Person:Peter Worden (4)

The first record of Peter Worden II is in 1622 in Preston, Lancashire where he appears as out Burgess in the Guild Rolls in Preston.

Peter came to the colonies with his father Peter in the 1630s. He is named in his father's will, written at Yarmouth 9 Feb 1638/9.

The first official record in New England is in the Plymouth Court Record, Volume 1, page 156, on the 2nd of June in 1640. It pertains to the granting of a warrant to attach and divide the goods of one Phillip Woodall. Peter also appears on an undated list, which shows 38 men who took the oath of fidelity, probably in 1639.

Bahn census data shows Peter in Yarmouth from age 30 in 1640 through age 70 in 1680.^S7

In 1643, Peter II and fifty-one others (all sixteen to twenty year old males capable of performing military duties) of Yarmouth are enrolled with those required "to provide a place of defence against sudden assult." Between 1643 and 1658, he was prominent in all public affairs and was repeatedly named as juror. He sold twelve acres in the West Field to Robert Dennis. His land is shown in Yarmouth on a 1644 map.

In 1651, he was appointed on the Grand Jury and was fined for not serving. 03 Jun 1652 Yarmouth, Plymouth Colony; was fined for not appearing to serve on grand enquest. He was opposed to the prevailing order of things and in 1667 was fined for creating a disturbance in the meeting house on the Lord's Day, which consisted in speaking his mind audibly about theological matters. The fine being ten shillings to the use of the colony, Plymouth Court Records, Volume 3/4.

On 05 April 1669, he bought a parcel of land from William Twing of Eastham, which he transferred to his son-in-law Kenelem Winslow on the same day--apparently as a dower for his daughter Mercy.

In 1675, Gov. Josiah Winslow of Plymouth led the trainbands against the Narragansett Indians and in 1676, King Phillip (Narrangansett Chief) was slain. The war tax of 1676 was very burdensome and Peter's was one of the largest, 8 pounds 2 shilling 3 d.

Peter was buried beside his father on his own land. To quote Oliver Newton Worden in 1888, "The graveyard lies on a gentle elevation of the highway, sloping northward, with a fine view of Cape Cod Bay and the town to the north east."

Peter Worden's will, dated 09 January 1680 with a codicil dated 29 July 1680, was proved on 03 March 1681. His only son, Samuel, was named executor. The will is lengthy and detailed. his wife, Mary, survived him by six years. Her will (found in the "Mayflower Descendents" Volume 3, Page 201, and the Barnstable County probate records) is dated 06 March 1686. She left her Indian sqauw servant to her son, Samuel. She died on 25 March 1687 in Yarmouth. Both Peter worden and his wife, Mary, are buried in the Worden Cemetery in the Town of Dennis on Cape Cod (formerly the east end of Old Yarmouth).

Father is proven through Peter Worden's will, dated 9 Feb 1638, which leaves his estate to "Peter Werden, my only sonne, and sonne and heir." The will also mentions a single grandchild.

Will

Last Will & Testament of Peter Werden II

I Peter Worden of the towne of Yarmouth in the collonie of New Plymouth in New England in America about seaventy-one years of age being weake in body yett in perfect memory doe make this my last will and testament.

Firstly. I bequeath my soule to God that give it and my body to the earth to be decently buryed when God's time is to remove mee out of this world by death. Secondly. I make my son Samuell Worden my whole and sole executor to who I give all my lands upon the necke called Equinett Necke with all the priviledges therto belonging to him and his heires and assignes forever with eight acrees of land att the south sea, to the said necke soe likewise.

I give to my son Samuell Worden all my housing and land that I now live upon after his mother's decease both upland and marsh and orchyard and the land I bought to Mr. Allin with all other lands due to mee from the towne not yett layed out or from the country as procured by the late warr woth the indians. Soe likewise I give to my son Samuell my best bedsteed and my trundle bedsteed.

Thirdly. I give to my daughter Martha the wife of Joseph Severens a peece of marsh about three acrees be itmore or lesse lying att the head of the marsh above John Burgis's ditch, during her naturall life and after I give it to my son Samuell Worden to whom I likewise give all the cattle that hee hath bine possessed of by mee excerpting two oxen.

Fourthly. I give to my loving wife Mary Worden the proffitts and improvements of my housing and lands and orchyards that I now live upon during her natural life, both upland and marsh with the land I bought of Mr. Allin and all my household good and cattle for her support during her life and my will is that what of my goods and cattle are left after my wife decease shalbe equally divided betwixt my three daughters Mary, Mercy and Martha.

Fifthly. I give to my son Samuell Worden all my estate in old England both land and other estate that came by my wife.

Sixthly. I give to my daughter Mary the wife of John Burgis, the one halfe of my forth acrees of upland att the head of the lotts to her, her heires and assignes forever.

Seaventhly. I give to my daughter Martha the wife of Joseph Severens all the cattle and goods, shee is already possessed of by mee with one cow more att my decease and after her decease my will is that what of them are left shall fall to her two daughters now living.

Lastly. I give to my son Samuell Worden my Chist and my cloake.

Peter Worden [and a Seale] Signed and sealed before us this ninth day of January, 1679. John Freeman Sr. Silas Sares

SOURCE: Obtained at Worden Hall in East Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass.

1. ↑ Waite W. Worden, and Waite W. (Waite Warren) Worden. Worden, Waite W. Worden, A Weir in the Valley. (Decorah, Iowa: Decorah, Iowa: Anundsen (1992), c1992).
2.   Wordens in History.

   http://nichirenscoffeehouse.net/gen/worden.htm

3. ↑ Http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~worden.
4. ↑ Worden Origins
   pp. 96-97.
5. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, Rich-Worden Genealogy cites Yarm. V.R. P. 125.
6. ↑ Will, Vol. 4, pages 72-75, Plymouth, Mass.
7.   Bahn Census of the Ancient Worden Family in America to 1850.
8.   Roberts, Gary Boyd. Ancestors of American Presidents. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009)
   pp. 64, 332.

   Ancestor of Rutherford B. Hayes through daughter Mary and of Calvin Coolidge through daughter Mercy, and descendant of William I of Scotland. Peter Worden, Jr. (c. 1609-1680/1), [m] Yarmouth, Mass. Mary ____.