.)

Monday, March 8, 2010

March 1722, Pennsylvania

March 12, 1722- Martha Tyson is born to Matthias Tyson & Mary Potts in Abington Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

( Martha Tyson is my second cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are Matthias Dohrs and Agnes Neesgen Op den Graeff.)

Sunday, March 7, 2010

March 1722, Maryland

March 1722- John Tant and Eleanor Mills are married in St. Mary's County, Maryland.

(John Tant is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestor is Robert Drury.)

Saturday, March 6, 2010

April 1722, Maryland

April 1722- Henry Hardy is born to William Hardy & Ann Stimson in St. John's Parish, Prince George's County, Maryland.

(Henry Hardy is my fourth great granduncle.)

April 4, 1722- William Hardy is born to George Hardy & Elizabeth Drane in Prince George's County, Maryland.

(William Hardy is my first cousin 6 times removed. William and Henry are first cousins. Our common ancestors are William and Elizabeth Hardy.)

April 1722, Rhode Island

April 22, 1722- Mary Sisson is born to John Sisson & Rebecca Lawton in Rhode Island.

(Mary Sisson is my seventh great grandaunt.)

Friday, March 5, 2010

1722 Pennsylvania

August 27, 1722- Sarah Tyson and John Kirk are married in Germantown, Pennsylvania.

(Sarah Tyson is my first cousin 9 times removed. Our common ancestors are Mathias Dohrs and Agnes Neesgen Op den Graef.)

November 12, 1722- James Burson is born to Joseph Burson & Rachel Potts at Gilbert's Manor in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

(James Burson is my first cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestors are Jonas Potts and Mary Thomaston.)

Thursday, March 4, 2010

1723 Pennsylvania

1723- Samuel Potts is born to Daniel Potts & Sarah Shoemaker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

( Samuel Potts is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestors are Thomas Potts and Elizabeth Baset.)

Monday, March 1, 2010

1723 Maryland

1723- Sarah Robey is born to John Robey & Sarah Smallwood in Charles County, Maryland.

(Sarah Robey is my first cousin 6 times removed. Our common ancestors are John Robey and Sarah Hines Luckett.)

Eleanor Hanson marries William Hagan in Charles County, Maryland.

(Eleanor is my sixth great grandaunt. Sarah Robey is her grandniece. Our common ancestor is Elizabeth Hussey.)