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

Sunday, January 18, 2015

On This Day, January 18th

January 18, 1608- My ninth great grandaunt, Hester Pletjes Op den Graeff, the daughter of Hermann Op den Graeff & Gretjen Driessen Pletjes, is born in Krefeld, Herzogtum Kleve, Germany. She is one of 18 children, half of whom would die in infancy.
 
Hester's father, Hermann, (my tenth great grandfather), was the first reported member of the Op den Graeff family.

Op den Graeff  stained glass window at Krefeld
He was a Mennonite bishop and a wealthy linen weaver and merchant in Krefeld. He lived in a house with notorious stained glass windows full of hymns (partly to himself) and mystical religious symbolism, some of it Catholic. A window from his house, now in the Krefeld Museum, says in German "To be God-fearing, devout and of good morals; zealous, hospitable and truthful in speech--is Christian, and pleases the Lord; brings favor, and sets many a one to great honor. Herman op Den Graff und greitgen lein hoffrow. A 1630."  (Translated from the German.)
Pictured is the Op den Graeff window of Krefeld, with the coat of arms  showing the "Lohengrin Swan" of the Arms of Cleves.

The Op den Graeff family were said to be tall and spare in physique and have strongly marked features.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

On This Day, January 15th

Map of Connecticut highlighting New Haven County
Map of Connecticut highlighting New Haven County
January 15, 1659- My eighth great grandaunt, Elizabeth Hubbard, is born to George Hubbard & Elizabeth Watts in Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut.

January 15, 1706- My seventh great granduncle, Nathaniel Doolittle, is born to Samuel Doolittle & Mary Cornwall in Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

On This Day, January 14th

Some of the historic buildings in Newport, nea...
Some of the historic buildings in Newport, near the coast (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
January 14, 1645- My ninth great granduncle, William Hall, is born to William Hall & Mary Thomas in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island.

January 14, 1666- My eighth great granduncle, Andrew Bacon, is born to Nathaniel Bacon & Ann Miller in Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

On This Day, January 13th

English: My 2009 photo of Wilbor House in Litt...
English: My 2009 photo of Wilbor House in Little Compton, Rhode Island, USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
JANUARY 13, 1714- My ninth great grandaunt, Anne Sisson, dies at the age of 67 in Little Compton, Newport, Rhode Island. Daughter of Richard Sisson & Mary Atkinson, she married Peleg Tripp, son of John Tripp & Mary Paine, in 1667.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

On This Day, January 10th



January 10, 1683- A son, Samuel, is born to William Abernathy & Sarah Doolittle in Wallingford, New Haven, Connecticut.

January 10, 1696- My ninth great granduncle, Samuel Peck, dies at the age of 49 in West Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, British America.
The son of Deacon Paul Peck & Martha Hale, Samuel was born in Hartford. In 1672, he married Elizabeth Gilpin.

January 10, 1700- A daughter, Elizabeth, is born to John Stowe & Bathsheba Howe in Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut.

January 10, 1701- A daughter, Phebe, is born to Ebenezer Cole & Mehitable Luther in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay, British America.

January 10, 1702- A son, Francis, is born to Francis Whitmore & Mary Cornwall in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut.

January 10, 1703- A daughter, Hepzibah, is born to Robert Hubbard & Abigail Adkins in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut.

January 10, 1704- A son, Ebenezer, is born to Samuel Salisbury & Jemima Martin in Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay, British America.

January 10, 1713- A daughter, Elizabeth, is born to Samuel Abernathy & Elizabeth Peck in Wallingford, New Haven, Connecticut, British America.



(Samuel Abernathy is my first cousin 9 times removed. Our common ancestor is Abraham Doolittle.
Elizabeth Stowe is my second cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are Thomas Wetmore & Sarah Hall and Paul Peck & Martha Hale.
Phebe Cole is my first cousin 9 times removed. Our common ancestors are Hugh Cole & Mary Foxwell and Samuel Luther & Mary Abell.
Francis Whitmore is my second cousin 9 times removed. Our common ancestors are William Cornwall & Mary Bailey and John Whitmore.
Ebenezer Salisbury is my first cousin 9 times removed. Our common ancestors are William Salisbury & Susanna White.
Hepzibah Hubbard is my second cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are Thomas Wetmore & Sarah Hall and George Hubbard & Elizabeth Watts.
Elizabeth Abernathy is my second cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestor is Abraham Doolittle)

Friday, January 9, 2015

On this Day, January 9th



1715- A son, Jeremiah, is born to Nathaniel Bacon & Hannah Wetmore in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut.

1717- My eighth great granduncle, Joseph Cole, son of Hugh Cole & Deborah Buckland, marries Mary Eddy, daughter of Caleb Eddy & Elizabeth Bullock, in  Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts.

1727- My sixth great grandfather, Solomon Stimson, dies at the age of 45 in Prince George's County, Maryland.
Born in March, 1681, Solomon is the son of James Stimson & Hannah Stearns.
At the age of 18, Solomon appeared before the Court for being drunk and fighting. When asked how he pleaded, he declared he would fight again if he had like occasion.
In 1715, he married Elizabeth Finch, daughter of Guy and Rebecca Finch.

Court Records of Prince George's County, Maryland 1696-1699

In March, 1699 true bills were found against Benjamin Stephens, Solomon Stimpson, Peter Scamper, Thomas Wells and John Robinson for being drunk and fighting against
"the Goods laws of God and this Province." All except Stimpson submitted to the
court, received fines of 100 pounds of tobacco and were cleared by proclamation.
Stimpson, when asked how he pleaded, declared he would fight again if he had
like occasion; he was then put in the stocks for 3 hours and required to give security
for his good behavior and appearance at the next court. At the June court he was
cleared by proclamation, nobody appearing against him.

Will of Solomon Stimson

Stimton (Stimson), Solomon, planter, Prince George's County, 9th Jan., 1726-7; 26th Jan., 1726/7.
To son Solomon, £30.
To son Benjamin, 50 A. where he now lives and £30.
To son-in-laws William and Thomas Elder, personalty.
To wife Elizabeth, extx., son Jeremiah, daus. Sarah and Mary, personal estate equally.
To dau. Ann, £5.
to wife Elizabeth and hrs., rights in land adj. Charles Bevans; shd. any of child. die during minority, their
portion to be divided among all child. equally.

Test: Thos. Chartur (Chartor), Paul Talbart (Tabart), Elizabeth Morris. 19.67

1736- A daughter, Phebe, is born to Joseph Moss & Lydia Jones in Wallingford, New Haven, Connecticut.

1737- Ebenezer Cole, son of Ebenezer Cole & Mehitable Luther, marries Prudence Miller, daughter of Samuel Miller & Ruth Curtis, in Swansea, Bristol County, Rhode Island.

1745- A son, Benjamin, is born to William Tallman & Ann Lincoln in Berks County, Pennsylvania, British America.

(Jeremiah Bacon is my first cousin 9 times removed. Our common ancestors are Nathaniel Bacon & Ann Miller and Deacon Thomas Wetmore.
Ebenezer Cole  is my first cousin 9 times removed. Our common ancestors are Hugh Cole & Mary Foxwell and Samuel Luther & Mary Abell.
Phebe Moss is my third cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are John Moss & Abigail "Goody" Charles.
Benjamin Tallman is my third cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are William Hall & Mary Thomas.)

Thursday, January 8, 2015

August 1743, Maryland

Mount St. Mary's University | Emmitsburg, Md.

August 23, 1743- William Elder purchased from his father-in-law, Arnold Livers, a section of "Ogle's Good Will". William and his second wife Jacoba Clementine Livers built their home on this land. William was a widower with five small children.His first wife, Ann Wheeler, had died of consumption in 1939. In 1742, he wed Jacoba, the daughter of his neighbor Arnold Livers of
Arnold's Delight on Owings Creek. This second marriage would produce seven more children.
Their home was known as Elder Station and one room was reserved as a chapel for their family and the Catholics of the area.
 The house was built of logs and the parlor-chapel was equal in size to the rest of the house. Here the Catholics of the area gathered for Mass as often as the presence of a priest permitted. Tradition states that a conch shell was used to summon local Catholics to Mass on these occasions. Sometimes Mass was celebrated by her brother Reverend Arnold Livers.
William had named the mountain St. Mary's Mount, and later on Mt. St. Mary's College would be built there. Most of the land that Mt. St. Mary's is now using for the College and Seminary was deeded by the Elder Family. Ogles Good Will and Elders Resurvey were two portions of land now with the college. The original Elder Cemetary is still sitting in the middle of college land.

(William Elder is my fifth great granduncle. Our common ancestor is Elizabeth Finch.)
 

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

August 1743, Connecticut

Joseph Webb and Isaac Stevens Houses, Wethersf...
Joseph Webb and Isaac Stevens Houses, Wethersfield, Connecticut, USA. Built in 1781 and 1789 respectively. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
August 3, 1743- A son, John, is born to Jonas Wright & Bathsheba Goffe in Wethersfield, Hartford, Conecticut.

(John Wright is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestors are Nathaniel Hubbard & Mary Earle.)

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

August 1743, Pennsylvania


August, 1743- Mary, daughter of William Hallowell & Margaret Tyson, dies at the age of one year in Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

August 3, 1743- A son, Dyonisius, is born to Dennis Conrad & Ann Knight in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

August 18, 1743- Benjamin Gilbert, son of Nicholas Gilbert & Sarah Chamberlin, marries Mary Conard, daughter of John Conard & Alice Lukens, in Abington, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, British America.
It is Mary's second marriage, her first husband Henry Evans died in 1739.

(Mary Conard is my first cousin 8 times removed.  Dyonisius Conard is her nephew. Dyonisius Conard is my second cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestors are Thones Kunders & Elin Magadalen Tyson and Mathias Dohrs & Agnes Neesgen Op den Graeff .
Mary Hallowell is his third cousin.
Mary Hallowell is my third cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestors are Mathias Dohrs & Agnes Neesgen Op den Graeff and Coentgen Lenssen Coenis & Anna Entgen Thones.)

Monday, January 5, 2015

July 1743, Connecticut



July 19, 1743- A son, Zophar, is born to Daniel Tuttle & Phebe Beach in Wallingford, New Haven County, Connecticut.

Surname Tuttle

English and Irish: from the Old Norse personal name þorkell, a contracted form of a name composed of the elements þórr, name of the Scandinavian god of thunder (see Thor) + ketill ‘cauldron’. The personal name Thurkill or Thirkill was in use throughout England in the Middle Ages; in northern England it had been introduced directly by Scandinavian settlers, whereas in the South it was the result of Norman influence. This surname and its variants are especially common in East Anglia. In Ireland the Old Norse name was adopted as a Gaelic personal name (Thorcall), which generated the surnames McCorkle and Corkill.

(Zophar Tuttle is my third cousin 7 times removed. Our common ancestor is Abraham Doolittle.)

Sunday, January 4, 2015

July 1743, Rhode Island

 
 
July 16, 1743- A son, Richard, is born to George Sisson & Drucilla Cole in Warren, Bristol County, Rhode Island.

July 27, 1743- A son, Isaac, is born to Isaac Tripp & Susannah Spencer in East Greenwich, Kent, Rhode Island.

Sisson Name Meaning

The name of Sisson is probably derived from Soissons, a province of France. Doubtless the progenitors of the English descendants of the name came to Britain with William of Normandy.

In the Poll-tax Returns of Howdenshire, (Yorkshire), for the year 1379 the following names are found: Johannes Sisson, Robertus Cisson, Henricus Sisson, Thomas Cysson, and William Cisson.

Canon Bardsley in his "Dictionary of English & Welsh Surnames" states: "Sisson, 'the son of Cecelia' " An English genealogist concludes that in one instance the name is derived from Syston, a populous village in Leicestershire.

The first record, yet found, of the name in the United States is at Portsmouth, Rhode Island. On
May 17, 1653 Richard Sisson was admitted a freeman of the town. (Richard Sisson is my tenth great grandfather.)
 

(Richard Sisson is my second cousin 8 times removed. Our common ancestors are George Sisson & Sarah F. Lawton.
Isaac Tripp is my third cousin 8 times removed. Richard Sisson is his third cousin. Our common ancestors are Richard Sisson & Mary Atkinson.)

Saturday, January 3, 2015

June 1743, Pennsylvania

In 1682 William Penn and his fellow Quakers came to the New World. They named their new colony Pennsylvania. This meant Penn's woods.


June 30, 1743- A son, Jonathan, is born to George Burson & Sarah Cox in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

William Penn established the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with the goals of religious tolerance and peace. Further, he sought to bring the Society of Friends (Quakers), who long suffered religious intolerance in Europe and the Colonies, to his new Colony.
There were three waves of migrations of Quakers to Pennsylvania.
According to Elliott, “The first and largest group were the English Quakers from London, Bristol, and counties in the west and north. A small minority were wealthy and they purchased the best lots in Philadelphia. The early nucleus of wealthy merchants in Pennsylvania was dominated by English Quakers from Barbados, Jamaica, New York, and West Jersey. English Friends also predominated the first tier of counties in Pennsylvania along the Delaware River. Later, a group of English Friends settled in Ceres in northwestern Pennsylvania.” -Quaker Records (by Wendy L. Elliott, CG, published 1987 by American Genealogical Lending Library)


(Jonathan Burson is my third cousin 6 times removed. Our common ancestors are Thomas Potts & Elizabeth Baset.)